Use Cases

3.1 Use Case 1 – User Watches Broadcast

John sits down in his home living room, ready to watch an HD television program delivered via an over-the-air, broadcast TV signal. In John’s home entertainment cabinet three devices are present and connected together via 1394 cables to create a simple HD audio/video network. The devices include an HDTV monitor, a digital cable set top box and a digital video recorder (DVR).

John turns on his HDTV and is presented with an interactive menu screen asking him to select a video source to display on the TV. On the menu screen, the cable set top box and DVR are listed as possible choices. Using his remote, John navigates and selects the cable set top box and immediately begins receiving a live HD feed from the NBC Television Network.

Simultaneously, as NBC programming is displayed, the cable set top box overlays a graphic across the video, showing key information about the program, such as channel number, show title and show description.

After a brief time with no viewer activity, the banner disappears giving John an unobstructed view of the program on the TV screen. However, a press of the INFO key (or similar key) on the remote immediately brings up the original graphic that John first saw when he tuned in.

John decides to search for other content to view, so he presses the MENU key (or similar key) on the remote control to pull up a menu screen provided by the cable set top box. From the menu screen, an option for the electronic program guide (EPG) is provided, which John selects. The EPG menu provides a listing of current and future programs for each channel, with the channel number displayed for easy reference. Using the remote control’s navigation buttons, John browses the listings and highlights a program on USA Network. Pressing the ENTER button (or similar key), John selects the channel and immediately begins viewing his program. He also has the option of directly keying in his channel choice to quickly get to his favorite channels.

In addition, John is able to change channels by pressing channel up/down keys and by using specialty keys like Last Channel. In all cases, the graphic is displayed each time the channel changes to provide program information for John.

4.1 Use Case 1 – Basic Time Shift Viewing

Paul sits down in his home living room, ready to watch an HD television program delivered via an over-the-air, broadcast TV signal. In Paul’s home entertainment cabinet three devices are present and connected together via 1394 cables to create a simple HD audio/video network. The devices include an HDTV monitor, a digital cable set top box and a digital video recorder (DVR).

Paul turns on his HDTV and is presented with an interactive menu screen asking him to select a video source to display on the TV. On the menu screen, the cable set top box and DVR are listed as possible choices. Using his remote, Paul navigates and selects the cable set top box. A submenu screen appears on the TV and asks Paul if he wishes to have the live HD feed recorded to the DVR’s hard drive. Paul agrees and the cable set top box commands the DVR to begin recording the TV signal. Simultaneously, Paul’s HDTV begins to receive the HD feed of the program.

Because the TV signal is being recorded by the DVR, Paul can use the PAUSE, FAST FORWARD, REWIND or PLAY keys on the remote control to time shift his viewing. In addition, Paul has access to the DVR’s menu system to get updated status information about the program being time shifted.

To find out the name of the current “live” program, Paul presses the INFO key (or similar key) on the remote control to pull up a menu screen provided by the DVR. The menu screen tells him the program name as well as information about the starting time of the recording, and the channel name and number.

At any time during his time shifted viewing, Paul can change the channel on the cable set top box using his remote control. The channel change is immediate, unless the tuner is also being used by another device on the home network. In addition, Paul has full access to the cable set top box’s menu system by pressing the MENU key (or similar key) on the remote control to pull up a menu screen provided by the cable set top box.

5.1 Use Case 1 – Multiple DTVs Connected to a Single Tuner

Maria and Bill have two digital TVs, one in their bedroom and one in their living room. The living room TV is connected to a standalone HDTV receiver with an over-the-air HD tuner, while the bedroom TV is connected to a digital video recorder (DVR). All devices are connected to one another to create an HD audio/video home network.

Because the digital TV in the living room is a large screen HDTV, Bill decides to stay in the living room and watch his favorite sports team. Bill turns on his TV and is presented with an interactive menu screen that asks him to select a video source to display on the TV. On the menu screen, the HDTV receiver and DVR are listed as possible choices. Using his remote, Bill navigates and selects the HDTV receiver and immediately begins receiving a live HD broadcast feed of his sports programming.

Maria, not wanting to interfere with Bill’s sports night, retires to the bedroom and turns on her digital TV and, like Bill, immediately sees an interactive menu that asks her to select between two video sources – the HDTV receiver or the DVR. Curious to see what sports program Bill is watching, Maria chooses the HDTV receiver and begins to receive a live HD feed of the program Bill is watching.

After watching for a few seconds, Maria decides that Bill’s program is not for her and uses her remote control to change the channel. Immediately, a graphic is displayed on Maria’s TV warning her that the HDTV receiver is in use by the digital TV in the living room. Maria is given the option to acknowledge the warning and proceed with the channel change or cancel her request. If Maria proceeds, a message appears on Bill’s TV telling him that the bedroom digital TV has requested to change the channel and presents Bill with two options – allow the channel change or stop the action. If Maria cancels her request, no message is sent to Bill’s TV. Maria decides not to interfere with Bill’s current program and cancels her request.

The next evening, Maria is at home by herself and realizes her favorite TV program is about to begin. She tunes her bedroom TV to the program’s TV channel to start an immediate recording. Bill, coming home late from work and not realizing that Maria has started a recording of her show, turns on the living room TV and attempts to change the channel. Immediately, a message pops up on the living room TV warning that the HDTV receiver is in use by the bedroom TV and is recording the program to the DVR. Like the previous night, Bill has the option to change the channel or cancel his request. Knowing that the program is one of Maria’s favorites, Bill cancels his request, preserving Maria’s recording.

If Maria had not been at home, but instead scheduled the program to be recorded, Bill’s actions still would have initiated the same prompts, warning him that the receiver is in use.

In all the cases, Maria and Bill resolve any conflicts manually when multiple TVs in the home attempt to view different channels with a single HDTV receiver.

6.1 Use Case 1 – Push from Tuner to a DTV

Mark and Grace have two digital TVs, one in their bedroom and one in their basement. In addition to the TVs, a standalone HDTV receiver with an over-the-air HD tuner is present in the house. All three devices are connected to one another to create an HD audio/video home network.

Mark is working in the basement watching an HDTV broadcast feed via the HDTV receiver. As Mark finishes his work, he realizes that his program is only two-thirds finished and wishes to continue watching his program on the bedroom TV with minimal effort. The “Push” feature on his tuner allows Mark to conveniently send his program from the basement TV to the bedroom TV.

Pressing the MENU key (or similar key) on the remote control, Mark pulls up a menu screen provided by the HDTV receiver. From the menu screen, an option for the transfer of the TV signal to another device is provided, which Mark selects. The resulting submenu provides a listing of all devices currently part of the home network. Using the remote control’s navigation buttons, Mark selects the bedroom TV to begin the transfer. The TV signal could have also been transferred through the Digital TV’s (not the receiver’s) interactive menu.

The completion of the TV signal transfer is dependent on the status of the bedroom TV. If the bedroom TV is off, the HDTV receiver simply sends a signal to the bedroom TV to turn on the power and display the transferred TV signal.

In the more complex case, where Grace is already watching the bedroom TV, the HDTV receiver displays a graphic asking Grace if she would like to accept or reject the transfer of the TV signal from the basement TV. If Grace accepts, the HDTV receiver makes a connection to the bedroom TV and displays the TV signal. If Grace rejects the request, a graphic is displayed on Mark’s basement TV explaining that the transfer could not take place because the bedroom TV had rejected the request. If the bedroom TV is not capable of supporting the alert message, the bedroom TV would just accept the request.

In the end, Mark’s request to transfer his original program from the basement TV to the bedroom TV is accomplished via the coordination of these connected devices in the HD audio/video home network.

6.2 Use Case 2 – Push from AVHDD to a DTV

Mark and Grace have two digital TVs, one in their bedroom and one in their basement. In addition to the TVs, a standalone HDTV receiver with an over-the-air HD tuner and a digital video recorder (DVR) are present in the house. All four devices are connected to one another to create an HD audio/video home network.

Grace is in the bedroom and is watching a program from the DVR that was recorded earlier in the day. Mark is working in the basement and decides that he wants to watch a program that was recorded on the DVR two nights before. Mark asks Grace to use the “Push” feature on the DVR to allow him to conveniently watch his recorded program from the basement TV while still allowing Grace to watch her own recorded program.

Pressing the MENU key (or similar key) on the remote control, Grace pulls up a menu screen provided by the DVR. From the menu screen, an option for the transfer of the recorded TV program to another device is provided, which Grace selects. The resulting submenu provides a listing of all devices currently part of the home network. Using the remote control’s navigation buttons, Grace selects the basement TV to begin the transfer.

The completion of the recorded program transfer is dependent on the status of the basement TV. If the basement TV is off, the DVR simply sends a signal to the basement TV to turn on the power and display the recorded TV program.

In the more complex case, where Mark is already watching the basement TV, the DVR displays a graphic asking Mark if he would like to accept or reject the transfer of the recorded TV program from the DVR. If Mark accepts, the DVR makes a connection to the basement TV and displays the recorded program. If Mark rejects the request, a graphic is displayed on Grace’s bedroom TV explaining that the transfer could not take place because the basement TV had rejected the request. If the basement TV is not capable of supporting the alert message, the basement TV would just accept the request.

Mark accepts the request from the DVR and begins watching his recorded program. In the end, the simultaneous use of the DVR to watch two different recorded programs is accomplished via the coordination of these connected devices in the HD audio/video home network.

6.3 Use Case 3 – Push to a DTV while Time Shift Viewing

Mark has two digital TVs, one in his bedroom and one in his basement. In addition to the TVs, a standalone HDTV receiver with an over-the-air HD tuner and a digital video recorder (DVR) are present in the house. All four devices are connected to one another to create an HD audio/video home network.

Mark is in the basement and turns on his HDTV and is presented with an interactive menu screen asking him to select a video source to display on the TV. On the menu screen, the HDTV receiver and DVR are listed as possible choices. Using his remote, Mark navigates and selects the HDTV receiver. A submenu screen appears on the TV and asks Mark if he wishes to have the live HD broadcast feed recorded to the DVR’s hard drive. Mark agrees and the HDTV receiver commands the DVR to begin recording the TV signal. Simultaneously, Mark’s HDTV begins to receive the HD broadcast feed of the program.

Mark decides that he wants to continue watching the HD broadcast feed from his bedroom, but does not want to miss any of his program as he goes from the basement to the bedroom. The “Push” feature available on the DVR allows Mark to accomplish this goal.

Pressing the PAUSE key on the remote control, Mark pauses the HD broadcast feed. Mark then presses the MENU key (or similar key) and pulls up a menu screen provided by the DVR. From the menu screen, an option for the transfer of the TV signal to another device is provided, which Mark selects. The resulting submenu provides a listing of all devices currently part of the home network. Using the remote control’s navigation buttons, Mark selects the bedroom TV to begin the transfer. He turns off the basement TV and goes to the bedroom.

In the bedroom, Mark picks up his remote, turns on the TV and immediately sees the “paused” broadcast feed on the screen. Mark presses the PLAY key and begins playing exactly where he had paused his program on the basement TV.