System And Method Of Supporting Transport And Playback Of Signals

• US 20080098445A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ngna LLC
• Original Assignee: Ngna LLC
• Inventors: Gonzalez, Francisco, Hildebrand, John G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,443,415 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42676 for modulating an analogue carrier signal to encode digital information or demodulating it to decode digital information, e.g. ADSL or cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6437 Real-time Transport Protocol [RTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A method and system of supporting transport and playback of signals, such as audio, video, and data signals. A reference model configured to support transport of signals according to a baseline, extended mode (1), and extended mode (2) architecture, and a subscriber video device (SVD) configured to support playback of the signals transported according to any of the architectures.

Claims

1. A flexible subscriber video device (SVD) configured to support playback of AV signals packetized for delivery in an AV only transport associated with AV packets and an integrated transport associated with AV and data packets, the SVD comprising:

a switch configured to simultaneously separate packets associated with the AV only transport from packets associated with the integrated transport;

a data processor in communication with the switch and configured to separate AV related packets from data related packets included within the integrated transport; and

a demultiplexer in communication with the switch and data processor configured to demultiplex AV packets outputted therefrom.

2. The SVD of claim 1 wherein the AV only transport is associated with a baseline architecture.

3. The SVD of claim 1 wherein the integrated transport is associated with an extended mode 1 architecture.

4. The SVD of claim 1 wherein the integrated transport is associated with an extended mode 2 architecture.

5. A flexible subscriber video device (SVD) configured to support digital television (DTV) signals packetized according MPEG-2 and DOCSIS protocols, the SVD comprising:

a switch configured to separate packets associated with MPEG-2 protocols from packets associated with the DOCSIS protocols;

a DOCSIS data processor in communication with the switch and configured to receive the packets associated with the DOCSIS protocols and to separate AV related packets from data related packets included therein; and

a demultiplexer in communication with the switch and data processor and configured to demultiplex AV packets outputted therefrom.

6. The SVD of claim 5 further comprising a decoder in communication with the demultiplexer and configured to decode AV payloads for output to a video port and an audio port.

7. The SVD of claim 6 wherein the decoder is configured for decoding payloads compressed according to MPEG-2 protocols.

8. The SVD of claim 6 wherein the decoder is configured for decoding payloads compressed according to advanced video compression (AVC) protocols.

9. The SVD of claim 8 wherein the AVC protocols are associated with MPEG-4.

10. The SVD of claim 8 wherein the AVC protocols are associated with H.264.

11. The SVD of claim 5 further comprising a cable modem in communication with the DOCSIS processor for processing data packets.

12. The SVD of claim 5 further comprising a tuner and demodulated configured to tuned to a radio frequency (RF) carrier frequency associated with the transport and demodulate the tuned transport for output to the switch.

13. A reference model for use in a cable system to support transportation of video, audio, and data signals over a common transport, the reference model comprising:

an application layer defining creation of the video, audio, and data signals;

a link layer defining multiplexation of the video, audio, and data signals into the common transport; and

a physical layer defining transportation of the common transport over the cable system.

14. The reference model of claim 13 wherein the link layer defines multiplexing of the signals based on data over cable services interface specifications (DOCSIS).

15. The reference model of claim 13 wherein the link layer is based on a DOCSIS transmission convergence sub-layer that include identifies data packets with packet identifier (PID) 0x1FFE and without an associated adaptation field and the audio and video packets with PIDs other than those having the 0x1FFE designation and with an adaptation field for decoder synchronization.

16. The reference model of claim 13 further comprising a transport layer defining management of the video, audio, and data signals.

17. The reference model of claim 15 wherein the transport layer defines management based on real-time protocols (RTP), user datagram protocols (UDP), transmission control protocols (TCP), and/or MPEG-2 protocols.

18. The reference model of claim 13 further comprising a network layer defining transmission of the video, audio, and data signals between networks.

19. The reference model of claim 17 wherein the network layer defines transmission based on internet protocols (IP).

20. The reference model of claim 13 wherein the layers support a baseline architecture, an extended mode 1 architecture, and an extended mode 2 architecture.

21. A flexible subscriber video device (SVD) configured to support playback of AV signals carried in a first or second transport, the first transport having packets with only AV payloads and the second transport having packets with AV payloads and other packets with data payloads, the SVD comprising:

a switch configured to simultaneously route the first transport to a demultiplexer and the second transport to a data processor;

wherein the demultiplexer is configured to demultiplex the AV payloads for decoding and output as audio and video signals; and

wherein the data processor is configured to separate the AV payloads from the data payloads carried in the second transport and to output the AV payloads to the demultiplexer and the data payloads to a microprocessor such that the SVD is configured to simultaneously receive both of the first and second transport streams and to decode and process the associated AV and data payloads.