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. 15, 2008
Filed:
Dec. 06, 2000
Thorsten Herfet, Altdorf, DE;
Hans-juergen Busch, Buechenbach, DE;
Thorsten Herfet, Altdorf, DE;
Hans-Juergen Busch, Buechenbach, DE;
Grundig Multimedia B.V., Amsterdam, NL;
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method and a system for controlling and/or exchanging data for multimedia appliances and an appliance suitable therefor According to prior art, methods and systems for controlling and exchanging data for multimedial appliances have the disadvantage that said methods, systems and appliances are very simple with regard to the requirements and the possibilities at hand and involve considerable hardware requirements. The invention is based upon the fact that each appliance which is integrated into the system sends a message at regular intervals and by means of the bus as soon as said appliance has been activated The type of the appliance can be detected by means of said message which also reveals that the appliance is switched on, i.e. active. All the remaining active appliances in the system evaluate said messages and send such messages themselves as long as said appliances are active. The active appliances can control other active appliances or exchange data with other active appliances if required because each active appliance is thus provided with information on the other active appliances in the system.