Presentation player for an interactive digital communication system

• US 5,208,665 A
• Filed: 02/15/1991
• Issued: 05/04/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TVWorks LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Telaction Corporation
• Inventors: Belau, Kenneth P., Wilson, Steven D., McCalley, Karl W., Fischer, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US07/657,245
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 358/86, 358/143, 358/146, 455/3, 455/4, 455/5
• US Class Current: 725/119
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/78 CATV [Community Antenna Television] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/70 characterised in that receivers can be addressed
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/14 Arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21 Server components or server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23 Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

A presentation player is described for use in an interactive digital communications system which may selectively communicate particular multimedia presentations to each of a plurality of subscribers along a CATV cable network, or other communications network. The player is part of a digital interactive system that distributes information representing requested presentations in the form of digital data on distribution channels to a plurality of presentation players located along the communications network. Each of the subscribers has a television set connected to one of these presentation players. The digital data is uniquely addressed to a particular subscriber and is processed by his corresponding presentation player to produce analog TV signals comprising the multimedia presentation. The presentation player automatically tunes itself to a distribution channel and can process data which include motion video sequences, background music, and real-time live video images, in addition to still-video images with audio commentary. The presentation player of the present invention comprises a converter capable of receiving the distribution channel frequencies and selecting one of those frequencies for further processing of digital data transmitted thereon.

Claims

1. In an interactive digital communications system wherein each of a plurality of subscribers may select for viewing on a television set particular presentations from a plurality of presentations available on said system, said particular presentations being distributed in the form of digital data on one or more distribution channels, each distribution channel capable of being transmitted on one or more distribution channel frequencies to a plurality of presentation players, each of said plurality of subscribers having a television set connected to one of said presentation players, said digital data being uniquely addressed to said subscriber who has selected said particular presentations, each of said presentation players comprising:

a) converter means capable of receiving and scanning said one or more distribution channel frequencies and selecting one of said one or more distribution channel frequencies for further processing of said digital data thereon in response to information derived from said scanning;

b) one or more subscriber servers capable of receiving said digital data uniquely addressed to one of said plurality of subscribers connected thereto, each of said one or more subscriber servers having means for converting said digital data to analog television signals and means for transmitting said analog television signals to display said particular presentation on the television set of said subscriber to whom said digital data is uniquely addressed; and

c) a connection for providing a communications path between said converter means and said one or more subscriber servers.

2. The presentation player in accordance with claim 1, which further comprises a transponder capable of obtaining and storing information relating to the status and activity of said presentation player, and having means for transmitting said information to field service personnel.

4. The presentation player according to claim 1, wherein said presentation player has only one subscriber server, and is connected to a CATV cable provided to each of said subscribers to a CATV cable network, said interactive digital communications system being distributed on said CATV cable network.

5. The presentation player in accordance with claim 1 wherein each of said subscriber servers is capable of transmitting said analog TV signals on one or more preassigned display frequencies.

6. The presentation player in accordance with claim 1 wherein said converter means comprises:

a) a converter controller for storing programming information and controlling the processing within said converter means;

b) a frequency agile receiver capable of being tuned to one of said distribution channel frequencies under the control of said converter controller;

c) means for demodulating said digital data transmitted on said distribution channel frequencies; and

d) means for communicating said demodulated digital data along said data bus to said plurality of subscriber servers.

7. The presentation player in accordance with claim 6 wherein said converter means further includes means for applying forward error correction to said demodulated digital data.

8. The presentation player in accordance with claim 6 wherein said converter controller receives a channel status message that is periodically transmitted by said interactive digital communications system and utilizes said channel status message to tune said frequency agile receiver to one of said distribution channel frequencies that corresponds to a distribution channel having excess capacity.

9. The presentation player in accordance with claim 6, wherein each of said subscriber servers further comprises:

a) a central processing unit for receiving said demodulated digital data from said data bus and selectively processing said demodulated digital data that corresponds to said particular presentation addressed to one of said plurality of subscribers connected thereto;

b) a memory for storing programming instructions;

c) a random access memory for storing said processed digital data; and

d) video processing means for producing said analog TV signals from said processed digital data and transmitting said analog TV signals to display said particular presentation on the TV set of said subscriber to which said particular presentation is uniquely addressed.

10. The presentation player in accordance with claim 9, wherein said demodulated digital data comprises digitally compressed video data.

11. The presentation player in accordance with claim 10, wherein said demodulated digital data comprises digitally compressed audio data.

12. The presentation player in accordance with claim 11 wherein said video processing means comprises:

a) a video processing section including an image processor for expanding and processing said digitally compressed video data;

b) a digital-to-analog converter for converting said expanded and processed digital video data to analog video signals;

c) an audio processing section including an audio processor for expanding and processing said digitally compressed audio data;

d) a digital-to-analog converter for converting said expanded and processed audio data to analog audio signals;

e) a video modulator for combining said analog video and audio signals in the format of a standard television signal and modulating said standard television signal; and

f) a frequency agile transmitter for transmitting said standard TV signal on one or more predetermined display frequencies to said subscriber to whom said particular multimedia presentation is uniquely addressed.

13. The presentation player in accordance with claim 12 wherein said video processing means further comprises a frame buffer for storing said expanded and processed digital video data.

14. The presentation player in accordance with claim 12 wherein said audio processing means further comprises a data buffer for storing said expanded and processed digital audio data.

3. The presentation player according to claim wherein said presentation player is connected across a distribution cable of a CATV cable network, said interactive digital communications system being distributed on said CATV cable network.

15. In an interactive digital communications system wherein each of a plurality of subscribers may select for viewing on a television set particular multimedia presentations from a plurality of presentations available on the system, said particular multimedia presentations being transmitted in the form of digital data on one or more distribution channels to a plurality of presentation players, said digital data uniquely addressed to each of said subscribers who have selected said particular multimedia presentations, said digital data comprising block data distribution on a block data channel and stream data distributed on one or more stream data channels, said block and stream data channels being multiplexed onto one of said one or more distribution channels and transmitted on one or more distribution channel frequencies to said plurality of presentation players, each of said presentation players comprising:

a) converter means capable of receiving and scanning said distribution channel frequencies that are transmitting said digital data and selecting one of said one or more distribution channel frequencies for further processing of the data thereon in accordance with information derived from said scanning;

b) one or more subscriber servers, each capable of receiving said digital data uniquely addressed to one of said plurality of subscribers connected thereto, said one or more subscriber servers having computing means for demultiplexing said digital data into separate block data and stream data and for processing said block data and stream data, processing means for converting said block data and stream data into standard analog television signals, and means for transmitting said analog television signals to display said particular multimedia presentations on the television set of said subscribers who have selected said presentations; and

c) a connection for providing a communication path between said converter means and said one or more subscriber servers.

16. The presentation player in accordance with claim 15, wherein said presentation player is connected across a distribution cable of a CATV cable network, said interactive digital communications system being distributed on said CATV cable network.

17. The presentation player in accordance with claim 15, wherein said presentation player has one subscriber server and is connected to a CATV cable provided to each of said subscribers to a CATV cable network, said interactive digital communications system being distributed on said CATV cable network.

18. The presentation player in accordance with claim 15, which further comprises a transponder capable of obtaining and storing information relating to the status and activity of said presentation player, and having means for transmitting said information to field service personnel.

19. The presentation player in accordance with claim 15 wherein said demultiplexed block data is processed to provide video images and audio commentary which comprise said presentations.

20. The presentation player in accordance with claim 15 wherein said demultiplexed block data is processed to provide still-frame video images.

21. The presentation player in accordance with claim 15 wherein said demultiplexed block data is processed to provide fixed-motion video sequences.

22. The presentation player in accordance with claim 15 wherein one or more of said stream data channels is processed to provide real time motion video which is displayed as part of said presentation.

23. In an interactive digital communications system wherein each of a plurality of subscribers may select for viewing on a television set particular multimedia presentations from a plurality of presentations available on the system, said particular multimedia presentations being transmitted in the form of digital data on one or more distribution channels to a plurality of presentation players, said digital data being uniquely addressed to each of said subscribers who have selected said particular multimedia presentations, said digital data further comprising block data distributed on a block data channel and stream data distributed on one or more stream data channels, said block and stream data channels being multiplexed onto one of said distribution channels and transmitted on one or more distribution channel frequencies to said plurality of presentation players, each of said presentation players comprising:

a) converter means capable of receiving said distribution channel frequencies that are transmitting said digital data and selecting one of said distribution channel frequencies for further processing of the data thereon;

b) one or more subscriber servers connected to said converter means, each subscriber server capable of receiving said digital data uniquely addressed to one of said plurality of subscribers connected thereto, said subscriber server having means for demultiplexing said digital data into separate block data and stream data and for converting said block data and stream data into standard analog television signals, and means for transmitting said analog television signals to display said particular multimedia presentations on the television set of said subscribers who have selected said presentations, said one or more of said stream data channels being processed to provide background audio for said presentations.

24. In an interactive digital communications system wherein each of a plurality of subscribers may select for viewing on a television set particular multimedia presentations from a plurality of presentations available on the system, said particular multimedia presentations being transmitted in the form of digital data on one or more distribution channels to a plurality of presentation players, said digital data being uniquely addressed to each of said subscribers who have selected said particular multimedia presentations, said digital data further comprising block data distributed on a block data channel and stream data distributed on one or more stream data channels, said block and stream data channels being multiplexed onto one of said distribution channels and transmitted on one or more distribution channel frequencies to said plurality of presentation players, each of said presentation players comprising:

a) converter means capable of receiving said distribution channel frequencies that are transmitting said digital data and selecting one of said distribution channel frequencies for further processing of the data thereon;

b) one or more subscriber servers connected to said converter means, each subscriber server capable of receiving said digital data uniquely addressed to one of said plurality of subscribers connected thereto, said subscriber server having means for demultiplexing said digital data into separate block data and stream data and for converting said block data and stream data into standard analog television signals, and means for transmitting said analog television signals to display said particular multimedia presentations on the television set of said subscribers who have selected said presentations, said one or more of said stream data channels being processed to provide a ticker tape display as part of said presentation.

25. A presentation player for receiving and processing multimedia presentations selected by a subscriber to an interactive digital communications system, said multimedia presentations being transmitted on a CATV cable network having one or more distribution channels as digital data uniquely addressed to said subscriber;

said digital data comprising block data distributed on a block data channel and stream data distributed on one or more stream data channels, said block and stream data channels being multiplexed onto a distribution channel and transmitted to said subscriber'"'"'s television set on one or more CATV distribution channel frequencies, said presentation player comprising;

a) converter means having a converter controller for storing programming instructions and controlling the processing within said converter means, said converter means further having a frequency agile receiver capable of receiving and scanning said one or more CATV distribution channel frequencies and capable of being tuned to any one of said one or more CATV distribution channel frequencies under the direction of said converter controller;

means for selecting one of said one or more distribution channels for receiving said one or more CATV distribution channel frequencies in accordance with information derived from said scanning; and

means for demodulating and transmitting said digital data; and

b) one or more subscriber servers connected to said converter means and said subscriber'"'"'s TV set, said one or more subscriber servers having means for receiving and converting said demodulated digital data into analog television signals and transmitting said analog television signals on one or more predetermined CATV display frequencies to said subscriber'"'"'s television set.

26. The presentation player of claim 25 which further comprises a transponder capable of obtaining and storing information relating to the status and activity of said presentation player, and having means for transmitting said information to field service personnel.

27. The presentation player of claim 25, wherein said presentation player is connected across a distribution cable of said CATV cable network.

28. The presentation player of claim 25, wherein said presentation player has only one subscriber server and is connected to a CATV cable provided to each of said subscribers to said CATV cable network.

29. The presentation player of claim 25 wherein said converter controller receives a channel status message that is periodically transmitted by said interactive multimedia presentation and communication system and utilizes said channel status message to tune said frequency agile receiver to one of said CATV distribution channel frequencies corresponding to a distribution channel that has excess capacity.

30. The presentation player of claim 25 wherein each of said subscriber servers further comprises a central processing unit for receiving said demodulated data from said data bus and selectively processing said demodulated data that corresponds to said uniquely addressed digital data, a memory for storing program instructions, a random access memory for storing said selectively processed digital data, video processing means for producing said analog TV signals from said selectively processed digital data, and means for transmitting said analog TV signals to display said particular multimedia presentation on said television set of said subscriber to whom said digital data is uniquely addressed.

31. The presentation player of claim 25 wherein said demodulated data comprises digitally compressed video data.

32. The presentation player in accordance with claim 31 wherein said demodulated digital data further comprises digitally compressed audio data.

33. The presentation player in accordance with claim 32 wherein said video processing means comprises:

a) a video processing section including an image processor for expanding and processing said digitally compressed video data;

b) a digital-to-analog converter for converting said expanded and processed digital video data to analog video signals;

c) an audio processing section including an audio processor for expanding and processing said digitally compressed audio data;

d) a digital to analog converter for converting said expanded and processed audio data to analog audio signals;

e) a video modulator for combining said analog video and audio signals in a format of a standard television signal and modulating said standard television signal; and

f) a frequency agile transmitter for transmitting said standard TV signal on one or more predetermined display frequencies to said subscriber to whom said digital data is uniquely addressed.

34. The presentation player of claim 30 wherein said central processing unit is capable of demultiplexing said digital data into separate block data and stream data and processing said block data and stream data;

and wherein said video processing means can convert said block data and stream data into standard analog TV signals for transmission on one of said plurality of predetermined display frequencies to said subscribers TV set.

35. The presentation player in accordance with claim 25 wherein said demultiplexed block data is processed to provide video images and audio commentary which comprise said presentations.

36. The presentation player in accordance with claim 25 wherein said demultiplexed block data is processed to provide still-frame video images.

37. The presentation player in accordance with claim 25 wherein said demultiplexed block data is processed to provide fixed-motion video sequences.

38. The presentation player in accordance with claim 25 wherein one or more of said stream data channels is processed to provide real-time motion video which is displayed as part of said presentations.

39. A presentation player for receiving and processing multimedia presentations selected by a subscriber to an interactive digital communications system, said multimedia presentations being transmitted on a CATV cable network as digital data uniquely addressed to said subscriber;

said digital data further comprising block data distributed on a block data channel and stream data distributed on one or more stream data channels, said block and stream data channel being multiplexed on a distribution channel and transmitted to said subscriber'"'"'s television set on one or more CATV distribution channel frequencies, said presentation player comprising;

a) converter means having a converter controller for storing programming instructions and controlling the processing within said converter means, said converter means further having a frequency agile receiver capable of receiving said CATV distribution channel frequencies and capable of being tuned to any one of said CATV distribution channel frequencies under the direction of said converter controller, and means for demodulating and transmitting said digital data; and

b) at least one subscriber server connected to said converter means and said subscriber'"'"'s TV set, said subscriber server having means for receiving and converting said demodulated digital data into an analog television signals and transmitting said analog television signals on one or more predetermined CATV display frequencies to said subscriber'"'"'s television set, said one or more of said stream data channels being processed to provide background audio for said presentations.

40. A presentation player for receiving and processing multimedia presentations selected by a subscriber to an interactive digital communications system, said multimedia presentations being transmitted on a CATV cable network as digital data uniquely addressed to said subscriber;

said digital data further comprising block data distributed on a block data channel and stream data distributed on one or more stream data channels, said block and stream data channel being multiplexed on a distribution channel and transmitted to said subscriber'"'"'s television set on one or more CATV distribution channel frequencies, said presentation player comprising;

a) converter means having a converter controller for storing programming instructions and controlling the processing within said converter means, said converter means further having a frequency agile receiver capable of receiving said CATV distribution channel frequencies and capable of being tuned to any one of said CATV distribution channel frequencies under the direction of said converter controller, and means for demodulating and transmitting said digital data; and

b) at least one subscriber server connected to said converter means and said subscriber'"'"'s TV set, said subscriber server having means for receiving and converting said demodulated digital data into analog television signals and transmitting said analog television signals on one or more predetermined CATV display frequencies to said subscriber'"'"'s television set, said one or more of said stream data channels being processed to provide a ticker tape display as part of said presentation.