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 device for obtaining, storing and displaying digital video data carried over a wireless network from a first remote information server that is identified by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) in the Internet, said device comprising:
 an antenna for transmitting and receiving digital data over the air;   a wireless transceiver coupled to said antenna for bi-directional packet-based digital data communication over the air via said antenna;   a non-volatile memory coupled to said wireless transceiver for storing digital video data received by said wireless transceiver from the wireless network;   a first memory for storing a web-site URL;   a video display component coupled to said non-volatile memory for displaying an image based on the digital video data stored in said non-volatile memory; and   a single enclosure housing said antenna, said wireless transceiver, said non-volatile memory, said first memory and said video display component,   wherein: said device is addressable in the Internet; and said device is operative for automatically and periodically communicating with the first remote information server at all times when said device is in operation for receiving digital video data from the first remote information server, and for storing and displaying the received digital video data.   
   
   
       2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said single enclosure has dimensions and an appearance of a conventional flat, wall-mountable framed picture. 
   
   
       3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said wireless network is a cellular network, said antenna is a wireless cellular antenna, and said wireless transceiver is a cellular wireless transceiver. 
   
   
       4 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said device is addressable using a digital address, and is further operative to send the digital address and a request for digital video data to said first remote information server, and to obtain and display digital video data received from the first remote information server in response to the sent request for information. 
   
   
       5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said device is configured for wall mounting in a residential building, and the first remote information server is located outside the residential building. 
   
   
       6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein: said wireless network is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN); said antenna is a WLAN antenna; and said wireless transceiver is a WLAN transceiver. 
   
   
       7 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein said WLAN transceiver is operative to communicate substantially according to IEEE802.11 standard. 
   
   
       8 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising firmware and a processor for executing said firmware, said processor being coupled to control at least said antenna and said display component. 
   
   
       9 . The device according to  claim 8 , wherein said processor is one of: a microprocessor; and a microcomputer, and said device further comprises at least one user operated button or switch coupled to said processor, for user control of operation of said device. 
   
   
       10 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein communication with the first remote information server is based on Internet Protocol (IP) suite. 
   
   
       11 . The device according to  claim 10 , wherein communication with the first remote information server is based on TCP/IP. 
   
   
       12 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication is based on spread spectrum modulation. 
   
   
       13 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein the spread spectrum modulation is a DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) modulation. 
   
   
       14 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication uses a license-free radio frequency band. 
   
   
       15 . The device according to  claim 14 , wherein the license-free radio frequency hand is one of: 900 MHz; 2.4 GHz; and 5.8 GHz. 
   
   
       16 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said device is dedicated only for obtaining, storing and displaying information from the first remote information server. 
   
   
       17 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device address is either a MAC address or an IP address. 
   
   
       18 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said device is further operative to store and play digital audio data. 
   
   
       19 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein said single enclose in constructed to have at least one of the following: a form substantially similar to that of a standard picture frame;
 wall mounting elements substantially similar to those of a standard picture frame for hanging on a wall; and   a shape to at least in part substitute for a standard picture frame.   
   
   
       20 . The device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a digital to analog converter coupled to said non-volatile memory for converting digital data stored in said non-volatile memory to an analog signal. 
   
   
       21 . The device according to  claim 20 , wherein the analog signal in an analog video signal for connecting to an analog video display. 
   
   
       22 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein the analog video signal is an S-Video signal, or a composite video signal in a PAL or NTSC format. 
   
   
       23 . A television set for receiving and displaying an analog video channel carried over a coaxial cable and digital video data from a wireless network, said television set comprising:
 a first connector for connecting to the coaxial cable;   a flat-screen video display component for visually presenting information, said video display component being coupled to said first connector for receiving and displaying an analog video channel received from said coaxial cable;   an antenna for transmitting and receiving digital data over the air;   a wireless transceiver coupled to said antenna for bi-directional packet-based digital data communication over the air via said antenna;   firmware and a processor for executing said firmware, said processor being coupled to control at least said wireless transceiver and said flat-screen video display component; and   a single wall-mountable enclosure housing said first and second connectors, said flat-screen video display component, 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 wireless transceiver and said flat-screen video display component for displaying the digital video data received from said wireless transceiver.   
   
   
       24 . The television set according to  claim 23 , wherein said flat-screen video display component is based on Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) technology. 
   
   
       25 . The television set according to  claim 23 , 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 wireless network with a first remote 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. 
   
   
       26 . The television set according to  claim 25 , further operative for automatically and periodically communicating with the first remote information server at all times when said television set is in operation. 
   
   
       27 . The television set according to  claim 25 , wherein said non-volatile memory comprises a Flash memory. 
   
   
       28 . The television set according to  claim 25 , wherein said firmware include at least part of a web client for communication with, and accessing information stored in, the first remote information server. 
   
   
       29 . The television set according to  claim 28 , wherein said at least part of a web client includes at least part of a graphical web browser. 
   
   
       30 . The television set according to  claim 29 , wherein said at least part of a graphical web browser is based on Windows Internet Explorer. 
   
   
       31 . The television set according to  claim 25 , 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. 
   
   
       32 . The television set according to  claim 25 , wherein communication with the first remote information server is based on Internet protocol suite. 
   
   
       33 . The television set according to  claim 32 , wherein communication with the first remote information server is based on TCP/IP. 
   
   
       34 . The television set according to  claim 25 , further operative to initiate a communication with the first remote information server after a set period following a prior communication session. 
   
   
       35 . The television set according to  claim 25 , further operative to communicate with a second remote information server, different from the first remote information server, via the Internet, if communication with the first remote information server cannot be properly executed within a selected time period or after a set delay. 
   
   
       36 . The television set according to  claim 25 , wherein said television set has a digital address and is 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. 
   
   
       37 . The television set according to  claim 25 , 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. 
   
   
       38 . The television set according to  claim 37 , wherein the digital address is either a MAC address or an IP address. 
   
   
       39 . The television set according to  claim 23 , wherein: the wireless network is a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN); said antenna is a WLAN antenna; and said wireless transceiver is a WLAN transceiver. 
   
   
       40 . The television set according to  claim 39 , wherein said WLAN transceiver is operative to communicate substantially according to IEEE802.11 standard. 
   
   
       41 . The television set according to  claim 23 , wherein communication over the wireless network is based on spread spectrum modulation. 
   
   
       42 . The television set according to  claim 41 , wherein the spread spectrum modulation is a DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) modulation. 
   
   
       43 . The television set according to  claim 23 , wherein communication over the wireless network uses a license-free radio frequency band. 
   
   
       44 . The television set according to  claim 43 , wherein the license-free radio frequency band is one of: 900 MHz; 2.4 GHz; and 5.8 GHz. 
   
   
       45 . The television set according to  claim 23 , wherein: the wireless network is a cellular network; said antenna is a wireless cellular antenna; and said wireless transceiver is a cellular wireless transceiver.