Multicast media distribution system

• US 20040255335A1
• Filed: 10/22/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deluxe Media Inc., Softitler Net, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ascent Media Group LLC (Ascent Capital Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fickle, Richard C., Aron, Timothy Bruce, Royo, Jose A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,921,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/135
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6402 Address allocation for clients address allocation in data networks H04L61/50

Abstract

The present invention provides for methods, systems, and devices for simultaneously receiving and processing multimedia asset packages transmitted by a plurality of multimedia content providers. The methods and systems of the present invention implement a multiport catcher appliance configured to receive a plurality of transmissions, simultaneously, from multiple content providers in a multimedia asset distribution system. The multimedia catcher receiver includes a multimedia network interface unit configured to simultaneously receive multimedia data segments from content providers, a multimedia network interface unit that provides the multimedia data segments to a receive unit, a receive unit configured to reconstruct and validate a multimedia asset package using multimedia data segments transmitted by a content provider, and a content management system to manage multimedia asset packages and provide multimedia asset packages to a multimedia server.

Claims

1. A method of simultaneously receiving and processing multimedia asset packages transmitted by a plurality of multimedia content providers, each multimedia asset package being transmitted as a plurality of data segments, comprising:

assigning a unique process identification number (PID) to a frequency band used by each of the multimedia content providers,

simultaneously receiving a plurality of data segments from the plurality of multimedia content providers, wherein the data segments are tracked using the PID assigned to the frequency band used by each multimedia content provider,

reconstructing a multimedia asset package transmitted by a multimedia content provider by compiling the plurality of data segments that constitute the multimedia asset package, and

providing the multimedia asset packages to a video-on-demand server that transmits at least a portion of a multimedia asset package to an end user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein simultaneously receiving a plurality of data segments comprises receiving at least three data segments simultaneously from different multimedia content providers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein simultaneously receiving a plurality of data segments comprises simultaneously receiving the plurality of data segments on different frequency bands.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein simultaneously receiving a plurality of data segments comprises receiving data segments from each multimedia content provider using a separate data receiver card for each frequency band used by each content provider.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a backchannel connection to each multimedia content provider to enable the multimedia content provider to track the receipt of data segments transmitted by the multimedia content provider.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

providing acknowledgements of receipt of a multimedia asset package to the multimedia content provider using the backchannel connection.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the backchannel connection is a network connection chosen from the group consisting of an internet connection, a public switched telephone network (PSTN) connection, and a virtual private network (VPN) connection.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein reconstructing a multimedia asset package comprises:

validating the multimedia asset package to confirm successful receipt of the multimedia asset package.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein validating the multimedia asset package comprises:

receiving metadata that accompanies the data segments of the multimedia asset package, and

analyzing the metadata to determine whether the complete multimedia asset package is received.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein validating the multimedia asset package occurs before providing the multimedia asset package to the video-on-demand server.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the multimedia asset package comprises a movie file, the method comprising:

receiving a request for the movie file from the multimedia asset package from an end user,

comparing metadata associated with the multimedia asset package with validation logic and business rules restricting the use of the movie file, and

providing the movie file to the end user if the metadata complies with the validation logic and business rules.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising:

enabling a user to determine an order in which the multimedia asset packages are provided to the video-on-demand server.

13. A method of simultaneously receiving and processing multiple multimedia asset packages, comprising:

assigning a unique process identification number (PID) to each of a plurality of frequency bands used by a plurality of multimedia content providers,

receiving a plurality of multimedia data segments from the plurality of multimedia content providers, wherein the multimedia data segments are received simultaneously, the multimedia data segments are tracked using the PIDs, and the plurality of multimedia data segments form a complete multimedia asset package,

forming a complete multimedia asset package using a plurality of multimedia data segments,

validating the complete multimedia asset to confirm successful receipt of the complete multimedia asset, and

providing each complete multimedia asset package to a video-on-demand server that transmits multimedia assets to end users.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving a plurality of multimedia data segments comprises simultaneously receiving at least three multimedia data segments simultaneously from three different multimedia content providers.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving a plurality of multimedia data segments comprises simultaneously receiving the plurality of multimedia data segments from different multimedia content providers on different frequency bands, and the multimedia data segments for a complete multimedia asset package transmitted by a particular multimedia content provider are transmitted on a common frequency band.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving a plurality of multimedia data segments comprises receiving multimedia data segments from different multimedia content providers using a separate data receiver card for each different frequency band used by the content providers.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a backchannel connection to each multimedia content provider to provide each multimedia content provider with acknowledgements of either successful or unsuccessful receipt of a complete multimedia asset package.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the backchannel connection is a network connection chosen from the group consisting of an internet connection, a public switched telephone network (PSTN) connection, and a virtual private network (VPN) connection.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein validating the complete multimedia asset package comprises:

receiving metadata that accompanies the multimedia data segments of the complete multimedia asset package, and

analyzing the metadata to determine whether the complete multimedia asset package has been received.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein validating the complete multimedia asset package occurs before providing the complete multimedia asset package to the multimedia server.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a portion of the complete multimedia asset package to a requesting end user by comparing metadata associated with the complete multimedia asset package with validation logic and business rules governing authorized users of the asset package, and transmitting the portion of the complete multimedia asset package to the end user if the metadata complies with the validation logic and business rules.

22. A multimedia catcher receiver, comprising:

a multimedia network interface unit configured to simultaneously receive a plurality of multimedia data segments sent from a plurality of multimedia content providers and to provide the multimedia data segments to a receive unit,

a receive unit coupled to the multimedia network interface unit and configured to reconstruct a complete multimedia asset package from a plurality of multimedia data segments transmitted by a multimedia content provider, and to validate the complete multimedia asset package received from the multimedia content provider, and

a content management system configured to receive multimedia asset packages from the receive unit, manage the received multimedia asset packages, and provide the multimedia asset packages to a multimedia server,

wherein each frequency band used by a multimedia content provider is assigned a unique process identification number (PID), and the catcher receiver tracks the multimedia asset packages using at least the PID assigned to the frequency band used by the multimedia content provider.

23. The multimedia catcher receiver of claim 22, wherein the multimedia network interface unit comprises a plurality of data receiver cards configured to receive satellite transmissions.

24. The multimedia catcher receiver of claim 22, wherein the multimedia network interface unit comprises a plurality of data receiver cards configured to receive satellite transmissions and a network interface card configured to receive terrestrial transmissions.

25. The multimedia catcher receiver of claim 24, wherein the network interface card comprises an ethernet card.

26. The multimedia catcher receiver of claim 22, wherein the receive unit comprises a backchannel network to provide a communication pathway between the multimedia catcher receiver and the plurality of multimedia content providers to provide acknowledgements of successful receipt of multimedia asset packages to the multimedia content providers.

27. The multimedia catcher receiver of claim 26, wherein the backchannel network is a network connection chosen from the group consisting of an internet connection, a public switched telephone network (PSTN) connection, and a virtual private network (VPN) connection.

28. The multimedia catcher receiver of claim 22, comprising an asset receive unit coupled to the receive unit and to the content management system, and capable of processing multimedia asset packages from the receive unit and multimedia asset packages received from a local source.

29. The multimedia catcher receiver of claim 28, wherein the asset receive unit comprises at least one data input unit taken from the group consisting of a DVD-based drive and a FTP server interface.