Method and apparatus for providing independent content to multiple terminals within a vehicle

• US 20080109119A1
• Filed: 03/07/2007
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Sean S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,386,126 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• 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: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A system 10 for distributing content includes a content provider 12 that provides content through various devices including a satellite 26 or a terrestrial-based system 38. The content provider 12 provides content to a content distribution system 70 within a vehicle 60. The content is provided by generating a first request for a list of content from a terminal. The list is provided to a first terminal and a second terminal. A first selection and a second selection are generated from a respective first terminal and a second terminal.

Claims

1. A method of operating a content distribution system within a vehicle comprising:

generating a first request for a content list from a first terminal;

generating a second request for content list from a second terminal;

providing a first content list to the first terminal;

providing a second content list to the second terminal;

selecting a first selection from the first list at the first terminal

selecting the first selection from the second list at the second terminal;

streaming a first content corresponding to the first selection to the first terminal using a first stream; and

streaming the first content corresponding to the second selection to the second terminal using a second stream independent of the first stream.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first terminal and the second terminal comprise a first seat terminal and the second terminal comprises a second seat terminal.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating a first request is performed using a packetized transport protocol and wherein generating a second request is performed using a packetized transport protocol.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating a first request is performed using an Internet Protocol and wherein generating a second request is performed using the Internet Protocol.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein providing a first content list is performed using a packetized transport protocol and wherein providing a second content list is performed using a packetized transport protocol.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein providing a first content list is performed using an Internet Protocol and wherein providing a second content list is performed using the Internet Protocol.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein streaming a first content comprises packetizing the first content and wherein streaming a second content comprises packetizing the second content.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein streaming a first content comprises communicating the first content using a packetized transport protocol and wherein streaming a second content comprises communicating the second content using a packetized transport protocol.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein streaming a first content comprises communicating the first content using an Internet protocol and wherein streaming a second content comprises communicating the second content using the Internet protocol.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first content and the second content originate from a first file stored in a storage device.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 further comprising independently controlling the first content at the first terminal and the second content at the second terminal.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising receiving the first content from a ground-based source and storing the content in a storage device associated with a server.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating the first request is performed before generating the second request, and wherein the second content list is different than the first content list.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprises receiving a third content signal and storing the third content signal in a storage device associated with a server.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein receiving comprises receiving the third content signal after generating the first request and before the second request so that the second request includes the third content associated with the third content signal.

16. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein receiving the third content signal comprises receiving the third content signal from a satellite.

17. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein receiving the third content signal comprises receiving the third content signal directly from a terrestrial source.

18. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein the terrestrial source comprises a terrestrial antenna.

19. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein the terrestrial source comprises a gateway terminal connector.

20. A method of operating a system within a vehicle comprising:

generating a first request for a content list from a first terminal in a first seat using a packetized transport protocol;

generating a second request for content list from a second terminal in a second seat using a packetized transport protocol;

providing a first content list to the first terminal using a packetized transport protocol;

providing a second content list to the second terminal using a packetized transport protocol;

selecting a first selection from the first list at the first terminal using a packetized transport protocol;

selecting the first selection from the second list at the second terminal using a packetized transport protocol;

streaming a first content corresponding to the first selection to the first terminal using a first stream using a packetized transport protocol; and

streaming the first content corresponding to the second selection to the second terminal using a second stream independent of the first stream using a packetized transport protocol.

21. A system comprising:

a vehicle having a content distribution system,

said content distribution system comprising

a storage device;

a server in communication with the storage device;

a first terminal in communication with the server, said first terminal comprising a first control device, said first terminal generating a first request for content list;

a second user terminal in communication with the server, said second terminal comprising a second control device, said second terminal generating a second request for content list;

said server providing a first content list to the first terminal and providing a second content list to the second terminal;

said first terminal selecting a first selection from the first list;

said second terminal selecting a second selection from the second list;

said server streaming a first content corresponding to the first selection to the first terminal using a first stream, and streaming a second content corresponding to the second selection to the second terminal using a second stream independent of the first stream.

22. A system as recited in claim 21 further comprising a switch coupling the first terminal and the server and the second terminal and the server.

23. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the switch comprises a plurality of switches.

24. A system as recited in claim 21 further comprising a router coupling the first terminal and the server and the second terminal and the server.

25. A system as recited in claim 24 wherein the router comprises a plurality of routers.

26. A system as recited in claim 24 wherein at least two of the plurality of routers is coupled directly together.

27. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein the vehicle comprises an airplane.

28. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein the vehicle comprises a train.

29. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein the vehicle comprises a bus.

30. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein the vehicle comprises a ship.

31. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein the server comprises a plurality of servers.

32. A system as recited in claim 31 wherein the plurality of servers is in communication through at least one switch or at least one router.

33. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are disposed within respective seats of the vehicle.

34. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein the server comprises a first network interface card.

35. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein the first terminal comprises a second network interface card and a second network interface card.

36. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein the first content list is different than the second content list.

37. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein the server provides the first content list and the second content list using a packetized transport protocol.

38. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein the server provides the first content list and the second content list using an Internet protocol.

39. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein the server streams the first content and the second content using a packetized transport protocol.

40. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein the server streams the first content and the second content using an Internet protocol.