Output switching for load levelling across multiple service areas

• US 5,883,661 A
• Filed: 11/01/1995
• Issued: 03/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ActiveVideo Networks, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ICTV, Inc.
• Inventors: Hoarty, W. Leo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael
• Application Number:
  US08/551,461
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 348/6-17, 455/3.1, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.2
• US Class Current: 725/93
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/48 using compressed domain processing techniques other than decoding, e.g. modification of transform coefficients, variable length coding [VLC] data or run-length data motion estimation in a transform domain H04N19/547; processing of decoded motion vectors H04N19/513
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/90 using coding techniques not provided for in groups H04N19/10-H04N19/85, e.g. fractals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/17372 the upstream transmission being initiated or timed by a signal from upstream of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• 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 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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 5/265 Mixing
• 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 7/10 : Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• 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 7/17345 : Control of the passage of the selected programme
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 : in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/22 : Adaptations for optical transmission

Abstract

A television information system for distributing television information services, including interactive service, to subscribers divided among a plurality of service areas. A system manager receives requests for service from subscribers and assigns each requesting subscriber to one of a plurality of video provider elements. The video provider element provides a television information service to the requesting subscriber. An rf processing unit associated with the video provider element places the television information service on a carrier frequency assigned to the subscriber by the system manager. An rf switch controlled by the system manager directs each carrier frequency to the service area of the corresponding requesting subscriber.

Claims

1. A television information system having a headend for supplying a plurality of information services comprising:

a plurality of modulated video providers in communication with said headend, each modulated video provider assignable to a subscriber from a subscriber pool for placing an information service selected by the subscriber on a carrier frequency assigned to the subscriber;

a first plurality of transmission links, each transmission link providing a preselected group of subscribers from the subscriber pool access to a plurality of carrier frequencies such that a carrier frequency may be reused concurrently by an identical carrier frequency on different ones of said transmission links to service different ones of the subscribers from the subscriber pool;

a system manager for assigning one of said modulated video providers and a carrier frequency to a subscriber from the subscriber pool requesting service; and

a first rf switch that can selectively connect the carrier frequency from at least one of the modulated video providers to any of a plurality of transmission links in said first plurality of transmission links, said first rf switch controlled by said system manager for directing each carrier frequency from said plurality of modulated video providers to the transmission link, in said first plurality of transmission links, providing access to the subscriber assigned to the carrier frequency, said system manager controlling said first rf switch and the assignment of carrier frequencies so that a carrier frequency and its identical carrier frequency from a different modulated video provider are not directed to the same transmission link.

11. The television information system of claim 1 further comprising a communication gateway coupled through a data communication link with the subscribers on said first plurality of transmission links, said communication gateway arranging data communication between a subscriber and the modulated video provider assigned to the subscriber.

12. The television information system of claim 11 wherein said plurality of modulated video providers includes a plurality of interactive elements and a plurality of rf processing units.

13. The television information system of claim 11 wherein said plurality of modulated video providers comprises a plurality of interactive application processes and a plurality of rf processing units.

14. The television information system of claim 1 further comprising an rf combiner connected to a source of broadcast channels and to said first rf switch for combining the broadcast channels with each of the plurality of carrier frequencies for delivery to each of the respective transmission links in said first plurality of transmission links.

15. The television information system of claim 1 further comprising a second plurality of transmission links and a second rf switch that can selectively connect the carrier frequency from at least one of the modulated video providers to any of a plurality of transmission links in said second plurality of transmission links, said second rf switch controlled by said system manager for directing each carrier frequency from said plurality of modulated video providers to the transmission link in said second plurality of transmission links of the subscriber assigned to the carrier frequency, said system manager controlling said second rf switch and the assignment of carrier frequencies so that a carrier frequency and its identical carrier frequency from a different modulated video provider are not directed to the same transmission link.

2. A cable distribution system comprising:

a plurality of transmission means, each providing cable service to a plurality of subscribers and each carrying a plurality of carrier frequencies for the transmission of television information services;

a plurality of video provider elements for providing one of a plurality of television information services;

a plurality of rf processing units, each for receiving a television information service provided by one of said video provider elements and for placing the television information service on one carrier frequency from any of said plurality of carrier frequencies;

a system manager for assigning any of said plurality of subscribers that requests a television information service to one of said video provider elements and to one carrier frequency of said plurality of carrier frequencies carried by the transmission means of the requesting subscriber; and

an rf switch connected between said plurality of rf processing units and said plurality of transmission means for connecting the carrier frequency from one of said rf processing units to the transmission means providing access to the subscriber assigned to the video provider element associated with said one of said rf processing units.

3. The cable distribution system of claim 2 wherein said rf switch can connect one of said rf processing units to any one or more of said transmission means.

4. The cable distribution system of claim 2 wherein a portion of said rf processing units modulate to a fixed carrier frequency and a remaining portion of said rf processing units may be controlled to modulate to any of a range of carrier frequencies.

5. The cable distribution system of claim 4 wherein said rf processing units modulating to a fixed carrier frequency are connected to one of said transmission means.

6. The cable distribution system of claim 2 wherein at least some of said video provider elements and at least some of said rf processing units are paired so that each video provider element in the at least some of said video provider elements is connected to one of said rf processing units in the at least some of said rf processing units.

7. The cable distribution system of claim 2 further comprising a communication gateway coupled through a data communication link with the subscribers on said plurality of transmission means, said communication gateway arranging data communication between a subscriber and the video provider element assigned to the subscriber.

8. The cable distribution system of claim 7 wherein said plurality of video provider elements includes a plurality of interactive elements.

9. The cable distribution system of claim 7 wherein said plurality of video provider elements comprises a plurality of interactive application processes and the video provider element assigned to the subscriber is one of said plurality of interactive application processes.

10. The cable distribution system of claim 2 comprising an rf combiner connected to a source of broadcast channels and to said rf switch for combining the broadcast channels with each of the plurality of carrier frequencies for delivery to each of the respective transmission means in said plurality of transmission means.

16. A television information system having a headend for supplying a plurality of information services comprising:

a plurality of modulated video providers in communication with said headend, each modulated video provider assignable to a subscriber from a subscriber pool for placing an information service selected by the subscriber on a carrier frequency assigned to the subscriber;

a plurality of transmission links, each transmission link providing a preselected group of subscribers from the subscriber pool access to a plurality of carrier frequencies such that a carrier frequency may be reused concurrently by an identical carrier frequency in different ones of said transmission links; and

a switch that can selectively connect the carrier frequency from at least one of the modulated video providers to any transmission link in a subset of transmission links in said plurality of transmission links, said subset being less than or equal to all the transmission links in said plurality of transmission links, said switch selectively coupling modulated video providers with subscribers by directing each of the plurality of carrier frequencies from said plurality of modulated video providers to the transmission link including a subscriber to be coupled.

17. The television information system of claim 16 further comprising a communication gateway coupled through a data communication link with the subscribers on said plurality of transmission links, said communication gateway arranging data communication between a subscriber and the modulated video provider assigned to the subscriber.

18. The television information system of claim 17 wherein said plurality of modulated video providers includes a plurality of interactive elements and a plurality of rf processing units.

19. The television information system of claim 17 wherein said plurality of modulated video providers comprises a plurality of interactive application processes and a plurality of rf processing units.

20. The television information system of claim 16 comprising an rf combiner connected to a source of broadcast channels and to said switch for combining the broadcast channels with each of the plurality of carrier frequencies for delivery to each of the respective transmission links in said plurality of transmission links.

21. A cable distribution system comprising:

a plurality of transmission means, each providing broadcast cable service to a plurality of subscribers and each carrying a plurality of carrier frequencies for the transmission of television information services;

a plurality of video provider elements for providing one of a plurality of television information services;

a plurality of modulators, each modulator receiving the television information service from one of said video provider elements, for placing the television information service on one carrier frequency of said plurality of carrier frequencies; and

a switch connected between said plurality of modulators and said plurality of transmission means for coupling a video provider element to a subscriber by directing the carrier frequency from the one of said modulators receiving the television information signal from the video provider element to the transmission means of the subscriber.

22. The cable distribution system of claim 21 further comprising a communication gateway coupled through a data communication link with the subscribers in said plurality of transmission means, said communication gateway arranging data communication between a subscriber and the video provider element coupled thereto.

23. The cable distribution system of claim 22 wherein said plurality of video provider elements includes a plurality of interactive elements.

24. The cable distribution system of claim 22 wherein said plurality of video provider elements comprises a plurality of interactive application processes and the video provider element coupled to the subscriber is one of said plurality of interactive application processes.

25. The cable distribution system of claim 21 comprising an rf combiner connected to a source of broadcast channels and to said switch for combining the broadcast channels with each of the plurality of carrier frequencies for delivery to each of the respective transmission means in said plurality of transmission means.