DATA DISTRIBUTION

• US 20110307548A1
• Filed: 06/20/2011
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Quadriga Technology Limited
• Original Assignee: Quadriga Technology Limited
• Inventors: FISK, Julian Basil, Kotak, Kaushik, Jamieson, Ian Laurence, Austin, Terry Alan, Plimmer, Colin Donald, Garston, Adam Jarvis, Page, Julia Christine Ann
• Application Number:
  US13/164,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20110307548A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/25 of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• 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 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4437 Implementing a Virtual Machine [VM] virtual machines in general G06F9/45533
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 : Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 : End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 : using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A data distribution system is presented. A remote server, such as a Hub Server is connected to a local distribution sub-system including a local server, such as a Head End Server. Data is transmitted from a component of the local distribution sub-system, such as a Local Control Unit to the local server and the data is transmitted from the local server to the remote server.

Claims

1. An audio/visual content distribution system, comprising:

a local distribution sub-system comprising;

a digital network;

a plurality of receivers, each of which comprises;

an audio/visual display; and

a local control unit to which the audio/visual display is connected, the local control unit comprising;

a main network port having an IP address by which the audio/visual display can be connected to the digital network to receive audio/visual content;

a guest port by which a laptop computer can be connected to the digital network to communicate with the Internet; and

a head-end server adapted to manage distribution of audio/visual content data to the plurality of receivers, the head-end server being connected to the plurality of receivers by the digital network and comprising;

a gateway server for providing a connection between the digital network and the Internet;

at least one data storage device for storing audio/visual content;

a media manager application configured to;

provide a menu for each receiver of stored audio/visual content available for distribution within the local distribution sub-system;

receive requests from the receivers for audio/visual content; and

send requested audio/visual content to the receivers over the digital network in response to requests;

wherein the system is configured to route audio/visual content data and Internet data from the head end server via the digital network to the local control units, and to direct audio/visual content data to the main network port of a respective local control unit, and Internet data to one of the main network port and the guest port of the respective local control unit.

2. An audio/visual content distribution system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the head end server is configured to provide an IP address for the guest port of each local control unit, and an IP address to assign to a laptop computer connected to the guest port.

3. An audio/visual content distribution system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the laptop computer connected to the guest port has a DHCP client, and the local control unit is configured to:

provide a netmask which describes the IP address for the guest port and the IP address to assign to the laptop computer as being on a same subnet while providing differentiation from the IP address of the main network port of the respective local control unit; and

provide to the laptop computer, in response to a request for a DHCP server broadcast by the laptop to the guest port, the assigned IP address, a DNS server setting, and identification of the local control unit as the default gateway.

4. An audio/visual content distribution system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main network port and the guest port of each local control unit is an Ethernet port.

5. An audio/visual content distribution system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each receiver further comprises a separate remote control device adapted to control the audio/visual display;

and wherein a respective local control unit is configured to receive signal inputs from the separate remote control device.

6. An audio/visual content distribution system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main network port of each local control unit is configured to provide an Internet connection for the audio/visual display.

7. An audio/visual content distribution system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the local distribution sub-system is configured to provide audio/visual content to rooms in a hotel;

and wherein the head-end server is located in the hotel and the audio/visual display of each of the plurality of receivers comprises a television located in a respective room in the hotel.

8. An audio/visual content distribution system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the receiver is configured to receive instructions from a user via at least one of the local control unit and the television, and the head-end server is configured to record the instructions.

9. An audio/visual content distribution system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a firewall configured to connect the local distribution sub-system to the Internet, wherein the gateway server is configured to:

control and monitor connections between a laptop computer connected to a local control unit and the firewall;

ensure that data packages are routed securely to respective inbound and outbound destinations;

manage Internet connection sessions;

monitor Internet data traffic flows; and

collect statistics relating to Internet usage.

10. A method of distributing audio/visual content distribution, comprising:

providing a local distribution sub-system comprising;

a digital network;

a plurality of receivers, each of which comprises;

an audio/visual display; and

a local control unit to which the audio/visual display is connected, the local control unit comprising;

a main network port having an IP address by which the audio/visual display can be connected to the digital network to receive audio/visual content;

a guest port by which a laptop computer can be connected to the digital network to communicate with the Internet; and

a head-end server adapted to manage distribution of audio/visual content data to the plurality of receivers, the head-end server being connected to the plurality of receivers by the digital network and comprising;

a gateway server for providing a connection between the digital network and the Internet;

at least one data storage device for storing audio/visual content;

a media manager application configured to;

provide a menu for each receiver of stored audio/visual content available for distribution within the local distribution sub-system;

receive requests from the receivers for audio/visual content; and

send requested audio/visual content to the receivers over the digital network in response to requests;

routing audio/visual content data and Internet data from the head end server via the digital network to the local control units; and

directing audio/visual content data to the main network port of a respective local control unit, and Internet data to one of the main network port and the guest port of the respective local control unit.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising providing, by means of the head end server, an IP address for the guest port of each local control unit and an IP address to assign to a laptop computer connected to the guest port.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

connecting the laptop computer connected to the guest port, the laptop computer having a DHCP client;

providing, by means of the local control unit, a netmask which describes the IP address for the guest port and the IP address to assign to the laptop computer as being on a same subnet while providing differentiation from the IP address of the main network port of the respective local control unit; and

providing from the local control unit to the laptop computer, in response to a request for a DHCP server broadcast by the laptop to the guest port, the assigned IP address, a DNS server setting, and identification of the local control unit as the default gateway.

13. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising converting digital audio/visual content data to analog data in the local control unit before passing the analog data to the display.

14. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

routing data from a laptop computer connected to the guest port from the local control unit to the gateway server; and

routing data destined for the laptop computer through the guest port of the local control unit.

15. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising using the local control unit for access to Internet services via the display device.

16. An audio/visual content distribution system, comprising:

a local distribution sub-system comprising;

a digital network;

a plurality of receivers, each of which comprises;

an audio/visual display; and

a local control unit to which the audio/visual display is connected, the local control unit comprising;

a main network port having an TP address by which the audio/visual display can be connected to the digital network to receive audio/visual content;

a guest port by which a laptop computer can be connected to the digital network to communicate with the Internet; and

a head-end server adapted to manage distribution of audio/visual content data to the plurality of receivers, the head-end server being connected to the plurality of receivers by the digital network and comprising;

a gateway server for providing a connection between the digital network and the Internet;

at least one data storage device for storing audio/visual content;

a media manager application configured to;

provide a menu for each receiver of stored audio/visual content available for distribution within the local distribution sub-system;

receive requests from the receivers for audio/visual content; and

send requested audio/visual content to the receivers over the digital network in response to requests;

wherein the system is configured to;

route audio/visual content data and Internet data from the head end server via the digital network to the local control units;

direct audio/visual content data to the main network port of a respective local control unit, and Internet data to one of the main network port and the guest port of the respective local control unit; and

provide an IP address for the guest port of each local control unit, and an P address to assign to a laptop computer connected to the guest port;

and wherein, when a laptop computer connected to the guest port has a DHCP client, the local control unit is configured to;

provide a netmask which describes the IP address for the guest port and the IP address to assign to the laptop computer as being on a same subnet while providing differentiation from the IP address of the main network port of the respective local control unit; and

provide to the laptop computer, in response to a request for a DHCP server broadcast by the laptop to the guest port, the assigned IP address, a DNS server setting, and identification of the local control unit as the default gateway.

17. An audio/visual content distribution system as claimed in claim 16, wherein each receiver further comprises a separate remote control device adapted to control the audio/visual display;

and wherein a respective local control unit is configured to receive signal inputs from the separate remote control device.

18. An audio/visual content distribution system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the main network port of each local control unit is configured to provide an Internet connection for the audio/visual display.

19. An audio/visual content distribution system as claimed in claim 16, wherein:

the local distribution sub-system is configured to provide audio/visual content to rooms in a hotel;

the head-end server is located in the hotel and the audio/visual display of each of the plurality of receivers comprises a television located in a respective room in the hotel; and

the receiver is configured to receive instructions from a user via at least one of the local control unit and the television, and the head-end server is configured to record the instructions.

20. An audio/visual content distribution system as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a firewall configured to connect the local distribution sub-system to the Internet, wherein the gateway server is configured to:

control and monitor connections between a laptop computer connected to a local control unit and the firewall;

ensure that data packages are routed securely to respective inbound and outbound destinations;

manage Internet connection sessions;

monitor Internet data traffic flows; and

collect statistics relating to Internet usage.