SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MULTI-CHANNEL VIDEO STREAMING

• US 20140344847A1
• Filed: 08/08/2014
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IP Investment Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Mobilitie, LLC (Bai Communications Pty Ltd.)
• Inventors: Jabara, Gary B., Linder, Lloyd Frederick, Simon, David Brett
• Application Number:
  US14/455,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20140344847A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6402 Address allocation for clients address allocation in data networks H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6437 Real-time Transport Protocol [RTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

A video or multimedia distribution system receives multiple video streams and transcodes them into a single stream of video data packets with each of the video data packets for respective ones of the video streams being assigned a port number corresponding to the respective video stream. The video data packets are routed onto a network, such as the Internet, for delivery to remote viewers. In an exemplary embodiment, the remote viewers may be charged an access fee to receive the channels. A remote receiver decodes data packets with one or more of the port numbers to thereby receive selected ones of the original video streams.

Claims

1. A method for the transmission of a plurality of video streams sent from a sending device to a receiving device, comprising:

receiving a plurality of video streams;

converting the plurality of video streams to a single stream of video data packets with each of a plurality of video data packets for a respective one of the video streams being assigned a port number corresponding to the respective video stream; and

the sending device transmitting the stream of video data packets on a computer network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the sending system confirming authentication of the receiving system as a subscriber authorized to receive the single stream of video data packets.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the sending system receiving confirmation of user payment for authorization to receive the single stream of video data packets.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the sending device transmits the stream of video data packets on a wide-area computer network, the method further comprising:

the receiving system communicatively coupled to the wide-area computer network and selecting a port number corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of video streams;

receiving ones of the stream of video data packets having the selected port number; and

routing the received video data packets to a local area network for further distribution.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the local area network comprises at least one wireless access point (AP), the method further comprising the at least one AP transmitting received video data packets to a wireless communication device for display on the wireless communication device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

the receiving system communicatively coupled to the at least one AP and selecting a port number corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of video streams;

receiving ones of the stream of video data packets having the selected port number; and

displaying the selected received stream of video data packets on a display of the receiving system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the receiving system communicatively coupled to the computer network and selecting a port number corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of video streams;

receiving ones of the stream of video data packets having the selected port number; and

displaying the selected received stream of video data packets on a display of the receiving system.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the receiving system altering the selected port number, receiving ones of the stream of video data packets having the altered port number, and displaying the received stream of video data packets having the altered port number on a display of the receiving system.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the receiving system processes only data packets having the selected port number.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the receiving system selecting a plurality of port numbers corresponding to selected ones of the plurality of video streams and receiving data packets having the selected port numbers.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the receiving system displaying the selected ones of the plurality of data streams on separate portions of the display of the receiving system.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein a first one of the plurality of video streams is generated at a radio station.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein at least one of the plurality of video streams comprises an advertisement.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein at least one of the plurality of video streams comprises promotional information.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving user information from the receiving device wherein at least one of the plurality of video streams comprises promotional information based at least in part on the received user information.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein a first one of the plurality of video streams is a live video stream generated at a radio station and a second of the plurality of video streams is a stored video stream.

17. A method for the reception and processing of a stream of video data packets sent from a sending device to a receiving device on a computer network, comprising:

coupling the receiving system to the computer network;

receiving the stream of video data packets, each video data packet of the stream of video data packets being assigned a port number corresponding to respective ones of a plurality of video streams;

selecting a port number corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of video streams;

receiving ones of the stream of video data packets having the selected port number; and

displaying the selected received stream of video data packets on a display of the receiving system.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the receiving system altering the selected port number, receiving ones of the stream of video data packets having the altered port number, and displaying the received stream of video data packets having the altered port number on a display of the receiving system.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the receiving system selecting a plurality of port numbers corresponding to selected ones of the plurality of video streams and receiving data packets having the selected port numbers.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the receiving system displaying the selected ones of the plurality of data streams on separate portions of the display of the receiving system.

21. A system for the transmission of a plurality of video streams, comprising:

a video processor configured to receive a plurality of video streams from different video sources and to convert the plurality of video streams to a single stream of video data packets with each of a plurality of video data packets for a respective one of the video streams being assigned a port number corresponding to the respective video stream;

a sending device coupled to a computer network and configured to transmit the stream of video data packets on the computer network;

a receiving system communicatively coupled to the computer network and configured to select a port number corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of video streams, the receiving system being further configured to receive ones of the stream of video data packets having the selected port number; and

a display on the receiving system to display the selected received stream of video data packets.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising an authentication processor associated with the sending system and configured to confirm authentication of the receiving system as a subscriber authorized to receive the single stream of video data packets.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising an authentication processor associated with the sending system and configured to confirm user payment for authorization to receive the single stream of video data packets.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the receiving system is further configured to alter the selected port number to thereby receive ones of the stream of video data packets having the altered port number, and display the received stream of video data packets having the altered port number on the display of the receiving system.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein the receiving system is further configured to select a plurality of port numbers corresponding to selected ones of the plurality of video streams and to receive the data packets having the selected port numbers.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the receiving system is configured to display the selected ones of the plurality of data streams on separate portions of the display of the receiving system.

27. The system of claim 21 wherein a first one of the plurality of video streams is generated at a radio station.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein at least one of the plurality of video streams comprises an advertisement.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein at least one of the plurality of video streams comprises promotional information.

30. The system of claim 27, further comprising receiving user information from the receiving device wherein at least one of the plurality of video streams received by the video processor comprises promotional information based at least in part on the received user information.

31. The system of claim 21, further comprising a data storage device wherein a first one of the plurality of video streams is a live video stream generated at a radio station and a second of the plurality of video streams is a stored video stream stored in the data storage device.