METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING AND CONTROLLING A BACK-UP RECEIVER IN LOCAL COLLECTION FACILITY FROM A REMOTE FACILITY USING AN IP NETWORK

• US 20090110052A1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Arya, Vishal, Miner, Daniel M., Boltz, David T., St. Laurent, Darren M., Wasden, Mitchell B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,049,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/240.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/06 among broadcast stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/12 Arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

A system and method suitable for collecting local television signals includes a local collection facility having a plurality of primary receiver circuit modules with a first receiver circuit module and a back-up receiver module. The local collection facility includes the first receiver circuit module receiving and demodulating the first channel signal and forming a first IP signal. The first receiver has a first multicast group. The back-up receiver circuit module receives and demodulates the first channel signal and forming a second signal. The back-up receiver has a second multicast group. A remote facility is spaced apart from the local collection facility and communicates with the local collection facility through an IP backhaul. A primary decoder within the remote facility is communication with the IP backhaul and forms a decoded signal from the first IP signal. The primary decoder belongs to the first multi-cast group. A primary encoder within the remote facility communicates with the primary decoder and forms a first encoded signal from the decoded signal. A multiplexer multiplexes the first encoded signal into a multiplexed signal. A monitoring system includes commanding the primary decoder to join the second multicast group and discontinue the first multicast group. The primary decoder forms the decoded signal from the second IP signal.

Claims

1. A method of forming an output signal comprising:

providing a plurality of primary receiver circuit modules at a local collection facility, said plurality of primary receiver circuit modules comprising a first receiver circuit module;

receiving a plurality of channel signals, said plurality of channel signals having a first channel signal;

communicating the first channel signal to the first receiver circuit module and a second receiver circuit module;

forming a first IP signal corresponding to the first channel signal at the first receiver circuit module;

communicating the first IP signal corresponding to the first channel signal from the local collection facility through the IP network backhaul to the remote facility;

decoding the IP signal to form a first decoded signal;

encoding the first decoded signal at a first encoder module into a first encoded signal;

multiplexing the first encoded signal into a first multiplexed signal; and

generating the output signal at the remote facility in response to the multiplexed signal;

providing a plurality of back-up receiver circuit modules at the local collection facility, each of said plurality of back-up receiver circuit modules corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of primary circuit modules, said plurality of back-up receiver circuit modules comprising a second receiver circuit module forming a second IP signal from the first channel signal.

previewing a second receiver circuit module by communicating the second IP signal corresponding to the first channel signal from the local collection facility through the IP network backhaul to the remote facility;

when the second IP signal is acceptable, discontinuing the steps of decoding the first IP signal to form a first decoded signal, encoding the first decoded signal at a first encoder module into a first encoded signal, multiplexing the first encoded signal into a first multiplexed signal and generating the output signal at the remote facility in response to the multiplexed signal;

decoding the second IP signal to form a second decoded signal;

encoding the second decoded signal at the first encoder module into a second encoded signal;

multiplexing the second encoded signal into a second multiplexed signal; and

generating the output signal at the remote facility in response to the second multiplexed signal.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of discontinuing comprises commanding a decoder to discontinue a first multicast group associated with the first receiver circuit.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein commanding a decoder to discontinue comprises commanding a decoder to discontinue from a monitoring system.

4. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein prior to decoding the second IP signal, commanding the decoder to join a second multicast group of the second receiver circuit.

5. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein commanding the decoder to join comprises commanding a decoder to join from a monitoring system.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein prior to communicating the first IP signal, switching the IP signal through a primary IP switch.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein prior to communicating the second IP signal, switching the second IP signal through a back-up IP switch.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the first IP signal from the local collection facility through an IP network backhaul to the remote collection facility comprises communicating the IP signal from the local collection facility through the IP network backhaul to a primary encoder or a secondary encoder or both at the remote collection facility.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein generating an output signal comprises forming a transport signal from the multiplexed signal and modulating the transport signal to form a modulated signal.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising uplinking the modulated signal to a satellite.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein decoding the first IP signal to form a first decoded signal comprises MPEG2 decoding the first IP signal.

12. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein the first decoded signal comprises a high definition serial digital interface signal.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first receiver module comprises a demodulator and fixed tuner.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of receiver circuit modules corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of channels.

15. A method recited in claim 1 wherein the first channel signal comprises a terrestrial over-the air channel signal received through an antenna.

16. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first channel signal comprises a high definition terrestrial over-the air channel signal received through an antenna.

17. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first channel signal comprises a local channel signal received through wired or optical connection.

18. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving a plurality of channel signals comprises receiving a plurality of channel signals from a designated marketing area.

19. A system comprising:

a local collection facility comprising;

a plurality of primary receiver circuit modules comprising a first receiver circuit module and a back-up receiver module;

said first receiver circuit module receiving and demodulating the first channel signal and forming a first IP signal, said first receiver having a first multicast group;

said back-up receiver circuit module receiving and demodulating the first channel signal and forming an second signal, said back-up receiver having a second multicast group;

a remote facility spaced apart from the local collection facility and communicating with the local collection facility through an IP backhaul;

a primary decoder within the remote facility in communication with the IP backhaul forming an decoded signal from the first IP signal, said primary decoder belonging to the first multi-cast group;

a primary encoder within the remote facility in communication with the primary decoder forming a first encoded signal from the decoded signal; and

a multiplexer multiplexing the first encoded signal into a multiplexed signal;

a monitoring system comprising a commanding the primary decoder to join the second multicast group and discontinue the first multicast group;

said primary decoder forming the decoded signal from the second IP signal

21. A system as recited in claim 19 further comprising a back-up decoder, said monitoring system commanding the primary decoder and the back-up decoder to join the second multicast group and discontinue the first multicast group.

22. A system as recited in claim 21 wherein the back-up decoder forms a second decoded signal from the first IP signal or the second IP signal, and a switch in communication with the primary decoder and the back-up decoder selecting forming a switch output signal comprising of one of the first decoded signal or the second decoded signal.

23. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the switch output signal is communicated to the primary encoder and a router in communication a backup encoder.

24. A system as recited in claim 23 wherein said router receiving a plurality of decoded signals corresponding to at least two of the primary receiver circuit modules.

25. A system as recited in claim 19 further comprising a plurality of back-up receiver circuit modules at the local collection facility, each of said plurality of back-up receiver circuit modules corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of primary circuit modules.

20. A system as recited 19 wherein said monitoring system prior to commanding, previewing the first channel signal through the back-up receiver circuit module.