Content Delivery to a Digital TV Using a Low-Power Frequency Converted RF Signal

• US 20070256108A1
• Filed: 04/26/2007
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meld Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: Meld Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Du Val, Jordan, Kniess, Herbert
• Granted Patent: US 8,063,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/81
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/034 Portable transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4363 Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/40 Modulation circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7755 the recorder being connected to, or coupled with, the antenna of the television receiver

Abstract

A simple antenna is connected to the RF input port on a conventional digital TV to receive video content from a plurality of video content sources wirelessly. The video content sources, such as a DVD player and cable/satellite box, may generate baseband signals in a variety of formats. The baseband signals are connected to a remote converter for converting the baseband signals to a low power RF transmission having a standard format typically received at the digital TV'"'"'s RF input. The RF transmission has a range generally limited to within a home or room. The small antenna connected to the RF input of the digital TV will typically be located behind the TV so as not to be seen. The low power RF transmission is on a carrier frequency that is legally authorized by the FCC in frequency and power level.

Claims

1. A video content conversion system comprising:

at least one input terminal of a converter housing for receiving video content from a video content source, wherein the video content comprise an original format signal applied to the at least one input terminal;

a converter in the converter housing configured to convert the original format signal from the video content source to a low power RF transmission having a format capable of being demodulated by a digital television so that the video content is displayed on a screen of the television; and

an antenna coupled to an RF input of the digital television for receiving the low power RF transmission, the RF transmission having a carrier frequency within a legally allowable cable frequency band, wherein the television is set to a channel to process digital video content within the RF transmission.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the format of the RF transmission is any one of NTSC, ATSC, QAM, DVB-C/T, ISDB-T, VSB, and PAL

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the converter receives the original format signal in any one of the following formats:

NTSC, PAL, SECAM, composite or component digital TV signals, CVBS, YbPbR, RGB, S-Video, and HDMI.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the converter receives the original format signal in any one of the following formats:

NTSC, PAL, SECAM, composite or component digital TV signals, CVBS, YbPbR, RGB, S-Video, and HDMI, and the converter then converts the original format signal into an RF transmission in any one of the following formats;

ATSC, QAM, DVB-C/T, ISDB-T, and VSB.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the original format signal is an RF transmission received by the converter containing the video content, and the converter converts the RF transmission received by the converter to a desired frequency for transmission to the antenna coupled to the television.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the original format signal is a baseband signal.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the video content source is one of a plurality of video content sources coupled to the converter and applying original format signals to the converter.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the video content sources are any of the following:

a DVD player, a set top box, and a computer,

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the converter is configured to generate an MPEG or H.264 transport stream from video content sources and digitally modulate the transport stream as an RF transmission for reception by a digital television.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the video content source is one of a plurality of video content sources coupled to the converter and applying original format signals to the converter, wherein the plurality of video content sources generate original format signals in different formats to the converter, the converter converting the different formats to a common format for RF transmission to the digital television.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the original format signal is derived from an RF transmission received by the converter containing the video content, wherein the converter converts the RF transmission received by the converter into a VSB or QAM format for transmission to the antenna coupled to the digital television.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the converter transmits signals to the television using at least one cable television channel in the frequency range of 289.25 MHz-883.25 MHz.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the converter transmits MPEG I frames or MPEG I, B, P motion frames for an on-screen display menu or other still pictures on the television screen.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the converter is controlled remotely using a wireless remote control.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the converter is controlled by a remote computer using an interface, using an Internet connection, or using an automatic program.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the converter adds information to the video content provided by the video content source for transmission to the television.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the converter converts the baseband signal to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal prior to conversion to the RF transmission.

18. The system of claim 1 further comprising the digital television.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein coupling the RF transmission from the converter to an RF input of the digital television comprises receiving the RF transmission by an antenna coupled to the RF input of the digital television.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein coupling the RF transmission from the converter to an RF input of the digital television comprises coupling the converter to the RF input of the digital television using a cable.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the original format signal is a baseband signal.

26. The system of claim 1 wherein the converter is housed inside a video content source, the video content source being at least one of a personal computer, a DVD player, a set top box, and a game console,

19. A method performed by video content conversion system comprising:

receiving video content, by a converter remote from a digital television, from a video content source, wherein the video content received by the converter is an original format signal;

converting the original format signal, by the converter, to an RF transmission having a format capable of being demodulated by a digital television so that the video content is displayed on a screen of the television; and

coupling the RF transmission from the converter to an RF input of the digital television, the RF transmission having a carrier frequency within a legally allowable frequency band and signal level, wherein the television is set to a channel to process the video content within the RF transmission.

23. A video content conversion system comprising:

at least one input terminal of a converter housing for receiving video content from a video content source, wherein the video content comprise an original format signal applied to the at least one input terminal;

a converter in the converter housing configured to convert the original format signal from the video content source to an RF transmission in an ISM band (Industrial, Scientific, Medical band); and

an ISM receiver having an output directly connected to an input port of a digital television, the ISM receiver configured to receive the RF transmission from the converter and convert the RF transmission into a format capable of being processed by the digital television so that the video content is displayed on a screen of the television.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the ISM receiver is connected to an RF input terminal of the digital television.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein the ISM receiver is connected to a baseband input terminal of the digital television.