Digital data transfer system for use especially with advertisement insertion systems

• US 5,535,229 A
• Filed: 05/10/1993
• Issued: 07/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Global Interconnect Corporation
• Original Assignee: Global Interconnect Corporation
• Inventors: Thornhill, H. G. Rusty, Hain, John A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Decady, Albert
• Application Number:
  US08/059,902
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 371/53, 371/61, 371/68.2, 371/33, 371/31, 371/32, 332/119, 332/151, 332/120, 455/102, 395/185.01, 395/185.05
• US Class Current: 714/807
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18523 Satellite systems for providing broadcast service to terrestrial stations, i.e. broadcast satellite service arrangements specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving H04H40/90; picture transmission via satellite H04N1/00103; television transmission via satellite H04N7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/06 among broadcast stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/44 Arrangements characterised by circuits or components specially adapted for broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1809 Selective-repeat protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/02 Amplitude-modulated carrier systems, e.g. using on-off keying; Single sideband or vestigial sideband modulation H04L27/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/10 Frequency-modulated carrier systems, i.e. using frequency-shift keying H04L27/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/32 Carrier systems characterised by combinations of two or more of the types covered by groups H04L27/02, H04L27/10, H04L27/18 or H04L27/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

A system (10) for transferring digital data from one data bank to another. The system (10) is designed especially for transmitting audio/video signals in digital format from a central processing center (16) to a plurality of cable networks for viewing either instantaneously or in the future. The system (10) incorporates four processing units: a central processing unit (16), a transmission processing unit (18), a receiving processing unit (20), and a master processing unit (22). The central processing unit (16) includes a scripter computer (24) for receiving a video signal (26), converting it to a digital signal (30), and storing the digital signal (30). The transmission processing unit (18) includes a transmission computer (34) and associated transmission hardware (36). The transmission computer (34) will attach a checksum to the end of each packet of information to be sent, along with any other identifying and scheduling information related to that particular file. The transmission hardware (36) sends the data blocks to a satellite (40). The receiving processing unit (20) includes receiving hardware (46) and an associated receiving computer (48). The master processing unit (22) is comprised of at least a master computer (50), a plurality of slaves (54), and a matrix hardware (56).

Claims

1. A system for transferring digital data from a sending site to at least one receiving site, said system comprising:

a central processor for receiving selected data and converting said data to a digital format;

a transmission processor for affixing at least one integrity monitoring indicator to said data for transmission with said data, said transmission processor including a device for converting said digital data to an analog signal, an FM modulator for modulating a portion of said analog signal to an FM signal, an AM modulator for modulating said FM signal with a remainder of said analog signal to an AM signal, a filter to limit a bandwidth of said FM signal and said AM signal, a frequency converter for converting said FM signal to a first center frequency and said AM signal to said first center frequency, and an oscillator for oscillating said FM signal and said AM signal simultaneously within a single bandwidth;

a transmission medium;

a receiver for receiving said data transmitted through said transmission medium and for examining said integrity monitoring indicator to determine whether said data was properly transmitted; and

a master processor for communicating with said transmission processor to indicate any portion of said data received improperly and to indicate when said data is properly and completely received.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said central processor includes at least a scripter computer and a central computer, said scripter computer for receiving said video signal and for converting said signal to a digital format, said central computer for preparing said digital signal for transmission to said receiver, storing said digital signal, monitoring a schedule for transmission of said digital signal, and sending said signal to said transmission processor.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said transmission processor includes at least a transmission computer and transmission hardware, said transmission computer for affixing said integrity monitoring indicator to said data, said transmission hardware for delivering said data to said transmission medium.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said receiver includes at least receiving hardware and a receiving computer, said receiving hardware for receiving said data from said transmission medium, said receiving computer for examining said integrity monitoring indicator, said receiving computer further for communicating with said master processor results from said examination of said integrity monitoring indicator, said receiving computer further for configuring said data received through said transmission medium to be identical to said data transmitted from said transmission processor, and said receiving computer further for sending said data to said master processor.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said master processor includes at least a master computer for receiving and storing said data from said receiving processor, said master computer further for communicating to request retransmission of selected portions of said data, said selected portions being corrupted in previous transmission, and said master computer further for monitoring a schedule for broadcast of said data over a plurality of selected broadcast networks.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said master processor further includes a plurality of slave computers for receiving said data to be broadcast from said master computer, said plurality of slave computers further for converting said data to an audio/visual format for said broadcast, and said plurality of slave computers for broadcasting said data to said plurality of selected broadcast networks in accordance to said schedule.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said master processor further includes a hardware device for interfacing said plurality of slave computers with said plurality of selected broadcast networks.

8. A system for transferring digital data from a sending site to at least one receiving site, said system comprising:

a central processor for receiving selected data and converting said data to a digital format;

a transmission processor for affixing at least one integrity monitoring indicator to said data for transmission with said data, said transmission processor including at least a device for convening said digital data to an analog signal, an FM modulator for modulating a portion of said analog signal to an FM signal, an AM modulator for modulating said FM signal with a remainder of said analog signal to an AM signal, a filter to limit a bandwidth of said FM signal and said AM signal, a frequency converter for convening said FM signal to a first center frequency and said AM signal to said first center frequency, and an oscillator for oscillating said FM signal and said AM signal simultaneously within a single bandwidth;

a transmission medium, said transmission medium being a conventional satellite system;

a receiver for receiving said data transmitted through said transmission medium and for examining said integrity monitoring indicator to determine whether said data was properly transmitted; and

a master processor for communicating with said transmission processor to indicate any portion of said data received improperly and to indicate when said data is properly and completely received.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said central processor includes at least a scripter computer and a central computer, said scripter computer for receiving said video signal and for converting said signal to a digital format, said central computer for preparing said digital signal for transmission to said receiver, storing said digital signal, monitoring a schedule for transmission of said digital signal, and sending said signal to said transmission processor.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said transmission processor further includes a transmission computer and transmission hardware, said transmission computer for affixing said integrity monitoring indicator to said data, said transmission hardware for delivering said data to said transmission medium.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein said receiver includes at least receiving hardware and a receiving computer, said receiving hardware for receiving said data from said transmission medium, said receiving computer for examining said integrity monitoring indicator, said receiving computer further for communicating with said master processor results from said examination of said integrity monitoring indicator, said receiving computer further for configuring said data received through said transmission medium to be identical to said data transmitted from said transmission processor, and said receiving computer further for sending said data to said master processor.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein said master processor includes at least a master computer for receiving and storing said data from said receiving processor, said master computer further for communicating to request retransmission of selected portions of said data, said selected portions being corrupted in previous transmission, and said master computer further for monitoring a schedule for broadcast of said data over a plurality of selected broadcast networks.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said master processor further includes a plurality of slave computers for receiving said data to be broadcast from said master computer, said plurality of slave computers further for converting said data to an audio/visual format for said broadcast, and said plurality of slave computers for broadcasting said data to said plurality of selected broadcast networks in accordance to said schedule.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said master processor further includes a hardware device for interfacing said plurality of slave computers with said plurality of selected broadcast networks.

15. A system for transferring digital data from a sending site to at least one receiving site, said system comprising:

a central processor for receiving selected data and converting said data to a digital format, said central processor including at least a scripter computer and a central computer, said scripter computer for receiving said video signal and for converting said signal to a digital format, said central computer for preparing said digital signal for transmission to said receiver, storing said digital signal, monitoring a schedule for transmission of said digital signal, and sending said signal to said transmission processor;

a transmission processor for affixing at least one integrity monitoring indicator to said data for transmission with said data, said transmission processor including a device for converting said digital data to an analog signal, an FM modulator for modulating a portion of said analog signal to an FM signal, an AM modulator for modulating said FM signal with a remainder of said analog signal to an AM signal, a filter to limit a bandwidth of said FM signal and said AM signal, a frequency converter for converting said FM signal to a first center frequency and said AM signal to said first center frequency, an oscillator for oscillating said FM signal and said AM signal simultaneously within a single bandwidth, a transmission computer and transmission hardware, said transmission computer for affixing said integrity monitoring indicator to said data, said transmission hardware for delivering said data to said transmission medium;

a transmission medium;

a receiver for receiving said data transmitted through said transmission medium and for examining said integrity monitoring indicator to determine whether said data was properly transmitted, said receiver including at least receiving hardware and a receiving computer, said receiving hardware for receiving said data from said transmission medium, said receiving computer/br examining said integrity monitoring indicator, said receiving computer further for communicating with said master processor results from said examination of said integrity monitoring indicator, said receiving computer further for configuring said data received through said transmission medium to be identical to said data transmitted from said transmission processor, and said receiving computer further for sending said data to said master processor; and

a master processor for communicating with said transmission processor to indicate any portion of said data received improperly and to indicate when said data is properly and completely received, said master processor includes at least a master computer, a plurality of slave computers, and an interface hardware device, said master computer for receiving and storing said data from said receiving processor, said master computer further for communicating to request retransmission of selected portions of said data, said selected portions being corrupted in previous transmission, and said master computer further for monitoring a schedule for broadcast of said data over a plurality of selected broadcast networks, said plurality of slave computers for receiving said data to be broadcast from said master computer, said plurality of slave computers further for converting said data to an audio/visual format for said broadcast, and said plurality of slave computers for broadcasting said data to said plurality of selected broadcast networks in accordance to said schedule, said interface hardware device for interfacing said plurality of slave computers with said plurality of selected broadcast networks.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said transmission medium is a conventional satellite system.