Video transmission systems and methods for a home network

• US 20040068753A1
• Filed: 10/02/2002
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.), Naval Sea Systems Command
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fernandez, Jose M., Robertson, Neil C., Lett, David B.
• Application Number:
  US10/263,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20040068753A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/126
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4382 Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing television services and/or presentations to a plurality of televisions located at a customer premises. One such method, among others, includes: receiving by a set-top terminal (STT) located at a customer premises, via a transmission link that is coupled to the STT, a television service that was transmitted from a remote location, and transmitting the television service by the STT, via the transmission link, to a television that is located at the customer premises.

Claims

1. A method for providing television services, comprising the steps of:

receiving by a first set-top terminal (STT) located at a customer premises, via a first transmission link that is coupled to the STT, a first television service that was transmitted from a headend; and

transmitting the first television service by the STT, via the first transmission link, to a first television that is located at the customer premises.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a second television service by the STT, via a second transmission link, to a second television that is located at the customer premises.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to transmitting the first television service by the STT, receiving by the STT a request for the first television service from a remote control device that is configured to control the first television.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first television service is transmitted at a frequency that is above the frequency band of a broadband signal that is received by the STT from the headend.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first television service is transmitted at a frequency that is above 860 MHz.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first television service is transmitted at a frequency that is substantially equal to a frequency of an Ultra-high frequency (UHF) channel that is not being used to transmit a television service from the headend to the STT.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the first television service by a splitter module from the STT.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

passing the first television service by the splitter module to a radio frequency (RF) converter module that is configured to convert the frequency of the first television service to a lower frequency that corresponds to a predetermined television channel, and that is configured to transmit the first television service to the first television.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

converting the frequency of the first television service by the splitter module to a lower frequency that corresponds to a predetermined television channel.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

passing the first television service by the splitter module to the first television.

11. A set-top terminal (STT) comprising:

a tuner for extracting a first television service from a broadband signal that is received by the STT via a first transmission link that is coupled to the STT;

an ultra-high-frequency (UHF) transmitter; and

a processor that is programmed to cause the UHF transmitter to transmit the first television service via the first transmission link to a first television in response to the STT receiving from a first remote control device user input requesting the first television service.

12. The STT of claim 11, wherein the first television service is transmitted by the UHF transmitter to the first television at a frequency that is above the frequency band of the broadband signal that is received by the STT.

13. The STT of claim 11, wherein the first television service is transmitted by the UHF transmitter to the first television at a frequency corresponding to a channel that is not being used to transmit a television service from a headend to the STT.

14. The STT of claim 11, wherein the first television service is transmitted by the UHF transmitter to the first television at a frequency that is above 860 MHz.

15. The STT of claim 11, further comprising:

an output system for outputting a second television service via a second transmission link to a second television.

16. The STT of claim 15, wherein the processor is also programmed to cause the output system to transmit the second television service via the second transmission link to a second television in response to the STT receiving from a second remote control device user input requesting the second television service.

17. A system comprising:

a set-top terminal including,

a tuner for extracting a first television service from a broadband signal that is received by the STT via a first transmission link that is coupled to the STT,

an ultra-high-frequency (UHF) transmitter, and

a processor that is programmed to cause the UHF transmitter to transmit the first television service via the first transmission link to a first television in response to the STT receiving from a first remote control device user input requesting the first television service; and

a splitter module that is configured to receive the first television service from the STT and to pass the television service to the first television.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the splitter module is also configured to convert the frequency of the first television service to a frequency corresponding to a predetermined television channel.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) converter module that is configured to receive the first television service from the splitter module and to transmit the first television service to the television at a frequency corresponding to a predetermined television channel.

20. A method for providing television presentations, comprising the steps of:

receiving video data by a first set-top terminal (STT) located at a customer premises, via a first transmission link that is coupled to the first STT, wherein the video data was transmitted from a remote location;

storing the video data within the first STT; and

transmitting the video data by the first STT, via the first transmission link, to a second STT that is located at the customer premises.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the video data is stored on a hard disk within the first STT.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of transmitting the data by the first STT is performed during a time period when the first STT is not receiving any data transmitted from the remote location.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving measurement data by the first STT from the second STT; and

adjusting an amplitude of a quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) signal that encodes the video data based on the measurement data prior to the step of transmitting the video data by the first STT.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the measurement data includes a measurement of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the QAM signal.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the measurement data includes a measurement of an amplitude of the QAM signal

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the measurement data includes a measurement of an amplitude of a signal being transmitted on a channel that is adjacent to or near a channel on which the QAM signal is being transmitted.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the remote location is a headend.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the video data comprises at least a portion of a television presentation.

29. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

providing a trick mode function in connection with the video data.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the trick mode function is one of pause, fast forward, or rewind.

31. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

transmitting the video data by the first STT, via a second transmission link, to a television that is located at the customer premises.

32. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

transmitting the video data by the first STT to at least a third STT that is located at the customer premises.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein the video data is transmitted by the first STT in an analog format.

34. The method of claim 20, wherein the video data is transmitted by the first STT in a digital format.

35. The method of claim 20, wherein the video data is encrypted by the first STT prior to being transmitted by the first STT, and is decrypted by the second STT.

36. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

storing a plurality of television presentations; and

transmitting a list of the plurality of television presentations to the second STT;

receiving a request for a certain one of the plurality of television presentations; and

transmitting the certain one of the plurality of television presentations to the second STT responsive to receiving the request.

37. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

prior to transmitting the video data by the first STT, receiving by the first STT a request for the video data from a remote control device that is configured to control the second STT.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the request is encoded in a wireless radio frequency (RF) signal.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the request is encoded using on-off keying (OOK), and is received by the first STT via the first transmission link.

40. The method of claim 20, wherein the video data is transmitted at a frequency that is above the frequency band of a broadband signal that is received by the first STT from the headend.

41. The method of claim 20, wherein the video data is transmitted at a frequency that is above 860 MHz.

42. The method of claim 20, wherein the video data is transmitted at a frequency that is substantially equal to a frequency of an Ultra-high frequency (UHF) channel that is not being used to transmit a television presentation from the headend to the first STT.

43. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving the video data by a splitter module from the first STT.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

passing the video data by the splitter module to a radio frequency (RF) converter module that is configured to convert the frequency of the video data to a lower frequency that corresponds to a predetermined television channel, and that is configured to transmit the video data to the second STT.

45. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

converting the frequency of the video data by the splitter module to a lower frequency that corresponds to a predetermined television channel.

46. The method of claim 45, further comprising:

passing the video data by the splitter module to the second STT.

47. A first set-top terminal (STT) comprising:

a first tuner that is configured to extract video data from a broadband signal that is received by the first STT via a first transmission link that is coupled to the first STT;

a storage device that is configured to store the video data;

an ultra-high-frequency (UHF) transmitter; and

a processor that is programmed to cause the UHF transmitter to transmit the video data via the first transmission link to a second STT in response to the first STT receiving, from a first remote control device, user input requesting the video data.

48. The first STT of claim 47, wherein the user input comprises a wireless radio frequency (RF) signal.

49. The first STT of claim 47, wherein the storage device comprises a hard disk.

50. The first STT of claim 47, further comprising a second tuner configured to extract video data from the broadband signal.

51. The first STT of claim 47, wherein the second STT does not comprise a hard disk for storing video data, and does not comprise more than one tuner configured to extract video data from a broadband signal.

52. The first STT of claim 47, wherein the video data comprises at least a portion of a television presentation.

53. The first STT of claim 47, wherein the processor is further programmed to provide a trick mode function in connection with the video data.

54. The first STT of claim 53, wherein the trick mode function is one of pause, fast forward, or rewind.

55. The first STT of claim 47, wherein the video data is transmitted by the UHF transmitter in an analog format.

56. The first STT of claim 47, wherein the video data is transmitted by the UHF transmitter in a digital format.

57. The first STT of claim 47, wherein the video data is encrypted by the first STT prior to being transmitted by the UHF transmitter.

58. The first STT of claim 47, wherein the user input is encoded in a wireless radio frequency (RF) signal.

59. The first STT of claim 47, wherein the user input is encoded using on-off keying (OOK).

60. The first STT of claim 47, wherein the video data is transmitted by the UHF transmitter to the second STT at a frequency that is above the frequency band of the broadband signal that is received by the first STT.

61. The first STT of claim 47, wherein the video data is transmitted by the UHF transmitter to the second STT at a frequency corresponding to a channel that is not being used to transmit a television presentation from a headend to the first STT.

62. The first STT of claim 47, wherein the video data is transmitted by the UHF transmitter to the second STT at a frequency that is above 860 MHz.

63. The first STT of claim 47, further comprising:

an output system for outputting the video data via a second transmission link to a second television.

64. The first STT of claim 63, wherein the processor is also programmed to cause the output system to transmit the video data via the second transmission link to a second television in response to the first STT receiving from a second remote control device user input requesting the video data.

65. A system comprising:

a first set-top terminal (STT) including,

a first tuner that is configured to extract video data from a broadband signal that is received by the first STT via a first transmission link that is coupled to the first STT,

a storage device that is configured to store the video data;

an ultra-high-frequency (UHF) transmitter, and

a processor that is programmed to cause the UHF transmitter to transmit the video data via the first transmission link to a second STT in response to the first STT receiving, from a first remote control device, user input requesting the video data; and

a splitter module that is configured to receive the video data from the first STT and to pass the video data to the second STT.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein the user input comprises an infra red (IR) signal.

67. The system of claim 66, further comprising:

an IR signal receiver that is configured to receive the user input, to encode the user input using on-off keying (OOK), and to transmit the OOK encoded user input to the first STT.

68. The system of claim 65, wherein the splitter module is also configured to convert the frequency of the video data to a frequency corresponding to a predetermined television channel.

69. The system of claim 65, further comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) converter module that is configured to receive the video data from the splitter module and to transmit the video data to the television at a frequency corresponding to a predetermined television channel.