A dongle that converts the format to ATSC3.0 low power radio

Abstract

This document describes technology that uses the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 television protocol, specifically, a dongle (306, 400, 500, 600) that converts HDMI, USB, or VGA from a computer (302) into ATSC 3.0 packets and transmits the packets wirelessly to a display (304).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This application relates to technological advances directed to digital television, which are necessarily rooted in computer technology, and in particular to Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0. [Background technology]

[0002] The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 family of standards is a set of numerous industry technical standards for the delivery of next-generation broadcast television, as set forth in ATSC A / 300. ATSC 3.0 supports the delivery of a wide range of television services, including but not limited to televised video, interactive services, non-real-time data delivery, and tailored advertising to a multitude of receiving devices, from ultra-high definition televisions to wireless telephones. ATSC 3.0 also coordinates the coordination between broadcast content (referred to as "Over the Air") and related broadband-delivered content and services (referred to as "Over the Top"). ATSC 3.0 is designed to be flexible so that as technology evolves, advances can be easily incorporated without the need for a complete overhaul of the relevant technical standards. The principles address such advances as described below. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] As understood herein, people in a conference room may use a TV to display a presentation output from a laptop or other computer. As also understood herein, connecting a laptop to a TV via wires can be cumbersome and sometimes frustrating. Furthermore, data formats such as High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) and Video Graphics Array (VGA) output by laptops use electrical signals that can become overloaded when traveling over long cables, eventually causing the port to "blown." [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] Thus, a hardware-implemented dongle includes at least one At-the-Scenes Television Committee (ATSC) 3.0 input configured to engage a source of content. The at least one input includes one or more of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) input, a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) input, and a Video Graphics Array (VGA) input. The dongle includes at least one conversion circuit configured to convert a signal from the input into an ATSC 3.0 signal. The dongle further includes at least one wireless transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the ATSC 3.0 signal to at least one receiver for displaying content from the source of content.

[0005] According to this principle, HDMI can be received not only through a physical HDMI port but also via USB (in Type-C "alternate mode").

[0006] In some implementations, the conversion circuitry is configured to convert the VGA signal to an HDMI signal and convert the HDMI signal to an ATSC 3.0 signal. The conversion circuitry can be further configured to convert the HDMI signal to the ATSC 3.0 signal by at least partially compressing the HDMI signal and packetizing the HDMI signal.

[0007] In an example embodiment, the dongle includes circuitry configured to search at least a portion of the ATSC 3.0 broadcast spectrum for an open channel and transmit an ATSC 3.0 signal on the open channel. The transmitter may include a pico transmitter transmitting at a power of 20 milliwatts or less.

[0008] In another aspect, a digital TV assembly includes at least one digital TV and at least one source of content to be presented on the TV. The assembly also includes at least one dongle that can engage the source to convert the content from the source into a digital TV signal and transmit the digital TV signal wirelessly to the TV.

[0009] In another aspect, a method includes receiving content in a Universal Serial Bus (USB) format, or a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) format, or a Video Graphics Array (VGA) format at the dongle. The method also includes converting the content to an Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 format using the dongle, and wirelessly transmitting the content to an ATSC 3.0 TV using the dongle.

[0010] The details of the present application, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are designated with like reference numerals and in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 system. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing components of the device shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 illustrates a dongle that converts High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) data into a digital TV signal. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 illustrates a dongle that converts video graphic array (VGA) data into a digital TV signal. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 illustrates a dongle that converts Universal Serial Bus (USB) data into a digital TV signal. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing details of a dongle. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 illustrates example logic for transmitting USB data to a digital TV in the form of an example flow chart. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 illustrates example logic for transmitting VGA data to a digital TV in the form of an example flow chart. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 illustrates example logic for transmitting HDMI data to a digital TV in the form of an example flow chart. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 illustrates example logic for converting VGA or USB data to HDMI in example flow chart form. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 illustrates example logic for converting HDMI data to a digital TV signal in the form of an example flow chart. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 illustrates example logic for establishing a channel between a source and a TV in example flow chart form. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a screenshot according to FIG. 12. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] The present disclosure relates to technological advances in digital television, such as Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 televisions. An example system herein may include an ATSC 3.0 source component and a client component connected via broadcast and / or network to exchange data with each other. The client components may include one or more computing devices, such as portable televisions (e.g., smart TVs, Internet-enabled TVs), portable computers, such as laptops and tablet computers, and smartphones and other mobile devices, including further examples described below. These client devices may operate in a variety of operating environments. For example, some of the client computers may employ, as examples, Microsoft operating systems, or Unix operating systems, or operating systems produced by Apple Computer, Inc. or Google, such as Android. These operating environments may be used to execute one or more browsing programs, such as browsers created by Microsoft, Google, or Mozilla, or other browsing programs that can access websites hosted by Internet servers, as described below.

[0013] The ATSC 3.0 source components may include broadcast transmission components, and servers and / or gateways that may include one or more processors executing instructions that configure the source components to broadcast and / or transmit data over a network such as the Internet. Examples of client components and / or local ATSC 3.0 source components include gaming consoles such as Sony PlayStation®, personal computers, and the like.

[0014] Information may be exchanged between the client and the server over a network. For this purpose and for security, the server and / or the client may include firewalls, load balancers, temporary storage, and proxies, as well as other network infrastructure that enhances authenticity and security.

[0015] As used herein, instructions refer to computer-implemented steps for processing information within a system. Instructions may be implemented in software, firmware, or hardware and may include any type of program step performed by a component of the system.

[0016] The processor may be a general purpose single-chip or multi-chip processor capable of implementing logic through various lines such as address lines, data lines and control lines, as well as registers and shift registers.

[0017] The software modules illustrated by the flowcharts and user interfaces herein may include various subroutines, procedures, etc. Without limiting the disclosure, logic disclosed as being performed by a particular module may also be redistributed among other software modules and / or combined into a single module and / or utilized within a shareable library. Although a flowchart format may be used, it is understood that the software may also be implemented as a state machine or other logical method.

[0018] The principles described herein may be implemented as hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof, and thus, example components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps are described in terms of their functionality.

[0019] In addition to those suggested above, the logic blocks, modules, and circuits may be implemented or performed using a processor, digital signal processor (DSP), field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A processor may be implemented by a controller, a state machine, or a combination of computing devices.

[0020] The functions and methods described below, when implemented in software, may be written in any suitable language, such as, but not limited to, HyperText Markup Language (HTML)-5, Java / Javascript, C#, C++, and may be stored on or transmitted through a computer-readable storage medium, such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disk storage, such as digital versatile disk (DVD), magnetic disk storage, or other magnetic storage devices, including removable thumb drives, etc. A connection may constitute the computer-readable medium. Such connections may include wired cables, including, by way of example, optical fiber, coaxial cable, digital subscriber line (DSL), and twisted pair cable.

[0021] Components included in one embodiment may be used in other embodiments in any suitable combination. For example, any of the various components described herein and / or illustrated in the figures may be combined, substituted, or excluded from other embodiments.

[0022] "A system having at least one of A, B, and C (and similarly, "a system having at least one of A, B, or C" and "a system having at least one of A, B, C")" includes systems having only A, only B, only C, both A and B, both A and C, both B and C, and / or all of A, B, and C, etc.

[0023] 1, an example of an ATSC 3.0 source component, labeled as a "broadcast station facility" 10, may include an over-the-air (OTA) facility 12 that broadcasts television data wirelessly, typically via orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) in a one-to-many relationship, to multiple receivers 14, such as ATSC 3.0 televisions. The one or more receivers 14 may communicate with one or more companion devices 16, such as remote control devices, tablet computers, and mobile phones, via a short-range link 18, which is typically wireless and may be implemented by Bluetooth, low-energy Bluetooth, other near-field communication (NFC) protocols, infrared (IR), and the like.

[0024] One or more of the receivers 14 may also communicate with an over-the-top (OTT) facility 22 of the broadcast facility 10 via a wired and / or wireless network link 20, such as the Internet, typically in a one-to-one relationship. The OTA facility 12 may be co-located with the OTT facility 22, or both facilities 12, 22 of the broadcast facility 10 may be remote from each other, and they may communicate with each other through appropriate means. In any case, the receiver 14 may receive ATSC 3.0 television signals over the air via a tuned ATSC 3.0 television channel, or may receive related content including television over the air (broadband). It should be noted that the computer devices described in all figures herein may include some or all of the components shown for the various devices in Figures 1 and 2.

[0025] Referring now to Figure 2, details of example components shown in Figure 1 can be seen. Figure 2 shows an example protocol stack that can be implemented by a combination of hardware and software. A broadcaster can transmit a hybrid service distribution that distributes one or more program elements over a computer network (referred to herein as "broadband" and "over the top" (OTT)) and over the air (referred to herein as "broadcast" and "over the air" (OTA)) using the ATSC 3.0 protocol stack, appropriately modified for the broadcaster side shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 also shows an example stack including hardware that can be embodied by a receiver.

[0026] Disclosing FIG. 2 from the perspective of a broadcast station facility 10, one or more processors 200 accessing one or more computer storage media 202, such as any memory or storage described herein, can be implemented to provide one or more software applications at a top application layer 204. The application layer 204 can include one or more software applications written in, for example, HTML5 / Javascript, that operate in a runtime environment. Applications in the application stack 204 can include, but are not limited to, linear TV applications, interactive service applications, companion screen applications, personalization applications, emergency alert applications, and usage reporting applications. Typically, applications are embodied in software that represents elements of the viewer experience, including video coding, audio coding, and runtime environment. As an example, applications can be provided that allow the user to control dialogue, use alternative audio tracks, and control audio parameters such as normalization and dynamic range.

[0027] Below the application layer 204 is the presentation layer 206. The presentation layer 206 includes a broadcast audio-video playback device on the over-the-air (OTA) side called a media processing unit (MPU) 208 that, when implemented in a receiver, decodes the over-the-air broadcasted audio-video content and plays it on one or more displays and speakers. The MPU 208 is configured to present the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Base Media File Format (BMFF) data representation 210, and video in High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), with audio in, for example, Dolby Audio Compression (AC)-4 format. The ISO BMFF is a generic file structure for time-based media files that are divided into "segments" and presentation metadata. Essentially, each file is a set of nested objects, each with its own type and length. The MPU 208 can access a broadcast-side encrypted media extension (EME) / common encryption (CENC) module 212 to facilitate decryption.

[0028] 2 further shows that on the broadcast side, the presentation layer 206 can include signaling modules, including either a Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) Media Transport Protocol (MMTP) signaling module 214 or a real-time object delivery over unidirectional transport (ROUTE) signaling module 216, to deliver non-real-time (NRT) content 218 accessible to the application layer 204. NRT content can include, but is not limited to, stored alternative advertisements. ROUTE sessions include audio-video (AV) streams. Layered coding transport (LCT) channels are established within ROUTE sessions. Each LCT channel carries either video, audio, captions, or other data.

[0029] On the broadband (OTT or computer network) side, if implemented by a receiver, the presentation layer 206 can include one or more Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) (DASH) players / decoders 220 to decode and play audio-video content from the Internet. To this end, the DASH players 220 can access an EME / CENC module 222 on the broadband side. The DASH content can be provided as DASH segments 224 in ISO / BMFF format.

[0030] The broadband side of the presentation layer 206, like the broadcast side, can include NRT content in files 226 as well as signaling objects 228 that provide playback signaling.

[0031] Below the presentation layer 206 in the protocol stack is the session layer 230. The session layer 230 includes either the MMTP protocol 232 or the ROUTE protocol 234 on the broadcast side.

[0032] The session layer 230 includes an HTTP protocol 236, which can be implemented as HTTP-secure (HTTP(S)) on the broadband side. The broadband side of the session layer 230 can also employ an HTTP proxy module 238 and a service list table (SLT) 240. The SLT 240 includes a table of signaling information used to build a basic service list and provide bootstrap discovery of broadcast content. The "ROUTE signaling" table includes Media Presentation Descriptions (MPDs) that are delivered over the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) by the ROUTE transport protocol.

[0033] Below the session layer 230 in the protocol stack is the transport layer 242 for establishing low-latency and loss-tolerating connections. The transport layer 242 uses the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) 244 on the broadcast side and the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) 246 on the broadband side.

[0034] 2 also includes a network layer 248 below the transport layer 242. The network layer 248 uses the Internet Protocol (IP) on both sides for IP packet communication, with multicast delivery being typical on the broadcast side and unicast on the broadband side.

[0035] Below the network layer 248 is the physical layer 250, which includes broadcast transmission / reception equipment 252 and computer network interface(s) 254 for communicating on the respective physical media associated with both sides. The physical layer 250 converts Internet Protocol (IP) packets for transmission on the associated media, adds forward error correction to allow for error correction at the receiver, and may include modulation and demodulation modules to incorporate modulation and demodulation functions. The physical layer 250 converts bits into symbols for long distance transmission and improved bandwidth efficiency. The physical layer 250 typically includes a wireless broadcast transmitter on the OTA side that broadcasts data over the air using Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), and a computer transmission component on the OTT side that transmits data over the Internet.

[0036] On the broadband side, it can use data in the DASH Industry Forum (DASH-IF) profile format, transmitted through various protocols (HTTP / TCP / IP) in the protocol stack. Media files in the DASH-IF profile format, based on ISO BMFF, can be used as a distribution, media encapsulation and synchronization format for both broadcast and broadband distribution.

[0037] Typically, each receiver 14 includes a protocol stack that is complementary to the protocol stack of the broadcast station equipment.

[0038] The receiver 14 of FIG. 1 may include an Internet-enabled TV with an ATSC 3.0 TV tuner 256 (equivalent to a set-top box that controls a TV), as shown in FIG. 2. The receiver 14 may be an Android®-based system. Alternatively, the receiver 14 may be implemented by a computerized Internet-enabled ("smart") phone, a tablet computer, a notebook computer, a wearable computing device, and the like. Nevertheless, it should be understood that the receiver 14 and / or other computers described herein are configured to implement the present principles (e.g., to communicate with other devices to implement the present principles, to execute the logic described herein, and to perform any other functions and / or operations described herein).

[0039] Accordingly, the receiver 14 may be established by some or all of the components shown in FIG. 1 to implement such principles. For example, the receiver 14 may include one or more displays 258, which may or may not be touch-enabled, implemented by a high definition or ultra-high definition "4K" or higher flat screen to receive user input signals via touch on the display. The receiver 14 may also include one or more speakers 260 for outputting audio in accordance with the present principles, and at least one further input device 262, e.g., an audio receiver / microphone, for inputting audible commands to the receiver 14, e.g., to control the receiver 14. The example receiver 14 may further include one or more network interfaces 264 for communicating over at least one network, such as the Internet, a WAN, a LAN, a PAN, etc., under the control of one or more processors 266. Thus, the interface 264 may be a Wi-Fi transceiver, which is an example of a wireless computer network interface, such as, but not limited to, a mesh network transceiver. The interface 264 may be, but is not limited to, a Bluetooth transceiver, a Zigbee transceiver, an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) transceiver, a wireless USB transceiver, a wired USB, a wired LAN, a power line, or a Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA). It is understood that the processor 266 controls the receiver 14 to implement the present principles, including other elements of the receiver 14 described herein, such as controlling the display 258 to present images and receive inputs. Additionally, the network interface 264 may be, for example, a wired or wireless modem or router, or other suitable interface, such as a wireless telephone transceiver or a Wi-Fi transceiver as described above.

[0040] In addition to the above, receiver 14 may also include one or more input ports 268, such as a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port or a USB port, for physically connecting (using a wired connection) to another CE device, and / or a headphone port for connecting headphones to receiver 14 to present audio from receiver 14 to a user through the headphones. For example, input port 268 may connect via wire or wireless to a cable or satellite source of audio-video content. Thus, the source may be a separate or integrated set-top box or satellite receiver. Alternatively, the source may be a game console or disc player.

[0041] The receiver 14 may further include one or more computer memories 270, such as non-transitory, disk-based or solid-state storage, embodied in some cases as a stand-alone device within the receiver chassis, as a personal video recorder (PVR) or video disk player for playing audio-video (AV) programs, or as a removable storage medium, inside or outside the receiver chassis. In some embodiments, the receiver 14 may also include a position or location receiver 272, such as, but not limited to, a cellular telephone receiver, a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver, and / or an altimeter, configured to receive geographic location information, for example, from at least one satellite or cellular telephone tower and provide this information to the processor 266 and / or determine an altitude at which the receiver 14 is located with the processor 266. However, it should be understood that another suitable position receiver other than a cellular telephone receiver, a GPS receiver, and / or an altimeter may be used in accordance with the present principles, for example to determine the location of the receiver 14 in all three dimensions.

[0042] Continuing with the description of receiver 14, in some embodiments receiver 14 may include one or more cameras 274, which may include one or more of a thermal imaging camera, a digital camera such as a webcam, and / or a camera integrated into receiver 14 and controllable by processor 266, to collect pictures / images and / or videos in accordance with the present principles. Receiver 14 may also include a Bluetooth transceiver 276 or other near field communication (NFC) element for communicating with other devices using Bluetooth and / or NFC technology, respectively. An example NFC element may be a radio frequency identification (RFID) element.

[0043] Additionally, receiver 14 may also include one or more auxiliary sensors 278 (e.g., motion sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, cyclometers, or magnetic sensors and combinations thereof) that provide input to processor 266, infrared (IR) sensors for receiving IR commands from a remote control device, optical sensors, speed and / or cadence sensors, gesture sensors (for detecting gesture commands), etc. An IR sensor 280 may also be provided for receiving commands from a wireless remote control. A battery (not shown) may also be provided for powering receiver 14.

[0044] The companion device 16 may include some or all of the elements illustrated in connection with the receiver 14 above.

[0045] 3 illustrates a system 300 including components that may include some or all of the components and techniques described above. A source 302 of audio-video (AV) content, such as a laptop, camcorder, or disc player, transmits content to a digital TV 304, such as an Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 TV, via a hardware-implemented dongle 306 that can engage the source 302 by plugging into a port on the source 302. In the illustrated example, the dongle 306 includes an HDMI port 308 for receiving HDMI data from the source 302, a VGA port 310 for receiving VGA data from the source 302, and a USB port 312 for receiving and / or transmitting USB data to and from the source 302. The dongle 306 includes at least one antenna 314 for transmitting a digital TV signal to the TV 304.

[0046] The example of Figure 3 shows HDMI port 308 in communication with source 302 to receive HDMI content from source 302. In Figure 3, VGA port 310 is not connected and USB port 312 is connected to source 302 to send control signals to source 302. In some embodiments, dongle 306 can omit VGA port 310 and USB port 312 and only include HDMI port 308, or omit VGA port 310 and only include HDMI port 308 and USB port 312.

[0047] The dongle 306 converts the HDMI (video and audio) into digital TV packets, such as ATSC 3.0 Internet Protocol (IP) packets, and transmits the digital TV signal wirelessly to the TV 304 using pico transmit power, which means transmit power in the milliwatt range, for example, 20 milliwatts or less, or 50 milliwatts or less, or 100 milliwatts or less, or 5 milliwatts or less. Thus, the wireless signal can be used by the TV 304 in the same room as the source 302, but is generally too weak to leak out of the building in which the TV 304 is located, but may be strong enough to propagate through a drywall to another conference room.

[0048] The dongle 306 may include a hardware switch 316 to select the channel, typically channel 3 or channel 4, on which data from the source 302 is sent to the TV 304. Alternatively, the channel may be selected through the USB port 312 interface. Content may be sent to the TV 304 in the clear or in an encrypted state. If the content is encrypted, digital rights management (DRM) is invoked on the ATSC 3.0 signal. Also, HDMI audio is converted to AC4 audio, recognizing that ATSC 3.0 uses AC4 audio.

[0049] Figure 4 shows a dongle 400 that is identical in all basic aspects of construction and operation to dongle 306 shown in Figure 3, with the following exceptions. Dongle 400 shown in Figure 4 includes an HDMI port 402 for receiving HDMI data from source 302, a VGA port 404 for receiving VGA data from source 302, and a USB port 406 for receiving and / or transmitting USB data to and from source 302.

[0050] 4, the example shows VGA port 404 in communication with source 302 to receive VGA content from source 302. In FIG. 4, HDMI port 402 is not connected and USB port 406 is connected to source 302 to send control signals to source 302. In some embodiments, dongle 400 can omit HDMI port 402 and USB port 406 and only include VGA port 404, or omit HDMI port 402 and only include VGA port 404 and USB port 406.

[0051] The dongle 400 converts the VGA to digital TV packets, such as ATSC 3.0 Internet Protocol (IP) packets, and transmits the digital TV signal over the air to the TV 304 using pico transmit power. There is no audio in the VGA. Analog audio input is optional and is encoded as AC-4.

[0052] Figure 5 shows a dongle 500 that is identical in all basic aspects of construction and operation to dongle 306 shown in Figure 3 with the following exceptions. Dongle 500 shown in Figure 5 includes an HDMI port 502 for receiving HDMI data from source 302, a VGA port 504 for receiving VGA data from source 302, and a USB port 506 for receiving and / or transmitting USB data to and from source 302.

[0053] The example of Figure 4 shows USB port 506 in communication with source 302 to receive USB content from source 302. In Figure 5, HDMI port 502 and VGA port 504 are not connected, and USB port 506 is connected to source 302 to receive USB AV data from source 302 as well as send control signals to source 302. In some embodiments, dongle 500 may omit HDMI port 502 and VGA port 504 and only include USB port 506.

[0054] The dongle 500 converts the USB AV data from the source 302 into a digital TV signal and transmits the AV data to the TV 304 .

[0055] Figure 6 illustrates components of an example dongle 600 that does not have VGA capabilities in the illustrated non-limiting example. The components of dongle 600 illustrated in Figure 6 may be incorporated into any of the dongles described herein.

[0056] Dongle 600 includes an HDMI input port 602 and a USB input port 604. The USB input port 604 can be a Type-C port that supports "alternate modes" for Display Port and HDMI, etc.

[0057] An HDMI receiver 606 receives HDMI from the HDMI port 602 , and a USB controller 608 , such as a Type-C port controller, communicates with the USB port 604 .

[0058] The HDMI receiver 606 and USB controller 608 communicate with at least one processor 610, such as a central processing unit (CPU), which accesses at least one computer memory 612, which may be implemented as solid-state storage or disk-based storage. The processor 610 communicates with a digital TV encoder 614, such as an ATSC 3.0 controller, which transmits the signal to a modulator 616, such as an ATSC 3.0 compatible digital TV modulator, for transmission via an antenna 618 (e.g., via channel 3 or channel 4).

[0059] Figure 7 illustrates USB to digital TV conversion logic that may be implemented by a dongle herein in accordance with present principles. Starting at block 700, USB AV data is received, for example from source 302 shown in Figure 3, and converted to a digital TV format, such as the ATSC 3.0 format, at block 702. This AV data is then wirelessly transmitted at block 704 to, for example, TV 304 shown in Figure 3.

[0060] Figure 8 illustrates VGA to digital TV conversion logic that may be implemented by a dongle herein in accordance with present principles. Starting at block 800, VGA AV data is received, for example from source 302 shown in Figure 3, and converted to a digital TV format, such as the ATSC 3.0 format, at block 802. This AV data is then transmitted wirelessly at block 804, for example to TV 304 shown in Figure 3.

[0061] Figure 9 illustrates HDMI to digital TV conversion logic that may be implemented by a dongle herein in accordance with present principles. Starting at block 900, HDMI AV data is received, for example from source 302 shown in Figure 3, and converted to a digital TV format, such as the ATSC 3.0 format, at block 902. This AV data is then wirelessly transmitted at block 904 to, for example, TV 304 shown in Figure 3.

[0062] 10 shows the intermediate logic for converting USB or VGA to a digital TV format. USB or VGA data is received in block 1000 and converted to HDMI format in block 1002.

[0063] Figure 11 shows further logic that can be used if the HDMI is received directly, for example from source 302 as shown in Figure 3, or if the HDMIU is generated from original VGA or USB data as shown in Figure 11. The HDMI data is received in block 1100, typically in an uncompressed state. If necessary, the HDMI data can be decrypted or encrypted in block 1102. From block 1100, or from block 1102 if used, the dongle compresses the HDMI in block 1104.

[0064] Proceeding to block 1106, the HDMI is packetized into IP format and configured into a digital TV (e.g., ATSC 3.0) format. In block 1108, the AV in the digital TV format is sent to a wireless transmitter, which in block 1110 sends the signal to a TV, and in block 1112, the AV is presented on the TV.

[0065] Note that signaling can be inserted into the stream to allow the TV to properly tune and bootstrap the acquisition of one of the 10 channels. One dongle per TV can be used, but if there are no privacy concerns the password can be turned off and content from source 302 can be presented on multiple TVs (one dongle for many TVs).

[0066] 12 and 13. Beginning at block 1200, in one embodiment, any dongle herein may perform a channel scan. At block 1202, the first free channel identified during the scan may be selected. At block 1203, a password may be received and, if the password is correct, at block 1204, the dongle may transmit a signal to the TV over the channel identified in block 1202.

[0067] FIG. 13 shows an exemplary screenshot according to FIG. 12. The dongle can cause the TV 304 shown in FIG. 3 to present at 1300 the indication of the channel in block 1202 of FIG. 12. The dongle can also cause the TV to present at 1304 a password, such as a random password. The source 302 can include a control application for the dongle, and the person watching the TV and operating the source 302 opens the control app, selects the channel shown in 1300, and enters the password shown in 1302. The password to be entered is visible only to people in the same room as the source 302 and the TV 304. This password can be used to encrypt the signal sent over the air to the TV. For example, the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) with a 128-bit key can be employed, and the password key can be hashed to 128 bits. The display / presentation app can apply this password key directly to the AES encryption hardware. Since the expected key needs to be generated by the TV to be unique and available only to people in the conference room, other DRM can be ignored (not used) for this particular problem.

[0068] The methods described herein may be implemented as software instructions executed by a processor, a suitably configured Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) or Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) module, or otherwise. The software instructions, if employed, may be embodied in a non-transitory device, such as a CD ROM or flash drive. Alternatively, the software code instructions may be embodied in a transitory configuration, such as a radio or optical signal, or through downloading over the Internet.

[0069] While the present principles have been described with reference to certain example embodiments, it will be understood that these embodiments are not intended to be limiting and that the subject matter claimed herein may be implemented using a variety of alternative configurations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 10 Broadcasting Station Equipment 12 Over the air side 14 Receiver 16 Companion Devices 18 Short Links 20 Wired and / or Wireless Network Links 22 Over-the-top side

Claims

1. A hardware-implemented dongle, at least one non-Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 input, including at least one of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) input, a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) input, and a Video Graphics Array (VGA) input, configured to engage a source of content; at least one conversion circuit configured to convert a signal from said input to an ATSC 3.0 signal; at least one wireless transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the ATSC 3.0 signal to at least one receiver for displaying content from the content source; Equipped with The dongle, wherein the wireless transmitter includes a pico-transmitter that transmits at a power of 20 milliwatts or less.

2. the at least one input includes a USB input; The dongle of claim 1.

3. the at least one input includes an HDMI input; The dongle of claim 1.

4. the at least one input includes a VGA input; The dongle of claim 1.

5. the at least one input includes an HDMI input; The dongle of claim 2.

6. the at least one input includes a VGA input; The dongle of claim 5.

7. The conversion circuit is configured to convert a VGA signal to an HDMI signal and convert the HDMI signal to an ATSC 3.0 signal. The dongle of claim 1.

8. The conversion circuitry comprises, at least in part: compressing the HDMI signal; packetizing the HDMI signal; 8. The dongle of claim 7, configured to convert the HDMI signal to an ATSC 3.0 signal by

9. Searching at least a portion of the ATSC 3.0 broadcast spectrum for available channels; Transmitting the ATSC 3.0 signal on the vacant channel; 2. The dongle of claim 1, comprising a circuit configured to:

10. 1. A digital TV assembly comprising: At least one digital TV; at least one source of content to be presented on the TV; at least one dongle capable of engaging said source to convert content from said source into a digital TV signal and wirelessly transmit said digital TV signal to said TV; Equipped with The dongle is at least one digital TV input configured to engage a source of the content, the digital TV input including at least one of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) input, a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) input, and a Video Graphics Array (VGA) input; at least one conversion circuit configured to convert a signal from said input to a digital TV signal; at least one wireless transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the digital TV signal to the digital TV for displaying content from the content source; Including, The assembly, wherein the wireless transmitter comprises a pico-transmitter transmitting at a power of 20 milliwatts or less.

11. the at least one input includes a USB input; 11. The assembly of claim 10.

12. the at least one input includes an HDMI input; 11. The assembly of claim 10.

13. the at least one input includes a VGA input; 11. The assembly of claim 10.

14. the conversion circuit converts a VGA signal into an HDMI signal, and converts the HDMI signal into a digital TV signal; 11. The assembly of claim 10.

15. The conversion circuitry comprises, at least in part: compressing the HDMI signal; packetizing the HDMI signal; 15. The assembly of claim 14, configured to convert the HDMI signal to a digital TV signal by:

16. Searching at least a portion of the broadcast spectrum for available channels; transmitting said digital TV signal on said vacant channel; The assembly of claim 10 comprising a circuit configured to:

17. receiving content in a Universal Serial Bus (USB) format, a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) format, or a Video Graphics Array (VGA) format at the dongle; converting the content to an Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 format using the dongle; using the dongle to wirelessly transmit the content to an ATSC 3.0 TV at a power of 20 milliwatts or less; The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

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