High bandwidth broadcast system having localized multicast access to broadcast content

• US 6,266,339 B1
• Filed: 05/13/1999
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tumbleweed Holdings LLC (Equitable IP Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Starguide Digital Networks Incorporated (Extreme Reach, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fish, Laurence A., Roberts, Roswell R. III, Lerner, Ian A., Dankworth, Jeffrey A., Donahue, Paul W., Ballister, Thomas C., Hinderks, Larry W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOM, SHICK C
• Application Number:
  US09/311,662
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 370/259, 370/384, 370/385, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/465, 370/443, 370/352, 370/421, 370/432, 370/486, 379/16, 379/27, 379/201, 379/265, 379/90.01, 379/207, 395/200.31, 395/200.33, 395/200.47, 395/200.48, 395/200.49, 395/200.5, 348/6, 348/10, 348/12, 348/13
• US Class Current: 370/432
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18595 Arrangements for adapting broadband applications to satellite systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1836 with heterogeneous network architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1854 with non-centralised forwarding system, e.g. chaincast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/604 Address structures or formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/201 Multicast operation; Broadcast operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/351 for local area network [LAN], e.g. Ethernet switches
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/602 Multilayer or multiprotocol switching, e.g. IP switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5046 Resolving address allocation conflicts; Testing of addresses testing when self-assigning an address H04L61/5092
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5069 for group communication, multicast communication or broadcast communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

A method of multicasting digital data to a user accessing an Internet connection is disclosed. The method includes placing digital data that is to the multicast in IP protocol to generate IP digital data. The IP digital data is transmitted from a transmission site to a remote Internet point of presence through a dedicated transmission channel substantially separate from Internet backbone. The dedicated transmission channel may be, for example, a satellite channel. At the remote Internet point of presence, the IP digital data is multicast for delivery to at least one receiving Internet user'"'"'s apparatus connected to but distal from the remote Internet point of presence.

Claims

1. A method of multicasting multimedia information including at least video content to user apparatus accessing the Internet through a remote Internet point of presence, the method comprising the steps of:

a. placing the multimedia information in an IP protocol to generate IP multicast multimedia information;

b. transmitting the IP multicast multimedia information to the remote Internet point of presence through one or more one-way reserved transmission bandwidth portions separate from one or more two-way Internet traffic bandwidth portions;

wherein the multimedia information includes a plurality of video channels and wherein said video channels are allocated to one or more reserved channel-sufficient portions of said one or more one-way transmission bandwidth portions, whereby each of said video channels is multicast to the remote Internet point of presence without interruption due to a separate video channel being transmitted through said one or more one-way transmission bandwidth portions.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the method also includes step (c):

transmitting additional IP protocol information to the remote Internet point of presence through two-way Internet traffic bandwidth for forwarding of both the IP multicast multimedia information and the additional IP protocol information to the user apparatus through a two-way connection between the remote Internet point of presence and the user apparatus.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein at least one user apparatus has a video display and simultaneously displays video provided by the IP multicast multimedia information and viewable image information provided by the additional IP protocol information.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the viewable image information includes at least a portion of an interactive web page, whereby a user may interact with the viewable information to maneuver through at least a portion of an Internet backbone.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more one-way reserved transmission bandwidth portions are included in a transmission connection independent of an Internet backbone segment.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the one or more one-way reserved transmission bandwidth portions are included in a transmission connection independent of an Internet backbone.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the one or more one-way reserved transmission bandwidth portions include wireless bandwidth.

8. A method of bypassing an Internet backbone and multicasting digital data, including at least video data, through a remote Internet point of presence from which remote, distal user apparatus receive Internet content, the method comprising the steps of:

a. placing the digital data in an multicasting protocol to generate multicast data;

b. streaming the multicast data, substantially comprising one-way data flow, from a transmission site to the remote Internet point of presence through one or more reserved bandwidth portions bypassing the Internet backbone and substantially reserved to the streaming multicast data and associated information;

wherein the video data includes a plurality of video channels and wherein said video channels are allocated to one or more reserved channel-sufficient portions of the one or more reserved bandwidth portions, whereby each of said video channels is multicast to the remote Internet point of presence without interruption due to another video channel being transmitted through said one or more reserved bandwidth portions.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the method also includes step (c):

transmitting additional IP protocol data to the remote Internet point of presence through one or more additional bandwidth portions for forwarding of both the multicast data and the additional IP protocol data to the remote user apparatus through TCP/IP connections between the remote point of presence and the remote user apparatus.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein a plurality of user apparatus each have a video display that simultaneously displays video provided by the multicast data and other viewable image information provided by the additional IP protocol data.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the viewable image information includes at least a portion of an interactive web page, whereby a user may interact with the viewable information to maneuver through at least a portion of an Internet backbone.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the one or more reserved bandwidth portions include satellite bandwidth.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the one or more reserved bandwidth portions include wireless bandwidth.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the one or more reserved bandwidth portions include satellite bandwidth.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the one or more reserved bandwidth portions include satellite bandwidth.

16. A method of multicasting digital data, including at least video digital data, separate from an Internet backbone to user apparatus accessing an Internet connection, the method comprising the steps of:

a. placing the digital data in an multicasting protocol to generate multicast data;

b. streaming the multicast data, substantially comprising one-way data flow, from a transmission site to a remote Internet point of presence through one or more portions of bandwidth bypassing Internet backbone and substantially dedicated to the streaming multicast data and associated information; and

c. multicasting at least a portion of the multicast data from the remote Internet point of presence for delivery to at least one receiving Internet user'"'"'s apparatus distal from the remote Internet point of presence;

wherein the video digital data includes a plurality of video channels and wherein said video channels are allocated to one or more reserved channel-sufficient portions of the one or more portions of bandwidth, whereby each video channel is multicast to the remote Internet point of presence without interruption due to another video channel being transmitted through said one or more portions of bandwidth.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said receiving Internet user'"'"'s apparatus each include a video display that simultaneously displays video provided by the multicast data and other viewable image information provided to the user'"'"'s apparatus by the remote Internet point of presence.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the viewable image information includes at least a portion of an interactive web page, whereby a user may interact with the viewable image information to maneuver through at least a portion of the Internet backbone.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the one or more portions of bandwidth include satellite bandwidth.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the one or more portions of bandwidth include satellite bandwidth.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the one or more portions of bandwidth include satellite bandwidth.

22. A method of distributing content to Internet user apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

a. transmitting IP protocol content available to Internet user apparatus through two-way IP protocol bandwidth; and

b. simultaneously streaming multicast content to Internet user apparatus through one or more one-way reserved bandwidth portions bypassing the two-way IP protocol bandwidth for reception by the Internet user apparatus in conjunction with the IP protocol content;

wherein the multicast content includes a plurality of video channels and said video channels are allocated to one or more channel-sufficient portions of the one or more one-way reserved bandwidth portions, whereby each video channel is mulitcast without interruption due to any other video channel being transmitted through said one or more reserved one-way bandwidth portions.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein each of the one or more one-way bandwidth portions utilizes a connection independent of said two-way IP protocol Internet bandwidth.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein said two-way IP protocol Internet bandwidth includes an Internet backbone segment.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein said two-way IP protocol Internet bandwidth includes an Internet backbone segment.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the Internet user apparatus includes a video display which simultaneously displays video provided by the multicast content and additional viewable image information provided by the IP protocol content.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the viewable image information includes at least a portion of an interactive web page, whereby a user may interact with the viewable information to maneuver through Internet web sites.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein the one or more one-way reserved bandwidth portions include satellite bandwidth.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein the one or more one-way reserved bandwidth portions include satellite bandwidth.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein the one or more one-way reserved bandwidth portions include wireless bandwidth.

31. A method of delivery of at least video content to remote user computing apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

a. placing at least the video content in a multicasting protocol to generate video multicast content;

b. streaming the video multicast content, substantially comprising one-way data flow, to a local point of presence through one or more transmission bandwidth portions substantially reserved for the video multicast content and bypassing Internet backbone traffic for subsequent distribution to the remote user computing apparatus;

wherein the video content includes a plurality of video channels and wherein said video channels are allocated one or more channel-sufficient segments of the one or more transmission bandwidth portions, whereby each of said video channels is streamed to the local point of presence without substantial interruption due to a separate video channel being transmitted through the one or more transmission bandwidth portions.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the one or more transmission bandwidth portions include satellite bandwidth.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the method also includes the step of transmitting additional Internet protocol information through TCP/IP Internet bandwidth portions for forwarding of both the video content and the additional Internet protocol information to the remote user computing apparatus.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein the method also includes the step of transmitting additional Internet protocol information through TCP/IP Internet bandwidth portions for forwarding of both the video content and the additional Internet protocol information to the remote user computing apparatus.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein a plurality of user computing apparatus each have a video display that simultaneously displays video provided by the video content and additional viewable image information provided by the additional Internet protocol information.

36. The method of claim 31 wherein the one or more transmission bandwidth portions include satellite bandwidth.

37. The method of claim 33 wherein the one or more transmission bandwidth portions include satellite bandwidth.

38. The method of claim 34 wherein the one or more transmission bandwidth portions include wireless bandwidth.

39. The method of claim 35 wherein the one or more transmission bandwidth portions include wireless bandwidth.