Full service network having distributed architecture
First Claim
1. A network for transporting compressed, broadband data to a plurality of users, said compressed, broadband data being received from a plurality of information providers on corresponding digital signal paths as asynchronous transfer mode ATM cell streams having corresponding VPI/VCI identifiers, the network comprising:
- a broadcast consolidation section receiving signals from a first group of said digital signal paths and outputting a consolidated broadcast stream, said broadcast consolidation section comprising;
an ATM edge multiplexer receiving the respective ATM cell streams from said information providers and outputting a consolidated ATM cell stream,a digital encoder for converting analog signals into digital signals, anda transport multiplexer for multiplexing said consolidated ATM cell stream and said digital signals into said consolidated broadcast stream;
a transport ring for transporting said consolidated broadcast stream;
a plurality of video access nodes distributed along said transport ring, each of said video access nodes receiving said consolidated broadcast stream and outputting a consolidated RF signal, each of said video access nodes comprising;
a transport demultiplexer outputting said consolidated ATM cell stream and said digital signals from the received consolidated broadcast stream,means for recovering said compressed broadband data from said consolidated ATM cell stream output by said transport demultiplexer, the recovered compressed broadband data being output as a plurality of data packet streams, each data packet having an identifier value assigned as a function of the VPI/VCI of corresponding ATM cells,means for receiving local broadcast signals,means for recovering said analog signals from said digital signals output by said transport demultiplexer,means for modulating each of said data packet streams, the received local broadcast signals and the recovered analog signals to predetermined RF channel frequencies, respectively,a first RF combiner for combining modulated signals output by said modulating means into a consolidated RF signal, andmeans for outputting said consolidated RF signal onto at least one optical fiber; and
a plurality of local video access nodes distributed throughout a service area, each of said local video access nodes receiving said consolidated RF signal and comprising;
(1) means for converting said consolidated RF signal on said optical fiber to an electrical consolidated RF signal,(2) means for providing interactive data for at least one of said users, said interactive data output by said providing means at an assigned RF channel frequency,(3) a second RF combiner for combining said electrical consolidated RF signal and said interactive data into a local RF signal; and
(4) means for supplying said local RF signal from said local video access node to a plurality of said users including said at least one of said users.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A video distribution network having an architecture that distributes video services over a greater serving area. The broadcast consolidation section receives broadband data from a plurality of information providers, preferably as compressed, digital signals using asynchronous transfer mode ATM transport. The broadcast consolidation section combines the ATM streams from different information providers and outputs a consolidated signal onto a transport ring. The broadcast ring supplies the consolidated broadcast signal to a plurality of video network hubs, each of which downloads the consolidated broadcast data, converts the consolidated broadcast data to motion picture experts group MPEG data on an RF carrier, and combines the RF signal with other RF signals before transmission by optical fiber to a plurality of local video access nodes. Each local video access node combines the RF broadcast data from the corresponding video network hub with downstream interactive multimedia television IMTV traffic supplied by an ATM backbone subnetwork. The combined RF signals are output from the local video access nodes to the access subnetwork servicing these subscribers. The architecture of the present invention provides sufficient allocation of resources, while at the same time providing efficient transport of signaling traffic and interactive data. In addition, the network control is centralized for more efficient management of resources.
306 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A network for transporting compressed, broadband data to a plurality of users, said compressed, broadband data being received from a plurality of information providers on corresponding digital signal paths as asynchronous transfer mode ATM cell streams having corresponding VPI/VCI identifiers, the network comprising:
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a broadcast consolidation section receiving signals from a first group of said digital signal paths and outputting a consolidated broadcast stream, said broadcast consolidation section comprising; an ATM edge multiplexer receiving the respective ATM cell streams from said information providers and outputting a consolidated ATM cell stream, a digital encoder for converting analog signals into digital signals, and a transport multiplexer for multiplexing said consolidated ATM cell stream and said digital signals into said consolidated broadcast stream; a transport ring for transporting said consolidated broadcast stream; a plurality of video access nodes distributed along said transport ring, each of said video access nodes receiving said consolidated broadcast stream and outputting a consolidated RF signal, each of said video access nodes comprising; a transport demultiplexer outputting said consolidated ATM cell stream and said digital signals from the received consolidated broadcast stream, means for recovering said compressed broadband data from said consolidated ATM cell stream output by said transport demultiplexer, the recovered compressed broadband data being output as a plurality of data packet streams, each data packet having an identifier value assigned as a function of the VPI/VCI of corresponding ATM cells, means for receiving local broadcast signals, means for recovering said analog signals from said digital signals output by said transport demultiplexer, means for modulating each of said data packet streams, the received local broadcast signals and the recovered analog signals to predetermined RF channel frequencies, respectively, a first RF combiner for combining modulated signals output by said modulating means into a consolidated RF signal, and means for outputting said consolidated RF signal onto at least one optical fiber; and a plurality of local video access nodes distributed throughout a service area, each of said local video access nodes receiving said consolidated RF signal and comprising; (1) means for converting said consolidated RF signal on said optical fiber to an electrical consolidated RF signal, (2) means for providing interactive data for at least one of said users, said interactive data output by said providing means at an assigned RF channel frequency, (3) a second RF combiner for combining said electrical consolidated RF signal and said interactive data into a local RF signal; and (4) means for supplying said local RF signal from said local video access node to a plurality of said users including said at least one of said users. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A network for transporting video signals from a plurality of video sources to a plurality of video information users having digital entertainment terminals adapted to decode compressed data streams in accordance with stored connection block descriptors, the network comprising:
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a first collection node for receiving first video signals and ATM cell streams carrying compressed video packets from a first group of said video sources, said first video collection node comprising at least one ATM edge device for grooming said ATM cell streams from said first group of video sources into condensed ATM cell streams, encoders for outputting first digital video signals in response to said first video signals, and an optical multiplexer receiving said condensed ATM cell streams and said first digital video signals and outputting an optical transport signal; a plurality of optical fibers for carrying said optical transport signal; a plurality of video node hubs, each comprising a drop-and-continue optical multiplexer that receives said optical transport signal on a corresponding incoming optical fiber and outputs said optical transport signal on a corresponding outgoing optical fiber, said video node hubs and said optical fibers coupled to said video node hubs being arranged to form a unidirectional broadcast ring, each of said video node hubs further comprising; a plurality of ATM packet demultiplexers for reassembling said compressed video packets from the respective condensed ATM cell streams carried by said optical transport signal and outputting the reassembled compressed video packets on digital data streams, said reassembled compressed video packets each having reassigned identifier values in accordance with a predetermined provisioning, a plurality of modulators corresponding to said ATM packet demultiplexers for converting said digital data streams to corresponding first RF signals having specified channel bandwidths, a second collection node for receiving second video signals from a second group of video sources, said second collection node comprising RF modulators for modulating the received second video signals to second RF signals, and an RF combiner for combining said first and second RF signals into a hub RF signal; a plurality of video end offices corresponding to each of said video node hubs, said video end offices corresponding to said each video node hub receiving said hub RF signal from the corresponding video node hub, each of said video end offices comprising; a third collection node for receiving third signals from a third group of sources and subscriber signaling information, said third collection node outputting said third signals and subscriber connection block descriptors as compressed data streams and comprising RF modulators for modulating said compressed data streams to third RF signals, and an RF combiner for combining said hub RF signal and said third RF signals into an end office RF signal; and means for supplying said end office RF signals from said video end offices to corresponding video information users, a selected group of said video information users being able to selectively decode said compressed data streams in accordance with said subscriber connection block descriptors supplied to said selected group. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A network for transporting signals to a plurality of information users, comprising:
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a broadcast provider interface for receiving a plurality of broadcast signals from a plurality of broadcast information providers, said broadcast provider interface comprising; means for combining a first group of said broadcast signals into consolidated broadcast signals output as ATM cell streams, each cell having a specified VPI/VCI value, a digital encoder for encoding a second group of said broadcast signals into digital broadcast signals, and a multiplexer receiving said ATM cell streams and said digital broadcast signals and outputting multiplexed optical signals onto a unidirectional optical fiber; a plurality of broadcast headend nodes, each of said broadcast headend nodes receiving said multiplexed optical signals on a input fiber and outputting said multiplexed optical signals on an output fiber and being arranged to form a broadcast ring with said broadcast provider interface, each of said broadcast headend nodes comprising; an ATM converter for recovering said first group of broadcast signals from said ATM cell streams in accordance with said specified VPI/VCI values, a decoder for recovering said second group of broadcast signals from said multiplexed optical signals, receiver means for receiving a third group of broadcast signals, and a plurality of modulators for modulating said first, second and third group of broadcast signals into a combined RF signal having respective channel frequencies; a plurality of video central offices arranged in groups, each group being served by a corresponding one of said broadcast headend nodes, each of said video central offices receiving said combined RF signal from said corresponding broadcast headend node and comprising; means for receiving local broadcast signals and outputting said local broadcast signals at central office RF channel frequencies, a combiner for combining said local broadcast signals with the combined RF signal from the corresponding headend node to output a central office RF signal; and a local distribution network for supplying said central office RF signal for each of said video central offices to corresponding subscribers. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. In a network providing video services to a plurality of information users distributed throughout a serving area and comprising a broadcast network interface for receiving broadband data from a plurality of information providers, a plurality of video network hubs coupled to each other and said broadcast network interface via optical fibers, a plurality of video end offices arranged in groups served by a corresponding one of said video network hubs, said information users being arranged in groups served by a corresponding one of said video end offices, a method for transporting broadband data from a plurality of said information providers to said information users, comprising the steps of:
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grooming a first group of received broadband data carried as ATM cell streams from said information providers to obtain groomed ATM data streams; combining said groomed ATM data streams with a second group of received broadband data to obtain a consolidated broadband data stream; outputting said consolidated broadband data stream from said broadcast network interface to each of said video network hubs; in each of said video network hubs; recovering the broadband data from said groomed ATM data streams carried by said consolidated broadband data stream, outputting the recovered broadband data at a first channel frequency range and said second group of said received broadband data carried by said consolidated broadband data stream at a second channel frequency range, combining the broadband data at said first and second channel frequency ranges with a third group of received broadcast data at a third channel frequency range to obtain a combined spectrum signal, and supplying said combined spectrum signal to the corresponding group of video end offices; in each of said video end offices; combining the supplied spectrum signal from the corresponding video network hub with a fourth group of received data at a fourth channel frequency range to obtain a combined video end office signal, and supplying said combined video end office signal to the corresponding group of information users. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A network comprising:
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a broadcast provider interface receiving digital signals from a plurality of broadcast information providers, said broadcast provider interface comprising; (1) means for combining ATM cell streams having specified VPI/VCI values and each containing one of the digital signals into a consolidated broadcast signal, and (2) means for optically transmitting the consolidated broadcast signal; a plurality of broadcast headend nodes receiving the optically transmitted consolidated broadcast signal, each broadcast headend node comprising; (i) at least one ATM converter receiving two or more ATM cell streams having specified VPI/VCI values and recovering two or more of the digital signals from the received ATM cell streams, (ii) at least two modulators, each modulator modulating a recovered digital signal onto an assigned channel, (iii) a combiner combining modulated channel signals from the modulators into a first combined spectrum signal, and (iv) means for optically transmitting the first combined spectrum signal; groups of central offices, each group of central offices receiving the first combined spectrum signal from a broadcast headend node servicing the group, each central office comprising; (a) means for producing at least one additional signal; (b) a combiner combining the at least one additional signal with the received first combined spectrum signal to form a second combined spectrum signal, and (c) means for transmitting the second combined spectrum signal; and for each central office, a local distribution network transporting the second combined spectrum signal from that central office to a group of user terminals. - View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. A network comprising:
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a broadcast provider interface receiving analog video signals from a first broadcast information provider and ATM cell streams having specified VPI/VCI values and carrying MPEG-encoded signals from a second broadcast information provider, said broadcast provider interface comprising; (1) means for combining said ATM cell streams into a multiplexed ATM cell stream; (2) at least one encoder digitally encoding said analog video signals into digitally-encoded video signals; and (3) means for combining said multiplexed ATM cell stream and said digitally-encoded video signals into an optically-transmitted consolidated broadcast signal; a plurality of broadcast headend nodes receiving the optically-transmitted consolidated broadcast signal, each broadcast headend node comprising; (i) at least one ATM converter receiving said ATM cell streams and recovering said MPEG-encoded signals from the received ATM cell streams, (ii) at least one decoder for recovering said analog video signals from said digitally-encoded video signals, (iii) at least two modulators, each modulator modulating one of the recovered signals from said optically-transmitted consolidated broadcast signal onto an assigned channel, (iv) a combiner combining modulated channel signals from the modulators into a first combined spectrum signal, and (v) means for optically transmitting the first combined spectrum signal; groups of central offices, each group of central offices receiving the first combined spectrum signal from a broadcast headend node servicing the group, each central office comprising; (a) means for producing at least one additional signal; (b) a combiner combining the at least one additional signal with the received first combined spectrum signal to form a second combined spectrum signal, and (c) means for transmitting the second combined spectrum signal; and for each central office, a local distribution network transporting the second combined spectrum signal from that central office to a group of user terminals. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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Specification