Patent · US Active

Methods and apparatus for managing interfaces in a placeshifting device

US8978058B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
7References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateOct 15, 2013
Grant dateMar 10, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 15, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N21/4627
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A placeshifting device handles content from a media source (e.g., a set-top box) that might incorporate a form of copy-protection such as HDCP. In one case, when a placeshifting mode is entered (as opposed to a pass-through mode), the copy-protection capability of the interface (e.g., an HDMI interface) is simply disabled. In another case in which the media source includes a copy protection “flag” or the like that can be interrogated by the placeshifting device, the placeshifting device determines whether the media source copy-protection is enabled, and only then disables the copy-protection capability of the interface. In another case in which selectable output control (SOC) is available in the media source, the placeshifting device determines whether alternate interfaces are available (e.g., component video, composite video, and the like), and if so, disables the interface having copy-protection capability.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.