System and method to provide a unified video signal for diverse receiving platforms

• US 20060294559A1
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Inventors: Hartman, David B., Nadarajah, Dinesh, Ansari, Ahmad C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,908,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4353 involving decryption of additional data arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4358 for generating different versions, e.g. for different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440227 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44029 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4408 involving video stream encryption, e.g. re-encrypting a decrypted video stream for redistribution in a home network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6336 directed to decoder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for providing a unified video data stream for diverse receiving platforms. In some embodiments, the unified data stream can provide video data to multiple receiving devices with diverse video data input requirements. The communication system can include a digitizer that converts an analog video to a high resolution (HR) digital video signal. The communication system can also include a signal processing engine that receives the HR digital video signal, compress the video signal, creates video packets from the compressed signal, and identifies at least a portion of the video packets for distribution to lower resolution devices. The HR data stream can be sent to high resolution devices wherein the identified packets can be “copied” from the HR data stream and sent to devices having lower resolution requirements.

Claims

1. A communication system configured to provide video data to a subscriber comprising:

a signal-processing engine configured to receive a digital video signal, to compress the video signal, to create video packets from the compressed signal, and to identify at least a portion of the video packets selected to be distributed to at least one lower resolution device; and

a transmitter coupled to the signal processing engine and configured to transmit the video packets.

2. The system as in claim 1 further comprising a remote gateway configured to receive the transmitted video packets and to distribute the received video packets to a first video display device capable of displaying a high resolution of content and to distribute the identified video packets to a second video display device capable of displaying a lower resolution version of content than the first video display device.

3. The system as in claim 1 wherein the transmitter further comprises one of a security or a digital rights management module for authorizing the first video display device and providing secure communications with the first video display device.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the identified packets have different classifications based on display device resolution parameters.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the second display device has a display resolution parameter and a receiver is configured to identify the display resolution parameter and distribute a classification of identified packets to the second video display device based on the identified display resolution parameter.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the first video display device is a high definition television and the second video display device is one of a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, and a non-high definition television.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a receiver having a splitter, wherein the splitter is configured to split the identified portion of the video signal such that a copy of the identified portion can be transmitted to the second video display device.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the splitter time-multiplexes the video signal.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver receives the video signal over one of VDSL, fiber to the premise, or a fiber to the curb network access technology.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second display devices decompress the video signal.

11. A method of communicating data comprising:

receiving a signal comprising packetized data representing content having at least a high-resolution level;

tagging portions of the packetized data that can be utilized by a video display device having an input data format with a lower resolution level than the high resolution level; and

transmitting the packetized data to a remote display device configured to display video having the lower resolution level.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising receiving the packetized data and selectively distributing portions of the packetized data to the remote display device.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising compressing a video signal.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising decompressing the packetized data.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising transmitting a first portion of the packetized data to a first video device and transmitting a second portion of the packetized data to a second video device.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the second portion of the packetized data is a subset of the first portion of the packetized data.

17. A system configured to provide data for diverse video receivers comprising:

a gateway configured to receive a video signal from a communication network, the video signal having a plurality of packets, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of packets are identified as packets destine for lower resolution devices; and

a first low-resolution device having a video input requirement, wherein the gateway transmits the identified packets to the first low-resolution device responsive to the video input requirement.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the video input requirement is determined based on a device type.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein a first portion of the identified packets are identified as destine for a first type of device.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein a second portion of the identified packets are identified as destine for a second type of device.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein a subset of the first portion is sent to the second low-resolution device.

22. A computer readable medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions to manipulate a computing platform to:

receive a signal comprising packetized data;

identify portions of the packetized data that can be utilized by a video display device having an input data format that has a lower bandwidth than a high definition television input format; and

transmit the packetized data to a device having a lower resolution than a high definition television format.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22 further comprising instructions to receive the packetized data and selectively distributing the packetized data to receiving devices.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 22 further comprising instructions to digitize the data and selectively packetize the data in a configuration useable for at least two video display devices having different data input parameters.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 22 further including instructions to transmit a first portion of the signal to a first video device and transmit a second portion of the signal to a second video device.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 22 further including instructions to identify a second portion of the signal having a subset of packets of the first portion of the signal.