Video pedestal network
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for supplying desired digital information to a receiver comprising:
- a broadband digital information source;
a series of three or more links between said broadband digital information source and said receiver, wherein digital information supplied from said broadband digital information source travels via each link in said series to said receivera first interface between a first link of said series coupled to said receiver, and a second link of said series;
a second interface between said second link and a third link of said series; and
wherein said first interface receives via said first link a message selecting a desired stream of digital information and responds to said message by;
determining if said desired stream of digital information is currently available to said first interface via said second link,if said desired stream of digital information is currently available via said second link, forwarding said desired stream to said receiver via said first link; and
if said desired stream of digital information is currently unavailable at an input of said first interface, forwarding a second message from said first interface to said second interface via said second link, requesting that said desired digital stream be placed on said second link if available to said second interface via said third link.
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Abstract
An architecture for distributing digital information to subscriber units wherein selection from among multiple digital services is accomplished by transmitting a tuning command from a subscriber unit to an intermediate interface. The intermediate interface selects the desired service from a broadband network and transmits it to the subscriber unit over a bandwidth-constrained access line. The bandwidth-constrained access line may be implemented with existing infrastructure, yet the subscriber unit may access a wide variety of digital information available on the broadband network. Universal broadband access is thus provided at low cost.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A system for supplying desired digital information to a receiver comprising:
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a broadband digital information source; a series of three or more links between said broadband digital information source and said receiver, wherein digital information supplied from said broadband digital information source travels via each link in said series to said receiver a first interface between a first link of said series coupled to said receiver, and a second link of said series; a second interface between said second link and a third link of said series; and wherein said first interface receives via said first link a message selecting a desired stream of digital information and responds to said message by; determining if said desired stream of digital information is currently available to said first interface via said second link, if said desired stream of digital information is currently available via said second link, forwarding said desired stream to said receiver via said first link; and if said desired stream of digital information is currently unavailable at an input of said first interface, forwarding a second message from said first interface to said second interface via said second link, requesting that said desired digital stream be placed on said second link if available to said second interface via said third link. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for broadcasting digital information from an information source via a broadband communications network to a plurality of receivers, the system comprising:
an interface coupled to said plurality of receivers and to said broadband communications network, said interface comprising; means for receiving a first message from a first one of said plurality of receivers, said first message including a first request for a desired stream of information; means for responding to said first message in real time by retrieving said desired stream from said broadband communications network and forwarding said desired stream to said first one of said receivers; means for receiving a second message from a second one of said plurality of receivers, said second message including a second request for said desired stream of information, said second message being received after said first message; and means for responding to said second message by forwarding said desired stream of information as available at said input of said interface to said second one of said receivers. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. In a system for broadcasting digital information comprising a broadband digital information source, a plurality of receivers, a first interface coupled to said plurality of receivers, a series of one or more links between said first interface and said broadband digital information source, and a series of one or more interfaces interconnecting said links, a method for providing a receiver with a desired stream of digital information from said broadband digital source:
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detecting at said first interface a message from a requesting one of said receivers requesting said desired stream of digital information; checking if said desired stream of digital information is currently provided to said first interface via said series of links; if said desired stream is currently provided, relaying said desired stream from said first interface to said requesting receiver; if said desired stream is not currently provided, a) forwarding a request for said desired stream through said series of interfaces toward said broadband source until one of said interfaces has said desired stream currently available at an input and responds to said request by forwarding said desired stream to said first interface; b) relaying said desired stream from said first interface to said requesting receiver; and c) marking said desired stream as being currently provided to said first interface and available for relaying to further requesting receivers. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A system for supplying desired digital information to a receiver comprising:
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a broadband digital information source; a first interface having an input coupled to said broadband information source and an output; and a second interface having an input coupled to said output of said first interface and an output coupled to said receiver; wherein said receiver sends a message to said second interface selecting a desired MPEG transport stream of digital information and said second interface responds to said message by selecting said desired MPEG transport stream from multiple streams of digital information already received at an input of said second interface if said desired MPEG transport stream is available at said second interface input, and if not, forwarding said message to said first interface that responds by retrieving said desired MPEG transport stream from said multiple streams of digital information already available at said first interface input. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. A system for supplying desired digital information to a receiver comprising:
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a broadband digital information source; a first interface having an input coupled to said broadband information source and an output a second interface having an input coupled to said output of said first interface and an output; a last link coupled to said second interface output and to said receiver being an ADSL connection via a twisted pair line; wherein said receiver sends a message to said second interface selecting a desired stream of digital information and said second interface responds to said message by selecting said desired stream from multiple streams of digital information already received at an input of said second interface if said desired stream is available at said second interface input, and if not, forwarding said message to said first interface that responds by retrieving said desired stream from said multiple streams of digital information already available at said first interface input.
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28. A system for supplying desired digital information to a receiver comprising:
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a broadband digital information source; a first link coupled to said broadband digital information source; a first interface having an input coupled to said first link and an output; a second link coupled to said first interface; a second interface having an input coupled to said second link and an output; a third link coupled to said second interface and to said receiver; wherein at least one of said links comprises a switched ATM network that carries said digital information in the form of ATM cells, said receiver sends a message to said second interface selecting a desired stream of digital information, said message including identifier information specifying said desired stream and said second interface responds to said message by
1) using identifier information to segregate cells belonging to said desired stream from multiple streams of digital information already received at an input of said interface from said digital information source via one or more of said series of links, and
2) relaying said desired stream to said receiver via a remaining one or more of said series of links if said desired stream is available at said second interface input, and if not, forwarding said message to said first interface that responds by retrieving said desired stream from said multiple streams of digital information already available at said first interface input. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification