Method and apparatus for distribution of movies

• US 5,133,079 A
• Filed: 08/28/1990
• Issued: 07/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Douglas J. Ballantyne, Michael Mulhall
• Inventors: Mulhall, Michael, Ballantyne, Douglas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H.
• Application Number:
  US07/573,707
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3, 455/5, 455/6, 455/72, 455/4, 358/86, 358/102, 358/142, 358/146, 358/133, 358/335, 381/34, 381/35, 381/30, 381/31, 370/110.1, 370/109, 360/8, 360/13, 360/15, 369/30
• US Class Current: 725/146
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/602 for digital sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A new and useful method and apparatus for distribution of movies for viewing on a customer'"'"'s television set. Digitized compressed signals containing audio and visual components of the movie selected by the customer are sent to the customer'"'"'s receiver. The digital signals are converted to corresponding electronic signals; which are decompressed and converted to audio and video signals. These converted signals are passed to a conventional television set for viewing by the customer.

Claims

1. A method for distribution of movies for viewing on a customer'"'"'s television set, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) compressing and digitizing audio visual data corresponding to an entire movie and storing the compressed, digitized data at a remote source;

(b) sending digitized compressed signals containing audio visual data corresponding to the entire movie selected by the customer from a source to a receiver of the customer;

(c) passing the signals to a converter to convert the signals to corresponding electronic signals;

(d) passing the electronic signals to processors where they are decompressed and converted to signals compatible with conventional television sets; and

(e) passing these converted signals to a conventional television set for viewing by the customer.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the signals from the converter are temporarily stored in memory means for retrieval and passage to the signal processors for decompression and single viewing on the television set at a time selected by the customer.

3. A method according to claim 2 requiring the preliminary step of the customer providing a satisfactory identification electronically to the source and being cleared by the source before the digitized compressed signal is sent to the customer'"'"'s receiver by the source.

4. A method according to claim 2 wherein a library of movies in digitized compressed form is maintained at the source, individual movies thereof to be selected by a customer for viewing.

5. A method according to claim 4 further comprising the preliminary step of digitizing and compressing audio visual data making up the films for storage at the source.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the digitized compressed signals are sent from the source in optical signal format.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the digitized compressed signals are sent from the source via coaxial cable.

8. An apparatus for enabling a customer to electronically receive and play on a television set a pre-determined movie, the apparatus comprising:

(a) receiver means to receive from a remote source data in digitized compressed signal format containing audio visual data corresponding to the movie;

(b) a converter to be electronically associated with the receiver means to convert the signal data to corresponding electronic signal data;

(c) a video processor to be electronically associated with the converter to receive the electronic video signals, decompress them and convert them to electronic video signals compatible with the television set to provide a video image of the movie on the television set; and

(d) an audio processor to be electronically associated with the converter to receive the audio electronic signals from the converter, decompress them and convert them to electronic audio signals compatible with the television set, the video processor and audio processor to be electronically associated with the television set to provide an audible sound tract of the movie through the television set.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising a television set electronically associated with the video processor and audio processor to receive signals therefrom.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising memory means to be electronically associated with the converter and with the video processor and audio processor, to store and retrieve electronic signals from the converter until desired by the customer for viewing the movie on the television set.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the signals from the converter are placed on a compact disc and wherein the memory means comprises a compact disc erasable read only memory (CD-EROM) controller to store and retrieve the electronic signals from the compact disc.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the video processor comprises a pixel processor provided with a decompression algorithm to convert the compressed electronic video signals to conventional decompressed video signals and a video random access memory (VRAM) to be electronically associated with the pixel processor for storing data and providing output data at a high rate compatible with the television set.

13. Apparatus for electronically distributing movies to a customer'"'"'s television set in conjunction with the apparatus of claim 8, comprising a video library of movies stored in digitized compressed audio visual format and computer means electronically associated with said library to provide customer electronic access to individual movies in that library and to send to said receiver means in digital signal form the digitized compressed audio visual data for a selected movie in that library.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising electronic customer access means electronically associated with said computer means to control and document customer access to the library.

15. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the receiver means is adapted to receive data from the source in optical signal format and the converter is an optical converter.

16. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the receiver means is adapted to receive data from the source from a coaxial cable.