Method and apparatus for providing television signals to multiple viewing systems on a network
First Claim
1. A device for providing television signals to a plurality of viewing systems on a network, the device comprising:
- a connection to receive a plurality of television channels from outside the network;
a plurality of tuners, a different tuner assigned to each of the viewing systems;
a plurality of modulators; and
control circuitry configured to receive a request for one of the plurality of television channels, the request associated with one of the viewing systems, and to respond to the request by causing the tuner assigned to said one of the viewing systems to demodulate the requested television channel and by causing one of the modulators to remodulate the demodulated television channel onto one of a plurality of network RF channels, the control circuitry including a first mapping unit to assign one of the television channels to one of the tuners and one of the modulators, and a second mapping unit to map an output of said one of the modulators to said one of the network RF channels.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for enabling multiple users to concurrently access a PC-based server in a home local area network using conventional TVs as display devices. A client system includes a TV, conventional input devices, such as a keyboard and a mouse, and a set top box for interfacing the TV to the network. The server maintains a system work area and multiple processes corresponding to user applications. The system work area is partitioned in the server into multiple independent, simultaneously active desktops, one desktop for each of the client systems. Individual processes are mapped to the appropriate desktop. Multiple frame buffers are maintained in the server, such that a different frame buffer is assigned to each client system. Each desktop is rendered within the server and stored in the corresponding frame buffer. The contents of each frame buffer are transmitted over a transmission medium to the set top box of the corresponding client system. Desktop display data is provided by the set top box to the corresponding TV for display to a user.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A device for providing television signals to a plurality of viewing systems on a network, the device comprising:
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a connection to receive a plurality of television channels from outside the network;
a plurality of tuners, a different tuner assigned to each of the viewing systems;
a plurality of modulators; and
control circuitry configured to receive a request for one of the plurality of television channels, the request associated with one of the viewing systems, and to respond to the request by causing the tuner assigned to said one of the viewing systems to demodulate the requested television channel and by causing one of the modulators to remodulate the demodulated television channel onto one of a plurality of network RF channels, the control circuitry including a first mapping unit to assign one of the television channels to one of the tuners and one of the modulators, and a second mapping unit to map an output of said one of the modulators to said one of the network RF channels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A server for providing television signals to a plurality of client systems on a local network, the device comprising:
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a connection to receive a plurality of television channels from outside the local network;
a plurality of tuners to demodulate television channels;
a plurality of modulators to modulate television channels;
a controller configured to receive a request for one of the television channels from one of the client systems and to respond to the request by causing a corresponding one of the tuners to demodulate the requested television channel and by causing a corresponding one of the modulators to remodulate the demodulated television channel onto the local network, the controller including a first mapping unit to assign the requested one of the television channels to said corresponding one of the tuners and said corresponding one of the modulators, and a second mapping unit to map an output of said corresponding one of the modulators to one of a plurality of channels on the local network. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A channel server for providing a plurality of television channels to a plurality of client systems in a local area network, the channel server comprising:
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a plurality of tuners coupled to receive the plurality of television channels from outside the network;
a plurality of modulators, each of the modulators receiving an output of one of the tuners;
a controller to control the tuners and the modulators, the controller configured to receive a request for a television channel from one of the client systems in the network and, in response to the request, to cause one of the tuners to demodulate the requested television channel, and to cause the associated modulator to remodulate the requested television channel onto the network at an RF channel assigned to the client system, the controller including a first mapping unit to assign one of the television channels to one of the tuners and one of the modulators, and a second mapping unit to map an output of said associated modulator to said RF channel, wherein a different RF channel is assigned to each of the client systems. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A channel server for receiving a plurality of television channels and for providing the television channels to a plurality of client systems on a local area network, the channel server comprising:
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a plurality of television tuners;
a plurality of modulators, each of the modulators coupled to receive an output of one of the tuners;
a channel allocation unit to assign one of a plurality of network radio frequency (RF) channels to one of the client systems in response to a channel assignment request;
a first mapping unit to assign one of the television channels to one of the tuners and one of the modulators;
a second mapping unit to map an output of said one of the modulators to said one of the network RF channels;
a signal allocation unit to assign one of the television channels to one of the tuners in response to a request from one of the client systems for one of the television channels, the signal allocation unit further to control the first and second mapping units; and
a communication interface to transmit the output of said one of the modulators onto the local area network the on the assigned one of the network RF channels.
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25. A method of providing television signals to a local area network, the local area network having a plurality of client systems, the method comprising:
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assigning each of a plurality of tuners to a different one of the client systems;
assigning each of a plurality of modulators to a different one of the client systems;
receiving a plurality of television channels from outside the network;
receiving a request for one of the television channels from one of the client systems;
mapping the requested television channel to one of the tuners and one of the modulators assigned to said one of the client systems, and in response to the request, using the tuner assigned to said one of the client systems to tune to the requested television channel;
mapping an output of the modulator assigned to the client system to one of a plurality of network RF channels, the output representing the requested television channel; and
transmitting a signal representing the requested television channel to said one of the client systems on said one of the network RF channels over the local area network using the modulator assigned to said one of the client systems. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
receiving user input specifying which of the plurality of television channels may be provided to said one of the client systems; and
referencing the requested channel against the user inputs, wherein transmitting the requested channel onto the network comprises transmitting the requested channel onto the network only if the user inputs indicate that said one of the client systems may access the requested channel.
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Specification