Method and apparatus for dynamic provisioning of IP-based services in a DVB network

• US 20030097663A1
• Filed: 11/19/2001
• Published: 05/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Puputti, Matti
• Application Number:
  US09/989,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20030097663A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/132
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6106 specially adapted to the downstream path of the transmission network

Abstract

A digital video broadcasting network allows a group of end user terminals to dynamically select and receive broadcast content by transmitting program identifiers for a plurality of broadcasting content providers through program specific information (PSI/SI) layer signalling over multiple transport streams.

Claims

1. A method for providing dynamic provisioning of services in a network, comprising:

transmitting a service having a control channel over a first transport stream, in accordance with a first configuration parameter of the service stored by an end user terminal, in which the control channel is identified with the first transport stream;

transmitting a second configuration parameter to the end user without receiving interactive information from the end user terminal, the second configuration parameter identifying the control channel with a second transport stream; and

transmitting the service to the end user terminal over the second transport stream.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is a digital video broadcasting network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is at least one of a computer network and a wireless network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the control channel is an Internet Protocol control channel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second configuration parameter comprises data allowing the end user terminal to access the service.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the service comprises at least one of:

a television program, multimedia content, text information and audio information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the service is an Internet Protocol-based service.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting the second configuration parameter further comprises:

generating the second configuration.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting the second transport stream based on at least one of;

a data size of the service and an available bandwidth of the first and second transport streams.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second configuration parameter includes a program identifier for the service transmitted in the second transport stream.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the service comprises a plurality of services from a plurality of service providers.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first configuration parameter comprises at least one parameter corresponding to addressing information for the service.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the second first configuration parameter comprises at least one parameter corresponding to addressing for the service.

14. An apparatus for providing dynamic provisioning of services in a network, comprising:

means for transmitting a service having a control channel over a first transport stream, in accordance with a first configuration parameter of the service stored by an end user terminal in which the control channel is identified with the first transport stream;

means for transmitting a second configuration parameter to the end user without receiving interactive information from the end user terminal, the second configuration parameter identifying the control channel with a second transport stream; and

means for transmitting the service to the end user terminal over the second transport stream.

15. A method for providing dynamic provisioning of services in a network, comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a service having a control channel over a first transport stream, in accordance with a first configuration parameter of the service stored by an end user terminal in which the control channel is identified with the first transport stream;

a processor for generating and transmitting a second configuration parameter to the end user without receiving interactive information from the end user terminal, the second configuration parameter identifying the control channel with a second transport stream, wherein the transmitter further for transmitting the service to the end user terminal over the second transport stream.

16. A method for dynamically receiving services in a network, performed by an end user terminal, the method comprising:

receiving a service having a control channel over a first transport stream, in accordance with a first configuration parameter of the service stored by the end user terminal in which the control channel is identified with the first transport stream;

receiving a second configuration parameter through the control channel without providing interactive information, the second configuration parameter identifying the control channel with a second transport stream; and

accessing the service over the second transport stream.

17. A method for providing dynamic provisioning of services in a network, comprising:

transmitting a service having a control channel over a first portion of a transport stream, in accordance with a first configuration parameter of the service stored by an end user terminal in which the control channel is identified with the first portion of the transport stream;

transmitting a second configuration parameter to the end user using without receiving interactive information from the end user terminal, the second configuration parameter identifying the control channel with a second portion of the transport stream; and

transmitting the service to the end user terminal over the second portion of the transport stream.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the network is a digital video broadcasting network.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the network is at least one of:

a computer network and a wireless network.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the control channel is an Internet Protocol control channel.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the second configuration parameter comprises data allowing the end user terminal to access the service.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the service comprises at least one of a television program, multimedia content, text information and audio information.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the service is an Internet Protocol-based service.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein said transmitting the second configuration parameter further comprises:

generating the second configuration parameter.

25. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

selecting the second portion of the transport stream based on at least one of;

a data size of the service and an available bandwidth of the transport stream.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the second configuration parameter includes a program identifier the service transmitted in the second portion of the transport stream.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein the service comprises a plurality of services from a plurality of service providers.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein the first configuration parameter comprises at least one parameter corresponding to addressing information for the service.

29. The method of claim 17, wherein the second first configuration parameter comprises at least one parameter corresponding to addressing information for the service.

30. An apparatus for providing dynamic provisioning of services in a network, comprising:

means for transmitting a service having a control channel over a first portion of a transport stream, in accordance with a first configuration parameter of the service stored by an end user terminal in which the control channel is identified with the first portion of the transport stream;

means for transmitting a second configuration parameter to the end user without receiving interactive information from the end user terminal, the second configuration parameter identifying the control channel with a second portion of the transport stream; and

means for transmitting the service to the end user terminal over the second portion of the transport stream.

31. An apparatus for providing dynamic provisioning of services in a network, comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a service having a control channel over a first portion of a transport stream, in accordance with a first configuration parameter of the service stored by an end user terminal in which the control channel is identified with the first portion of the transport stream;

a processor in communication with the transmitter for generating a second configuration parameter to the end user without receiving interactive information from the end user terminal, the second configuration parameter identifying the control channel with a second portion of the transport stream, wherein the transmitter further for transmitting the service to the end user terminal over the second portion of the transport stream.

32. A method for dynamically receiving services in a network, performed by an end user terminal, the method comprising:

receiving a service having a control channel over a first portion of a transport stream, in accordance with a first configuration parameter of the service stored by the end user terminal in which the control channel is identified with the first portion of the transport stream;

receiving a second configuration parameter through the control channel without providing interactive information, the second configuration parameter identifying the control channel with a second portion of the transport stream; and

accessing the service over the second portion of the transport stream.

33. A method for communicating a new service to an end user terminal over a network without interaction from the end user terminal, the method comprising:

assigning a service having a control channel to a first transport stream;

generating at least one configuration parameter including the control channel for the service;

transmitting the at least one configuration parameter to an end user terminal; and

transmitting the service including the control channel over the first transport stream, whereby the end user terminal accesses the service by reading the at least one configuration parameter and generates an appropriate interface using the control channel without providing interactive information.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the network is a digital video broadcasting network.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the network is at least one of:

a computer network and a wireless network.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the control channel is an Internet Protocol control channel.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the second configuration parameter comprises data allowing the end user terminal to access the service.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein the service comprises at least one of:

a television program, multimedia content, text information and audio information.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein the service is an Internet Protocol-based service.

40. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

selecting the transport stream based on at least one of;

a data size of the service and an available bandwidth of the transport stream.

41. The method of claim 33, wherein said transmitting the configuration parameter comprises

transmitting a program identifier for the service through the transport stream.

42. The method of claim 33, wherein the service comprises a plurality of services from a plurality of service providers.

43. An apparatus for communicating a new service to an end user terminal over a network without interaction from the end user terminal, the method comprising:

means for assigning a service having a control channel to a first transport stream;

means for generating at least one configuration parameter including the control channel for the service;

means for transmitting the at least one configuration parameter to an end user terminal; and

means for transmitting the service including the control channel over the first transport stream, whereby the end user terminal accesses the service by reading the at least one configuration parameter and generates an appropriate interface using the control channel without providing interactive information.

44. An apparatus for communicating a new service to an end user terminal over a network without interaction from the end user terminal, the method comprising:

a processor for assigning a service having a control channel to a first transport stream and generating at least one configuration parameter including the control channel for the service; and

a transmitter for transmitting the at least one configuration parameter to an end user terminal and further for transmitting the service including the control channel over the first transport stream, whereby the end user terminal accesses the service by reading the at least one configuration parameter and generates an appropriate interface using the control channel without providing interactive information.

45. A method for dynamically receiving a new service over a network, performed by an end user terminal, the method comprising:

receiving at least one program identifier corresponding to a service on a network; and

selecting a control channel from the network corresponding to the packet identifier;

receiving configuration information for the service from the control channel;

generating an appropriate interface using the at least one configuration parameter; and

receiving the service without providing interactive information to a network operator.