Method and system for discontinuing a channel stream in a multi-terminal system

• US 10,021,437 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tatem, Richard B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mendoza, Junior
• Application Number:
  US12/210,850
• Time in Patent Office: 3,585 Days
• Field of Search: 725 75, 725 78, 725 82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2146 located in mass transportation means, e.g. aircraft, train or bus flight-deck installations for entertainment or communications B64D11/0015; arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62; moving wireless networks H04W84/005
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2408 Monitoring of the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. client requests monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4436 Power management, e.g. shutting down unused components of the receiver power management in computer systems G06F1/3203; hibernate or awake process in computer systems G06F9/4418

Abstract

A method and system for suspending channel signals includes a network, a plurality of terminals in communication with the network and a receiving unit in communication with the plurality of terminals through the network. The receiving unit receives a channel signal and communicates the channel signal to the plurality of terminals through the network. The receiving unit monitors inactivity at the plurality of user terminals. The receiving unit discontinues distributing the channel signal when channel inactivity is determined by monitoring the plurality of user terminals.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

distributing a first television channel signal from a receiving unit through a network to a first user device of a plurality of user devices and a second television channel signal to a second user device of the plurality of user devices through the network;

generating or receiving a first push button signal at the first user device, said first push button signal corresponding to a first signal from pushing a first button of a first front panel of the first user device or pushing a first button of a first remote control device associated with the first user device;

generating or receiving a second push button signal at the second user device, said second push button signal corresponding to a second signal from pushing a second button of a second front panel of the second user device or pushing a second button of a second remote control device associated with the second user device;

communicating a first push button signal from the first user device to the receiving unit through the network;

communicating a second push button signal from the second user device to the receiving unit through the network;

monitoring a first time since receiving the first push button signal at the receiving unit;

monitoring a second time since receiving the second push button signal at the receiving unit;

discontinuing distributing the first television channel to the first user device from the receiving unit when the first time is greater than a predetermined time; and

discontinuing distributing the second television channel to the second user device from the receiving unit when the second time is greater than a predetermined time, wherein discontinuing distributing the second television signal is independent from distributing the first television signal.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising receiving the first television channel signal and the second television channel signal from a satellite at the receiving unit prior to distributing.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating comprises communicating the first push button signal from a personal mobile device.

4. A method comprising:

distributing a first television channel signal using a first stream through a network from a receiving unit to a first user device of a plurality of user devices;

distributing a second television channel signal using a second stream through the network from a receiving unit to a second user device of a plurality of user devices;

placing the first user device in a first standby mode;

placing the second user device in a second standby mode;

communicating, through the network, a first standby signal comprising a first control packet from the first user device to the receiving unit;

communicating, through the network, a second standby signal comprising a second control packet from the second user device to the receiving unit;

monitoring a first time since receiving the first standby signal at the receiving unit;

monitoring a second time since receiving the second standby signal at the receiving unit;

discontinuing the first stream for distributing the first television channel signal through the network to the first user device when the first time is greater than a predetermined time;

discontinuing the second stream for distributing the second television channel signal through the network to the second user device when the second time is greater than a predetermined time; and

generating a log at the receiving unit comprising an indicator of the television channel signal that was discontinued from the first user device and the second user device.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 further comprising, prior to placing the first user device in the standby mode, monitoring user inactivity at the user device.

6. A system for distributing a first television channel and a second television channel comprising:

a network;

a plurality of user terminals in communication with the network;

a receiving unit in communication with the plurality of user terminals through the network receiving the first television channel signal and a second television channel and communicating the first television channel signal and the second television channel signal to the plurality of user terminals through the network;

a first user terminal of the plurality of user terminals receives or generates a first push button signal and communicates the first push button signal to the receiving unit through the network, said first push button signal corresponding to a first signal from pushing a button of a front panel of the user device or pushing a first button of a first remote control device associated with the first user device;

a first user terminal of the plurality of user terminals receives or generates a second push button signal and communicates the second push button signal to the receiving unit through the network, said second push button signal corresponding to a second signal from pushing a button of a front panel of the user device or pushing a second button of a second remote control device associated with the second user device;

said receiving unit monitoring the network for the first push button signal and determining a first time since receiving the first push button signal;

said receiving unit monitoring the network for the second push button signal and determining a second time since receiving the second push button signal; and

said receiving unit discontinuing distributing the first television channel signal through the network when the first time is greater than a predetermined time and discontinuing distributing the second television channel signal through the network when the second time is greater than the predetermined time.

7. The system as recited in claim 6 wherein the receiving unit receives the television channel signal and encodes the television channel signal into an encoded video signal and communicates the encoded video signal to the plurality of user terminals.

8. The system as recited in claim 7 wherein the encoded video signal comprises an IP encoded signal.

9. The system as recited in claim 6 wherein the plurality of user terminals is disposed within a building.

10. The system as recited in claim 6 wherein the plurality of user terminals is disposed within a vehicle.