Information device

Abstract

A device for obtaining, storing and displaying information from a remote server, the device has a modem for establishing communication sessions with the remote server. A memory coupled to the modem stores the obtained information, and a display is coupled to the memory for displaying the stored information. The device automatically and periodically communicates with the remote server for obtaining the information.

1 . A television set for receiving and displaying an analog video channel carried over a coaxial cable and digital video data from a home network over a wiring, the television set comprising:
 a first connector for connecting to the coaxial cable;   a flat-screen display for visually presenting information, said display being coupled to said first connector for displaying an analog video channel received from said coaxial cable;   a second connector for connecting to said wiring;   a home network transceiver coupled to said second connector for transmitting digital data to, and receiving digital data from, a second home network transceiver of the same type connected to the wiring;   firmware and a processor for executing said firmware, said processor being coupled to control at least said home network transceiver and said flat-screen display; and   a single wall-mountable enclosure housing said first and second connectors, said flat-screen display, said transceiver and said processor, said single enclosure having dimensions and an appearance of a conventional flat, wall-mountable framed picture,   wherein said processor is coupled between said home network transceiver and said flat-screen display for displaying the digital video data received from the wiring.   
   
   
       2 . The television set according to  claim 1 , wherein said flat-screen is based on Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) technology. 
   
   
       3 . The television set according to  claim 1 , wherein said television set further comprises a non-volatile memory and is addressable in a digital data network, and said television set is operative for communicating via the home network with a first remote information server via the Internet for receiving information from the first remote information information server via the Internet for receiving information from the first remote information server, and for storing the received information in said non-volatile memory for displaying the received information. 
   
   
       4 . The television set according to  claim 3 , further operative for automatically and periodically communicating with the first remote information server at all times when said television set is in operation. 
   
   
       5 . The television set according to  claim 3 , wherein said non-volatile memory comprises a Flash memory. 
   
   
       6 . The television set according to  claim 3 , wherein said firmware include at least part of a web client for communication with, and accessing information stored in, the first remote information server. 
   
   
       7 . The television set according to  claim 6 , wherein said at least part of a web client includes at least part of a graphical web browser. 
   
   
       8 . The television set according to  claim 7 , wherein said at least part of a graphical web browser is based on Windows Internet Explorer. 
   
   
       9 . The television set according to  claim 3 , wherein the first remote server information is organized as a web site having a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) and including web pages as part of the World Wide Web (WWW), and is further identified by said television set using the web site URL. 
   
   
       10 . The television set according to  claim 3 , wherein communication with the first remote information server is based on Internet protocol suite. 
   
   
       11 . The television set according to  claim 10 , wherein communication with the first remote information server is based on TCP/IP. 
   
   
       12 . The television set according to  claim 3 , further operative to initiate a communication with the first remote information server after a set period following a prior communication session. 
   
   
       13 . The television set according to  claim 3 , further operative to communicate with a second distinct remote information server via the Internet, if the communication with the first remote information server cannot be properly executed in a selected time period or after a set delay. 
   
   
       14 . The television set according to  claim 3 , further addressable by a digital address, and further operative to send the digital address and a request for information to the first remote information server, and to obtain and display information received from the first remote information server in response to the sent request for information. 
   
   
       15 . The television set according to  claim 3 , further comprising a second non-volatile memory for storing a digital address uniquely identifying said television set in a WAN, and in a Local Area Network (LAN), or on the Internet. 
   
   
       16 . The television set according to  claim 15 , wherein the digital address is either a MAC address or an IP address. 
   
   
       17 . The television set according to  claim 1 , wherein the wiring is a telephone wire pair, said second connector is a telephone connector, and said home network transceiver is a telephone line modem. 
   
   
       18 . The television set according to  claim 17 , wherein the home network is based on HomePNA standard, and said telephone line modem is HomePNA compliant modem. 
   
   
       19 . The television set according to  claim 1 , wherein the wiring is an AC power wiring, said second connector is an AC power connector, and said home network transceiver is a powerline modem. 
   
   
       20 . The television set according to  claim 19 , wherein the home network is based on HomePlug standard, and said powerline modem is a HomePlug compliant modem. 
   
   
       21 . The television set according to  claim 1 , wherein the wiring is a coaxial cable, said second connector is a coaxial connector, and said home network transceiver is a cable modem. 
   
   
       22 . The television set according to  claim 1 , wherein the wiring is a Local Area Network (LAN) wiring, said second connector is a LAN connector, and said home network transceiver is a LAN transceiver. 
   
   
       23 . The television set according to  claim 22 , wherein the home network is based on IEEE802.3 standard, and said LAN transceiver is an Ethernet compliant modem.