METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING DISPLAY STATUS

1 . An apparatus for monitoring display status, comprising:

a media player device connected to an audio input port of a display device, to a video input port of said display device, and to an audio output port of said display device;

a software program stored in said media player device and executing instructions that cause the media player to transmit an audio signal to the audio input port of the display device;

a memory associated with said media player for storing said transmitted audio signal;

a comparator associated with said media player for receiving an audio output signal from said audio output port of said display device and for comparing said received audio signal with the transmitted audio signal stored in said memory and providing an output that is determinative of whether said signals match;

said software program executing instructions that detect status of said display device in response to an output of said comparator and executing instructions that report said detected status to a remote location over a media player device network connection.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , said status comprising any of:

whether the display device is on or off, wherein if said signals match said display device is on and if said signals do not match, or one signal is absent, said device is off; and

whether the display device is connected to a designated input source, wherein if said signals match said display device is connected to said designated input source and if said signals do not match, or one signal is absent, said display device is off and/or said display device is not connected to said designated input source.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said instructions that report said detected status to a remote location over a media player device network connection establish a service call.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , said software application executing instructions that cause said media player device to receive instructions over said network connection to implement a status check procedure.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , said software application executing instructions that cause said media player device to implement a status check locally, on a recurring basis.

6 . A method for monitoring display status, comprising the step of:

connecting a media player device to an audio input port of a display device, to a Video input port of said display device, and to an audio output port of said display device;

storing a software program in said media player device and executing instructions that cause the media player to transmit an audio signal to the audio input port of the display device;

storing said transmitted audio signal in a memory associated with said media player;

receiving an audio output signal from said audio output port of said display device at a comparator associated with said media player, comparing said received audio signal with the transmitted audio signal stored in said memory, and providing an output that is determinative of whether said signals match;

said software program executing instructions that detect status of said display device in response to an output of said comparator and executing instructions that report said detected status to a remote location over a media player device network connection.

7 . The method of claim 6 , said status comprising any of:

whether the display device is on or off, wherein if said signals match said display device is on and if said signals do not match, or one signal is absent, said device is off; and

whether the display device is connected to a designated input source, wherein if said signals match said display device is connected to said designated input source and if said signals do not match, or one, signal is absent, said display device is off and/or said display device is not connected to said designated input source.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said instructions that report said detected status to a remote location over a media player device network connection establish a service call.

9 . The method of claim 6 , said software application executing instructions that cause said media player device to receive instructions over said network connection to implement a status check procedure.

10 . The method of claim 6 , said software application executing instructions that cause said media player device to implement a status check locally, on a recurring basis.