Wireless infrastructure for broadcasting with return channel

• US 20050068915A1
• Filed: 03/29/2004
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: WI Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: WI Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Efron, Eitan, Harpak, Ofer, Atad, Efraim
• Application Number:
  US10/810,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20050068915A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/316
• 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 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6112 involving terrestrial transmission, e.g. DVB-T
• 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 21/6181 involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters
• 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

Infrastructure for interactive broadcasting is provided using a wide area network for bi-directional transmission between a plurality of user nodes and a central source node, at least some of the user nodes comprising rooftop video broadcast receiving installations modified with a terrestrial bi-directional antenna and network transmission support electronics.

Claims

1. A wide area network for bi-directional transmission between a plurality of user nodes and a central source node, at least some of the user nodes comprising rooftop video broadcast receiving installations modified with a terrestrial bi-directional antenna and network transmission support electronics.

2. The wide area network of claim 1, wherein at least some of said user nodes comprise support for hotspot functionality, thereby to allow mobile communication devices to access said wide area network system.

3. The wide area network of claim 2, wherein said support for hotspot functionality substantially comprises standard IEEE 802.11.

4. The wide area network of claim 1, wherein said rooftop video broadcast receiving installations are satellite receiving installations.

5. The wide area network of claim 1, wherein said rooftop video broadcast receiving installations are terrestrial broadcast receiving installations.

6. A wide area network system, comprising:

a central source node,

a plurality of base nodes connected via cable infrastructure to said central node, and

a plurality of user nodes, at least some of the user nodes comprising rooftop video broadcast receiving installations modified with a terrestrial bi-directional antenna and network transmission support electronics.

7. The wide area network system of claim 6, wherein the cable infrastructure is hybrid fiber coax (HFC) infrastructure.

8. The wide area network system of claim 6, wherein a wide area network transmission standard is used over said cable infrastructure.

9. The wide area network system of claim 8;

where said transmission standard is at least one of IEEE 802.16 standard or the IEEE 802.20 standard.

10. The wide area network system of claim 6, wherein at least some of said user nodes comprise support for hotspot functionality, thereby to allow mobile communication devices to access said wide area network system.

11. The wide area network system of claim 10, wherein said support for hotspot functionality substantially conforms to IEEE standard 802.11.

12. The wide area network system of claim 6, wherein said rooftop video broadcast receiving installations are satellite receiving installations.

13. The wide area network system of claim 6, wherein said rooftop video broadcast receiving installations are terrestrial broadcast receiving installations.

14. A hybrid cable and wireless bidirectional transmission network comprising a wireless network part and a cable part and wherein a wide area network transmission standard is used over both said wireless network part and said cable part.

15. The hybrid cable and wireless bidirectional transmission network of claim 14, wherein said transmission standard is at least one of IEEE 802.16 standard or the IEEE 802.20 standard.