Home area network including arrangement for distributing television programming over local cable

• US 20010039660A1
• Filed: 03/16/2001
• Published: 11/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ucentric Holdings Inc (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tarr, Morton, Vasilevsky, Alexander, Parise, Sergio
• Application Number:
  US09/809,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20010039660A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2812 describing content present in a home automation network, e.g. audio video content retrieval from the Internet G06F16/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/715 using two or more extensions per line cordless telephones H04M1/725
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/005 Interface circuits for subscriber lines current supply H04M19/00 and subgroups; supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements H04M3/22 and subgroups; in key telephone systems H04M9/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• 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 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• 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 21/4382 Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440236 by media transcoding, e.g. video is transformed into a slideshow of still pictures, audio is converted into text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 : communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 : for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 : Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 : Connection release
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 : Backbone network devices

Abstract

A television program distribution arrangement is described for use in connection with a server in a home area network, the television program distribution arrangement being configured to distribute television programming over a local video link. The television program distribution arrangement comprises a television programming information receiver module, a television programming information assembler module, and a control module. The television programming information receiver module is configured to receive television programming information from a plurality of sources. The television programming information assembler module is configured to assemble said television programming information as received by the television programming information receiver module into a unitary set of channels for transmission over the local link. The control module is configured to control the television programming information receiver module and the television programming information assembler module.

Claims

1. A television program distribution arrangement for use in connection with a server in a home area network, the television program distribution arrangement being configured to distribute television programming over a local video link, the television program distribution arrangement comprising:

A. a television programming information receiver module configured to receive television programming information from a plurality of sources;

B. a television programming information assembler module configured to assemble said television programming information as received by the television programming information receiver module into a unitary set of channels for transmission over the local link; and

C. a control module configured to control the television programming information receiver module and the television programming information assembler module.

2. A television program distribution arrangement as defined in

claim 1

in which one of said sources provides television programming information over a unitary set of channels, the television programming information assembler module being configured to remove at least some of the television programming information from at least one of the channels and substitute television programming information from another of said sources in the at least one of the channels.

3. A television programming information distribution arrangement as defined in

claim 2

in which the at least one of the channels is selectable in response to channel selection information from a user.

4. A television programming distribution arrangement as defined in

claim 2

in which one of the sources is a local programming source.

5. A television programming distribution arrangement as defined in

claim 2

in which said one of said sources comprises a cable television programming provider.

6. A television programming distribution arrangement as defined in

claim 2

in which said one of said sources comprises a satellite television programming provider.

7. A television programming distribution arrangement as defined in

claim 2

in which said other of said sources comprises a pre-recorded television programming information source.

8. A television programming distribution arrangement as defined in

claim 7

in which said pre-recorded television programming information source comprises a video cassette recorder.

9. A television programming distribution arrangement as defined in

claim 7

in which said pre-recorded television programming information source comprises a digital video disk.

10. A television program distribution arrangement as defined in

claim 1

further comprising a television programming information storage module, the control module being further configured to selectively enable television programming information received by said television programming information receiver module from one of said sources to be stored in the television programming information storage module, and thereafter retrieved from the television programming information storage module and provided to the television programming information assembler module for use by the television programming information receiver module in assembling the television programming information.

11. A method of controlling a server in a home area network to provide television programming information over a local video link, the method comprising:

A. a television programming information receiving step of receiving television programming information from a plurality of sources;

B. a television programming information assembling step of assembling said television programming information as received by the television programming information receiver module into a unitary set of channels for transmission over the local link.

12. A method as defined in

claim 11

in which one of said sources provides television programming information over a unitary set of channels, the television programming information assembling step including the steps of removing at least some of the television programming information from at least one of the channels and substituting television programming information from another of said sources in the at least one of the channels.

13. A method as defined in

claim 12

in which the at least one of the channels is selectable in response to channel selection information from a user, the television programming information assembling step including the steps of receiving the channel selection information and using the channel selection information in assembling the television programming information.

14. A method as defined in

claim 12

in which one of the sources is a local programming source.

15. A method as defined in

claim 12

in which said one of said sources comprises a cable television programming provider.

16. A method as defined in

claim 12

in which said one of said sources comprises a satellite television programming provider.

17. A method as defined in

claim 12

in which said other of said sources comprises a pre-recorded television programming information source.

18. A method as defined in

claim 17

in which said pre-recorded television programming information source comprises a video cassette recorder.

19. A method as defined in

claim 17

in which said pre-recorded television programming information source comprises a digital video disk.

20. A method as defined in

claim 11

including

A. a television program information storage step of selectively storing television programming information received by said television programming information receiver module from one of said sources in a television programming information storage module, and

B. a television program information retrieval step of retrieving previously-recorded television programming information from the television programming information storage module for use in assembling the television programming information during the television programming information assembling step.

21. A computer program product for use in connection with a programmable device to provide a television program distribution arrangement for use in connection with a server in a home area network, the television program distribution arrangement being configured to distribute television programming over a local video link, the computer program product comprising a device readable medium having encoded thereon:

A. a television programming information receiver module configured to enable the device to receive television programming information from a plurality of sources;

B. a television programming information assembler module configured to enable the device to assemble said television programming information as received by the television programming information receiver module into a unitary set of channels for transmission over the local link; and

C. a control module configured to enable the device to control the television programming information receiver module and the television programming information assembler module.

22. A computer program product as defined in

claim 21

in which one of said sources provides television programming information over a unitary set of channels, the television programming information assembler module being configured to enable the device to remove at least some of the television programming information from at least one of the channels and substitute television programming information from another of said sources in the at least one of the channels.

23. A computer program product as defined in

claim 22

in which the at least one of the channels is selectable in response to channel selection information from a user.

24. A computer program product as defined in

claim 22

in which one of the sources is a local programming source.

25. A computer program product as defined in

claim 22

in which said one of said sources comprises a cable television programming provider.

26. A computer program product as defined in

claim 22

in which said one of said sources comprises a satellite television programming provider.

27. A computer program product as defined in

claim 22

in which said other of said sources comprises a pre-recorded television programming information source.

28. A computer program product as defined in

claim 27

in which said pre-recorded television programming information source comprises a video cassette recorder.

29. A computer program product as defined in

claim 27

in which said pre-recorded television programming information source comprises a digital video disk.

30. A computer program product as defined in

claim 21

further comprising a television programming information storage module, the control module being further configured to enable the device to selectively enable television programming information received by said television programming information receiver module from one of said sources to be stored in the television programming information storage module, and thereafter retrieved from the television programming information storage module and provided to the television programming information assembler module for use by the television programming information receiver module in assembling the television programming information.