Apparatus for delivery of multiple media data streams, and method therefor
First Claim
1. A media server apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of demultiplexers each operable for demultiplexing a data stream formatted in accordance with a first predetermined protocol, each demultiplexer outputting a set of elementary streams each having a format in accordance with a second predetermined protocol, and wherein a first one of said plurality of demultiplexers is operable for receiving said data stream from a first source, and a second one of said plurality operable for receiving said data stream from a second source;
conditional access logic operable for receiving one or more controlled access data streams in said set of elementary streams, said conditional access logic outputting one or more descrambled data streams in response to corresponding ones of said controlled access data streams; and
a multiplexer coupled to said plurality of demultiplexers, said multiplexer operable for receiving one or more demultiplexed streams from each set of demultiplexed streams and said one or more descrambled data streams and outputs a multiplexed data stream having a format in accordance with a third predetermined protocol.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for integrating the delivery of data from a multiplicity of sources to a set of user electronic devices that present audio, video and digital information to the user is implemented. These devices may include conventional television displays, personal computers, and other conventional audio and video equipment. Information may be received from a multiplicity of sources which may include may include digital television via terrestrial or satellite broadcast, terrestrial analog radio, and digital data exchanged via a public network, such as the Internet. The mechanism of the present invention receives the multiplicity of data streams, processes them in accordance with each stream'"'"'s formatting protocols (whether an analog stream, an MPEG Transport Stream, or TCP/IP stream, for example), including any conditional access protocols, and streams the processed data, in multiplexed transport stream to the user'"'"'s presentation devices via a “fat” pipe, such as a FireWire™ bus. A thin client interface decodes the streamed data addressed to its corresponding presentation device.
78 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A media server apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of demultiplexers each operable for demultiplexing a data stream formatted in accordance with a first predetermined protocol, each demultiplexer outputting a set of elementary streams each having a format in accordance with a second predetermined protocol, and wherein a first one of said plurality of demultiplexers is operable for receiving said data stream from a first source, and a second one of said plurality operable for receiving said data stream from a second source;
conditional access logic operable for receiving one or more controlled access data streams in said set of elementary streams, said conditional access logic outputting one or more descrambled data streams in response to corresponding ones of said controlled access data streams; and
a multiplexer coupled to said plurality of demultiplexers, said multiplexer operable for receiving one or more demultiplexed streams from each set of demultiplexed streams and said one or more descrambled data streams and outputs a multiplexed data stream having a format in accordance with a third predetermined protocol. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A media server system comprising:
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a plurality of demultiplexers each operable for demultiplexing a data stream formatted in accordance with a first predetermined protocol, each demultiplexer outputting a set of demultiplexed streams each having a format in accordance with a second predetermined protocol, and wherein a first one of said plurality of demultiplexers is operable for receiving said data stream from a first source, and a second one of said plurality of demultiplexers operable for receiving said data stream from a second source;
first interface circuitry operable for receiving information signals from a plurality of sources and outputting said first and second data streams from said first source and said second source;
conditional access logic operable for receiving one or more controlled access data streams in said set of demultiplexed streams, said conditional access logic outputting one or more descrambled data streams in response to corresponding ones of said controlled access data streams;
a multiplexer coupled to said plurality of demultiplexers, said multiplexer operable for receiving one or more demultiplexed stream from each set of demultiplexed streams and said one or more descrambled data streams and outputs a multiplexed data stream having a format in accordance with a third predetermined protocol; and
a network encoder operable for receiving said multiplexed data stream and outputting an output data stream encapsulated in accordance with a predetermined data-link-layer protocol. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A media server method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a plurality of media streams, one or more of said media streams comprises multiplexed data;
demultiplexing said one or more of said media streams comprising multiplexed data to form a plurality of elementary streams;
descrambling a first one of said plurality of elementary streams in response to controlled access information in said first one of said plurality of elementary streams, to form a descrambled stream; and
multiplexing said descrambled stream and remaining ones of said elementary stream to form a transport stream. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification