BROADCAST TRANSITION CHANNEL

• US 20150358659A1
• Filed: 08/14/2015
• Published: 12/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: FAY, Luke, MICHAEL, Lachlan
• Application Number:
  US14/826,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20150358659A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/22 Arrangements for broadcast of identical information via plural broadcast systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• 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 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2383 Channel coding or modulation of digital bit-stream, e.g. QPSK modulation arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received by adapting the channel coding H04L1/0009; analogue front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• 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 21/2389 Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream encrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26291 for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859

Abstract

A distribution system and reception apparatus, and methods thereof, are provided for broadcasting and receiving a plurality of first services from a plurality of different broadcast providers, which broadcast a plurality of second services over a plurality of different broadcast channels, on a transition broadcast channel that is different from the plurality of different broadcast channels. The system includes at least one receiver and a transmitter. The at least one receiver is configured to receive the plurality of first services from the plurality of different broadcast providers. The transmitter is configured to broadcast the plurality of first services over the transition broadcast channel.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A distribution system, comprising:

at least one receiver configured to receive a next generation service from a service provider; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the next generation service received from the service provider over a first predetermined frequency range, which is different from a second predetermined frequency range used to transmit a service of the service provider to be replaced by the next generation service.

3. The distribution system according to claim 2, wherein

the transmitter is configured to transmit the next generation service using a first transmission scheme that is different from a second transmission scheme used to transmit the service of the service provider to be replaced by the next generation service.

4. The distribution system according to claim 2, wherein the first predetermined frequency range and the second predetermined frequency range occupy different portions of a same wireless spectrum.

5. The distribution system according to claim 2, further comprising:

signal generating circuitry configured to generate an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM)-based signal including the next generation service received from the service provider, wherein

the transmitter is configured to transmit the OFDM-based signal.

6. The distribution system according to claim 2, wherein

the next generation service and the service of the service provider to be replaced by the next generation service include television programs, and

the transmitter is configured to transmit at least one television program that is the same as a television program included in the service of the service provider.

7. The distribution system according to claim 6, wherein

the resolution of the television program transmitted by the transmitter is greater than the resolution of the television program included in the service of the service provider.

8. The distribution system according to claim 2, wherein

the service provider is one of a plurality of different service providers, and

the first predetermined frequency range is a predetermined television channel that is specified by a contractual agreement between the plurality of different service providers or by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a transition broadcast channel to be shared between the plurality of different service providers.

9. The distribution system according to claim 2, wherein

the service provider is one of a plurality of different digital television broadcast providers that broadcast digital television content over a plurality of different broadcast channels using an 8-level vestigial sideband modulation (8-VSB) modulation method, and

the transmitter is configured to broadcast a plurality of next generation services, including the next generation service of the service provider, over the first predetermined frequency range using a modulation method different from the 8-VSB modulation method.

10. A method for transitioning to one or more next generation services, the method comprising:

receiving, by circuitry of a transmission apparatus, the next generation service from a service provider; and

transmitting the next generation service received from the service provider over a first predetermined frequency range, which is different from a second predetermined frequency range used to transmit a service of the service provider to be replaced by the next generation service.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of transmitting comprises:

transmitting the next generation service using a first transmission scheme that is different from a second transmission scheme used to transmit the service to be replaced by the next generation service.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first predetermined frequency and the second predetermined frequency occupy different portions of a same wireless spectrum.

13. The method according to claim 10, further comprising:

signal generating circuitry configured to generate an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM)-based signal including the next generation service received from the service provider, wherein

the transmitter is configured to transmit the OFDM-based signal.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein

the next generation service and the service of the service provider to be replaced by the next generation service include television programs, and

the transmitter is configured to transmit at least one television program that is the same as a television program included in the service of the service provider.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein

the resolution of the television program transmitted by the transmitter is greater than the resolution of the television program included in the service of the service provider.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein

the service provider is one of a plurality of different service providers, and

the first predetermined frequency range is a predetermined television channel that is specified by a contractual agreement between the plurality of different service providers or by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a transition broadcast channel to be shared between the plurality of different service providers.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein

the service provider is one of a plurality of different digital television broadcast providers that broadcast digital television content over a plurality of different broadcast channels using an 8-level vestigial sideband modulation (8-VSB) modulation method, and

the transmitter is configured to broadcast the plurality of next generation services, including the next generation service of the service provider, over the predetermined frequency range using a modulation method different from the 8-VSB modulation method.

18. A method of a service provider for transitioning to a next generation service, the method comprising:

transmitting, by circuitry of a first transmission apparatus, the next generation service of the service provider on a first predetermined frequency range; and

transmitting, by circuitry of a second transmission apparatus, a service to be replaced by the next generation service over a second predetermined frequency range that is different from the first predetermined frequency range.