Method and apparatus for wideband distribution of content

• US 20060130113A1
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Williamson, Louis D., Carlucci, John B., Helms, William
• Granted Patent: US 9,723,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/118
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23655 Statistical multiplexing, e.g. by controlling the encoder to alter its bitrate to optimize the bandwidth utilization
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42615 involving specific demultiplexing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47208 for requesting near-video-on-demand content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6371 directed to network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

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.

Claims

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.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the number of said plurality of modulators comprises is the same as the number of said plurality of RF channels.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said statistically-based multiplexing is performed at least in part using statistical multiplex apparatus comprising:

a first process adapted to selectively extract content data packets associated with a plurality of different ones of said HD programs from a plurality of N input queues; and

a second process adapted to selectively allocate said extracted content data packets to said plurality of RF channels;

wherein the packets associated with at least one of said plurality of different HD programs are distributed across multiple ones of said RF channels.

4. CPE adapted to receive transmitted content substantially simultaneously from a plurality of information carriers present on a plurality of RF channels, comprising:

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.

5. The CPE of claim 4, wherein the content reassembly apparatus provides a plurality of packets in order.

6. The CPE of claim 5, wherein said order is determined based on a continuity counter associated with one or more MPEG streams.

7. The CPE of claim 4, wherein at least a portion of said demodulated and decrypted signals comprise MPEG packets, and said content reassembly apparatus provides for the timing correction of at least a portion of said MPEG packets.

8. The CPE of claim 7, wherein said timing correction is performed based at least in part on information relating to the modulation scheme of each of said carriers.

9. The CPE in claim 4, wherein said decryption is accomplished using substantially independent decryptor apparatus on a per-carrier basis.

10. The CPE of claim 4, wherein at least a portion of said plurality of RF channels are substantially non-contiguous with one another.

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:

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.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said first CPE comprises legacy CPE, said first number comprises one (1), said second CPE comprises wideband CPE, and said second number comprises a number greater than one (1).

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said first CPE comprises wideband CPE, said first number comprises a number greater than one (1), said second CPE comprises wideband CPE, and said second number comprises a number greater than said first number.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said act of transmitting at least one program over said first number of channels to said service area for a first period of time comprises constraining a wideband multiplex to a subset of said second number of channels.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said subset is a number less than or equal to said first number of channels.

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:

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.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing program information data such that at least one second program sent in a legacy format can be received and decoded by both said legacy-capable CPE and said wideband CPE.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said first program comprises an encrypted stream.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said program information data comprises a virtual service defined to have multiple physical carriers.

20. A content distribution system adapted for efficient transmission of High Definition (HD) programs, comprising:

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.

21. Statistical multiplex apparatus useful in a cable network, comprising:

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.

22. A content distribution system, comprising:

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.

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:

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.

24. A head-end content distribution system for use in a cable network, comprising:

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.

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:

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.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said act of extracting program information comprises:

using an object-oriented computer program resident on said wideband CPE to extract said data;

and decoding said at least one first program based at least in part on said extracted data.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising extracting program information data such that at least one second program sent in a legacy format can be decoded by both said legacy-capable CPE and said wideband CPE.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein said first program comprises an encrypted stream.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said program information data comprises a virtual service defined to have multiple physical carriers.

30. Wideband CPE adapted to operate within a cable network also having legacy CPE operatively coupled thereto, comprising:

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.

31. The CPE of claim 30, wherein said RF tuner apparatus comprises a plurality of tuners adapted to receive with a frequency band which is less than the total frequency band of said multiple carriers.

32. The CPE of claim 30, wherein said RF tuner apparatus comprises a substantially unitary tuner adapted to receive with a frequency band which is at least as large as the total frequency band of said multiple carriers.

33. The CPE of claim 30, wherein said CPE is configured to operate in at least first and second modes, said first mode comprising receiving content elements over a first number of carriers, said second mode comprising receiving content elements over a second number of carriers, said first and second numbers being different.

34. A method of providing near-VOD service over a cable network, comprising:

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.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said act of providing a wideband multiplex across a plurality of carriers comprises carrying additional ones of said time-shifted copies within said multiplex per unit time over that which could be carried in a non-wideband multiplex.