Thomson Licensing

Thomson Licensing S.a.

Thomson Licensing Dtv

Interdigital Madison Patent Holdings

Ingo Hütter

Michael Weber

Thomas Brune

Jens Spille

Marco Winter

Dirk Adolph

Dietmar Hepper

Hans-Joachim Platte

Wulf-Christian Streckenbach

Johannes Böhm

Kai Dorau

Sigrun Otte-Spille

The invention relates to a method for operating a network as well as a local network comprising network components and to network components, in particular of a home network, where a functional command is generated, which is configured to execute an assigned function in a network station, wherein a user identification, which is derived from the collected user data, is assigned to the functional command, the assigned user identification is evaluated in the network station in response to executing the functional command and the functional command is executed when, in response to the evaluation of the corresponding user identification, it is established that the functional command is approved in connection with the assigned user identification.

Method for operating a network as well as a local network and network component

When data streams are being transmitted in a network of distributed stations () in which the network subscriber stations are controlled on the basis of the Internet Protocol, a resource (such as a file) can very often be transmitted using the HTTP-GET method. However, this does not support discontinuous transmission, in sections, of data, as is required, for example, in the case of trick modes (search processes) for a video film. The invention describes an extension to the known HTTP-GET method, such that this application is likewise possible. For this purpose, additional parameters relating to the required search are transmitted to the source appliance () in the HTTP-GET request. The source appliance () then sends the respective data sections for the search.

Method for discontinuous transmission, in sections, of data in a network of distributed stations, as well as a network subscriber station as a requesting appliance for carrying out a method such as this, and a network subscriber station as a source appliance for carrying out a method such as this

Two or more electronic devices are connected via a bus system building a cluster or chain of devices. A device can be selected using a control device, wherein an user interface for the selected device is generated based on description data which are stored in the selected device and are transferred to the control device. A single user interface is shown on a display of the control device which allows to operate at least two devices simultaneously. The user interface of a first device is displayed as main user interface and the user interface of a second device is rendered within the main interface as reduced user interface which includes only operation elements necessary for operation of the second device in combination with the first device.

Method for the data exchange between network devices

Two or more electronic devices are connected via a bus system, wherein one of the network devices controls other network devices. A first control application is uploaded from a first controlled device to the control device and a second control application is uploaded from a second controlled device into the first control application. The first and second controlled devices can be operated simultaneously using a single user interface shown on a display of the control device. The user interface of the first device is displayed as main user interface and the user interface of the second device is rendered within the main interface as reduced user interface, which includes only operation elements necessary for operation of the second device in combination with the first device. The generation of combined user interfaces is also possible when the second controlled device comprises features, which are not known at the production of the first controlled device.

Method for the control of network devices connected via a bus system

The invention relates to the field of home networks, in particular to the connection of two home networks of different types via a gateway. The network appliances in the network of the first type are also intended to be able to control the network appliances in the network of the second type, and vice versa. One problem that occurs when carrying out conversion processes on control messages is that an input parameter which is known in the network of the first type can be changed as required and can also be signaled further within this network, but the associated correspondence in the network of the second type is permanently set, and accordingly cannot be changed. The invention provides a way in which an input parameter such as this can nevertheless be likewise updated in the network of the second type.

Updating parameters in a bridged multistandard home network

The invention relates to the field of home networks, in particular to the connection of two home networks of different types via a gateway. The network appliances in the network of the first type are also intended to be able to control the network appliances in the network of the second type, and vice versa. One problem that occurs when carrying out conversion processes on control messages is that an input parameter which is known in the network of the first type can be changed as required and can also be signaled further within this network, but the associated correspondence in the network of the second type is permanently set, and accordingly cannot be changed. The invention provides a way in which an input parameter such as this can nevertheless be likewise updated in the network of the second type. For this purpose, the network station which relates to the input parameter is first of all logged-off in the network of the second type. The changed input parameter is then converted to the information element in the network of the second type. The network station which relates to the input parameter is then logged on again in the network of the second type. This results in the network stations in the network of the second type being able to newly read the appliance description for the network station which relates to the input parameter. This then also results in the input parameter being updated in the network of the second type.

The invention relates to the field of home networks, in particular the connection of two home networks of different types via a gateway. The network devices in the network of the first type are also intended to be able to control the network devices in the network of the second type, and vice versa. In the context of realizing control message conversions, the problem has arisen that, although direct conversions into the format of the other network are possible for many control messages, in some cases there is no correspondence for a control message in the device to be controlled. In order to convert such control messages, it is proposed to provide means in the network connection unit which check whether a data connection to a further network device is set up for the device to be controlled and, if the further network device has this device functionality, the conversion is effected such that the control message is converted into a corresponding control message for the further network device and is forwarded to the further network device.

Method for controlling a network station in a network of a first type from a network station in a network of a second type, and connection unit for the connection of the networks of the first and second types

The invention relates to the field of domestic network technology. The control of an appliance in the network via a central appliance for the network and having a display unit is normally simplified with the aid of user interfaces. When an audio-video datastream has to be transmitted between two network appliances, then this takes place via data links that are set up. There is then a close relationship between the connected appliances, and this requires frequent switching between the user interfaces of the two appliances. For example, when the user interface for a CD player is displayed, this user interface must first of all be closed and a user interface for an amplifier in the network must be started, usually by selection from the list of all the appliances in the network, in order then to set the volume for the amplifier. The aim of the invention is to simplify the control of such appliances which are coupled to one another via a data link that has been set up. This is achieved by providing a field in the user interface for an appliance to be controlled, in which field a list of those appliances which maintain a connection that has been set up is displayed, and the user interface of that appliance is displayed with it. This results in a preselection from the list of all of the appliances in the network, allowing the desired user interface to be selected more quickly.

Method for providing a user interface for controlling an appliance in a network of distributed stations, as well as a network appliance for carrying out the method

The invention relates to a storage medium on which a set of data is stored, whereby a first data section of the data set is stored in a read-only memory area and a second data section of the data set is stored in a read/write memory area, and the data set comprises language-independent data and language-dependent data. The data set can be processed in a handling device either in a first processing form related to a first language, or in a different processing form related to a second language. Language-independent data and language-dependent data which are related to the first language are included in the first data section, and language-dependent data which are related to the second language are included in the second data section. For the processing in different form, data from the second data section as well as data from the first data section are to be used.

Storage medium and method for processing data of such storage medium

A method for calling up information about current radio and television programs wherein desired signals are transmitted together or separately with decodable additional information signals. The method includes the steps of selecting from the additional information signals that information which is directly or indirectly linked to time information. The selected information is compared with a time period which can be predetermined and within which the current time and/or the time assigned to the current program occurs. The information corresponding to this time period is then displayed on a display device of a receiving device which receives the desired signals and additional information signals. The information is displayed in response to depressing a call up key of an associated receiving device or remote controller one or more times, such that at least two fields selected from the group consisting of start time, stop time, title, and remaining run time are displayed on a portion of the display device, while another portion of the display device displays information associated with the desired signals of a current channel which the receiving device is tuned to.

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Pattensen, Germany

Ingo Hütter