System for simultaneous delivery of digital television and interactive broadband service

• US 20100107209A1
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: RTEM Innovations Corp.
• Original Assignee: RTEM Innovations Corp.
• Inventors: Rouhana, William J. JR.
• Application Number:
  US12/655,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20100107209A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/118
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/90 Wireless transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2861 Point-to-multipoint connection from the data network to the subscribers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/238 Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. adapting the transmission rate of a video stream to network bandwidth; Processing of multiplex streams hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for downstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• 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 21/239 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. prioritizing client content requests hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for upstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in data networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6112 involving terrestrial transmission, e.g. DVB-T
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• 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 21/631 Multimode Transmission, e.g. transmitting basic layers and enhancement layers of the content over different transmission paths or transmitting with different error corrections, different keys or with different transmission protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for the delivery of digital television and interactive broadband service in a manner that maximizes the usage of the digital broadcast spectrum. A digital television signal is transmitted to a given broadcast area in a relatively small part (for example, a 1 MHz band) of one or more licensed portions of the digital broadcast spectrum. Interactive broadband service is delivered within at least a portion of the same broadcast area covered by the broadcast digital television signal, in the remainder (for example, a 5 MHz band) of an unused part of the same licensed portion of the digital broadcast spectrum as is occupied by the digital television signal, or within an unlicensed (unused) portion of the digital broadcast spectrum. The broadcasting of the digital television and delivery the interactive broadband service occur simultaneously. In one embodiment, digital television and broadband service are delivered by the same equipment within the same bandwidth.

Claims

1. A method for delivery of interactive broadband service comprising the steps of:

providing interactive broadband service at a first node, delivering the interactive broadband service to communications devices from a second node and connecting the first node and the second node, wherein the step of connecting the first node and the second node comprises the step of enabling one or more communications paths selected from the following group;

fiber, cable, fixed wireless, cellular, PCS, WiMax, laser and local exchange carrier telephone network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the communications paths utilizes a different communication medium.

3. Apparatus for delivery of interactive broadband service comprising:

means for providing interactive broadband service at a first node, means for delivering the interactive broadband service to communications devices from a second node, and means for connecting said first node and said second node, wherein said means for connecting said first node and said second node comprises means for enabling one or more types of communications paths selected from the following group;

fiber, cable, fixed wireless, cellular, PCS, WiMax, laser and local exchange carrier telephone network.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein each of said communication paths utilizes a different communications medium.