Audio and video transmission and receiving system
DCFirst Claim
Patent Images
1. A transmission system for providing information to be transmitted to remote locations, the transmission system comprising:
- library means for storing items containing information;
identification encoding means for retrieving the information in the items from the library means and for assigning a unique identification code to the retrieved information;
conversion means, coupled to the identification encoding means, for placing the retrieved information into a predetermined format as formatted data;
ordering means, coupled to the conversion means, for placing the formatted data into a sequence of addressable data blocks;
compression means, coupled to the ordering means, for compressing the formatted and sequenced data blocks;
compressed data storing means, coupled to the data compression means, for storing as files the compressed, sequenced data blocks received from the data compression means with the unique identification code assigned by the identification encoding means; and
transmitter means, coupled to the compressed data storing means, for sending at least a portion of one of the files to one of the remote locations.
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Abstract
A system of distributing video and/or audio information employs digital signal processing to achieve high rates of data compression. The compressed and encoded audio and/or video information is sent over standard telephone, cable or satellite broadcast channels to a receiver specified by a subscriber of the service, preferably in less than real time, for later playback and optional recording on standard audio and/or video tape.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1. A transmission system for providing information to be transmitted to remote locations, the transmission system comprising:
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library means for storing items containing information;
identification encoding means for retrieving the information in the items from the library means and for assigning a unique identification code to the retrieved information;conversion means, coupled to the identification encoding means, for placing the retrieved information into a predetermined format as formatted data; ordering means, coupled to the conversion means, for placing the formatted data into a sequence of addressable data blocks; compression means, coupled to the ordering means, for compressing the formatted and sequenced data blocks; compressed data storing means, coupled to the data compression means, for storing as files the compressed, sequenced data blocks received from the data compression means with the unique identification code assigned by the identification encoding means; and transmitter means, coupled to the compressed data storing means, for sending at least a portion of one of the files to one of the remote locations. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A distribution method responsive to requests from a user identifying items in a transmission system containing information to be sent from the transmission system to receiving systems at remote locations, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing, in the transmission system, information from items in a compressed data form, the information including an identification code and being placed into ordered data blocks; sending a request, by the user to the transmission system, for at least a part of the stored information to be transmitted to the one of the receiving systems at one of the remote location selected by the user; sending at least a portion of the stored information from the transmission system to the receiving system at the selected remote location; receiving the sent information by the receiving system at the selected remote location; storing a complete copy of the received information in the receiving system at the selected remote location; and playing back the stored copy of the information using the receiving system at the selected remote location at a time requested by the user. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A receiving system responsive to a user input identifying a choice of an item stored in a source material library at a transmission system to be played back to a user at a location remote from the source material library, the item containing information to be sent from the transmission system to the receiving system, the receiving system comprising:
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requesting means for transmitting to the source material library in the transmission system the identity of the item; transceiver means, coupled to the requesting means, for receiving the item from the transmission system as at least one compressed, formatted data block; receiver format conversion means, coupled to the transceiver means, for converting the at least one compressed, formatted data block into a format suitable for storage processing, and for playback at the receiver system; storage means, coupled to the receiver format conversion means, for storing a complete copy of the formatted data; decompressing means, coupled to the storage means, for decompressing the copy of the formatted data; and output data conversion means, coupled to the decompressing means, for playing back the decompressed copy of the data at a time specified by the user. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method of transmitting information to remote locations, the transmission method comprising the steps, performed by a transmission system, of:
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storing items having information in a source material library; retrieving the information in the items from the source material library; assigning a unique identification code to the retrieved information; placing the retrieved information into a predetermined format as formatted data; placing the formatted data into a sequence of addressable data blocks; compressing the formatted and sequenced data blocks; storing, as a file, the compressed, formatted, and sequenced data blocks with the assigned unique identification code; and sending at least a portion of the file to one of the remote locations. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A distribution system including a transmission system and a plurality of receiving systems at remote locations, the transmission system being responsive to requests identifying items containing information to be sent from the transmission system to the receiving systems at the remote locations, the distribution system comprising:
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storage means in the transmission system for storing information from the items in a compressed data form, in which the information includes an identification code and is placed into ordered data blocks; requesting means in the transmission system, coupled to the storage means, for receiving requests from a user for at least a part of the stored information to be transmitted to the receiving system at one of the remote locations selected by the user; transmission means in the transmission system, coupled to the requesting means, for sending at least a portion of the stored information to the receiving system at the selected remote location; receiving means in the receiving system for receiving the transmitted information; memory means in the receiving system, coupled to the receiving means, for storing a complete copy the received information; and playback means in the receiving system, coupled to the memory means, for playing back the stored copy of the received information at a time requested by the user. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A method of receiving information at a receiving system from a transmission system which information is responsive to an input from a user, the input identifying a choice of an item stored in a source material library to be played back to the user at a receiving system at a location remote from the source material library, the item containing information to be sent from the transmission system to the receiving system, the receiving method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting the identity of an item from the user to the source material library at the transmission system; receiving at the receiving system the item from the transmission system as at least one compressed formatted data block; converting, at the receiving system, the at least one compressed formatted data into a format suitable for storage processing and for playback in real time; storing the converted information at the receiving system; decompressing the stored information at the receiving system; and playing back, at the receiving system, the decompressed information at a time specified by the user. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58)
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Specification