BROADCAST DELIVERY OF INFORMATION TO A PERSONAL COMPUTER FOR LOCAL STORAGE AND ACCESS

• US 20020059526A1
• Filed: 09/21/1998
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hughes Network Systems LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: DILLON, DOUGLAS M., ROBINS, GLENN D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,546,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18584 Arrangements for data networking, i.e. for data packet routing, for congestion control data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1836 with heterogeneous network architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method and apparatus for broadcasting newsgroup information to a plurality of users uses a news server, which is in communication with the Internet, a newscast transmitter, a satellite gateway, and a subscriber station. The news server gathers newsgroup information from Internet newsgroups, and the newscast transmitter, in conjunction with the satellite gateway and a satellite, distributes all of the information to a plurality of subscriber stations. The subscriber stations preferably include personal computers equipped to receive broadcast newsgroup information. The subscriber stations each include a personal news server, storage media and a newsreader. The personal news server filters newsgroup information received based on subscription information stored only local to the receiver. The filtered newsgroup information is stored on the storage media for use at a later time when a user desires to read the newsgroup information.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing newsgroup information to a plurality of users, comprising:

a server for receiving newsgroup information from the Internet; and

a transmitter for receiving the newsgroup information from the server and for formatting the newsgroup information into newsgroup packets for broadcast over a network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising:

a satellite gateway for receiving the newsgroup packets from the transmitter and broadcasting the newsgroup packets; and

a satellite for relaying the newsgroup packets to a subscriber station.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the newsgroup packets comprise conditional access information.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the newsgroup packets comprise a list of newsgroups available for reception.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the list of newsgroups available for reception is broadcast at regular intervals.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the newsgroup packets are in compressed format.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein identical newsgroup packets are transmitted multiple times.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmitter schedules transmissions and retransmissions of newsgroup packets.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmitter varies a rate of transmission based on a time of day.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmitter timestamps the newsgroup packets.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmitter labels the newsgroup packets with a label indicative of characteristics of the newsgroup information.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the personal news server filters the newsgroup packets based on subscription information stored only locally to the personal news server.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the personal news server further performs the function of conditional access.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the broadcast newsgroup packets are received from a satellite.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the broadcast newsgroup packets comprises conditional access information.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the broadcast newsgroup information comprise a list of available newsgroups.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the personal news server erases expired newsgroup information from the storage media.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the personal news server limits an amount of information stored on the storage media.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a configuration utility, which allows the user to configure the receiver.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein access to the information stored on the storage media is password protected.

22. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the subscription information is password protected.

23. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the stored received and processed news services are stored in an encrypted format.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the downstream news server filters the newsgroup packets based on subscription information.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the downstream news server further performs the function of conditional access.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the broadcast newsgroup packets are received from a satellite.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the broadcast news service comprises conditional access information.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the broadcast newsgroup information comprises a list of available newgroups.

30. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the downstream news server erases expired newsgroup information from the storage media.

31. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the downstream news server limits an amount of information stored on the storage media.

32. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein access to the newsgroup information stored on the storage media is password protected.

12. An apparatus for receiving news services, comprising:

a personal news server for receiving and processing broadcast newsgroup packets to recover newsgroup information; and

storage media for storing the newsgroup information.

24. An apparatus for receiving newsgroup packets, comprising:

a downstream news server for receiving and processing broadcast newsgroup packets to recover newsgroup information;

storage media for storing the newsgroup information;

a plurality of clients for displaying the newsgroup information; and

a network for allowing communication between the downstream news server and the plurality of clients.