System and apparatus for supplying audiovisual information to a subscriber terminal

• US 20030051251A1
• Filed: 09/10/2002
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
• Inventors: Okano, Takashi, Sugimoto, Masao, Tazawa, Osamu, Iwase, Munehiko
• Application Number:
  US10/237,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20030051251A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/76 Wired systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1868 Measures taken after transmission, e.g. acknowledgments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A system and apparatus for transmitting audio and video information to one or more subscribers terminal from a server. Each subscriber terminal includes a storage unit. The server selects an information distribution scheme (unicast or multicast) and sends the information to the subscriber terminal(s). Each subscriber terminal receives the information in accordance with the selected information distribution scheme, and stores the information in the storage unit. The system can cope with multiple requests from the subscribers without increasing the VOD service cost.

Claims

1. A system for providing one or more subscriber terminals with information comprising:

at least one subscriber terminal having a storage unit; and

a server for selecting one of a unicast and multicast scheme and sending information to the at least one subscriber terminal in the selected scheme, wherein each of the at least one subscriber terminal receives the information in a manner complying with the selected scheme and stores the information in the storage unit.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the server sends the information to a subscriber terminal in the unicast scheme when the subscriber terminal requests the information from the server;

and the server sends the information to a plurality of subscriber terminals in the multicast scheme when the server voluntarily sends the information to the plurality of subscriber terminals.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the server cyclically sends the information to the plurality of subscriber terminals in the multicast scheme.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein each of the at least one subscriber terminal determines whether there is a missing part in the information received, and requests the missing part from the server when the subscriber terminal determines that there is the missing part in the information received.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the server sends the missing part in the unicast scheme.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the information is audio and video information.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the storage unit is one of a once write type storage unit and a rewritable type storage unit.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the information to be sent to the plurality of subscriber terminals includes a plurality of titles.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the server updates at least one title of the plurality of titles at predetermined intervals.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the server encrypts the information and sends the encrypted information to the at least subscriber terminal.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the server sends a decryption key to the at least subscriber terminal at a predetermined time.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the server sends the encrypted information in the multicast scheme.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein each of the at least one subscriber terminal has a self diagnosis function and informs the server of a result of self diagnosis.

14. An apparatus for providing at least one subscriber terminal with information comprising:

a server for sending the information to the at least one subscriber terminal in one of a unicast and multicast scheme, wherein the at least one subscriber terminal receives the information in a manner complying with the selected scheme.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the server sends the information to a subscriber terminal in the unicast scheme when the subscriber terminal requests the information from the server;

and the server sends the information to a plurality of subscriber terminals in the multicast scheme when the server voluntarily sends the information to the plurality of subscriber terminals.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the server cyclically sends the information to the plurality of subscriber terminals in the multicast scheme.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the server supplies a missing part of the information upon request from a subscriber terminal.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the information is audio and video information.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the server encrypts the information and sends the encrypted information to the at least subscriber terminal.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the server sends a decryption key to the at least subscriber terminal at a predetermined time.