Network controller for cable television delivery systems

• US 6,160,989 A
• Filed: 10/23/1996
• Issued: 12/12/2000
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, Chris
• Application Number:
  US08/735,552
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 348/6, 348/9, 348/10, 348/11, 348/12, 348/13, 348/7, 348/14, 348/15, 348/16, 348/17, 348/18, 348/1, 348/2, 348/3, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.3
• US Class Current: 725/36
• 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 20/103 Transmitter-side switching
• 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 60/04 Studio equipment; Interconnection of studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/23 using cryptography, e.g. encryption, authentication, key distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 for identifying broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/64 for providing detail information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side
• 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 21/25883 : being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• 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 21/42204 : 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 21/42684 : Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• 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 21/4383 : Accessing a communication channel
• 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 21/458 : Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• 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 21/6405 : Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• 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 21/8586 : 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

A novel network controller for use with a digital cable headend capable of monitoring and controlling set top terminals in a television program delivery system is described. The invention relates to methods and apparatus for a network controller that manages a configuration of set top terminals in a program delivery system. The invention is particularly useful in program delivery systems with hundreds of channels of programming, a menu driven program selection system, and a program control information signal that carries data and identifies available program choices. Specifically, the invention modifies a program control information signal at the cable headend before the modified signal is transmitted to each set top terminal. This signal is used with polling methods to receive upstream data from the set top terminals. The invention initiates such upstream data retrieval, gathers all data received and compiles viewer demographics information and programs watched information. The invention processes this data and information to generate packages of advertisements, as well as account and billing reports, targeted towards each set top terminal. The invention uses upstream data reception hardware, databases and processing hardware and software to accomplish these functions.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing digital program signals to subscriber locations, capable of inserting local availability signals and selecting digital program signals received from outside sources, comprising:

a means for receiving digital program signals;

digital logic circuitry, connected to the receiving means, wherein digital program signals may be inserted and wherein digital programs may be selected;

a processor, operably connected to the digital logic circuitry, wherein insertion of local availability signals are controlled and wherein the selection of digital program signals are controlled; and

means for sending programs, operably connected to the digital logic circuitry, wherein digital program signals are sent to subscriber locations, and wherein digital program signals that have been inserted or selected are sent to subscriber locations.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the digital logic circuitry comprises a combiner, wherein digital program signals are combined.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the digital logic circuitry comprises a local inserter, wherein local availability signals are inserted to be sent to subscriber locations.

4. The apparatus of claim wherein the receiving means comprises an integrated receiver decoder.

5. An apparatus for providing digital program signals to subscriber locations, capable of inserting local availability signals and selecting digital program signals received from outside sources, comprising:

a means for receiving digital program signals;

digital logic circuitry, connected to the receiving means, wherein digital program signals may be inserted and wherein digital programs may be selected;

a processor, operably connected to the digital logic circuitry, wherein insertion of local availability signals are controlled and wherein the selection of digital program signals are controlled;

means for sending programs, operably connected to the digital logic circuitry, wherein digital program signals are sent to subscriber locations, and wherein digital program signals that have been inserted or selected are sent to subscriber locations; and

wherein the sending means comprises a serializer wherein the serializer serializes digital program signals.

6. An apparatus for use in a cable television system using signals having parts that contain data on programs comprising:

an integrated receiver demodulater comprising;

a means for receiving an RF signal;

a means for amplifying the received RF signal, wherein the means for amplifying minimizes the amount of noise amplified;

a means for demodulating the amplified signal;

means for filtering the demodulated signal; and

a means for transmitting the demodulated signal; and

a demultiplexer comprising;

a means for splitting the transmitted signal into component parts wherein each component contains video and audio data on a single program; and

a means for extracting data from the transmitted signal.

7. An apparatus for use in a program delivery system having a plurality of program signals, wherein the apparatus receives directions for local insertion from a remote source, comprising:

a receiver, wherein directions for local insertion from a remote source are received;

a processor, operably connected to the receiver, wherein the directions from the remote source are processed to generate a processed signal;

a local inserter, connected to the processor, wherein local programming is inserted into a program signal using the processed signal from the processor; and

a modulator, wherein a plurality of program signals including the program signal carrying the inserted local programming is modulated; and

wherein the receiver receives selecting directions on a subset of programs from the plurality of programs to be selected from a remote source, the processor processes the selecting directions, and wherein the local inserter comprises;

digital logic, wherein the digital logic selects programs using the processed directions, and wherein the modulator modulates the selected programs.

8. An apparatus for a program signal delivery system wherein digital program signals are used comprising:

a receiver, wherein program signals are received;

a demultiplexor, connected to the receiver, wherein program signals are demultiplexed for processing;

digital logic, connected to the demultiplexer, wherein demultiplexed signals are processed;

a control processing unit, operably connected to the digital logic, wherein the processing of the demultiplexed signals in the digital logic is controlled;

multiplexor, connected to the digital logic, wherein processed signals are multiplexed; and

a modulator, connected to the multiplexer, wherein multiplexed signals are modulated and wherein the modulated signal is forwarded to subscribers.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the processing of signals includes local insertion of program signals.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the processing of signals includes selection of certain demultiplexed signals.

11. An apparatus for use with a network having subscribers that uses two-way communications allowing upstream data transmission from the subscriber comprising:

a two-way communication system comprising

one or more diplex filters, wherein the diplex filters facilitate upstream data transmissions;

a signal processor, operably connected to the two-way communication system, wherein signals are processed before being sent downstream to subscribers;

an RF combiner, connected to the two-way communication system, wherein upstream data transmissions are received front the two-way communication system; and

a network controller, connected to the RF combiner, wherein upstream data transmissions are received from the RF combiner and wherein program control information is used, and the network controller comprises a processing unit, wherein program control information is processed.

12. An apparatus for use with a network having subscribers that uses two-way communications allowing upstream data transmission from the subscriber comprising:

a two-way communication system comprising

one or more diplex filters, wherein the diplex filters facilitate upstream data transmissions;

a signal processor, operably connected to the two-way communication system, wherein signals are processed before being sent downstream to subscribers;

an RF combiner, connected to the two-way communication system, wherein upstream data transmissions are received from the two-way communication system; and

a network controller, connected to the RF combiner, wherein upstream data transmissions are received from the RF combiner and wherein the network controller comprises memory and a processing unit, wherein programs watched information received from the RF combiner is processed by the processing unit and stored in the memory.

13. An apparatus for use with a network having subscribers that uses two-way communications allowing upstream data transmission from the subscriber comprising:

a two-way communication system comprising

one or more diplex filters, wherein the diplex filters facilitate upstream data transmissions;

a signal processor, operably connected to the two-way communication system, wherein signals are processed before being sent downstream to subscribers;

an RF combiner, connected to the two-way communication system, wherein upstream data transmissions are received from the two-way communication system; and

a network controller, connected to the RF combiner, wherein upstream data transmissions are received from the RF combiner and wherein the network controller comprises;

a memory, wherein an interactive game program is stored; and

a processor, operably connected to the memory, wherein the processor executes an interactive game program.

14. A computer system for a network which is capable of controlling video and audio delivery to subscriber locations and other computer network control functions, wherein signal processing equipment is used, comprising:

a network connecting subscriber locations;

a plurality of terminals, connected to the network, to allow subscribers at subscriber locations to access the network;

a processor, connected to the network, wherein the processor generates control signals to control the distribution of video and audio signals to the plurality of terminals located at subscriber locations; and

an interface, connected to the processor, wherein the interface is connected to signal processing equipment; and

wherein subscribers interact with other subscribers on the network and the processor processes subscriber requests to interact with other subscribers and wherein the means to allow subscribers to interact with other subscribers comprises an interactive game, wherein more than one subscriber plays the same game.

15. A network controller for use in a cable system for choosing text overlays, wherein a subscriber may request a text overlay representing the audio associated with the video to a program, wherein a set top terminal transmits the subscriber requests comprising:

a means for receiving subscriber requests;

a processor to identify the subscriber request for text overlays from a plurality of subscriber requests;

a means for choosing the corresponding text overlay from a plurality of text overlays; and

a means for transmitting text overlay to the set top terminal for display.

16. The network controller of claim 15 further comprising:

means for receiving control signals with text overlay;

means for processing the received control signals for text overlay.

17. The network controller of claim 15 wherein programs may have sign language video associated with the program wherein the sign language video is displayed.

18. The network controller of claim 17 wherein the sign language video is transmitted on a separate channel to the subscriber.

19. A system for choosing audio channels, wherein more than one audio channel may exist for a video, comprising:

a signal processor, wherein a plurality of video and audio channels are received, and wherein a received video may have multiple audio channels;

a controller, wherein the controller selects one or more received audio channels, wherein one or more audio channels that correspond to a received video are selected; and

a distribution system, operably connected to the controller, wherein the selected audio channels are distributed and a listener receives one or more audio channels; and

wherein a program control information signal is used by the controller to select one or more received audio channels.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the program control information signal is received by the signal processor, further comprising an interface connecting the signal processor and the controller, wherein the program control information signal is passed between the signal processor and controller using the interface.

21. An apparatus for use in a program delivery system having a plurality of program signals, wherein the apparatus receives directions for local insertion from a remote source, comprising:

a receiver, wherein directions for local insertion from a remote source are received;

a database, containing information on the plurality of programs;

a processor, operably connected to the receiver and database, wherein the directions from the remote source are processed to generate a processed signal;

a local inserter, connected to the processor, wherein local programming is inserted into a digital program signal using the processed signal from the processor; and

a modulator, wherein a plurality of program signals including the program signal carrying the inserted local programming is modulated.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the local programming is advertising and the directions for local insertion are directions for inserting advertisements.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising:

a signal processor, operably connected to the modulator, wherein the signal processor receives a plurality of program signals from the remote source.