Method and apparatus for receiving full-motion digital video multi-casts, interactive data and interactive voice via a DSL circuit

• US 20020048275A1
• Filed: 04/24/2001
• Published: 04/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Solutions and Networks GmbH & Co. KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks GmbH & Company KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Atwater, Antonio, Drake, Edward C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,840,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/409
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1886 with traffic restrictions for efficiency improvement, e.g. involving subnets or subdomains
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data
• 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 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4381 Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

An IP multicast aware switched digital method and apparatus are provided in a settop unit wherein packet streams containing reference information are multicast while a select set of program information is routed to the settop units so that multicast streams can be identified and full content can be routed individually to the settop unit for decoding. Specific or preferred embodiment applications include simultaneous output and interactive communication with a television (true video on demand), computer (Internet access), videophone and telephone.

Claims

1. A method for receiving digital information comprising:

distributing multicast header information representing multicast services available to end user units;

thereupon

selecting at each end user unit only one or more of the multicast services to be delivered; and

thereupon

establishing a dynamic switched virtual circuit between the end user unit and a central office via a dedicated DSL circuit for supplying said selected one or more of the multicast services.

2. The method according to claim 1 further including the step of suppressing said multicast header information upon establishing said switched virtual circuit.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of verifying that the end user unit is authorized for the multicast service to be delivered in the selecting step.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

prompting at said end user unit for a plurality of filtering parameters; and

filtering said digital information according to said plurality of filtering parameters.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

prompting at said end user unit for one or more values for a plurality of customizable settings; and

applying said values to said plurality of customizable settings.

6. A method for receiving digital information from a plurality of content providers comprising:

distributing information representing programming services available to a plurality of end user units;

thereupon

selecting at each end user unit only one or more of the programming services to be delivered; and

thereupon

establishing a dynamic switched virtual circuit between the end user unit and a central office via a dedicated DSL circuit for supplying said selected one or more of the programming services.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said distributing step further comprises IP multicasting.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said information comprises program identification information;

source address information; and

a program description.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said information further comprises a segment of program content.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein said plurality of content providers provide programming content by multicast, and are associated with a multicast group.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said supplying said selected one or more of the programming services further comprises:

sending an IGMP join request from said end user unit to said central office in order to join said multicast group of a particular content provider of said plurality of content providers; and

receiving from said particular content provider multicast programming content.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein said plurality of content providers provide programming content by unicast, and are associated with a unique uniform resource locator (URL).

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said supplying said selected one or more of the programming services further comprises:

sending an HTTP GET request from said end user unit to said central office in order to obtain programming content from a particular content provider of said plurality of content providers; and

receiving from said particular content provider unicast programming content.

14. The method according to claim 6 further comprising the step of verifying that the end user unit is authorized for the program service to be delivered in the selecting step.

15. The method according to claim 6 further comprising the step of verifying that the only one or more of the programming services to be delivered in the selecting step is contained in said programming services available in the distributing information step;

and

if not so contained, generating a security exception.

16. The method according to claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

prompting at said end user unit for a plurality of filtering parameters; and

filtering said digital information according to said plurality of filtering parameters.

17. The method according to claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

prompting at said end user unit for one or more values for a plurality of customizable settings; and

applying said values to said plurality of customizable settings.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein said code for establishing a session further comprises code for joining an IP multicast group.

21. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein said code for establishing a session further comprises code for retrieving program content from a source by TCP connection.

22. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising code for verifying that the selection of programming from the user was contained in the program announcement information.

23. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising code for allowing user to customize setting.

24. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising code for allowing user to filter unwanted content.

18. A system for distributing digital information comprising:

a plurality of content providers, distributing information representing available programming services;

a central channel server for receiving said information representing available programming services;

a plurality of end user subscribers, interactively receiving from said central channel server said information representing programming services available, selecting only one or more of the programming services to be delivered, and thereupon become connected via dynamic switched virtual circuits established between said end user units and a central office via a dedicated DSL circuit for supplying said selected one or more of the programming services.

19. A computer program product comprising:

code for transmitting requests for program announcement information to a server;

code for receiving programming announcement information;

code for transmitting a selection of programming from the user to the server;

code for establishing a session for receiving programming content from a content provider;

and a computer readable storage medium for storing the codes.