Method of broadcasting controlling data streams and apparatus for receiving the same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. For use with a broadcast communication system for delivering a plurality of channels to a plurality of remote users, a remote receiving apparatus comprising:
- an output port;
a first antenna receiving element for receiving information from the broadcast communication system;
a logic circuit coupled to the first antenna receiving element and having an associated memory and an associated tuner, the tuner being adapted to select a tuned channel from the plurality of channels, the logic circuit receiving a viewer-channel-to-broadcast-channel (VCBC) map and storing the VCBC map in the memory, the VCBC map mapping a first controlling data stream to a first one of the plurality of channels and a second controlling data stream to a second one of the plurality of channels, wherein, when the tuner selects the first one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the first controlling data stream to the output port and, when the tuner selects the second one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the second controlling data stream to the output port, the second controlling data stream being structured to direct performance of a non-tuning operation.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of broadcasting controlling data streams and remote receiving apparatus for using the same are disclosed. A viewer-channel-to-broadcast channel (VCBC) map is employed to map one or more controlling data streams to one or more channels. The VCBC map is stored in memory. When a user tunes to a channel, the VCBC map is checked to determine if a controlling data stream is associated with the tuned channel. The VCBC map is periodically updated and broadcasted.
61 Citations
143 Claims
-
1. For use with a broadcast communication system for delivering a plurality of channels to a plurality of remote users, a remote receiving apparatus comprising:
-
an output port;
a first antenna receiving element for receiving information from the broadcast communication system;
a logic circuit coupled to the first antenna receiving element and having an associated memory and an associated tuner, the tuner being adapted to select a tuned channel from the plurality of channels, the logic circuit receiving a viewer-channel-to-broadcast-channel (VCBC) map and storing the VCBC map in the memory, the VCBC map mapping a first controlling data stream to a first one of the plurality of channels and a second controlling data stream to a second one of the plurality of channels, wherein, when the tuner selects the first one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the first controlling data stream to the output port and, when the tuner selects the second one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the second controlling data stream to the output port, the second controlling data stream being structured to direct performance of a non-tuning operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. For use with a broadcast communication system for delivering a plurality of channels to a plurality of remote users, a remote receiving apparatus comprising:
-
an output port;
first antenna receiving element for receiving information from the broadcast communication system;
a logic circuit coupled to the first antenna receiving element and having an associated memory and an associated tuner, the tuner being adapted to select a tuned channel from the plurality of channels, the logic circuit receiving a viewer-channel-to-broadcast-channel (VCBC) map and storing the VCBC map in the memory, the VCBC map mapping a first controlling data stream to a first one of the plurality of channels and a second controlling data stream to a second one of the plurality of channels, wherein, when the tuner selects the first one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the first controlling data stream to the output port and, when the tuner selects the second one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the second controlling data stream to the output port, wherein the VCBC map stores controlling data streams for less than all of the channels wherein at least one of the controlling data streams is adapted to effect a non-tuning operation. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. For use with a broadcast communication system for delivering a plurality of channels to a plurality of remote users, a remote receiving apparatus comprising:
-
an output port;
a first antenna receiving element for receiving information from the broadcast communication system;
a logic circuit coupled to the first antenna receiving element and having an associated memory and an associated tuner, the tuner being adapted to select a tuned channel from the plurality of channels, the logic circuit receiving a viewer-channel-to-broadcast-channel (VCBC) map and storing the VCBC map in the memory, the VCBC map mapping a first controlling data stream to a first one of the plurality of channels and a second controlling data stream to a second one of the plurality of channels, wherein, when the tuner select the first one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the first controlling data stream to the output port and, when the tuner selects the second one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the second controlling data stream to the output port; and
a first signal processing apparatus coupled to the output port and having at least two modes of operation, the first signal processing apparatus manipulating the information in a different manner to produce a different output in a first mode than in a second mode of operation;
wherein, when the tuner selects the first one of the channels, the first controlling data stream selects the mode of operation for the first signal processing apparatus.- View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
-
-
54. For use with a broadcast communication system for delivering a plurality of channels to a plurality of remote users, at least one of the remote users having a signal processing device a remote receiving apparatus comprising:
-
an output port for operatively connecting the signal processing device to the remote receiving apparatus;
a first antenna receiving element for receiving information from the broadcast communication system;
a logic circuit coupled to the first antenna receiving element and having an associated memory and an associated tuner, the tuner being adapted to select a tuned channel from the plurality of channels, the logic circuit receiving a viewer-channel-to-broadcast-channel (VCBC) map and storing the VCBC map in the memory, the VCBC map mapping a first controlling data stream to a first one of the plurality of channels and a second controlling data stream to a second one of the plurality of channels, wherein, when the tuner selects the first one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the first controlling data stream to the output port to cause the signal processing apparatus to perform a first non-tuning operation, and, when the tuner selects the second one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the second controlling data stream to the output port to cause the signal processing apparatus to perform a second non-tuning operation which is different from the first non-tuning operation; and
a switching device coupled to the output port, a first input port in communication with the first antenna receiving element, and a second input port in communication with a second antenna receiving element, the switching device being adapted to switch between a first configuration wherein the first input port is coupled to the output port and a second configuration wherein the second input port is coupled to the output port, the switching device being responsive to the first controlling data stream to switch from the first configuration to the second configuration. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
-
-
69. For use with a broadcast communication system for delivering a plurality of channels to a plurality of remote users, a remote receiving apparatus comprising:
-
first and second output ports;
a first antenna receiving element for receiving information from the broadcast communication system;
a logic circuit coupled to the first antenna receiving element and having an associated memory and an associated tuner, the tuner being adapted to select a tuned channel from the plurality of channels, the logic circuit receiving a viewer-channel-to-broadcast-channel (VCBC) map and storing the VCBC map in the memory, the VCBC map mapping a first controlling data stream to a first one of the plurality of channels and a second controlling data stream to a second one of the plurality of channels, wherein, when the tuner selects the first one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the first controlling data stream to at least one of the first and second output ports and, when the tuner selects the second one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the second controlling data stream to at least one of the first and second output ports;
a switching device coupled to the first and second output ports; and
first and second signal processing apparatus coupled to the first and second output ports, the switching device being responsive to the first controlling data stream to route a first portion of a signal received on the tuned channel to a first selected one of the first and second signal processing apparatus and a second portion of the signal to a second selected one of the first and second signal processing apparatus, the second portion being different from the first portion wherein at least one of the controlling data streams is adapted to effect a non-tuning operations. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71)
-
-
72. For use with a broadcast communication system for delivering a plurality of channels to a plurality of remote users, a remote receiving apparatus comprising:
-
an output port;
a first antenna receiving element for receiving information from the broadcast communication system;
a logic circuit coupled to the first antenna receiving element and having an associated memory and an associated tuner, the tuner being adapted to select a tuned channel from the plurality of channels, the logic circuit receiving a viewer-channel-to-broadcast-channel (VCBC) map and storing the VCBC map in the memory, the VCBC map mapping a first controlling data stream to a first one of the plurality of channels and a second controlling data stream to a second one of the plurality of channels, wherein, when the tuner selects the first one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the first controlling data stream to the output port and, when the tuner selects the second one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the second controlling data stream to the output port;
a switching device coupled to the output port;
a first inputn port in communication with the first antenna receiving element; and
a second input port in communication with a second antenna receiving element, the switching device being adapted to switch between a first configuration wherein the first input port is coupled to the output port and a second configuration wherein the second input port is coupled to the output port, the switching device being responsive to a third controlling data stream received via the first antenna receiving element to switch from the first configuration to the second configuration, wherein the first controlling data stream instructs the switching device to switch from the first configuration to the second configuration at a predefined time wherein at least one of the controlling data streams is adapted to effect a non-tuning operation. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85)
-
-
86. For use with a broadcast communication system for delivering a plurality of channels to a plurality of remote users, a remote receiving apparatus comprising:
-
an output port;
a first antenna receiving element for receiving information from the broadcast communication system;
a logic circuit coupled to the first antenna receiving element and having an associated memory and an associated tuner, the tuner being adapted to select a tuned channel from the plurality of channels, the logic circuit receiving a viewer-channel-to-broadcast-channel (VCBC) map and storing the VCBC map in the memory, the VCBC map mapping a first controlling data stream to a first one of the plurality of channels and a second controlling data stream to a second one of the plurality of channels, wherein, when the tuner selects the first one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the first controlling data stream to the output port and, when the tuner selects the second one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the second controlling data stream to the output port, wherein the first controlling data stream is adapted to effect the operation of a first predetermined model of a predetermined type of a plurality of remote receiving apparatus differently than a second predetermined model of the predetermined type of the plurality of remote receiving apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114)
-
-
115. For use with a broadcast communication system for delivering a plurality of channels to a plurality of remote users, a remote receiving apparatus comprising:
-
an output port;
a first antenna receiving element for receiving information from the broadcast communication system;
a logic circuit coupled to the first antenna receiving element and having an associated memory and an associated tuner, the tuner being adapted to select a tuned channel from the plurality of channels, the logic circuit receiving a viewer-channel-to-broadcast-channel (VCBC) map and storing the VCBC map in the memory, the VCBC map mapping a first controlling data stream to a first one of the plurality of channels and a second controlling data stream to a second one of the plurality of channels, wherein, when the tuner selects the first one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the first controlling data stream to the output port and, when the tuner selects the second one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the second controlling data stream to the output port, wherein the VCBC map stores a first pathname identifying a location of the first controlling data stream in memory, wherein the VCBC map maps the first controlling data stream to at least two of the plurality of channels wherein at least one of the controlling data streams is adapted to effect a non-tuning operations. - View Dependent Claims (116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126)
-
-
127. For use with a broadcast communication system for delivering a plurality of channels to a plurality of remote users, a remote receiving apparatus comprising:
-
an output port;
a first antenna receiving element for receiving information from the broadcast communication system;
a logic circuit coupled to the first antenna receiving element and having an associated memory and an associated tuner, the tuner being adapted to select a tuned channel from the plurality of channels, the logic circuit receiving a viewer-channel-to-broadcast-channel (VCBC) map and storing the VCBC map in the memory, the VCBC map mapping a first controlling data stream to a first one of the plurality of channels and a second controlling data stream to a second one of the plurality of channels, wherein, when the tuner selects the first one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the first controlling data stream to the output port and, when the tuner selects the second one of the channels, the logic circuit addresses the VCBC map and outputs the second controlling data stream to the output port, wherein the logic circuit receives and stores the first and second controlling data streams in the memory, and wherein the VCBC map is broadcasted more frequently than the first and second controlling data streams, wherein the VCBC map maps the first controlling data stream to at least two of the plurality of channels wherein at least one of the controlling data streams is adapted to effect a non-tuning operation. - View Dependent Claims (128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137)
-
-
138. For use with a broadcast communication system for delivering a plurality of channels to a plurality of remote users, a method comprising the steps of:
-
developing a first VCBC map mapping a first controlling data stream structured to direct performance of a non-tuning operation to at least a first one of the plurality of channels and a second controlling data stream structured to direct performance of a non-tuning operation to at least the first one of the plurality of channels; and
broadcasting the first VCBC map, wherein the first VCBC map maps the first and second controlling data streams to the channels for a predefined time period. - View Dependent Claims (139, 140, 141, 142, 143)
developing a second VCBC map mapping a third controlling data stream to at least one of the plurality of channels for a second predefined time period; and
, broadcasting the second VCBC map.
-
-
140. A method as defined in claim 139 wherein the first and third controlling data streams are identical.
-
141. A method as defined in claim 139 wherein the first and third controlling data streams are different.
-
142. A method as defined in claim 139 wherein the second and third controlling data streams are identical.
-
143. A method as defined in claim 139 wherein the second and third controlling data streams are different.
Specification
-
- Resources
Litigation Campaign Assessment
Thank you for your request. You will receive a custom alert email when the Litigation Campaign Assessment is available.
×
-
Current AssigneeHughes Electronics Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
-
Original AssigneeHughes Electronics Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
-
InventorsArsenault, Robert G.
-
Primary Examiner(s)Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
-
Assistant Examiner(s)NATNAEL, PAULOS M
-
Application NumberUS09/130,867Time in Patent Office1,180 DaysField of SearchH04/N.5268, 348/10, 348/12, 348/13, 348/7, 348/584, 348/725, 348/569, 348/705, 348/706, 348/906, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.3, 725/131, 725/132, 725/139, 725/140, 725/63, 725/64, 725/67, 725/68US Class Current348/725CPC Class CodesH04N 21/40 Client devices specifically...H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities t...H04N 21/435 Processing of additional da...H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication c...H04N 21/4586 Content update operation tr...H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or addit...H04N 21/482 End-user interface for prog...H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automati...
