System manager and hypertext control interface for interactive cable television system

• US 6,305,020 B1
• Filed: 12/09/1997
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ActiveVideo Networks, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ICTV, Inc.
• Inventors: Nilo, Bruce D., Soske, Joshua W., Hoarty, W. L.
• Primary Examiner(s): GRANT, CHRISTOPHER C
• Application Number:
  US08/987,405
• Time in Patent Office: 1,407 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.7173, H04/N.716, 345/327, 348/7, 348/12, 348/13, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 725/116, 725/117, 725/114, 725/87, 725/91, 725/93, 725/95
• US Class Current: 725/95
• 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 system manager for use with an interactive cable system. The cable system has (i) an information service network for delivering information services to subscriber televisions, (ii) a plurality of home interface controllers, each home interface controller associated with a subscriber television and having a data transceiver operative over a data communications link to the headend, (iii) a plurality of subscriber selection devices, each such device associated with a home interface controller and in communication with the data transceiver thereof, for permitting subscriber interaction, and (iv) a plurality of interactive controllers, disposed at the headend, each interactive controller in assignable television communication over the network with a subscriber television and in data communication with a subscriber selection device. The system manager includes a call set-up server to receive and handle an initial data exchange with a calling home interface controller; a first service allocation server to pass communication and control associated with the calling home interface controller to one of a plurality of first application processors, with each first application processor being one of the interactive controllers, for providing a first information service; and a second service allocation server to pass communication and control associated with a home interface controller seeking a second information service to an available one of a plurality of second application processors, with each second application processor being one of the interactive controllers, to provide the second information service. The call-set up server, first service allocation server, and second service allocation server operate as independent processes.

Claims

1. A system manager for use with an interactive cable system, the cable system having (i) an information service network, for delivering information services to subscriber televisions, (ii) a plurality of home interface controllers, each home interface controller associated with a subscriber television and having a data transceiver operative over a data communications link to the headend, (iii) a plurality of subscriber selection devices, each such device associated with a home interface controller and in communication with the data transceiver thereof, for permitting subscriber interaction, and (iv) a plurality of interactive controllers, disposed at the headend, each interactive controller in assignable television communication over the network with a subscriber television and in data communication with a subscriber selection device, the system manager comprising:

a call set-up server to receive and handle an initial data exchange with a calling home interface controller; and

a first service allocation server to pass communication and control associated with the calling home interface controller to one of a plurality of first application processors, each first application processor being one of the interactive controllers, to provide a first information service;

wherein the call set-up server and the first service allocation server operate as independent processes;

a second service allocation server to pass communication and control associated with a home interface controller seeking a second information service to an available one of a plurality of second application processors, each second application processor being one of the interactive controllers, to provide the second information service;

wherein the second service allocation server operates as an independent process.

2. A system manager according to claim 1, wherein the first service allocation server maintains a list of available first application processors and the second service allocation server maintains a list of available second application processors.

3. A system manager according to claim 1, wherein (1) an interactive controller in assigned television communication with the calling home interface controller causes display on the subscriber television associated with the calling home interface controller of a page having at least one hyperlink to an additional page and (2) selection of such a hyperlink by the selection device associated with the calling home interface controller causes a transfer between one of the first and second service allocation servers to the other of them so as to cause a change in the information service provided to such subscriber television.

4. A system manager according to claim 3, wherein the page and the additional page are created in HTML format.

5. A system manager for use with an interactive cable system, the cable system having (i) an information service network, for delivering information services to subscriber televisions, (ii) a plurality of home interface controllers, each home interface controller associated with a subscriber television and having a data transceiver operative over a data communications link to the headend, (iii) a plurality of subscriber selection devices each Such device associated with a home interface controller and in communication with the data transceiver thereof, for permitting subscriber interaction, and (iv) a plurality of interactive controllers, disposed at the headend, each interactive controller in assignable television communication over the network with a subscriber television and in data communication with a subscriber selection device, the system manager comprising:

a call set-up server to receive and handle an initial data exchange with a calling home interface controller; and

a first service allocation server to pass communication and control associated with the calling home interface controller to one of a plurality of first application processors, each first application processor being one of the interactive controllers, to provide a first information service;

wherein the call set-up server and the first service allocation server operate as independent processes;

wherein the first service allocation server maintains a list of available first application processors.

6. A system manager for use with an interactive cable system,

the cable system having (i) an information service network, for delivering information services to subscriber televisions, (ii) a plurality of home interface controllers, each home interface controller associated with a subscriber television and having a data transceiver operative over a data communications link to the headend, (iii) a plurality of subscriber selection devices, each such device associated with a home interface controller and in communication with the data transceiver thereof, for permitting subscriber interaction, and (iv) a plurality of interactive controllers, disposed at the headend, each interactive controller in assignable television communication over the network with a subscriber television and in data communication with the home interface controller associated with the subscriber television,

the system manager comprising:

a first service allocation server to pass communication and control associated with a calling home interface controller to one of a plurality of first application processors, each application processor being one of the interactive controllers, to provide a first information service;

a second service allocation server to pass communication and control associated with a home interface controller seeking a second information service to an available one of a plurality of second application processors, each second application processor being one of the interactive controllers, to provide the second information service;

each of the first and second service allocation servers operating as an independent process.

7. A system manager according to claim 6,

wherein (1) an interactive controller in assigned television communication with the calling home interface controller causes display on the subscriber television associated with the calling home interface controller of a page having at least one hyperlink to an additional page and (2) selection of such a hyperlink by the selection device associated with the calling home interface controller causes a hand-off between one of the first and second service allocation servers to the other of them so as to cause a change in the information service provided to such subscriber television.

8. A system manager according to claim 7, wherein the page and the additional page are created in HTML format.

9. A system manager for use with an interactive cable system,

the cable system having (i) an information service network, for delivering information services to subscriber televisions, (ii) a plurality of home interface controllers, each home interface controller associated with a subscriber television and having a data communications link to the headend, (iii) a plurality of subscriber selection devices, each such device associated with a home interface controller, for permitting subscriber interaction, and (iv) a plurality of interactive controllers, disposed at the headend, each interactive controller in assignable television communication over the network with a subscriber television,

the system manager comprising:

a first service allocation server to pass communication and control associated with a calling home interface controller to one of a plurality of first application processors, each application processor being one of the interactive controllers, to provide a first information service;

a second service allocation server to pass communication and control associated with a home interface controller seeking a second information service to an available one of a plurality of second application processors, each second application processor being one of the interactive controllers, to provide the second information service;

each of the first and second service allocation servers operating as an independent process;

wherein (1) an interactive controller in assigned television communication with the calling home interface controller causes display on the subscriber television associated with the calling home interface controller of a page having at least one hyperlink to an additional page and (2) selection of such a hyperlink by the selection device associated with the calling home interface controller causes a hand-off between one of the first and second service allocation servers to the other of them so as to cause a change in the information service provided to such subscriber television.

10. A system manager according to claim 9, wherein the page and the additional page are created in HTML format.

11. A system manager for use with an interactive cable system, the cable system having (i) an information service network, for delivering information services to subscriber televisions, (ii) a plurality of home interface controllers, each home interface controller associated with a subscriber television and having a data transceiver, operative over a data communications link to the headend, with a transmitter having a tunable carrier frequency;

(iii) a plurality of subscriber selection devices, each such device associated with a home interface controller and in communication with the data transceiver thereof, for permitting subscriber interaction, and (iv) a plurality of interactive controllers, disposed at the headend, each interactive controller in assignable television communication over the network with a subscriber television and in data communication with a subscriber selection device, the system manager comprising;

a data path manager for maintaining a list of available data channels for upstream communications from a calling home interface controller to the headend and preventing simultaneous use of a channel by more than one home interface controller; and

an assignment system by which the transmitter in the data transceiver of a calling home interface controller is caused to tune to an available channel wherein the assignment system includes an arrangement for the periodic broadcast, from the headend over a downstream portion of the data link to the home interface controllers, identifying available channels, and the home interface controller has a rule for picking one of the available channels for use by the transmitter in the data transceiver of a calling home interface controller.