Method and apparatus for wideband distribution of content
First Claim
1. A content distribution system adapted for the efficient transmission of a plurality of High Definition (HD) programs over a cable television network, comprising:
- first apparatus adapted to receive said plurality of HD programs;
second apparatus operatively coupled to said first apparatus and configured to process said plurality of HD programs based on a plurality of operator-controlled rules, said processing comprising at least one statistically-based multiplexing of at least portions of individual ones of said HD programs; and
transmission apparatus configured to transmit each of said processed HD programs across a plurality of RF channels, said transmission apparatus comprising a plurality of modulators;
wherein said statistically-based multiplexing is rendered more efficient based at least in part on the use of said multiple HD programs and said transmission of each of said HD programs across said plurality of RF channels.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus to create and transmit transport multiplexes comprising one or more levels of service over a network. In one embodiment, the level of service comprises high definition (HD) content or programs, and the transmitted multiplexes are distributed over a plurality of downstream RF carriers in a cable network simultaneously. A head-end architecture for performing the multiplexing and distribution of multiple HD programs over the multiple carriers (i.e., in a “wideband” configuration) is disclosed. CPE having one or more wideband tuners is also disclosed, the CPE being adapted to receive the multiplexed HD content from the various RF carriers, and demultiplex it in order to permit decoding and subsequent viewing by the user. The use of multiple HD source programs with the multiplex advantageously provides for enhanced statistical multiplexing by providing a larger “pool” of constituent inputs and available carriers.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A content distribution system adapted for the efficient transmission of a plurality of High Definition (HD) programs over a cable television network, comprising:
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first apparatus adapted to receive said plurality of HD programs;
second apparatus operatively coupled to said first apparatus and configured to process said plurality of HD programs based on a plurality of operator-controlled rules, said processing comprising at least one statistically-based multiplexing of at least portions of individual ones of said HD programs; and
transmission apparatus configured to transmit each of said processed HD programs across a plurality of RF channels, said transmission apparatus comprising a plurality of modulators;
wherein said statistically-based multiplexing is rendered more efficient based at least in part on the use of said multiple HD programs and said transmission of each of said HD programs across said plurality of RF channels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. CPE adapted to receive transmitted content substantially simultaneously from a plurality of information carriers present on a plurality of RF channels, comprising:
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a tuner stage capable of receiving first signals simultaneously from said plurality of carriers;
a demodulator stage adapted to demodulate a plurality of said first signals;
a decryption stage adapted to decrypt at least a portion of said demodulated signals; and
content reassembly apparatus operatively coupled to said decryption stage, said apparatus adapted to reassemble said decrypted and demodulated signals into said transmitted content. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of providing cable network services to a service area having first CPE installed therein, said first CPE being adapted to receive at least one program over a first number of channels of said cable network, comprising:
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providing second CPE to a first portion of said service area, said second CPE being adapted to receive at least one program simultaneously over a second number of RF channels of said cable network;
transmitting at least one program over said first number of channels to said service area for a first period of time;
providing second CPE to a second portion of said service area; and
transmitting at least one program over said second number of channels to said service area thereafter. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of operating a cable network having a plurality of legacy-capable CPE and a plurality of wideband CPE operatively coupled thereto, the method comprising:
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distributing at least one first program comprising a plurality of content elements, said act of distributing comprising sending said content elements over multiple carriers of said network; and
providing program information data as part of said distributing such that said wideband CPE can receive and decode said at least one first program, said program information being structured so as to preclude said legacy-capable CPE from decoding said first program. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A content distribution system adapted for efficient transmission of High Definition (HD) programs, comprising:
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first apparatus adapted to receive a plurality of HD programs;
server apparatus operatively coupled to said first apparatus and configured to process said plurality of HD programs based on a plurality of operator-controlled rules; and
transmission apparatus configured to transmit said processed programs across a plurality of RF channels, at least a portion of said channels being non-contiguous;
wherein at least portions of at least one of said programs are transmitted using respective ones of said plurality of RF channels; and
wherein said processing of said plurality of programs further comprises the insertion of non-content data into said programs, said con-content data being useful for receiving said programs at a receiver.
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21. Statistical multiplex apparatus useful in a cable network, comprising:
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a first process adapted to selectively extract content data packets associated with a plurality of different programs from a plurality of N input queues; and
a second process adapted to selectively allocate said extracted content data packets to a plurality of M RF channels;
wherein the packets associated with at least one of said plurality of different programs are distributed across multiple ones of said M RF channels.
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22. A content distribution system, comprising:
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first apparatus adapted to receive a plurality of content;
content server apparatus operatively coupled to said first apparatus and configured to process said plurality of content based on a plurality of operator-controlled rules; and
transmission apparatus configured to transmit said processed content across a plurality of RF channels, at least a portion of said channels being non-contiguous;
wherein at least portions of a program contained within said content are respectively transmitted using multiple ones of said RF channels.
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23. In a content distribution system comprising apparatus adapted to receive a plurality of content, content server apparatus configured to process said plurality of content based on a plurality of operator-controlled rules, and transmission apparatus configured to transmit said processed content across a plurality of RF channels, at least a portion of said channels being non-contiguous, a method of improving bandwidth utilization of an associated cable system for delivery of high definition (HD) video comprising:
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providing a plurality of HD programs as part of said content;
providing a plurality of standard definition (SD) programs as part of said content;
providing a plurality of other data programs as part of said content; and
multiplexing said HD, SD, and other data programs onto said plurality of RF channels.
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24. A head-end content distribution system for use in a cable network, comprising:
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at least one interface adapted to receive a plurality of input content streams;
a multiplexer that processes said plurality of input content streams to produce a plurality of output streams in multiplexed form;
an encrypter stage that encrypts said plurality of output streams;
a modulation stage that modulates said encrypted output streams onto a plurality of carriers; and
a frequency upconversion stage that translates said modulated signals into RF channels for delivery over said network.
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25. A method of operating CPE within a cable network having a plurality of legacy-capable CPE and a plurality of wideband CPE operatively coupled thereto, the method comprising:
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receiving at least one first program comprising a plurality of content elements, said act of receiving comprising receiving said content elements over multiple carriers of said network; and
extracting program information data as part of said act of receiving such that said wideband CPE can decode said at least one first program, said program information being structured so as to preclude said legacy-capable CPE from decoding said at least one first program. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. Wideband CPE adapted to operate within a cable network also having legacy CPE operatively coupled thereto, comprising:
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RF tuner apparatus configured to receive at least one first program comprising a plurality of first content elements, and also at least one second program comprising a plurality of second content elements, said tuner receiving said first and second content elements over multiple carriers of said network; and
data processing apparatus adapted to extract program information data as part of said act of receiving such that said wideband CPE can decode both said at least one first program and said at least one second program;
wherein said extracted program information is structured so as to preclude said legacy CPE from decoding said at least one first program. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of providing near-VOD service over a cable network, comprising:
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providing a wideband multiplex across a plurality of carriers, said wideband multiplex carrying a plurality of time-shifted copies of at least one program; and
receiving said wideband multiplex at a user'"'"'s CPE; and
selectively accessing at least one of said copies. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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Specification