Dropout-resistant media broadcasting system

• US 20060136967A1
• Filed: 12/16/2005
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Martin E. Hellman
• Original Assignee: Martin E. Hellman
• Inventors: Hellman, Martin E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,270,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/62
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/106 Receiver-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4382 Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/38 Transmitter circuitry for the transmission of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control

Abstract

The present invention relates to media broadcast in which memory is used to reduce annoying signal dropouts. A receiver records dropout-free program material and, when a subscriber requests a particular program channel, the radio uses recorded dropout-free program material from the requested channel, only switching to the real-time broadcast, which is subject to dropouts, if the recorded dropout-free program material for the requested channel is exhausted.

Claims

1. A broadcast system comprising:

a transmitter which transmits a plurality of program channels;

a plurality of receivers at least a portion of which comprise;

a tuner-demodulator;

a memory;

a receiver controller;

a user interface; and

output means;

in which;

said tuner-demodulator produces program segments from one or more of said program channels;

said receiver controller stores at least a portion of said program segments in said memory;

said receiver controller stores channel content information in said memory indicative of the program channels associated with the portion of said program segments stored in said memory;

and in which;

said user interface specifies a program channel;

said receiver controller creates an output signal related to program segments associated with the specified program channel;

said receiver controller performs a program channel content check which depends at least in part on said channel content information; and

and in which, if said program channel content check produces an acceptable result;

said receiver controller includes in said output signal at least a portion of the program segments stored in said memory which are associated with said specified program channel in preference to other program segments associated with the specified program.

2. A broadcast system as in claim 1 in which:

said receiver controller also performs a quality check on at least a portion of said program segments;

said channel content information is also indicative of the results of said quality check;

said program channel content check comprising;

validating that a program segment is complete and error-free to a high degree of certainty.

3. A broadcast system as in claim 2 in which said high degree of certainty is at least 99.99%.

4. A broadcast system as in claim 1 in which said other program segments associated with the specified program are essentially real-time program segments.

5. A broadcast system as in claim 4 in which said essentially real-time program segments were produced by said tuner-demodulator within the last 60 seconds.

6. A broadcast system as in claim 4 in which said essentially real-time program segments were produced by said tuner-demodulator within the last 60 minutes.

7. A broadcast system as in claim 1 in which said program channel content check determines if at least one of the program segments stored in said memory is associated with said specified program channel.

8. A broadcast system as in claim 1 in which:

said channel content information is at least partly dependent on one or more receiver commands;

at least a portion of said receiver commands identify some of said program segments as real-time program segments and others of said program segments as non-real-time program segments; and

said receiver controller prefers said program segments stored in said memory which are associated with said specified program channel only if said program channel content check indicates that said program segments stored in said memory which are associated with said specified program channel are non-real-time program segments.

9. A receiver in a broadcast system which comprises:

a transmitter which transmits a signal including;

a plurality of program channels; and

receiver commands;

said receiver comprising;

a tuner-demodulator;

a memory;

a receiver controller;

a user interface including a plurality of functions; and

output means;

in which;

said tuner-demodulator produces program segments from one or more of said program channels;

said receiver controller creates an output signal at said output means;

said receiver controller stores at least a portion of said program segments in said memory;

said receiver controller stores channel content information in said memory indicative of the program channels associated with the portion of said program segments stored in said memory; and

said receiver controller stores skip content information in said memory, said skip content information being;

derived from a portion of said receiver commands;

indicative of the nature of at least one program segment stored in said memory; and

capable of causing said receiver controller to inhibit one or more of the plurality of functions of said user interface when said at least one program segment stored in said memory is included in said output signal;

and in which;

said user interface specifies a program channel;

said output signal is related to program segments associated with the specified program channel;

said receiver controller performs a program channel content check which depends at least in part on said channel content information;

and in which, if said program channel content check produces an acceptable result;

said receiver controller includes in said output signal at least a portion of the program segments stored in said memory which are associated with said specified program channel in preference to other program segments associated with the specified program.

10. The receiver of claim 9 in which the inhibited function(s) include either a fast forward command, or a skip command or both.

11. The receiver of claim 10 in which said inhibited function(s) apply to program segments that are commercials.