ATOMIC CHANNEL CHANGES IN A SWITCHED DIGITAL VIDEO SYSTEM

• US 20070107024A1
• Filed: 11/10/2005
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Triton US VP Acquisition, Co.
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rovira, Luis, Wall, William, Versteeg, William, Morse, Ken
• Application Number:
  US11/164,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20070107024A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64738 Monitoring network characteristics, e.g. bandwidth, congestion level data switched network analysis H04L41/14; monitoring functioning in data switched networks H04L43/0817; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64746 Control signals issued by the network directed to the server or the client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

Atomic channel change in a switched digital video (SDV) system. A set-top box (STB) sends join and leave message commands to a SDV device when requesting a channel change. If one of the IGMP message commands does not reach the SDV device, oversubscription can occur. A combined join and leave message ensures that a join command is performed only when a leave command is also performed. If the single message does not reach the SDV device, the STB resends the command.

Claims

1. A method for implementing IGMP-based channel changes in a broadcast system to prevent oversubscription, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a message to a switched digital video (SDV) device to implement a channel change; and

in response to transmitting said message, terminating a current channel transmission from said SDV device and transmitting a requested channel transmission from said SDV device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of retransmitting said message to said SDV device in response to no channel change occurring.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of identifying bandwidth of said current channel and identifying bandwidth of said requested channel.

4. A method for implementing IGMP-based channel changes in a broadcast system to prevent oversubscription, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a message to a switched digital video (SDV) device to implement a channel change;

dropping said message to said SDV device; and

retransmitting said message to said SDV device in response to no channel change occurring.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of terminating a current channel transmission from said SDV device and transmitting a requested channel transmission from said SDV device.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of identifying bandwidth of said current channel and identifying bandwidth of said requested channel.

7. An IGMP message comprising a request to implement a channel change by leaving a current channel and joining a requested channel, said message to be received at a switched digital video (SDV) device to terminate said current channel transaction and to initiate transmission of said requested channel transmission.

8. The message of claim 7, wherein said SDV device transmits said current channel transaction and initiates said transmission if said requested transmission substantially simultaneously.

9. An IGMP message comprising a request to implement a channel change by leaving a current channel and joining a requested channel,

said message identifying bandwidth of said requested channel, and

said message to be received at a switched digital video (SDV) device to terminate said current channel transaction and to initiate transmitting of said requested channel transmission if said bandwidth of said requested channel is available.

10. The message of claim 9, wherein said SDV device transmits said current channel transaction and initiates said transmission if said requested channel transmission substantially simultaneously.