Buried data stream in a wireless home network
First Claim
1. ) A method for financially subsidizing network components comprising:
- a) combining a commercial message in a combined data stream that also contains a desired digital signal, the commercial message being buried in the combined data streamed such that the combined data stream is the functional equivalent of the desired digital signal;
b) transmitting the combined data stream at a wireless local area network transmitter;
c) decoding the commercial message from the combined data stream at an adapter that can present the desired digital signal to an appliance;
d) obtaining revenue for distributing the commercial message; and
e) using the revenue to subsidize the price of at least one of the group consisting of the transmitter, the adapter, and the appliance.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus is presented for burying a hidden data stream into a combined network data stream. In the preferred embodiment, the network data stream is an MPEG-2 type video data stream, and the hidden data stream is embedded so that it is neither readily detectable nor easily removable from the network data stream. A home gateway having a wireless transceiver communicates with appliances in the home via this network data stream. The hidden data stream can be embedded with a main data stream either by the content provider or by the gateway in the home. At the appliance, the hidden stream can be removed and is presented to or used by the user in a way appropriate for the appliance. Instructions as to how the hidden stream is to be presented on the appliance can be embedded into the hidden stream itself. The hidden data stream can be further used to control access to and control the content of the rest of the network data stream. Revenue generated by allowing access to the hidden data stream can be utilized to subsidize the cost of the wireless network components.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. ) A method for financially subsidizing network components comprising:
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a) combining a commercial message in a combined data stream that also contains a desired digital signal, the commercial message being buried in the combined data streamed such that the combined data stream is the functional equivalent of the desired digital signal;
b) transmitting the combined data stream at a wireless local area network transmitter;
c) decoding the commercial message from the combined data stream at an adapter that can present the desired digital signal to an appliance;
d) obtaining revenue for distributing the commercial message; and
e) using the revenue to subsidize the price of at least one of the group consisting of the transmitter, the adapter, and the appliance.
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2. ) A system for controlling access to a hidden data stream embedded in a combined data stream transmitted over a wireless local area network, the system comprising:
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a) a receiving apparatus having i) a receiver for receiving the transmitted combined data stream;
ii) a decoder that decodes the combined data stream into a main data stream and the hidden data stream;
iii) a status component that indicates whether the decoder operates to decode the hidden data stream from the combined data stream b) a gateway having a transmitter for transmitting the combined data stream and for transmitting instructions to the receiving apparatus that changes the status component, thereby controlling whether the decoder operates to decode the hidden data stream. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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6. ) A system for controlling access to a hidden data stream buried within a combined data stream comprising:
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a) an encoder for combining the hidden data stream with a main data stream into the combined data stream, the combined data stream operating as a functional equivalent of the main data stream; and
b) a plurality of local locations, each local location having i) a gateway for transmitting a wireless local area network signal, the wireless signal containing the combined data stream and a control signal; and
ii) at least one appliance having an adapter for receiving the wireless signal, the adapter having (1) a receiver for receiving the wireless signal containing the combined data stream;
(2) a decoder capable of decoding the combined data stream into the hidden data stream and the main data stream; and
(3) a status memory for determining whether the apparatus is in a first state where the received wireless signal is decoded into the hidden data stream and the main data stream, or is in a second state where the received wireless signal is presented to the appliance without decoding, the state of the status memory being controllable by the control signal. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. ) A method for subsidizing the cost of wireless local area network components comprising:
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a) transmitting a combined data stream over a wireless local area network, the combined data stream having a main data stream and a hidden data stream, the hidden data stream being buried within the combined data stream such that the hidden data stream is not easily detectable within the combined data stream and such that the combined data stream is a functional equivalent of the main data stream;
b) receiving the combined data stream at an appliance;
c) selectively decoding the combined data stream at the appliance such that when the combined data stream is decoded, the hidden data stream is accessible and the main data stream is forwarded to the appliance, and that when the combined data stream is not decoded the combined data stream is sent directly to the appliance and the hidden data stream is inaccessible;
d) receiving revenue for allowing access to the hidden data stream at the appliance; and
e) utilizing the revenue to subsidize the cost of the components used to transmit and receive the combined data stream.
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Specification