Data Distribution Network

• US 20090177760A1
• Filed: 01/05/2009
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: D Rock Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Wireless Ventures, Inc.
• Inventors: Yeager, Richard Otis, Gonzalez, George E.
• Application Number:
  US12/348,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20090177760A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• 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 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42661 for reading from or writing on a magnetic storage medium, e.g. hard disk drive
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• 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 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38

Abstract

A data distribution network or system is provided that distributes digital data of any type, but in particular is configured to efficiently distribute digital data for media content titles. The network comprises a data center configured to generate one or more data streams carrying digital media content tiles for transmission to an orbiting satellite transmitter from which a signal containing the one or more data streams is broadcasted. A plurality of subscriber devices are provided, each of which is configured to receive the broadcasted signal from the satellite transmitter and to store digital data associated with a media content title desired by a subscriber device user without immediately presenting the media content title to the subscriber device user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

broadcasting one or more data streams carrying digital data for media content titles to a plurality of subscriber devices;

receiving at a subscriber device the one or more data streams; and

storing in the subscriber device digital data associated with a media content title desired by a subscriber device user without immediately presenting the media content title to the subscriber device user.

2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising following reception by the subscriber device of the one or more data streams, post-processing digital data associated with a media content title to reconstruct one or more missing or lost packets as necessary for storage and subsequent presentation to the subscriber device user.

3. The method of claim 2, and further comprising encoding digital data associated with media content titles into a data stream such that there is correlation among a plurality of packets for a media content title to allow for reconstruction of one or more missing packets of a media content title at a subscriber device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein post-processing comprises reconstructing at the subscriber device one or more missing packets of digital data for a media content title using other packets of the digital data for the media content title.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein broadcasting comprises broadcasting the one or more data streams at a data rate that is faster than a playout rate at a subscriber device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein broadcasting comprises broadcasting the one or more data streams from an orbiting satellite transmitter to the plurality of subscriber devices.

7. The method of claim 6, and further comprising changing a modulation scheme and/or error coding rate for a data stream according to changes in reception performance at one or more subscriber devices.

8. The method of claim 7, and further comprising receiving signal reception quality information from one or more subscriber devices indicating quality of reception of one or more data streams at the one or more subscriber devices received from the satellite transmitter, and wherein changing is based on the signal reception quality information.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein changing is further based on one or more of weather forecasts for one or more geographical regions where subscriber devices are located, solar flare prediction data and geographical distribution and density of subscriber devices.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein broadcasting comprises broadcasting digital data representing promotional material for a media content title in advance of an official release date of the media content title.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein broadcasting comprises broadcasting digital data in the one or more data streams for a media content title prior to the official release date of the media content title.

12. The method of claim 11, and further comprising at the official release date, activating access to the media content title in subscriber devices of those users who have purchased or rented rights to the title.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a broadcast signal comprising one or more data streams carrying digital data for media content titles;

a data storage unit configured to store digital data associated with media content titles for presentation to a user; and

a signal processor configured to process data contained in the receive broadcast signal to recover digital data associated with a media content title for storage in the data storage unit without immediately presenting the media content title to the user.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the signal processor is configured to, following reception of the broadcast signal, post-process digital data associated with a media content title to reconstruct one or more missing or lost packets as necessary for storage and subsequent presentation to the user.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the signal processor is configured to reconstruct one or more missing packets of digital data for a media content title using other packets of the digital data for the media content title.

16. A system comprising:

a data center configured to generate one or more data streams carrying digital media content tiles for transmission to an orbiting satellite transmitter from which a signal containing the one or more data streams is broadcasted; and

a plurality of subscriber devices each of which is configured to receive the broadcasted signal from the satellite transmitter and to store digital data associated with a media content title desired by a subscriber device user without immediately presenting the media content title to the subscriber device user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the data center comprises a processor that is configured to encode digital data associated with media content titles into a data stream such that there is correlation among a plurality of packets for a media content title to allow for reconstruction of one or more missing packets of a media content title at a subscriber device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein each subscriber device comprises a signal processor that is configured to post-process digital data associated with a media content title to reconstruct one or more missing or lost packets as necessary for storage and subsequent presentation to the subscriber device user.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the data center is configured to adaptive change a modulation scheme and/or error coding rate for a data stream according to changes in reception performance at one or more subscriber devices.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein one or more subscriber devices is configured to measure signal reception quality of the signal broadcasted from the satellite transmitter and to transmit a signal to the data center containing information representing the signal reception quality, and wherein the data center is configured to change the modulation scheme and/or error coding rate based on the signal quality information receive from one or more subscriber devices.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the data center is further configured to change the modulation scheme and/or error coding rate based further on one or more of weather forecasts for one or more geographical regions where subscriber devices are located, solar flare prediction data and geographical distribution and density of subscriber devices.