Wideband direct-to-home broadcasting satellite communications system and method

• US 20030217362A1
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pegasus Development Corporation (The Pegasus Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pegasus Development Corporation (The Pegasus Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Freedman, Jeffrey B., Hane, John K., Summers, Macy W., Pagon, Marshall W., Gonzales, Francisco
• Granted Patent: US 7,587,736 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/63
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/74 of satellite networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23805 Controlling the feeding rate to the network, e.g. by controlling the video pump
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26275 for distributing content or additional data in a staggered manner, e.g. repeating movies on different channels in a time-staggered manner in a near video on demand system
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• 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 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6193 involving transmission via a satellite arrangements for data linking, networking or transporting, or for controlling an end to end session in a satellite broadcast system H04B7/18526
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 : Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 : Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

The present invention relates to one- or two-way Direct-To-Home (DTH) satellite communications systems which broadcast high bit rate wideband television and multimedia content to user terminals located within a desired coverage area and, more specifically, a single or multi-transponder Direct-To-Home satellite communications system in which a high bit rate wideband data stream is comprised of real-time, statistically multiplexed information and non-real-time information that is transmitted to a subscriber media gateway device for storage and later-use. The user terminal contains a specially designed receiving system and may contain a transmitter for transmission of a return data channel to the Broadcast Center.

Claims

1. A direct-to-home satellite communications system comprising:

a plurality of encoders for encoding a plurality of programming content into digital signals of at least one digital format;

a wideband multiplexer for multiplexing the encoded signals for satellite communications in a wideband format;

a space segment for satellite transmission of the multiplexed signals in a wideband format; and

a plurality of receiving systems for receiving the multiplexed signals, the receiving systems including a wideband demultiplexer for demultiplexing the multiplexed signals and a decoder for decoding the demultiplexed digital signals.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein multiplexed signals are communicated over a wideband transponder having a bandwidth greater than 27 MHz.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein multiplexed signals are communicated over a wideband transponder having a bandwidth of at least 100 MHz.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a contribution network for receiving a plurality of real-time programming content and non-real-time programming content and inputting programming content to the encoders for transmission to the receiving systems.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a scheduler for scheduling the transmission of non-real-time programming content along with real-time programming content to minimize unused bandwidth in the wideband format.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a bandwidth manager for dynamically allocating available bandwidth for transmission of non-real-time programming content according to a capacity required for transmission of real-time programming.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising file storage capacity for storing encoded non-real-time programming content prior to transmission.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a wideband statistical multiplexer, wherein both real-time programming content and non-real-time programming content are encoded for transmission, and real-time programming content is statistically multiplexed in the wideband statistical multiplexer prior to being re-multiplexed in the wideband multiplexer with non-real-time programming content.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the statistically multiplexed real-time programming signals is additionally multiplexed with both non-real-time programming signals and control signals.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the control signals include programming guide information for single transmission in a wideband format.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one digital encoding format is MPEG-7.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein satellite communication of the multiplexed signals is transmitted along the Ka band.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the satellite communication is modulated at a frequency between 20 and 30 GHz.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising

a plurality of broadcast networks, wherein each broadcast network includes a plurality of encoders, a wideband multiplexer, and an uplink to a space segment;

and

a contribution network for receiving local programming content and national programming content, the local programming content corresponding to one or more designated market areas in the continental United States,

wherein national programming content is distributed to a national broadcast network for transmission along a CONUS beam to receiving systems across the continental United States, and

local programming content is distributed to respective regional broadcast networks for transmission along a spot beam to receiving systems located in designated market areas corresponding to the respective local programming content.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein real-time programming content and non-real-time programming content are transmitted to the receiving systems, a plurality of the receiving systems further comprises programming content storage for storing non-real-time programming content for later playback.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiving systems further comprises at least one audio/video device for playback of decoded programming content.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the receiving systems further comprises a home gateway interface for supplying decoded programming content to a plurality of audio/video devices, wherein different audio/video devices can simultaneously play back different programming content that were decoded in a single digital tuner.

18. A method for transmitting programming content in a direct-to-home satellite communications system, comprising:

receiving and encoding a plurality of signals of programming content;

multiplexing a plurality of the encoded signals in a wideband format; and

uplinking the multiplexed encoded signals,

whereby the plurality of encoded signals are transmitted in a wideband transponder.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the wideband transponder has a bandwidth greater than 27 MHz.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the wideband transponder has a bandwidth of at least 100 MHz.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of signals of programming content include real-time and non-real time content, and the amount of non-real time content that is scheduled for transmission is dependent at least upon the amount of bandwidth required for transmission of real-time content.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the non-real time content is delivered asynchronously.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of signals are transmitted in a single wideband transponder.

24. A method for transmitting programming content over a direct-to-home satellite communications system, comprising:

feeding pre-scheduled real-time content into a wideband multiplexer, wherein the real-time content requires a portion of total bandwidth that is available for satellite communications;

determining the amount of bandwidth remaining for satellite communications for concurrent transmission with real-time content;

feeding non-real-time content into the wideband multiplexer, wherein the amount of non-real-time content is selected to minimize the available bandwidth.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the non-real-time content includes at least one of a linear carousel, a non-linear carousel, and files.

26. The method according to claim 24, further comprising the step of feeding control signals into the wideband multiplexer, wherein the amount of bandwidth remaining for satellite communications is the difference between the total allocated bandwidth, less the sum of the bandwidth necessary for the pre-scheduled real-time content and the control signals.

27. A direct-to-home satellite broadcasting system, comprising:

a contribution network;

a broadcast center;

an uplink facility;

a space segment; and

consumer equipment for receiving satellite broadcast signals.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the contribution network receives both real-time and non-real time content for concurrent transmission as a MPTS in the broadcast center.

29. The system of claim 27, further comprising a plurality of broadcast centers and respective uplink facilities, wherein the contribution network receives both national content and regional content, and wherein national content is broadcast via a national broadcast center, and regional content is broadcast via a regional broadcast center.

30. An uplink system for transmitting television programming or other multimedia content over a direct-to-home satellite communications system, comprising:

first and second uplink facilities for uplinking encoded signals to a space segment, wherein the facilities are at different geographical locations; and

a switch for directing encoded signals to the first or second uplink facility depending upon weather conditions at the uplink facilities.

31. The uplink system according to claim 30, wherein the satellite communications system transmits signals over the Ka band.

32. The uplink system according to claim 31, whereby rain fading is minimized.

33. Consumer equipment for a direct-to-home satellite communications system, comprising:

a tuner/demodulator; and

a wideband demultiplexer receiving signals from the tuner/demodulator,

wherein different demultiplexed signals can be fed simultaneously into different playback devices from the wideband demultiplexer.

34. The consumer equipment according to claim 33, wherein the playback devices include at least one of televisions, computers, and game stations.

35. The consumer equipment according to claim 33, further comprising a mass storage device, wherein demultiplexed signals can be directed to the mass storage device simultaneously as different demultiplexed signals are directed to at least one playback device.

36. The consumer equipment according to claim 35, wherein non-real-time content is asynchronously stored in the mass storage device for later playback on the at least one playback device.

37. The consumer equipment according to claim 33, wherein more than 10 television programs are simultaneously fed into the tuner/demodulator.

38. The consumer equipment according to claim 33, wherein at least 100 television programs are simultaneously fed into the tuner/demodulator.

39. The consumer equipment according to claim 33, further comprising a plurality of tuner/demodulators, wherein each tuner/demodulator can simultaneously tune/demodulate an incoming signal from a different satellite beam.

40. The consumer equipment according to claim 39, wherein a tuner/demodulator tunes a signal from a CONUS beam, and a second tuner/demodulator tunes a signal from a spot beam.

41. The consumer equipment according to claim 33, further comprising a local transmitter for providing a return channel.

42. A method for transmitting signals over a direct-to-home satellite communications system, comprising:

transmitting content intended for distribution to a national audience in a single national beam;

transmitting regional content intended for distribution to a regional audience in a spot beam incident to the respective regional area,

wherein regional content is distributed in a plurality of spot beams that are contiguous across the nation.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the spot beams are tiled across the nation, such that each territory in the nation is covered by a single spot beam.

44. The method according to claim 42, wherein the national spot beam is a CONUS beam incident across the continental United States.

45. The method according to claim 42, wherein the beams transmit signals over the Ka band.

46. The method according to claim 42, wherein a national spot beam is incident across a plurality of countries, and each regional spot beam is incident to a subset of the territory covered by the national spot beam.

47. A direct-to-home satellite broadcasting system comprising:

a national broadcast center for transmitting content intended for distribution to a national audience in a single national beam; and

a plurality of regional broadcast centers for transmitting regional content intended for distribution to a respective regional audience in spot beams incident to the respective regional areas.

48. The system according to claim 47, wherein regional broadcast centers are located within the respective region in which the regional spot beam is provided.

49. The system according to claim 47, wherein regional content is distributed in a plurality of spot beams that are contiguous across the nation.

50. The system according to claim 47, wherein the single national beam is a CONUS beam.

51. The system according to claim 47, wherein the beams are for satellite transmission over the Ka band.

52. A method for scheduling transmission of real-time and non-real time content in a communications system, comprising:

allocating a start time for transmitting a plurality of real-time content, each having a respective bit rate;

determining a remaining bandwidth available for satellite communications after deducting transmission of the real-time content and system information; and

scheduling non-real time content according to file size for concurrent transmission with real-time content,

whereby instantaneous remaining capacity is minimized.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein non-real time content includes a-linear carousel content divided into a plurality of segments, and

the content is scheduled such that each segment of the content is scheduled to be received in consumer receiver systems before the conclusion of playback of the previous segment.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein segments are transmitted asynchronously at a rate that is faster than real-time.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein segments are transmitted asynchronously at a rate that is slower than real-time.

56. The method of claim 52, wherein non-real time content includes non-linear carousel content divided into a plurality of segments, and

the content is scheduled to emulate video on demand by repeating transmission of segments such that content is repeatedly available for playback after a delay value.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein segments are transmitted asynchronously at a rate that is faster than real-time.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein segments are transmitted asynchronously at a rate that is slower than real-time.

59. A satellite broadcasting system, comprising:

a broadcast center for encoding program content for transmission in a transport stream, wherein the broadcast center includes software-based encoders; and

a transponder for transmission of program content from the broadcast center,

wherein the software-based encoders enable generation of signals with different encoding standards within the transport stream.

60. The satellite broadcasting system of claim 59, wherein the encoders additionally insert information in the transport stream by which decoders can identify and switch decoding algorithms on a per program basis.

61. The satellite broadcasting system of claim 60, wherein the decoders are software-based for decoding and decompressing programs in a multiplicity of compression standards.

62. The satellite broadcasting system of claim 61, wherein the decoders read transmitted system information that identifies which encoding standard was used to compress the content and selects an appropriate decoding algorithm to use.

63. The satellite broadcasting system of claim 59, wherein the content is transmitted over a wideband transponder over the Ka band.

64. A receiver for receiving signals communicated over a satellite broadcasting system, comprising at least one decoder for receiving transmitted program content for playback,

wherein the decoder enables reception of signals with different encoding standards within a transport stream on a per program basis.

65. The receiver according to claim 64, wherein the decoder reads transmitted system information that identifies which encoding standard was used to compress the content and selects an appropriate decoding algorithm to use.

66. A method for scheduling transmission of content in a broadcasting system, comprising:

reading a schedule of content to be transmitted, wherein each item of content is grouped into a plurality of segments, and for each segment of each item of content,

(i) if the item of content to be transmitted is real-time content,

sending the real-time content to the playout buffer during the period of time scheduled for playback, and

calculating the remaining bandwidth available after transmission of the real time content;

(ii) if the item of content to be transmitted is a carousel,

calculating the block size, number of blocks and repetition rate to fit within the available bandwidth based upon the file size and bandwidth allocation,

sending blocks of the non-linear carousel to the playout buffer, and

calculating the remaining bandwidth available after transmission of the carousel content; and

(iii) if the item of content is a file,

transmit a percentage of the file according to the available bandwidth and priority associated with transmission of the file,

wherein the schedule is re-read after each calculation of the remaining bandwidth available.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein the content is to be transmitted over a satellite communications system.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein the content is to be transmitted over a direct-to-home satellite communications system.

69. The method of claim 66, wherein non-real time content may be in a linear carousel or non-linear carousel format.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein blocks of the non-linear carousel arc transmitted based in part upon the scheduled delay.

71. A direct-to-home satellite broadcasting system, comprising:

a broadcast center;

an uplink facility;

a space segment; and

consumer equipment for receiving satellite broadcast signals, wherein the consumer equipment includes a transmitter for providing a return channel.

72. The system according to claim 71, wherein the uplink facility transmits content over the Ka band.