Communication system for rebroadcasting electronic content within local area network

• US 20010039180A1
• Filed: 04/26/2001
• Published: 11/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sibley, Erin H., Sales, Michael W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,302,224 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

A system of distributing electronic content has a network operations center generating a broadcast signal having digital electronic. A communication backbone is coupled to the network operations center. A base station receives the broadcast signal from the backbone. The base station receives the broadcast signal and forms a wireless local area network. The base station rebroadcasts at least a portion of the broadcast signal as a rebroadcast signal using the wireless local network. A user appliance is positioned with said local area network and receives the rebroadcast signal.

Claims

1. A system of distributing electronic content comprising:

a network operations center generating a broadcast signal having digital electronic content;

a communication backbone coupled to said network operations center;

a base station receiving said broadcast signal from said backbone, said base station receiving said broadcast signal and forming a wireless local area network, said base station rebroadcasting at least a portion of said broadcast signal as a rebroadcast signal using said wireless local network; and

a user appliance positioned with said local area network and receiving said rebroadcast signal.

2. A system as recited in

claim 1

further comprising a television coupled to said base station, said television receiving at least a portion of said broadcast signal.

3. A system as recited in

claim 1

wherein said base station forms said rebroadcast signal from said digital electronic content.

4. A system as recited in

claim 1

wherein said electronic content comprises digital audio signals.

5. A system as recited in

claim 1

wherein said electronic content comprises video.

6. A system as recited in

claim 1

wherein said backbone comprises a high altitude device, cable or fiber optic cable.

7. A system as recited in

claim 1

wherein said high altitude device comprises a satellite.

8. A system as recited in

claim 1

wherein said high altitude device comprises a stratospheric platform.

9. A system as recited in

claim 1

wherein said base station comprises an integrated receiver decoder.

10. A system as recited in

claim 1

wherein said rebroadcast signal is a compressed signal.

11. A system as recited in

claim 1

wherein said backbone comprises a cable network.

12. A system as recited in

claim 1

wherein said backbone comprises a fiber optic network.

13. A method of distributing electronic content comprising the steps of:

coupling electronic content to a redistribution device;

receiving the electronic content from the redistribution device;

over-the-air broadcasting the electronic content; and

receiving the electronic content through a user appliance.

14. A method as recited in

claim 13

wherein the step of receiving over-the-air broadcasting comprises over-the-air broadcasting from a base station.

15. A method as recited in

claim 13

wherein the step of receiving over-the-air broadcasting comprises forming a local area network with the user appliance.

16. A method of distributing electronic content comprising the steps of:

broadcasting a television signal as a electronic content;

receiving the electronic content;

digitally compressing the electronic content into a compressed signal; and

rebroadcasting the compressed signal using a wireless local area network.

17. A method as recited in

claim 16

further comprising the steps of receiving the compressed signaling at a user appliance.

18. A method as recited in

claim 16

wherein the step of receiving comprises the steps of digitally decompressing the digital video stream, and displaying the video stream.

19. A base station comprising:

a receiving antenna for receiving electronic content;

compression software for compressing the electronic content into a compressed signal;

a transmitting area network antenna; and

a wireless local area network interface coupled to the transmitting area network antenna and broadcasting the compressed signal through the transmitting area network antenna as a rebroadcast signal.