SWITCHED DIGITAL VIDEO CLIENT REVERSE CHANNEL TRAFFIC REDUCTION

• US 20080244679A1
• Filed: 03/28/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Triton US VP Acquisition, Co.
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Osborne, Jason C., Sivaprakasam, Balaprakash, Satish, L. Gnanendra, Sukumar, Kanthimathi Gayatri
• Granted Patent: US 8,370,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/121
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• 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 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17327 with deferred transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for enabling a switched digital video (SDV) client to intelligently generate and transmit reverse request in a SDV system. In this manner, reverse channel traffic is reduced. During rapid channel changes using the up and down keys on a remote control, the SDV client waits a predetermined amount of time before generating a reverse request that is subsequently transmitted upstream to a headend server. By way of example, changing broadcasted channels quickly will not generate a reverse request until the predetermined amount of time is over. In the event that a changed channel is an SDV session, a program select request is immediately generated in order to begin receiving the SDV session.

Claims

1. A method for reducing reverse requests in an SDV system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for a channel change;

determining whether the requested channel change is one a broadcasted service or an SDV service;

when the requested channel change is a broadcasted service, the steps comprising;

waiting a predetermined time;

generating a reverse request after the predetermined time; and

transmitting the reverse request;

or

when the requested channel change is an SDV service, the steps comprising;

generating a reverse request; and

transmitting the reverse request.

2. The method of claim 1, when the requested channel change is a broadcasted service, further comprising the step of waiting the predetermined time when a second requested channel change is received for a second broadcasted channel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reverse request includes a tuner indicator, a tuner status, and a program name associated with one of the broadcasted or SDV service.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving the reverse request;

evaluating available bandwidth on an RF carrier frequency; and

if bandwidth is available, transmitting a program associated with the SDV service.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving the reverse request;

evaluating available bandwidth on an RF carrier frequency; and

if bandwidth is unavailable, transmitting a message indicating the SDV service is unavailable at this time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a set-top box (STB) receives the channel change request.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein an SDV server receives the reverse request.

8. An SDV client for requesting and receiving services, the SDV client comprising:

a processor for receiving a request for a broadcasted service or an SDV service, and for requesting one of the broadcasted service and the SDV service; and

a timer having a predetermined expiration time, wherein, if the request is for the broadcasted service, the timer for expiring prior to requesting the broadcasted service.

9. The SDV client of claim 8, wherein, if the request is for the SDV service, the processor for immediately requesting the SDV service.

10. The SDV client of claim 8, wherein the processor for receiving a second request for a second broadcasted service, wherein the timer resets to the predetermined expiration time.

11. The SDV client of claim 8, wherein the processor request includes a tuner indicator, a tuner status, and a program name associated with one of the broadcasted service and the SDV service.

12. An SDV system including an SDV server and a plurality of STBs, the SDV system comprising:

an STB for requesting and receiving a plurality of services, the STB comprising;

a processor for receiving a request for a channel change and for determining whether the requested channel change is one of a broadcasted service or an SDV service;

wherein, when the requested channel change is a broadcasted service, a tuner system for filtering the broadcasted service, wherein the processor waits a predetermined amount of time before generating and transmitting a broadcasted reverse request.

13. The SDV system of claim 12, wherein, when the requested channel change is for an SDV service, the processor for immediately transmitting an SDV reverse request requesting the SDV service.

14. The SDV system of claim 13, wherein the SDV reverse request includes a tuner indicator, a tuner status, and a program name associated with the SDV service.

15. The SDV system of claim 13, further comprising an SDV server for receiving the SDV reverse request, and for evaluating available bandwidth on an RF carrier frequency, and, if bandwidth is available, for transmitting the program associated with the SDV service.

16. The SDV system of claim 12, the STB further comprising a timer having a predetermined expiration time for determining when to transmit the broadcasted reverse request.

17. The SDV system of claim 16, wherein the processor for receiving a second request for a second broadcasted service, wherein the timer resets to the predetermined expiration time.

18. The SDV system of claim 12, wherein the broadcasted reverse request includes a tuner indicator, a tuner status, and a program name associated with the broadcasted service.

19. The SDV system of claim 18, further comprising an SDV server for receiving the broadcasted reverse request, and for storing the broadcasted reverse request in a table.

20. The SDV system of claim 19, wherein, when the SDV server is transmitting an SDV service to the STB and subsequently receives the broadcasted reverse request, the SDV server for discontinuing the transmission of the SDV service.