1. A viewing system having a plurality of client devices to output content streamed from a content provider over a communication network comprising:
a first client device in the viewing system to determine whether a second client device in the viewing system is accessible as a manager client device to provide a set of manager functions to manage consumption of the content by the first client device;
when the second client device is not accessible, the first client device to assume a role of a limited manager client device for the viewing system until a third client device that is different from the first client device and the second client device and that is capable of performing the set of manager functions is determined to be available, the first client device to provide a subset of manager functions to manage consumption of the content by the plurality of client devices, wherein the limited manager client device utilizes tokens among the plurality of client devices to arbitrate bandwidth allocated by the content provider for the viewing system by allocating a portion of the bandwidth for an authorized client device to output the content, in which the viewing system includes different manager functionality at different times based at least in part on the first and second client devices such that the viewing system does not include functionality of storing the content when managed by the first client device but does include the functionality of storing the content when managed by the second client device,
wherein the consumption of the content by the plurality of client devices is managed with the tokens based at least in part upon receiving requests for content from one or more client devices of the plurality of client devices.
2. The system as described in claim 1, when the second client device becomes available:
the first client device assuming a remote role, wherein the remote role comprises receiving enablement from the manager client device to output the content; and
the second client device assuming a manager role to manage consumption of the content by the plurality of client devices.
3. The system as described in claim 2, wherein when the first client device assumes the remote role, the first client device communicates with the second client device to be allocated at least a portion of the content, wherein the content comprises audiovideo content.
4. The system as described in claim 2, wherein when the first client device assumes the remote role and the second client device assumes the manager role, the content is received by the first client device through the second client device.
5. The system as described in claim 1, wherein:
a SD token specifies standard definition (SD) content that is consumed by one of the requesting client devices that is allocated the SD token, wherein the SD token is allocated to the one of the requesting client devices and the SD token is maintained by a token module in a computer readable media of the one of the requesting client devices; and
a HD token specifies high definition (HD) content that is consumed by a same or a different one of the requesting client devices that is allocated the HD token, wherein the HD token is allocated to the same or the different one of the requesting client devices and the HD token is maintained by the token module in a computer readable media of the same or the different one of the requesting client devices.
6. The system as described in claim 1, wherein the functionality of storing the content is performed through use of a storage that is local on the second client device.
7. The system as described in claim 1, wherein an available bandwidth of the content allocated by the content provider to the viewing system is less than a bandwidth consumed by the plurality of client devices in the viewing system.
8. A method implemented on a client device by a processor configured to execute instructions that, when executed by the processor, direct the client device to perform acts comprising:
determining that a manager client device to provide a set of manager functions for a viewing system is not accessible;
assuming a role of limited manager of the viewing system with a plurality of client devices to provide a subset of manager functions in response to determining that the manger client device is not accessible, wherein:
one or more client devices in the viewing system consumes data streamed over a communication network from a content provider; and
the client device allocates a consumption of data streams allocated by the content provider to a subset of the plurality of client devices in response to receiving requests for the data streams from the subset of client devices, wherein the content provider allocates and manages the consumption of the data streams for the viewing system and the client device utilizing tokens associated with the plurality of client devices to arbitrate the data streams by allocating a data stream for an authorized client device to output the data stream, the content provider allocating and managing the consumption of the data streams in response to the receiving of the requests for the data streams from the subset of client devices;
monitoring availability of the one or more client devices to determine when the manager client device becomes available to allocate the consumption of the data streams to the plurality of client devices and to record at least a portion of the data streams; and
monitoring the availability of the one or more client devices to determine whether the one or more client devices are capable of performing the set of manager functions based at least in part on whether the one or more client devices have satisfied one or more predetermined conditions.
9. A method as described in claim 8, wherein when the manager client device becomes available, responsibility for data stream allocation in the viewing system is transferred from the client device having the role of limited manager to the manager client device.
10. A method as described in claim 9, wherein responsibility is transferred by:
assuming a remote role by the client device having the role of limited manager; and
assuming a manager role by the manager client device.
11. A method as described in claim 10, wherein when the client device assumes the remote role and the manager client device assumes the manager role, the client device in the remote role communicates with the manager client device in the manager role for allocation of at least a portion of the data streams.
12. A method as described in claim 8, wherein:
a SD token specifies a standard definition (SD) data stream that is consumed by one of the subset of client devices that is allocated the SD token, wherein the SD token is allocated to the one of the subset of client devices and the SD token maintained by a token module in a computer readable media of the one of the subset of client devices; and
a HD token specifies a high definition (HD) data stream that is consumed by a same or a different one of the subset of client devices that is allocated the HD token, wherein the HD token is maintained by the token module in a computer readable media of the same or the different one of the subset of client devices.
13. A method as described in claim 8, wherein the recordation of at least a portion of the data streams by the manager client device is performed locally on the manager client device.
14. One or more memory devices comprising computer executable instruction that, when executed, direct a client device to perform acts comprising:
determining whether a manager client device is accessible in a viewing system comprising a plurality of client devices;
in response to determining that the manager client device is not accessible, determining whether the client device has a manager functionality, wherein the manager functionality comprises a functionality to record an audiovideo content and to provide recorded audiovideo content to other client devices in the viewing system;
in response to determining that the client device does not have the manager functionality:
assuming a limited manager functionality, wherein the limited manager functionality comprises a functionality to allocate use of bandwidth for carrying the audiovideo content to the plurality of client devices in the viewing system, in which the viewing system does not have the functionality to record the audiovideo content when managed by the limited manager client device but does include the functionality to record the audiovideo content when managed by the manager client device; and
identifying a different client device of the plurality of client devices that is determined to have the manager functionality and that can perform the functionality until the manager client device is determined to be available;
managing consumption of the audiovideo content by providing tokens to a subset of the plurality of client devices in the viewing system in response to receiving requests from that subset of the client devices, wherein the tokens include a high definition (HD) token that authorizes one of the requesting client devices to receive a data stream of HD audiovideo content and a standard definition (SD) token that authorizes one of the requesting client devices to receive a data stream of SD audiovideo content;
maintaining a token listing which lists which of the tokens have been provided to which respective client devices in the viewing system; and
arbitrating use of bandwidth allocated by a headend service to the viewing system by the providing of the tokens, wherein the client device utilizes the tokens among the plurality of client devices to allocate the HD audiovideo content and the SD audiovideo content associated with one or more portions of the bandwidth allocated by the headend service for respective authorized client devices and the plurality of client devices in the viewing system as a whole consume more bandwidth then the headend service in a television-based content distribution system allocates to the viewing system.
15. The one or more memory devices as described in claim 14, wherein the acts further comprise:
monitoring the viewing system to determine when the manager client device becomes available, wherein the monitoring comprises exchanging messages with the other client devices in the viewing system, the messages indicating availability and functional capabilities of a client device sending the message;
when the manager client device becomes available, assuming a role of remote client device, wherein the role of remote client device comprises receiving tokens from the manager client device.
16. The one or more memory devices as described in claim 14, wherein the functionality to record is performed through use of a storage that is local on the manager client device.
17. The method as described in claim 8, wherein the data stream recordation functionality is performed through use of a storage that is local on the manager client device.
18. The method as described in claim 8, wherein an available bandwidth allocated by the content provider to the viewing system is less than a bandwidth consumed by the plurality of client devices in the viewing system.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A minor device, comprising:
a minor including
a base plate having a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a side surface different from the first and second surfaces,
a reflective surface on the first surface of the base plate, and
a plurality of first protrusions on the second surface of the base plate;
a plurality of support parts for respectively supporting the plurality of the first protrusions, each support part having a groove for guiding the first protrusion; and
a plurality of clamps each having a first portion secured on corresponding one of the plurality of support parts and a second portion positioned for pressing one of the plurality of first protrusions toward the groove through the side surface, the plurality of clamps being configured to press respectively the plurality of the first protrusions against grooves in the plurality of the support parts.
2. The minor device according to claim 1, wherein
first portions of the plurality of cramps are secured to surfaces of the plurality of support parts, respectively, the surfaces facing the second surface.
3. The minor device according to claim 2, wherein
the plurality of first protrusions comprises three first protrusions, and
the plurality of support parts comprises three support parts to support the three first protrusions, respectively.
4. The minor device according to claim 2, wherein
the minor is substantially circular in shape, and
the plurality of the grooves are formed radially with respect to the rotational axis of the minor.
5. The minor device according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of the first protrusions comprises a spherical body, part of which is fitted in the second surface of the minor.
6. The minor device according to claim 2, wherein
each groove has a pair of tapered surfaces,
each first protrusion comprises a spherical body, part of which is fitted in the second surface of the minor,
each of the plurality of the clamps has a second protrusion for pushing a corresponding first protrusion against a corresponding groove, and
a point at which force is applied to push the corresponding first protrusion by the second protrusion, two points at which the spherical body makes contact with the pair of tapered surfaces, and the center of the spherical body are arranged in one hypothetical plane.
7. The minor device according to claim 6, wherein
the second protrusion comprises a plunger.
8. The minor device according to claim 6, wherein
the second protrusion comprises a ball.
9. The mirror device according to claim 1, wherein
a reflective film is formed on the reflective surface.
10. The mirror device according to claim 1, wherein
the side surface has slit, and
the second portion is positioned in the slit.
11. A minor device, comprising:
a minor including
a base plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface,
a reflective surface on the first surface of the base plate, and
a plurality of base members on the second surface of the base plate, each of the base members having a groove and a side surface;
a plurality of support parts for supporting the plurality of the base members respectively, each of the plurality of support parts including a first protrusion to be guided along the groove in corresponding one of the base members; and
a plurality of clamps each having a first portion secured on corresponding one of the plurality of support parts and a second portion positioned for pushing the groove toward the first protrusion through the side surface, the plurality of clamps pushing the plurality of the base members respectively against the first protrusions of the support parts.
12. The minor device according to claim 11, wherein
the plurality of base members comprises three base members, and
the plurality of support parts comprises three support parts to support the three base members , respectively.
13. The minor device according to claim 11, wherein
the mirror is substantially circular in shape, and
grooves of the plurality of base members are arranged radially with respect to a rotational axis of the minor.
14. The minor device according to claim 11, wherein
each first protrusion has a spherical body, a part of which is fitted into the support part.
15. The minor device according to claim 11, wherein
each groove has a pair of tapered surfaces,
each first protrusion comprises a spherical body, part of which is fitted into the support part,
each of the plurality of the clamps has a second protrusion for pushing a corresponding groove against a corresponding first protrusion, and
a point at which force is applied to push the corresponding groove by the second protrusion, two points at which the spherical body makes contact with the pair of tapered surfaces, and the center of the spherical body are arranged in one hypothetical plane.
16. The minor device according to claim 15, wherein
the second protrusion comprises a plunger.