Network protocol-based home entertainment network

Abstract

An in-home network which includes a telephone line and a plurality of consumer electronic devices coupled to the telephone line. Each of the consumer electronic devices is assigned a unique address, such that each of the consumer electronics devices is individually addressable via the telephone line. The consumer electronic devices communicate using a packet-based protocol, wherein each of the consumer electronic devices transmits analog signal bursts on telephone line. Each of the consumer electronic devices can include a wireless signal receiver, such that a first consumer electronic device can receive control information from a remote control, and then control the operation of a second consumer electronic device by transmitting the control information to the second consumer electronic device via the telephone line.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An in-home network comprising: 
 a telephone line; and    a plurality of consumer electronic devices coupled to the telephone line, wherein the consumer electronic devices communicate via a packet-based protocol over the telephone line.    
     
     
         2 . The in-home network of    claim 1   , wherein the packet-based protocol enables a transmission rate sufficient to transmit uncompressed audio or compressed video information on the telephone line.  
     
     
         3 . The in-home network of    claim 1   , wherein the transmission rate is at least about 1.5 Mbits per second.  
     
     
         4 . The in-home network of    claim 1   , wherein each of the consumer electronic devices includes a wireless signal receiver, wherein a first one of the consumer electronic devices receives a control signal for controlling a second one of the consumer electronic devices and transmits the control signal to the second one of the consumer electronic devices on the telephone line.  
     
     
         5 . The network of    claim 4   , wherein the control signal controls the on/off status of the second one of the consumer electronic devices.  
     
     
         6 . The network of    claim 4   , wherein the control signal controls the volume of the second one of the consumer electronic devices.  
     
     
         7 . The network of    claim 4   , wherein the wireless communication is infra-red.  
     
     
         8 . The network of    claim 1   , wherein each of the consumer electronic devices is individually addressable by signals transmitted on the telephone line.  
     
     
         9 . The network of    claim 1   , wherein the packet-based protocol comprises the transmission of analog signal burst of discrete duration on the telephone line.  
     
     
         10 . A consumer electronic device comprising: 
 a tuner for receiving AM, FM or TV broadcast analog signals;    an analog to digital converter coupled to the tuner, wherein the analog to digital converter converts the analog signal to a digital signal;    a modem coupled to the analog to digital converter, wherein the modem groups the digital signal into digital packets, and modulates the digital packets to create analog signal bursts; and    a connector for coupling the modem to a telephone line, such that the analog signal bursts are provided on the telephone line  11 .    
     
     
         11 . The consumer electronic device of    claim 10   , wherein the consumer electronic device is a television.  
     
     
         12 . A consumer electronic device comprising: 
 a modem for receiving analog signal bursts from a telephone line and converting the analog signal burst to packet-based information;    a processor coupled to the modem, wherein the processor receives the packet-based information from the modem, and converts the packet-based information into a stream of digital audio data;    a digital-to-analog converter coupled to the processor, wherein the digital-to-analog converter converts the digital audio data into an analog voltage; and    a powered speaker coupled to the digital-to-analog converter, wherein the powered speaker acoustically reproduces the analog voltage.    
     
     
         13 . A consumer electronic device comprising: 
 a wireless signal reception circuit for receiving information from a remote control;    a processor coupled to the wireless signal reception circuit, wherein the processor encapsulates the information into an analog signal burst and transmits the analog signal burst on a telephone line.