The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 13, 2004
Filed:
Mar. 26, 1999
Eric Diehl, Liffré, FR;
Joel Sirot, Melesse, FR;
Thomson Licensing S.A., Boulogne-Billancourt, FR;
Abstract
A method/apparatus for sharing a resource of plural video/audio/data signal receivers broadcast by an emitter among a plurality of video/audio/data processing Set Top Units using a Master/Slave protocol. The first STU connected to a receiver is the Master, which has priority over a later-connected slave. An STU has access to all services if there is a free receiver. In the absence of free receivers, an STU can access all the services currently accessed by the other STUs, and the services on the transport streams carrying the services currently viewed by the other STUs. A resource sharing apparatus comprises a dedicated for each STU for displaying resources available to the corresponding STU. The controller indicates Slave status for resources that can be provided for the corresponding STU and a special indication for resource that is currently used by a corresponding STU.