Systems and methods for generating concatenated transport streams from adaptive media streams

• US 10,547,882 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Inventors: Green, Don
• Primary Examiner(s): Monshi, Samira
• Application Number:
  US13/780,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20140189765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,525 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23805 Controlling the feeding rate to the network, e.g. by controlling the video pump
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

Embodiments of a method executable by an adaptive stream concatenation server to deliver a concatenated transport stream to a video distribution system are provided, as are embodiments of adaptive stream concatenation servers. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving an adaptive media stream containing television programming in an adaptive packet format at the adaptive stream concatenation server via a digital network. The contents of the adaptive media stream are concatenated by the adaptive stream concatenation server to create a concatenated transport stream containing the television programming in a streaming format different from the adaptive packet format and compatible with the video distribution system. The concatenated transport stream containing the television programming is then transmitted in the streaming format to the video distribution system.

Claims

1. A method executable by an adaptive stream concatenation server to deliver a concatenated transport stream to a video distribution system, the method comprising:

receiving first and second adaptive media streams containing television programming in an adaptive packet format at the adaptive stream concatenation server via a digital network, the first adaptive media stream containing at least a first television channel, and the second adaptive media stream containing at least a second television channel;

prior to or while receiving the first and second adaptive media streams, transmitting requests over the digital network to vary encoding parameters and bandwidth of the first and second adaptive media streams in response to changes in current system resources;

concatenating contents of the first adaptive media stream with the contents of the second adaptive media stream at the adaptive stream concatenation server to create a concatenated transport stream containing multi-channel television programming in a streaming format that is not an adaptive packet format and that is compatible with the video distribution system;

transmitting the concatenated transport stream containing the television programming in the streaming format to a headend of the video distribution system; and

from the headend of the video distribution system, delivering the television programming to a plurality of set-top boxes distributed throughout guest rooms of a resort.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting requests comprises transmitting the requests to vary the encoding parameters and bandwidth of the first and second adaptive media streams to a network server or to at least one adaptive encoder.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the television programming comprises a plurality of television channels, wherein the receiving comprises receiving a separate adaptive media stream for each of the plurality of channels, and wherein the concatenating comprises concatenating the contents of each of the separate adaptive media streams into separate transport streams.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the video distribution system is a television distribution system and wherein the transport stream is modulated for radio frequency (RF) delivery to a cable television headend associated with the television distribution system.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising encrypting the transport stream prior to transmitting the transport stream to the video distribution system.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising subscribing the adaptive stream concatenation server to a play list for multiple adaptive media streams.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising encapsulating the concatenated transport stream as a multicast Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) stream.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein transmitting comprises routing the multicast IP stream to a headend distributor of the video distribution system.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein multicast IP stream is encapsulated in accordance with a protocol selected from the group consisting of User Datagram Protocol or Real-time Transport Protocol.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting requests comprises transmitting requests over the digital network to vary one or more encoding parameters of the first and second adaptive media streams selected from the group consisting of a bit rate, a frame rate, and a resolution.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting requests comprises transmitting requests over the digital network to a network server storing a library of content comprising video and audio segments encoded to different parameters by a plurality of adaptive encoders, which communicate with the network server over the digital network.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting requests comprises transmitting requests over the digital network to at least one adaptive encoder to provide the first and second adaptive media streams encoded to have a selected one of a low, high, or intermediate bandwidth.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second television channels are obtained from a content provider having a satellite footprint, and wherein the headend of the video distribution system is located outside of the satellite footprint.

14. An adaptive stream concatenation server to provide television programming for distribution to a plurality of television receivers by a video distribution system, the adaptive stream concatenation system comprising:

an interface to a digital network;

a processor configured to;

receive a first adaptive media stream containing at least a first television channel in an adaptive packet format at the adaptive stream concatenation server via a digital network;

receive a second adaptive media stream containing at least a second television channel in an adaptive packet format at the adaptive stream concatenation server via the digital network;

prior to or while receiving the first and second adaptive media streams, transmit requests over the digital network to vary encoding parameters and bandwidth of the first and second adaptive media streams in response to changes in current system resources;

concatenate the contents of the first adaptive media stream with contents of the second adaptive media stream at the adaptive stream concatenation server to create a concatenated transport stream containing multi-channel television programming in a streaming format that is not an adaptive packet format and that is compatible with the video distribution system; and

transmit the concatenated transport stream containing the television programming in the streaming format to the video distribution system.

15. The adaptive stream concatenation server of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured to modulate the transport stream for radio frequency (RF) delivery to a cable television headend associated with the television distribution system.

16. The adaptive stream concatenation server of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured to:

encapsulate the concatenated transport stream as a multicast Internet Protocol (“

IP”

) stream; and

route the multicast IP stream to a headend distributor of the video distribution system.

17. The adaptive stream concatenation server of claim 14 wherein the adaptive stream concatenation server is implemented in a residential gateway device located within a user'"'"'s home, and wherein the processor is further configured to distribute the concatenated transport stream to at least one television receiver located within the user'"'"'s home.

18. The adaptive stream concatenation server of claim 17 wherein the residential gateway device comprises a satellite receiver.