Delivery of broadcast TV over point-point routed GRE tunnels for IPTV applications

• US 20070083907A1
• Filed: 10/07/2005
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Inventors: Serbest, Yetik, Puetz, Eric, Karasick, Stephanie
• Granted Patent: US 7,570,637 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/112
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/61 Network physical structure; Signal processing H04B takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for distributing Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) content over a national IP backbone using GRE tunneling in a point-to-point ring topology. A logical path is defined that connects multiple hub offices, each including at least two routers, in a ring network topology. Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) tunnels are used over an existing Internet Protocol (IP) backbone to establish connectivity between adjacent hub offices. A direction for content flow is defined. The direction of flow may be determined by selecting a designated router. The routers of the hub offices selectively join to upstream routers. This direction may be reversed by changing the direction of in which routers join. IPTV content is distributed over the defined path using the GRE tunnels. The necessity of forwarding the content is determined at each hub office.

Claims

1. A method for distributing Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) content, comprising:

defining a logical path connecting multiple routers in a ring network topology;

providing routed Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) tunnels between the routers over the logical path using an existing Internet Protocol (IP) backbone; and

distributing the IPTV content between the routers over the logical path using the GRE tunnels.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing routed GRE tunnels further comprises establishing a one-to-one Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) adjacency to dynamically join logically adjacent routers.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein dynamically joining routers further comprises defining a direction of content flow over the defined logical path.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising reversing a direction of content flow over the logical path upon failure of one of the multiple routers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the routers further comprise at least two video hub offices.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising electing a designated router.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein distributing the IPTV content further comprises determining at each router the necessity of forwarding the content to a router in a downstream direction.

8. A system for distributing Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) content, comprising:

a plurality of routers for distributing and receiving IPTV content over a defined logical path in a ring network topology, the routers configured for using routed Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) tunnels to connect over an existing Internet Protocol (IP) backbone, and

a designated router for defining the distribution of content over the defined logical path and initiating distribution of the IPTV content.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein using the routed GRE tunnels further comprises establishing a one-to-one Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) adjacency to connect logically adjacent routers.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein dynamically joining routers further comprises defining a direction of content flow over the defined logical path.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising reversing the direction of content flow over the logical path upon failure of one of the plurality of routers.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of routers further comprise at least two video hub offices.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein distributing the IPTV content further comprises determining at each hub office the necessity of forwarding the content to a hub office in a downstream direction.

14. A computer readable medium containing instructions that when executed by a computer perform a method for distributing Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) content, comprising;

defining a logical path connecting multiple routers in a ring network topology;

providing routed Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) tunnels between the routers over the logical path using an existing Internet Protocol (IP) backbone; and

distributing the IPTV content between the routers over the logical path using the GRE tunnels.

15. The medium of claim 14, wherein in the method providing routed GRE tunnels further comprises establishing a one-to-one Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM) adjacency between logically adjacent routers.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein in the method dynamically joining routers further comprises defining a direction of content flow over the defined logical path.

17. The medium of claim 16, the method further comprising reversing a direction of content flow over the logical path upon failure of one of the multiple routers.

18. The medium of claim 14, wherein in the method the routers further comprise at least two video hub offices.

19. The medium of claim 14, the method further comprising electing a designated router.

20. The medium of claim 14, wherein in the method distributing the IPTV content further comprises determining at each router the necessity of forwarding the content to a router in a downstream direction.