Method, apparatus and system for video delivery using head-end pass through

• US 20020133828A1
• Filed: 03/16/2001
• Published: 09/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Agiletv Corporation (Promptu Systems Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Agiletv Corporation (Promptu Systems Corporation)
• Inventors: Foster, Mark J.
• Application Number:
  US09/811,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20020133828A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/110
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/147 Scene change detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

Web pages with integrated video are rendered in a head-end without the video content. The head-end creates key frames that depict the graphical representation of web pages, again exclusive of program video. Key frames arriving at set top boxes are written to a background display plane and signal that program video redirected by head-end to set top box should be rendered to an overlay display plane.

Claims

1. A method for delivering video to a set top box comprising:

rendering a page image in a head-end based on a page description written in a page description language;

creating a page image description frame according to said page image;

sending the page image description frame to a set top box;

receiving the page image description frame in said set top box;

painting the page image description frame in a display memory in said set top box;

receiving a video signal in said head end;

forwarding said video signal to said set top box;

receiving said video signal in said set top box; and

rendering a video image in said display memory in said set top box based on the video signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the video signal received in the head end is a compressed digital video stream.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the compressed digital video stream is an MPEG stream.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the page image description frame is sent to and received by the set top box as a digital image.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the page image description frame is sent to and received by the set top box as a video signal.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the video signal received in the set top box is received on a multi-state modulated radio frequency carrier.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the phase of the radio frequency carrier is varied according to the data to be conveyed thereby.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the amplitude of the radio frequency carrier is varied according to the data to be conveyed thereby.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the phase and amplitude of the radio frequency carrier are varied according to the data to be conveyed thereby.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the video signal received in the set top box is received on a data channel.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the video signal received in the set top box is a compressed digital video stream.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the compressed digital video stream is an MPEG stream.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of rendering a video image in said display memory is accomplished by:

extracting a sequence of compressed digital image frames from the video signal received in the set top box; and

directing the sequence of compressed digital image frames to a hardware decompressor that reconstitutes non-compressed digital image frames and writes the non-compressed digital image frames to a graphics memory.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of rendering a video image in said display memory is accomplished by:

extracting a sequence of compressed digital image frames from the video signal received in the set top box; and

directing the sequence of compressed digital image frames to a software decompressor that reconstitutes non-compressed digital image frames and writes the non-compressed digital image frames to a graphics memory.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

determining in the head end the extents of the video presentation window included in the page description;

sending the extents to the set top box; and

receiving the extents in the set top box.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of rendering a video image is accomplished by rendering the video image within the extents received from the head end.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the extents comprise the size of the video presentation window and the location of one corner of the window within the page image.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the extents comprise the location of a first corner of the video presentation window within the page image and the location of a second corner of the video presentation window within the page image.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said display memory in said set top box comprises a background plane and an overlay plane and the step of rendering a video image in said display memory is accomplished by writing video frames into said background plane and making the overlay plane transparent in the region corresponding to the video frames written in the background plane.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said display memory in said set top box comprises a background plane and an overlay plane and the step of rendering a video image in said display memory is accomplished by writing video frames into the overlay plane.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein said display memory in said set top box comprises a background plane and an overlay plane and the step of painting the page image description frame in said display memory is accomplished by writing the page image description frame into said background plane.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein said display memory in said set top box comprises a background plane and an overlay plane and the step of painting the page image description frame in said display memory is accomplished by writing the page image description frame into said overlay plane and making a region of said overlay plane corresponding to a video presentation window transparent.

24. The set top box of claim 23 wherein the page image receiver receives the page image frame as a digital image.

25. The set top box of claim 23 wherein the page image receiver receives the page image frame as a video signal.

26. The set top box of claim 23 wherein the page image receiver comprises a digital data interface.

27. The set top box of claim 23 wherein the page image receiver comprises:

tuner for selectively receiving radio frequency modulated carriers;

multi-state demodulator that receives a multi-state modulated carrier from the tuner and demodulates said carrier into a serial data stream containing a plurality of data channels; and

program selector that extracts a specific data channel containing the page image.

28. The set top box of claim 27 wherein the multi-state demodulator determines output data states based on the phase variance of the radio frequency modulated signals.

29. The set top box of claim 27 wherein the multi-state demodulator determines output data states based on the amplitude variance of the radio frequency modulated signals.

30. The set top box of claim 27 wherein the multi-state demodulator determines output data states based on the phase and amplitude variance of the radio frequency modulated signals.

31. The set top box of claim 23 wherein the page image receiver comprises:

tuner for selectively receiving radio frequency modulated carriers;

multi-state demodulator that receives a multi-state modulated carrier from the tuner and demodulates said carrier into a serial data stream containing a plurality of video program channels; and

program selector that extracts a specific video program channel containing the page image.

32. The set top box of claim 31 wherein the multi-state demodulator determines output data states based on the phase variance of the radio frequency modulated signals.

33. The set top box of claim 31 wherein the multi-state demodulator determines output data states based on the amplitude variance of the radio frequency modulated signals.

34. The set top box of claim 31 wherein the multi-state demodulator determines output data states based on the phase and amplitude variance of the radio frequency modulated signals.

35. The set top box of claim 23 wherein the video signal receiver comprises:

tuner for selectively receiving radio frequency modulated carriers;

multi-state demodulator that receives a multi-state modulated carrier from the tuner and demodulates said carrier into a serial data stream containing a plurality of video program channels; and

program selector that extracts a specific video program channel containing the page image.

36. The set top box of claim 35 wherein the multi-state demodulator determines output data states based on the phase variance of the radio frequency modulated signals.

37. The set top box of claim 35 wherein the multi-state demodulator determines output data states based on the amplitude variance of the radio frequency modulated signals.

38. The set top box of claim 35 wherein the multi-state demodulator determines output data states based on the phase and amplitude variance of the radio frequency modulated signals.

39. The set top box of claim 23 wherein the video signal receiver receives a compressed digital video stream.

40. The set top box of claim 39 wherein the video image render engine further comprises a hardware decompressor that:

accepts a sequence of compressed digital image frames from the video signal receiver;

reconstitutes non-compressed digital image frames; and

writes the non-compressed digital image frames to the display memory.

41. The set top box of claim 39 wherein the video image render engine further comprises a software decompressor that:

accepts a sequence of compressed digital image frames from the video signal receiver;

reconstitutes non-compressed digital image frames; and

writes the non-compressed digital image frames to the display memory.

42. The set top box of claim 39 wherein the compressed digital video stream is an MPEG stream.

43. The set top box of claim 23 wherein the video image render engine accepts display extents and creates said frame images in said display memory within the display extents.

44. The set top box of claim 3 wherein the display extents comprise the size of the video presentation window and the location of one corner of the window within the page image.

45. The set top box of claim 3 wherein the display extents comprise the location of a first corner of the video presentation window within the page image and the location of a second corner of the video presentation window within the page image.

46. The set top box of claim 23 wherein said display memory comprises a background plane and an overlay plane and the video image render engine writes video frames into said background plane and makes the overlay plane transparent in the region corresponding to the video frames written in the background plane.

47. The set top box of claim 23 wherein said display memory comprises a background plane and an overlay plane and the video image render engine writes video frames into said into the overlay plane.

48. The set top box of claim 23 wherein said display memory comprises a background plane and an overlay plane and wherein the page image painter writes the page image frame into the background plane.

49. The set top box of claim 23 wherein said display memory comprises a background plane and an overlay plane and wherein the page image painter writes the page image frame into the overlay plane and wherein the overlay plane is made transparent in a region corresponding to a video window.

23. A set top box capable of receiving video comprising:

page image receiver that receives a page image frame;

page image painter that accepts the page image frame and creates an image of said frame in a display memory;

video signal receiver that receives a video signal; and

video image render engine that accepts the video signal and creates successive frame images in said display memory that correspond to said video signal.

50. A head end for distributing video to a set top box comprising:

page image render unit that accepts a page description written in a page description language and creates a page image frame according to the description;

page image transmitter that conveys the page image frame to the distribution system; and

video routing unit that receives video signals and forwards the video signals to a distribution system

51. The head end of claim 50 wherein the video signal received by the video routing unit comprises a compressed digital video stream.

52. The head end of claim 51 wherein the compressed digital video stream is an MPEG stream.

53. The head end of claim 50 wherein the page image transmitter is a multi-state modulator.

54. The head end of claim 53 wherein the multi-state modulator modulates the phase of a carrier signal according to the data to be transmitted.

55. The head end of claim 53 wherein the multi-state modulator modulates the amplitude of a carrier signal according to the data to be transmitted.

56. The head end of claim 53 wherein the multi-state modulator modulates the amplitude and phase of a carrier signal according to the data to be transmitted.

58. The system of claim 57 wherein the video signal received by the video routing unit comprises a compressed digital video stream.

59. The system of claim 58 wherein the compressed digital video stream is an MPEG stream.

60. The system of claim 57 wherein the page image transmitter is a multi-state modulator.

61. The system of claim 60 wherein the multi-state modulator modulates the phase of a carrier signal according to the data to be transmitted.

62. The system of claim 60 wherein the multi-state modulator modulates the amplitude of a carrier signal according to the data to be transmitted.

63. The system of claim 60 wherein the multi-state modulator modulates the amplitude and phase of a carrier signal according to the data to be transmitted.

64. The system of claim 57 wherein the page image receiver receives the page image frame as a digital image.

65. The system of claim 57 wherein the page image receiver receives the page image frame as a video signal.

66. The system of claim 57 wherein the page image receiver comprises a digital data interface.

67. The system of claim 57 wherein the page image receiver comprises:

tuner for selectively receiving radio frequency modulated carriers;

multi-state demodulator that receives a multi-state modulated carrier from the tuner and demodulates said carrier into a serial data stream containing a plurality of data channels; and

program selector that extracts a specific data channel containing the page image.

68. The system of claim 67 wherein the multi-state demodulator determines output data states based on the phase variance of the radio frequency modulated signals.

69. The system of claim 67 wherein the multi-state demodulator determines output data states based on the amplitude variance of the radio frequency modulated signals.

70. The system of claim 67 wherein the multi-state demodulator determines output data states based on the phase and amplitude variance of the radio frequency modulated signals.

71. The system of claim 57 wherein the page image receiver comprises:

tuner for selectively receiving radio frequency modulated carriers;

multi-state demodulator that receives a multi-state modulated carrier from the tuner and demodulates said carrier into a serial data stream containing a plurality of video program channels; and

program selector that extracts a specific video program channel containing the page image.

72. The system of claim 71 wherein the multi-state demodulator determines output data states based on the phase variance of the radio frequency modulated signals.

73. The system of claim 71 wherein the multi-state demodulator determines output data states based on the amplitude variance of the radio frequency modulated signals.

74. The system of claim 71 wherein the multi-state demodulator determines output data states based on the phase and amplitude variance of the radio frequency modulated signals.

75. The system of claim 57 wherein the video signal receiver comprises:

tuner for selectively receiving radio frequency modulated carriers;

multi-state demodulator that receives a multi-state modulated carrier from the tuner and demodulates said carrier into a serial data stream containing a plurality of video program channels; and

program selector that extracts a specific video program channel containing the page image.

76. The system of claim 75 wherein the multi-state demodulator determines output data states based on the phase variance of the radio frequency modulated signals.

77. The system of claim 75 wherein the multi-state demodulator determines output data states based on the amplitude variance of the radio frequency modulated signals.

78. The system of claim 75 wherein the multi-state demodulator determines output data states based on the phase and amplitude variance of the radio frequency modulated signals.

79. The system of claim 57 wherein the video signal receiver receives a compressed digital video stream.

80. The system of claim 79 wherein the video image render engine further comprises a hardware decompressor that:

accepts a sequence of compressed digital image frames from the video signal receiver;

reconstitutes non-compressed digital image frames; and

writes the non-compressed digital image frames to the display memory.

81. The system of claim 79 wherein the video image render engine further comprises a software decompressor that:

accepts a sequence of compressed digital image frames from the video signal receiver;

reconstitutes non-compressed digital image frames; and

writes the non-compressed digital image frames to the display memory.

82. The system of claim 79 wherein the compressed digital video stream is an MPEG stream.

83. The system of claim 57 wherein the video image render engine accepts display extents and creates said frame images in said display memory within the display extents.

84. The system of claim 83 wherein the display extents comprise the size of the video presentation window and the location of one corner of the window within the page image.

85. The system of claim 83 wherein the display extents comprise the location of a first corner of the video presentation window within the page image and the location of a second corner of the video presentation window within the page image.

86. The system of claim 57 wherein said display memory comprises a background plane and an overlay plane and the video image render engine writes video frames into said background plane and makes the overlay plane transparent in the region corresponding to the video frames written in the background plane.

87. The system of claim 57 wherein said display memory comprises a background plane and an overlay plane and the video image render engine writes video frames into said into the overlay plane.

88. The system of claim 57 wherein said display memory comprises a background plane and an overlay plane and wherein the page image painter writes the page image frame into the background plane.

89. The system of claim 57 wherein said display memory comprises a background plane and an overlay plane and wherein the page image painter writes the page image frame into the overlay plane and wherein the overlay plane is made transparent in a region corresponding to a video window.

57. A system for delivering video to a set top box comprising:

distribution system;

head end comprising;

page image render unit that accepts a page description written in a page description language and creates a page image frame according to the description;

page image transmitter that conveys the page image frame to the distribution system; and

video routing unit that receives video signals and forwards the video signal to the distribution system; and

set top box comprising;

page image receiver that receives a page image frame;

page image painter that accepts the page image frame and creates an image of said frame in a display memory;

video signal receiver that receives a video signal; and

video image render engine that accepts the video signal and creates successive frame images in said display memory that correspond to said video signal.