System and method for home audio and video communication

Abstract

A method for near real time data communication is disclosed. The method includes determining available data from a first discovered device, and inserting a listing for the first discovered device into an electronic program guide (EPG). A system is disclosed for near real time data communication is also disclosed.

1 . A computerized method for data communication comprising:
 in response to video data being available for a first discovered device, creating and inserting a separate channel number for the discovered device into the electronic program guide data for the live video data from the first discovered device and an indicator for a video stream from the first discovered device the live video data from the first discovered device into the electronic program guide data, dynamically configuring and displaying a pull down menu from the display field of the separate channel number for the first discovered device in the electronic program guide, indicating that the first discovered device has live video data available, establishing a two-way video connection between the first discovered device and the first end user device; and   if live audio data is available, inserting the separate channel number into electronic program guide data from the first discovered device as an indicator for an audio stream from the first discovered device the live audio data from the first discovered device, dynamically configuring and displaying a pull down menu from a display field of the separate channel number for the discovered device in the electronic program guide, indicating that the discovered device has live audio data available establishing a two-way video connection between the first discovered device and the first end user device;   providing over the separate channel for a selected device, a data stream of video data only, audio data only and video data and audio data;   creating a live video data channel for the live video data; and   sending the live video data to a video head end for distribution to a plurality of end user devices.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first end user device and a plurality of end user devices further comprise a plurality of set top boxes configured to receive internet protocol video data from a super video head end, the method further comprising:
 creating on the single residential network, a live video data channel in the electronic program guide data for the live video data; and   creating on the single residential network, a live audio data channel in the electronic program guide data for the live audio data.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first end user device further comprises a set top box, the method further comprising:
 receiving from the set top box over the single residential network, the electronic program guide data at a first television connected to the set top box;   communicating with the set top box, using a radio frequency remote control signal from a second television remote control to select data from the electronic program guide displayed on the first television to select an internet protocol stream to receive at the second television wherein the internet protocol video stream received at the second television is different than an internet protocol video stream received at the first television.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 sending the live video data to a second discovered device at a first location associated with the discovered device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying a name associated with the discovered device, wherein the name is selected from the group consisting of a user and a location.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 establishing 2-way video data communication between a second discovered device and a third discovered device at a user location.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 processing the available live video data at a second discovered device wherein processing is selected from the group consisting of recording, displaying and reproducing on a video display.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying a plurality of live video screen displays, each of the plurality of video screen displays associated with one of a plurality of discovered devices;   receiving a user selection indicating one of the plurality of live video screen displays; and   establishing data communication with a location associated with the one discovered device associated with the selected screen display.   
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer readable medium, containing a computer program comprising instructions that being executed by a computer perform a method for data communication, the computer program comprising:
 instructions to create a separate channel number for each of a plurality of discovered devices;   instructions to determine whether there is live video data available from each of the plurality of discovered devices;   if live video data is available, instructions to insert the channel number for discovered device video stream into electronic program guide data from the discovered device; and   if live audio data is available, instructions to insert the channel number for the discovered device audio stream into the electronic program guide data a listing for available live audio data from the discovered device and an indicator for a audio stream from the discovered device the live audio data from the discovered device; and   instructions to adaptively display a pull down menu for the discovered device listed in the electronic program guide from the display field of the separate channel number for the discovered device, wherein attributes for the discovered device are adaptively displayed in the pull down menu to indicate for each discovered device listed in the electronic program guide provides a stream selected from the group consisting of video data only, audio data only and video data and audio data;   instructions to create a live video data channel for the live video data; and   instructions to send the live video data to a video head end for distribution to a plurality of end user devices.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein
 the live video data comprises near real time data the computer program further comprising instructions to create a live video data channel for the live video data and   instructions to send the live video data to a video head end for distribution to a plurality of end user devices.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 9 , the computer program further comprising:
 instructions to accept an end user selection from data presented on the electronic program guide of a second discovered device from which to receive the live video data from the discovered device.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 11 , the computer program further comprising:
 instructions to send the live video data to a second discovered device at the first location associated with the first discovered device.   
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 9 , the computer program further comprising:
 instructions to display a name associated with the discovered device, wherein the name is one selected from a group consisting of a user and a location.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 11 , the computer program further comprising:
 instructions to establish  2 -way video data communication between the second discovered device and a third discovered device at a user location.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 9 , the computer program further comprising:
 instructions to display a plurality of screen displays, wherein each of the plurality of screen displays are associated with one of a plurality of discovered devices;   instructions to receive user selection data indicating one of the screen displays; and   instructions to establish video data communication with the one of the plurality of discovered devices associated with the selected screen display.   
     
     
         16 . A system for near real time data communication comprising:
 a processor in data communication with a non-transitory computer readable medium;   a computer program comprising data embedded in the non-transitory computer readable medium executed by the processor, the computer program comprising instructions to determine whether there is live video data available and instructions to determine whether live audio data is available from each of a plurality of discovered devices;   if live video data is available, instructions to insert a separate channel number into electronic program guide data for available live video data from the discovered device into the electronic program guide data, dynamically configuring and displaying a pull down menu from the display of the separate channel number for the discovered device in the electronic program guide, indicating that the discovered device has live video data available, establishing a two-way video connection between the discovered device and the first end user device;   if live audio data is available, instructions to insert a separate channel number into the electronic program guide data for available live audio data from the discovered device;   instructions to adaptively display a pull down menu for the discovered device from a display field of the separate channel number for the discovered device listed in the electronic program guide, wherein attributes for the discovered device are adaptively displayed in the pull down menu to indicate for each discovered device listed in the electronic program guide provides a stream selected from the group consisting of video data only, audio data only and video data and audio data;   instructions to create a live video data channel for the live video data; and   creating a live video data channel for the live video data;   sending the live video data to a video head end for distribution to a plurality of end user devices; and   instructions to send the live video data to a video head end for distribution to a plurality of end user devices.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the video data comprises near real time data selected from the group consisting of audio data and video data. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , the computer program further comprising:
 instructions to accept an end user device selection of the discovered device from the electronic program guide from which to receive the live video data.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , the computer program further comprising:
 instructions to send the live video data to a second discovered device at the first location.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , the computer program further comprising:
 instructions to display a name associated with the discovered device, wherein the name is selected from a group consisting of a user and a location.   
     
     
         21 .- 22 . (canceled)