Digital cable headend for cable television delivery system

• US 5,682,195 A
• Filed: 12/02/1993
• Issued: 10/28/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Discovery Communications, Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bonner, Alfred E., Hendricks, John S., Wunderlich, Richard E., Lappington, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRANT, CHRISTOPHER C
• Application Number:
  US08/160,283
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 348/6, 348/9, 348/7, 348/12, 348/13, 348/14, 348/15, 348/16, 348/17, 348/18, 455/3.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.1
• US Class Current: 725/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/02 Arrangements for relaying broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/06 among broadcast stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/10 Arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or the distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/78 CATV [Community Antenna Television] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/79 using downlink of the CATV systems, e.g. audio broadcast via CATV network
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/86 Arrangements characterised by the broadcast information itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/95 characterised by a specific format, e.g. an encoded audio stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/70 characterised in that receivers can be addressed
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/13 Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/22 per use
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/39 for identifying broadcast space-time use of Electronic Programme Guides H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/47 for recognising genres
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/94 Telephonic networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/84
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/96 CATV systems for accessing the Internet H04H60/86
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/97 : using uplink of the CATV systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 : Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 : comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21815 : comprising local storage units
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 : Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 : being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 : Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 : Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 : Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 : Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2389 : Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream encrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 : Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 : Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 : Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 : being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 : the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 : for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 : Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4181 : for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4184 : providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 : User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 : characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 : Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42653 : for processing graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 : involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 : for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 : for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 : Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4344 : Remultiplexing of multiplex streams, e.g. by modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 : Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 : Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4385 : Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream decrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 : Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 : Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/4532 : involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 : Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 : for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 : End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 : for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 : for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• 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 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 : e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 : communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 : using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64307 : ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 : for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 : comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 : involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 : involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 : End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44504 : Circuit details of the additional information generator, e.g. details of the character or graphics signal generator, overlay mixing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/602 : for digital sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0882 : for the transmission of character code signals, e.g. for teletext circuits for the digital non-picture data signal H04N7/035
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0884 : for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 : for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 : Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/102 : Circuits therefor, e.g. noise reducers, equalisers, amplifiers H04N7/108 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 : in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

The present invention provides greater capability and flexibility than existing cable headends. Specifically, the invention comprises a modular design for a cable headend and a combiner component for cable headend. The invention is particularly useful in cable television program delivery systems transponding large numbers of digitally compressed program signals. The combiner allows cherry-picking of programs from transponded signals.

Claims

1. A combiner for selecting digitized programs and for combining the selected programs to create a combined signal for distribution to program subscribers, for use in a television program delivery system headend wherein the combiner receives digital video signals containing a plurality of digitized programs and receives information on programs to be selected, the combiner comprising:

means for receiving the information, wherein the received information includes data on the identifies of the plurality of digitized programs to be selected for distribution to the program subscribers;

processor means for sending instructions comprising;

means for determining the identities of the plurality of digitized programs to be selected using the received information, and

means for generating instructions on the identities of the plurality of digitized programs to be selected;

means, connected to the processor means, for selecting any of the plurality of digitized programs based on instructions received from the processor means, the selecting means comprising;

means for demultiplexing the received digital video signals into component parts so that each of the plurality of digitized programs can be identified, each of the demultiplexed component parts containing at least one of the plurality of digitized programs; and

means for communicating identified digitized programs using the program identifies, wherein the program identities are determined by the processor means and sent to the communicating means in the instructions from the processor means;

means, connected to the selecting means, for combining the communicated programs into a combined signal.

2. The combiner of claim 1 wherein the program subscribers are distributed digitized programs and wherein the combiner further comprises:

a means for distributing the combined signal to the subscribers in the television program delivery system, the distributing means comprising;

digital modulator means for modulating the combined signal so that the digitized programs are transmitted to the program subscribers; and

a concatenated cable system for transporting the digitally modulated signal with digitized programs to the program subscriber.

3. The combiner of claim 1 capable of producing analog programs wherein the combining means further comprises a digital-to-analog converter for converting to communicated programs into analog program signals that represent the analog programs.

4. The combiner of claim 3 wherein the program subscribers are distributed the analog programs, and wherein the combining means further comprises analog modulators for modulating the analog programs into the combined signal for distribution to subscribers.

5. The combiner of claim 1 wherein analog video and audio programs are received, digitized and combined with the digitized programs, the combiner further comprising:

digital encoder means for digitizing analog video and audio into local digitized programs; and

means for communicating the local digitized programs to the combining means.

6. The combiner of claim 1 wherein analog video and audio programs are received, digitized and combined with the digitized programs, the combiner further comprising:

a digital encoder for digitizing the analog video and audio into local digitized programs; and

wherein the selecting means further comprises;

means for accepting the local digitized programs from the digital encoder;

means for identifying the local digitized programs for communication to the combining means by the communicating means, wherein the local digitized programs are identified by address packets.

7. The combiner of claim 1 wherein analog programs are distributed with the combined signal using a first carrier frequency and a second carrier frequency, the combiner further comprising:

a means for receiving the analog programs to be distributed with the combined signal; and

a means for distributing the combined signal to the subscribers in the television program delivery system, the distributing means comprising;

an analog modulator for modulating the received analog programs onto the first carrier frequency; and

a digital modulator for modulating the combined signal onto the second carrier frequency.

8. The combiner of claim 1 wherein the digitized programs are expressed in video data format having video data, the combiner further comprising:

means for error correcting the video data of the digitized programs.

9. The combiner of claim 1 wherein the digitized programs are received encrypted using one or more methods of encryption, the combiner further comprising:

decrypting means for removing one of the methods of encryption from the digitized programs prior to the combined signal distribution to subscribers.

10. The combiner of claim 1 further comprising:

means for encrypting the identified programs so that only authorized subscribers can decrypt the programs after distribution.

11. The combiner of claim 1 wherein the information on digitized programs to be selected is received with the digital video signals, and wherein the means for receiving information on the digitized programs comprises:

an information data demultiplexer for extracting a data signal containing the information on digitized programs to be selected; and

means for transferring the data signal from the information data demultiplexer to the processor.

12. The combiner of claim 1 wherein the means for receiving the information on digitized programs to be selected comprises:

terminal means for manually entering information on digitized programs to be selected; and

means for forwarding the entered information on digitized programs from the terminal to the processor.

13. The combiner of claim 1 wherein a data signal containing the information on digitized programs to be selected is transmitted from a remote site and wherein the means for receiving the information on programs to be selected comprises:

modem means for acquiring the data signal containing the information on digitized programs to be selected; and

means for delivering the data signal to the processor.

14. The combiner of claim 1 wherein the communicating means further comprises:

means for obtaining the digitized programs from the demultiplexing means;

means for accepting the instructions from the processor;

configuration means for interpreting the instructions received from the processor and providing program identifying data; and

logic means for receiving program identifying data and enabling the identified digitized programs to be communicated to the combining means.

15. The combiner of claim 1 wherein the combining means further comprises a plurality of first-in-first-out queuing means for temporarily storing portions of the communicated programs;

and wherein the selecting means comprises a control means for sending control information to the plurality of first-in-first-out queuing means.

16. The combiner of claim 1 wherein the combining means comprises a plurality of output gates controlled by the processor for output of communicated programs.

17. The combiner of claim 1 wherein the digitized programs are expressed by a series of video data packets and wherein the communicating means communicates video data packets to the combining means, and wherein the combining means further comprises:

serializer means for placing the video data packets in a serial order.

18. The combiner of claim 17 wherein the processor further comprises:

means for prioritizing the communicated video data packets by importance; and

means for controlling the order of the communicated video data packet flow in the combiner using the prioritization established by the prioritizing means.

19. The combiner of claim 17 wherein communicated video data packets are discarded by the combiner to limit disruption of video reception by the subscribers, the processor further comprising:

means for determining which communicated video data packets to be discarded.

20. A method for selecting and combining digitized programs to create a combined signal for distribution to program subscribers, for use in a television program delivery system headend wherein a combiner receives digital video signals containing a plurality of digitized programs and receives information on programs to be selected, comprising the steps of:

receiving the information on programs to be selected for distribution to the program subscribers;

sending instructions comprising the steps of;

determining identities of digitized programs to be selected using the received information; and

generating instructions on the identities of the digitized programs to be selected;

selecting digitized programs comprising the steps of;

demultiplexing the received digital video signals into component parts each of the component parts containing one of the plurality of digitized programs; and

communicating identified digitized programs using the program identities received in instructions from the processing step;

combining the communicated programs into a combined signal comprising receiving the communicated programs; and

distributing the combined signal to the subscribers.

21. A cable headend for cable television program delivery systems which deliver a plurality of program signals each containing a plurality of digital video programs expressed in digital format comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of program signals each containing a plurality of digital video programs expressed in digital format;

demodulator means, connected to the receiving means, for demodulating the plurality of program signals;

demultiplexer means, connected to the demodulator, for demultiplexing the demodulated program signals into the plurality of digital video programs;

means for selecting among the plurality of digital video programs;

means, coupled to the selecting means, for combining the selected video programs to form a combined signal;

means for modulating the combined signal for distribution to cable subscribers; and

transmitter means for transmitting the modulated signal to one or more concatenated cable systems.

22. The cable headend of claim 21, wherein the cable headend receives analog programs from a remote source, and wherein the means for combining the selected video programs further comprises a means for combining analog program signals with the selected video programs, the cable headend further comprising:

means for receiving one or more analog program signals; and

means for choosing one or more analog program signals to be combined with the selected digitized video signals.

23. The cable headend of claim 21, wherein the means for receiving a plurality of program signals is also capable of receiving analog program signals, the cable headend further comprising:

means for converting analog program signals into digital video signals comprising;

means for digitizing and compressing the analog program signal.

24. The cable headend of claim 21 wherein the means for combining further comprises:

a plurality of storage means for temporarily storing the selected video program before combining the selected video programs wherein each storage means temporarily stores a portion of one selected video program at a time; and

means for accessing each of the plurality of storage means by switching from one storage means to another storage means for assisting in combining stored portions of video program into the combined signal.

25. The cable headend of claim 21 wherein the means for selecting among a plurality of digital video programs comprises:

information processing means for identifying digital video programs to be selected.

26. The cable headend of claim 21 wherein the digital video programs are grouped into a plurality of sets and some subscribers are not authorized to receive a first set of video programs, and

wherein the selecting means comprises a means for simultaneously selecting a first set of digital video programs and selecting a second set of digital video programs, and

wherein the combining means comprises means for combining the first set of selected digital video programs and the second set of selected video programs for distribution to cable subscribers.

27. The cable headend of claim 21 further comprising:

means for decrypting and encrypting the video programs, wherein the decryption and encryption means is connected to the combining means.