Media device upgrading system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11399213-B2
Application number	US-201916357740-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2019
Priority date	Mar 23, 2018
Publication date	Jul 26, 2022
Grant date	Jul 26, 2022

Abstract

Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for a media device upgrading system. An embodiment operates by receiving a command at a media device that includes an upgrader device connected via or plugged into an input port of the media device. It is determined that the command is associated with modifying a software component of the media device, wherein both the media device and the upgrader device include operating systems configured to process the command and modify the software component. The command is provided to the upgrader device based on a determination that the media device is in an upgrader mode of operation. A visual indication corresponding to the modification is provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
displaying a native user interface of a media device configured to enable a remote control configured to control the media device during a normal mode without an upgrader device;
determining that the media device includes the upgrader device connected via an input port of the media device, wherein the upgrader device is configured to improve operations of the media device responsive to selections made via the remote control during an upgrader mode, wherein the native user interface is displayed during both the normal mode and the upgrader mode;
receiving, via the native user interface, a command at the media device, wherein the media device is configured to operate in the normal mode during which the command is processed by the media device, and the upgrader mode during which the command is processed by the upgrader device, wherein the upgrader device includes its own networking capabilities independent from the media device;
determining that the command is associated with modifying a software component of the media device, wherein the media device includes firmware that is configured to process a request for operating a hardware component of the media device regardless of whether the media device is operating in the normal mode or the upgrader mode, wherein both the media device and the upgrader device include operating systems configured to process the command and modify the software component, and wherein the software component during the upgrader mode utilizes the networking capabilities of the upgrader device;
providing the command to the upgrader device based on a determination that the media device is in the upgrader mode; and
providing, via the media device, a visual indication corresponding to the modification.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media device includes a television, and wherein the software component includes an application configured to stream content for display on the television.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a display of a command menu during the normal mode is identical to a display of the command menu during the upgrader mode.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hardware component includes a changing of an active input port of the media device to an input port that does include the upgrader device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the upgrader device includes hardware upgrades relative to a hardware of the media device.

6. A media device system, comprising:
a memory; and
at least one processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
display a native user interface of a media device configured to enable a remote control configured to control the media device during a normal mode without an upgrader device;
determine that the media device includes the upgrader device connected via an input port of the media device, wherein the upgrader device is configured to improve operations of the media device responsive to selections made via the remote control during an upgrader mode, wherein the native user interface is displayed during both the normal mode and the upgrader mode;
receive, via the native user interface, a command at the media device, wherein the media device is configured to operate in the normal mode during which the command is processed by the media device, and the upgrader mode during which the command is processed by the upgrader device, wherein the upgrader device includes its own networking capabilities independent from the media device;
determine that the command is associated with modifying a software component of the media device, wherein the media device includes firmware that is configured to process a request for operating a hardware component of the media device regardless of whether the media device is operating in the normal mode or the upgrader mode, wherein both the media device and the upgrader device include operating systems configured to process the command and modify the software component, and wherein the software component during the upgrader mode utilizes the networking capabilities of the upgrader device;
provide the command to the upgrader device based on a determination that the media device is in the upgrader mode; and
provide, via the media device, a visual indication corresponding to the modification.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the media device includes a television, and wherein the software component includes an application configured to stream content for display on the television.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the hardware component includes a changing of an active input port of the media device to an input port that does include the upgrader device.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the upgrader device includes hardware upgrades relative to a hardware of the media device.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the hardware upgrades enable faster processing of the command by the upgrader device relative to the media device.

11. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
displaying a native user interface of a media device configured to enable a remote control configured to control the media device during a normal mode without an upgrader device;
determining that the media device includes the upgrader device connected via an input port of the media device, wherein the upgrader device is configured to improve operations of the media device responsive to selections made via the remote control during an upgrader mode, wherein the native user interface is displayed during both the normal mode and the upgrader mode;
receiving an indication to enter the upgrader mode for the media device;
configuring, the media device, to process one or more hardware commands for modifying an operation of the media device when received from the remote control, wherein the media device includes firmware that is configured to process a request for operating a hardware component of the media device regardless of whether the media device is operating in the normal mode or the upgrader mode, and wherein the upgrader device includes its own networking capabilities independent from the media device;
configuring the media device to provide one or more operational commands to the upgrader device, wherein the one or more operational commands modify an operation of a software component associated with the media device, and wherein the software component during the upgrader mode utilizes the networking capabilities of the upgrader device; and
providing an indication, via the media device, that the media device is operational in the upgrader mode.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the media device includes a television, and wherein the software component includes an application configured to stream content for display on the television.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the upgrader device is plugged into a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port of the television, and wherein the upgrader device is configured to stream the content directly for display via the television.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the upgrader device is plugged into a universal serial bus (USB) port of the television, and wherein the upgrader device is configured to receive the streamlining content via a network port of the television for display via the television.

15. An upgrader device coupled to a television (TV), the TV comprising first hardware and a first operating system (OS), comprising:
second hardware that comprises at least one processor; and
a second OS;
wherein the upgrader device is compatible with a native user interface of the TV, wherein the native user interface is displ

Assignees

• Roku Inc

Inventors

• Mendenhall David
• Sharp David
• Ely Mark
• Funk Jim
• Smith Charles
• Schultz Andrew
• Wood Anthony

Classifications

• H04N21/43635

  HDMI · CPC title

• H04N21/4183

  providing its own processing capabilities, e.g. external module for video decoding · CPC title

• H04N21/4586 Primary

  Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally (deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25) · CPC title

• H04N21/443

  OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB · CPC title

• H04N21/818

  OS software · CPC title