Satellite communications system

• US 5,909,439 A
• Filed: 05/29/1996
• Issued: 06/01/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Miyoshi, Kazuyoshi, Udaka, Takao, Kuwabara, Toru, Nakazawa, Norihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, DANG T
• Application Number:
  US08/657,468
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 370/389, 370/395, 370/310, 370/312, 370/313, 370/314, 370/316, 370/321, 370/324, 370/325, 370/326, 370/327, 370/329, 370/336, 370/341, 370/337, 370/347, 370/345, 370/346 , 370/349, 370/376, 370/375, 370/392, 370/442, 370/443, 370/449, 370/458, 370/462, 370/465, 370/466, 370/467, 370/470, 370/471, 370/472, 370/475, 370/486, 370/485 , 370/493, 370/498, 455/12.1, 455/13.2, 455/13.3, 455/15, 379/92.01, 340/825.08, 348/7, 348/10, 348/12, 348/6
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18526 Arrangements for data linking, networking or transporting, or for controlling an end to end session data switching networks H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18582 Arrangements for data linking, i.e. for data framing, for error recovery, for multiple access
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/74 of satellite networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/76 Wired systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/30 characterised by the use of a return channel, e.g. for collecting users' opinions, for returning broadcast space/time information or for requesting data
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/37 via a different channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/06 Arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/63 for services of sales data processing systems or methods specially adapted for electronic commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/81 characterised by the transmission system itself
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2353 specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23617 by inserting additional data into a data carousel, e.g. inserting software modules into a DVB carousel arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2408 Monitoring of the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. client requests monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/434 : Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream demultiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4349 : by extracting from data carousels, e.g. extraction of software modules from a DVB carousel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4351 : involving reassembling additional data, e.g. rebuilding an executable program from recovered modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 : Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 : involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6193 : involving transmission via a satellite arrangements for data linking, networking or transporting, or for controlling an end to end session in a satellite broadcast system H04B7/18526
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 : Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6583 : Acknowledgement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 : in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

To realize a system which can efficiently use a satellite communications or broadcasting channel and simply realize modes suitable for applications such as shopping, wherein the system also has a large-scale subscription. A system was configured wherein for information sent from a satellite the header of a packet is deemed as an information identifier based on the content of the information, or alternatively information having a receiving terminal identifier provided beforehand to the receiving terminal is combined with information having an information identifier based on the content of the information.

Claims

1. A satellite communications or broadcasting system for transmitting information sent from an information center to a satellite signal receiving terminal via a satellite communications or broadcasting channel, wherein

the information center includes

a content identifier allocating means for allocating a content identifier to the information to be transmitted based upon the content of that information, and for creating B mode information;

a receiving terminal identifier allocating means for allocating a receiving terminal identifier to information requested from the information center by the satellite signal receiving terminal showing a satellite signal receiving terminal to which that information is to be transmitted, and for creating P mode information; and

a transmitting means for combining B mode information and P mode information and transmitting them via a satellite communications or broadcasting channel; and

the satellite signal receiving terminal includes

a B mode selective receiving means for receiving only information designated by the terminal itself based upon the content identifier included in the transmitted B mode information;

a P mode selective receiving means for receiving only information designated by the terminal itself based upon the content identifier included in the transmitted P mode information.

3. A satellite communications or broadcasting system according to claim 1, wherein

the information center includes

a counting means for counting the number of requests of P mode information carried out by the satellite signal receiving terminal;

and

the transmitting means includes

a determining means for determining a combining ratio for the B mode information and the P mode information based on the number of requests counted by the counting means;

transmitting means for combining the B mode information and the P mode information according to the combining ratio determined by the determining means and transmitting them via said satellite communications or broadcasting channel.

4. A satellite communications or broadcasting system according to claim 1, wherein

the information center includes

a cyclical transmitting means for repeatedly transmitting the B mode information in part or in whole.

5. A satellite communications or broadcasting system according to claim 1, wherein

the information center includes

a combined frame creating means for creating a combined frame in which the B mode information and the P mode information have been combined;

and

the transmitting means transmits the combined frame.

6. A satellite communications or broadcasting system according to claim 1, wherein

the information center includes

a B mode frame creating means for creating a B mode frame including only the B mode information;

and

a P mode frame creating means for creating a P mode frame including only the P mode information ; and

the transmitting means combines and transmits the B mode frame and the P mode frame.

7. A satellite communications or broadcasting system according to claim 1, wherein

the information center includes

a B mode program creating means for supplying only the B mode information to a designated program and creating a program including only B mode information;

and

a P mode program creating means for supplying only the P mode information to another designated program and creating a program including only P mode information; and

the transmitting means combines and transmits the B mode program and the P mode program.

2. A satellite signal receiving terminal for receiving B mode information having a content identifier allocated based upon the content of the information and P mode information having an receiving terminal identifier allocated to show the satellite signal receiving terminal to which the information is to be transmitted from an information center via a satellite communications or broadcasting channel, wherein

the satellite signal receiving terminal includes

a B mode selective receiving means for receiving only information designated by the terminal itself based upon the content identifier included in the transmitted B mode information;

a P mode selective receiving means for receiving only information designated by the terminal itself based upon the content identifier included in the transmitted P mode information; and

the satellite signal receiving terminal dispenses a service by chronological combining of the B mode information and the P mode information.

10. A satellite signal receiving terminal according to claim 2, characterized in that it includes

a display means for executing a display to the effect that the P mode information is being received when the P mode selective receiving means is receiving the P mode information.

8. A satellite communications or broadcasting system for transmitting information sent from an information center to a satellite signal receiving terminal via a satellite communications or broadcasting channel, wherein

the satellite signal receiving terminal includes

a requesting means for requesting the information center via a ground circuit to the effect that the satellite signal receiving terminal wants to receive the information;

a judging means for judging whether or not P mode information transmitted from the information center is information transmitted to the terminal itself based on the receiving terminal identifier included in the P mode information; and

the information center includes

a delivering means for delivering a designated receiving terminal identifier to the satellite signal receiving terminal via a ground circuit in response to a request in a case where there has been a request from the satellite signal receiving terminal,

a receiving terminal identifier allocating means for allocating the delivered receiving terminal identifier to a designated information and for creating P mode information; and

a transmitting means for transmitting the P mode information via said satellite communications or broadcasting channel.

9. A satellite communications or broadcasting system for transmitting information sent from an information center to a satellite signal receiving terminal via a satellite communications or broadcasting channel, wherein

the information center includes

a content identifier allocating means for allocating a content identifier to the information to be transmitted based upon the content of that information, and for creating B mode information;

a content region identifier allocating means for allocating an identifier to information to be transmitted based on a region identifier showing the region to which the information is to be transmitted and on a content identifier of that information, and for creating A mode information;

a receiving terminal identifier allocating means for allocating a receiving terminal identifier to information requested to the information center by the satellite signal receiving terminal showing a satellite signal receiving terminal to which that information is to be transmitted, and for creating P mode information;

a transmitting means for combining and transmitting the B mode information and the A mode information and the P mode information via said satellite communications or broadcasting channel; and

the satellite signal receiving terminal includes

a B mode selective receiving means for receiving only information which is desired by the terminal itself based on the content identifier included in the transmitted B mode information,

an A mode selective receiving means for receiving only the information which includes the region identifier showing the region in which the terminal itself is positioned based on the region identifier included in the transmitted A mode information; and

a P mode selective receiving means for receiving only the information which has been transmitted to the terminal itself based on the receiving terminal identifier included in the transmitted P mode information.