Video broadcasting with return channel

• US 20050055729A1
• Filed: 03/29/2004
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Winetworks Inc (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Winetworks Inc (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Efron, Eitan, Harpak, Ofer, Atad, Efraim
• Application Number:
  US10/810,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20050055729A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/118
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/30 characterised by the use of a return channel, e.g. for collecting users' opinions, for returning broadcast space/time information or for requesting data
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/95 for local area
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2223 being a public access point, e.g. for downloading to or uploading from clients arrangements specially adapted to plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A TV broadcasting system comprises: an outward broadcast link to reach each of a plurality of user receiver installations via satellite or via a terrestrial channel, and a return link from each of said plurality of users, said return channel being a terrestrial channel via a wide area network, typically a WAN, of which WAN said user receiver installations form a node. The WAN may also support an uplink. A satellite or terrestrial receiver installation is modified with an extra terrestrial antenna for the WAN and a splitter combiner allows the already installed cable link to the TV receiver to be retained. A residential gateway allows a household LAN and communication enabled devices to be supported via the TV/WAN infrastructure.

Claims

1. A TV broadcasting system comprising:

an outward broadcast link to supply a multi-channel video signal to reach each of a plurality of user receiver installations, and

a return link from each of said plurality of users, said return channel being provided over a terrestrial channel via a terrestrial network comprising a plurality of nodes, said nodes being provided by at least some of said plurality of user installations.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said outward broadcast link is a satellite link.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said outward broadcast link is a terrestrial link.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said terrestrial network further supports a second forward link to each of said plurality of user receiver installations.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said terrestrial network is a wide area network (WAN) operative substantially in accordance with IEEE standard 802.16 or IEEE standard 802.20.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least some of said nodes comprise support for a communications hotspot.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said communications hotspot is substantially in accordance with IEEE Standard 802.11.

8. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of terrestrial networks.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said terrestrial network comprises a central base station for broadcasting to other nodes thereof using a mesh algorithm.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising IP core infrastructure to transmit data between a head end unit and said central base station.

11. The system of claim 1, comprising a head end unit to direct TV channel content over said outward broadcast link and to manage interactive services for respective users using data received from respective users over said return link.

12. A TV broadcasting method comprising:

providing an outward broadcast link to reach each of a plurality of user receiver installations,

forming at least some of said plurality of user receiver installations into nodes of a terrestrial two-way transmission network, and

providing at least a return link from each of said plurality of users via said network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said outward broadcast link is a satellite link.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said outward broadcast link is a terrestrial link.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said network further supports a second outward link to each of said plurality of user receiver installations.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said network is a wide area network (WAN) substantially in accordance with IEEE standard 802.16 or IEEE standard 802.20.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein at least some of said nodes comprise support for a communications hotspot.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said communications hotspot is substantially in accordance with IEEE Standard 802.11.

19. The method of claim 12, comprising building a plurality of networks to cover a region.

20. The method of claim 12, comprising providing said network with a central base station for broadcasting to other nodes thereof using a mesh algorithm.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising utilizing IP core infrastructure to transmit data between a head end unit and said central base station.

22. The method of claim 12, comprising providing a head end unit to direct TV channel content over said outward broadcast link and to manage interactive services for respective users using data received from respective users over said network.