Gateway power synchronization

• US 6,591,423 B1
• Filed: 02/28/2000
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Campbell, Kurt A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shang, Annan Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/514,756
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 725/119, 725/120, 725/80, 725/81, 725/95, 725/96, 725/97, 725/74, 725/78, 725/82, 725/84, 725/85, 725/131, 725/151, 725/141, 348/734, 709/231, 709/232, 709/233, 370/395.41, 370/395.42, 370/437
• US Class Current: 725/119
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/10 Current supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• 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 21/4432 Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server resetting in general G06F1/14; program loading or initiating in general G06F9/445; bootstrapping in general G06F9/4401; secure boots of computer platforms G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A system for receiving network video includes a remote control with a power control input. A video receiver, controlled by the remote control, powers up or powers down based on a control signal indicating activation of the power control input. The video receiver receives video signals from a gateway or gateway source connected to the video network. The gateway decodes signals received from the network into a format acceptable by the receiver. If the gateway receives a control signal from the remote control indicating activation of the power control input and the gateway is currently in the “on” state, the gateway toggles to the “off” state and outputs a predefined channel to the receiver.

Claims

1. A system for receiving networked video comprising:

at least one remote control transmitting a control signal indicating which of a plurality of controls was activated, the plurality of controls including a power control input;

a video receiver controlled by the remote control, the video receiver operative to receive video signals in a video format, the video receiver further operative to power up or power down based on the received control signal indicating activation of the power control input; and

a gateway in communication with the video receiver and a network, the gateway controlled by the remote control, the gateway operative to;

(a) receive signals from the network representing at least one of a plurality of video channels;

(b) decode the signals received from the network into the video format;

(c) receive the control signal transmitted by the remote control;

(d) determine if the received control signal indicates activation of the power control input; and

(e) if the determined control signal indicates activation of the power control signal and if the gateway is currently in an on state, toggle the gateway to an off state and output a predefined channel in the predefined video format to the receiver.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein the predefined channel comprises vertical blanking interval (VBI) information.

3. A system as in claim 1 wherein the gateway includes a timer operative to turn the gateway to an on state for a predetermined period of time.

4. A system as in claim 1 wherein the predefined channel comprises emergency alert system (EAS) information.

5. A system as in claim 1 wherein the predefined channel comprises channel content information.

6. A system as in claim 1 wherein the gateway comprises MPEG decode circuitry to decode the signals received from the network into the predefined video format.

7. A system as in claim 1 wherein the gateway comprises at least one gateway source, each gateway source receiving control signals from at least one remote control.

8. A system as in claim 1 wherein the power control input is a button, the remote control transmitting a control signal indicating activation of the power control input each time the button is asserted.

9. A method for power synchronization between a networked gateway and at least one video receiver in communication with the gateway, the gateway and each video receiver controlled by a remote control having a plurality of control inputs, the plurality of control inputs including a power control input, the method comprising:

receiving a signal from the remote control indicating that a control input was activated;

determining if the activated control input was the power control input;

determining if the gateway is in an on state;

changing the gateway to an off state if the activated control input was the power control input and if the gateway is in an on state; and

transmitting a predefined channel to the at least one video receiver if the activated control input was the power control input and if the gateway is in the off state.

10. A method as in claim 9 further comprising extracting vertical blanking interval (VBI) information from the predefined channel.

11. A method as in claim 9 further comprising turning the gateway to an on state for a predetermined period of time at regular intervals.

12. A method as in claim 9 further comprising extracting emergency alert system (EAS) information from the predefined channel.

13. A method as in claim 9 wherein the gateway decodes a plurality of channels, the method further comprising extracting content information about the plurality of channels from the predefined channel.

14. A method as in claim 9 wherein decoding the predefined channel comprises MPEG decoding.

15. A method for reducing bandwidth utilization in a video distribution network, the video distribution network including a plurality of customer sites, each site having at least one receiver in communication with a gateway, each gateway decoding at least one requested channel to produce video signals for use by the at least one receiver, each gateway in communication with a distribution center, the distribution center receiving requested channels over a distribution line, wherein the bandwidth of the distribution line is reduced by switching each gateway to a predefined channel when the at least one receiver in communication with the gateway is turned off.

16. A method as in claim 15 further comprising extracting vertical blanking interval (VBI) information from the predefined channel in each gateway.

17. A method as in claim 15 further comprising turning the gateway to at least one predefined channel for a predetermined amount of time at regular intervals.

18. A method as in claim 15 further comprising extracting emergency alert system (EAS) information from the predefined channel in each gateway.

19. A method as in claim 15 further comprising extracting content information from the predefined channel about requestable channels in each gateway.

20. A method as in claim 15 wherein decoding at least one requested channel comprises MPEG decoding.

21. A method as in claim 15, each gateway including at least one gateway source, each gateway source operative to supply at least one receiver with video signals, wherein switching each gateway to a predefined channel when the at least one receiver in communication with the gateway is turned off comprises switching off the gateway source supplying the at least one receiver.