Recasting DVB video system to recast digital broadcasts

• US 7,032,235 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wegener Communications, Inc. (Wegener Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Wegener Communications, Inc. (Wegener Corporation)
• Inventors: Pelkey, Gary L., Placek, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Application Number:
  US10/387,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20040181810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 725 32- 36, 725 63- 68, 725114-120, 725/138, 725144-147
• US Class Current: 725/36
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/036 Insert-editing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23805 Controlling the feeding rate to the network, e.g. by controlling the video pump
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A central controller remotely controls and configures sets of receivers to receive programs in a broadcast signal and recast selected sets of programs to selected sets of media devices over a computer network. Each receiver has an input module that receives programs from the broadcast signal, a control module that receives a control stream from the central controller, and a recasting module that reformats and transmits selects programs over the computer network. The receivers use the control stream to configure the selected sets of programs and the selected sets of media devices. The recasting module is uncoupled from the control module so that the receiver'"'"'s recasting of selected program content can be different for different sets of receivers, thereby allowing any combination of broadcast programs to be recast by any set of receivers to any set of media devices. The receiver also has a storage module and interrupts the live recasting of the broadcast signal to spool out a locally stored file.

Claims

1. A method for selectively recasting a program over a computer network, comprising the steps of:

storing a digital media package on a local storage device;

receiving and de-multiplexing a media transport stream from a broadcast signal, said media transport stream containing a source program in a plurality of digital media program packets;

recasting said digital media program packets as a plurality of computer network data packets over the computer network while continuing to receive said source program from said broadcast signal;

monitoring a control signal for a local insert command;

interrupting said recasting step and transmitting said stored digital media package over the computer network in response to said local insert command while continuing to receive said source program from said broadcast signal; and

returning to said recasting step;

wherein said receiving and de-multiplexing step is further comprised of;

reading from said local storage device a stored specification for said source program;

receiving a broadcast signal of a transport stream, said transport stream containing packetized stream data with a plurality of packet identifiers respectively corresponding to a plurality of programs;

de-multiplexing said packetized stream data for said plurality of programs;

selecting and extracting said source program packets from said plurality of programs according to each of said packet identifiers that correspond with said stored specification.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring step further comprises the step of receiving said control signal through said computer network.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said recasting step comprises the steps of:

extracting said digital media program packets from said media transport stream;

forming a program stream with said digital media program packets;

generating a plurality of computer network data packets, wherein each one of said computer network data packets has a data payload size;

dividing and inserting said program stream into said computer network data packets according to said data payload size;

transmitting said computer network data packets over the computer network;

creating and monitoring system clock references in said program stream;

comparing said system clock references with an elapsed real time according to a local system clock;

controlling a rate of transmission according to said system clock references and said elapsed real time; and

selecting a portion of said program stream corresponding with a fraction of said elapsed real time and transmitting said portion in said computer network data packets without any rate control.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said interrupting step further comprises the steps of:

receiving said local insert command;

reading said digital media package from said local storage device;

generating a plurality of computer network data packets;

dividing and inserting said stored digital media package into said computer network data packets;

transmitting said computer network data packets over the computer network;

monitoring a file control signal for a stop interruption signal, wherein said stop interruption signal is selected from the group consisting of an end of file signal and an abort local insertion signal; and

reading from said local storage device a stored specification for said source program.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of selectively decoding said digital media program packets and providing said decoded digital media program packets to a media device via a cable network, and wherein said monitoring step further comprises the step of extracting said control signal from at least one of said broadcast signal and said computer network.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

defining address information corresponding with at least one satellite receiver, said satellite receiver comprising a storage module, a broadcast input module, a recasting module and a remote control module for respectively performing said storing, receiving, recasting and monitoring steps;

receiving a control stream containing receiver address information, broadcast service information and recasting information; and

configuring said satellite receiver according to said broadcast service information and said recasting information when said satellite receiver is identified by said receiver address information, wherein said broadcast service information defines said source program and said recasting information defines at least one media player accessible through the computer network.

7. A method for selectively recasting a program over a computer network, comprising the steps of:

storing a digital media package on a local storage device;

receiving and de-multiplexing a media transport stream from a broadcast signal;

said media transport stream containing a source program in a plurality of digital media program packets;

recasting said digital media program packets as a plurality of computer network data packets over the computer network while continuing to receive said source program from said broadcast signal;

monitoring a control signal for a local inset command;

interrupting said recasting step and transmitting said stored digital media package over the computer network in response to said local insert command;

wherein said interruption and recasting step is further comprised of;

(a) receiving said local insert command;

(b) reading said digital media package from said local storage device;

(c) generating a plurality of computer network data packets;

(d) dividing and inserting said stored digital media package into said computer network data packets; and

(e) transmitting said computer network data packets over the computer network;

monitoring a file control signal for a stop interruption signal, wherein said stop interruption signal is selected from the group consisting of an end of file signal and an abort local insertion signal;

reading from said local storage device a stored specification for said source program; and

returning to said recasting step.

8. A method for selectively recasting a program over a computer network, comprising the steps of:

storing a digital media package on a local storage device;

receiving and de-multiplexing a media transport stream from a broadcast signal;

said media transport stream containing a source program in a plurality of digital media program packets;

recasting said digital media program packets as a plurality of computer network data packets over the computer network while continuing to receive said source program from said broadcast signal;

monitoring a control signal for a local insert command;

interrupting said recasting step and transmitting said stored digital media package over the computer network in response to said local insert command;

returning to said recasting step;

defining address information corresponding with at least one satellite receiver, said satellite receiver comprising a storage module, a broadcast input module, a recasting module and a remote control module for respectively performing said storing, receiving, recasting and monitoring steps;

receiving a control stream containing receiver address information, broadcast service information and recasting information; and

configuring said satellite receiver according to said broadcast service information and said recasting information when said satellite receiver is identified by said receiver address information, wherein said broadcast service information defines said source program and said recasting information defines at least one media player accessible through the computer network.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

defining unique address information for a plurality of satellite receivers;

receiving a control stream containing receiver address information, broadcast service information and recasting information for said plurality of satellite receivers;

configuring said plurality of satellite receivers according to said broadcast service information and said recasting information.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

storing a specification for said source program in a non-volatile memory according to a source program identifier contained in said broadcast service information;

receiving a store command to store a new source program on said local storage device; and

storing new digital media program packets for said new source program as a new digital media package.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of switching to a new source program while receiving said broadcast signal and sequentially recasting said new source program with said source program as a single continuous streamed content feed of said source program and said new source program.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

extracting said control stream from said broadcast signal;

monitoring said control stream for a change in broadcast service information to said new source program, wherein said change is selected from the control group consisting of a new source program identifier, a new transponder identifier, and a new input identifier; and

reconfiguring said receiving and de-multiplexing step according to said change in broadcast service information, wherein said digital media program packets are received for said new source program and recasted as said computer network data packets in said single continuous streamed content feed.

13. A method for selectively recasting a program over a computer network according to a central controller, comprising the steps of:

defining a receiver address corresponding with at least one broadcast receiver, said broadcast receiver comprising an input module in communication with a broadcast device, a remote control module in communication with the central controller, and a recasting module in communication with the computer network;

receiving a control stream identifying said receiver address and containing broadcast service information and recasting information, wherein said remote control module determines whether said control stream identifies its broadcast receiver and wherein said broadcast service information corresponds with a source program of interest and said recasting information corresponds with at least one media player accessible through the computer network;

configuring said identified broadcast receiver according to said broadcast service information and said recasting information;

receiving and de-multiplexing a media transport stream from a broadcast signal;

said media transport stream containing said source program in a plurality of digital media program packets and being received by said identified broadcast receiver through said input module; and

recasting said digital media program packets as a plurality of computer network data packets over the computer network, said recasting module performing said recasting step while said input module continues to receive said source program from said broadcast signal.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said configuring step further comprises the step of extracting said control stream from a broadcast signal of a DVB transport stream from a satellite.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

defining unique address information for a plurality of satellite receivers;

receiving a control stream containing receiver address information, broadcast service information and recasting information for said plurality of satellite receivers;

configuring said plurality of satellite receivers according to said broadcast service information and said recasting information.

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

storing a digital media package on a storage module, said storage module being contained within said identified broadcast receiver and being controllable by said control stream;

storing a specification for said source program in a non-volatile memory according to a source program identifier contained in said broadcast service information;

extracting said control stream from said broadcast signal;

monitoring said control stream for a local insert command;

interrupting said recasting step and transmitting said stored digital media package over the computer network in response to said local insert command; and

returning to said recasting step.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

storing address information for said broadcast receiver on said storage module, wherein said address information comprises said receiver address and a group address, wherein said receiver address is unique to said broadcast receiver and said group address is shared in common with a plurality of satellite receivers;

reading said stored specification from said local storage device;

receiving a broadcast signal of a DVB transport stream from a satellite, said DVB transport stream containing packetized stream data with a plurality of packet identifiers respectively corresponding to a plurality of programs;

de-multiplexing said packetized stream data for said plurality of programs;

selecting said source program from said plurality of programs according to each of said packet identifiers that correspond with said stored specification.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of switching to a new source program while receiving said broadcast signal and sequentially recasting said new source program with said source program as a single continuous streamed content feed of said source program and said new source program.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring said control stream for a change in broadcast service information to said new source program, wherein said change is selected from the control group consisting of a new source program identifier, a new transponder identifier, and a new input identifier; and

reconfiguring said identified broadcast receiver according to said broadcast service information, wherein said digital media program packets are received for said new source program and recasted as said computer network data packets in said single continuous streamed content feed.

20. A method for receiving a program broadcast over a satellite and selectively recasting the program over a computer network according to a central controller, comprising the steps of:

defining a receiver address corresponding with at least one satellite receiver, said satellite receiver comprising an input module in communication with the satellite, a remote control module in communication with the central controller, a recasting module in communication with the computer network and in operative relationship with said remote control module, and a storage module in communication with said recasting module and in operative relationship with said remote control module;

receiving a broadcast signal of a DVB transport stream from the satellite through said input module, said DVB transport stream comprising packetized stream data with a plurality of packet identifiers respectively corresponding to a plurality of media programs and a control steam, wherein a predefined control packet identifier corresponds with said control stream and each one of said media programs is broadcast in a plurality of digital media program packets;

de-multiplexing said packetized stream data for said plurality of programs and said control stream and selecting said control stream according to said predefined control packet identifier, wherein said control stream comprises receiver address information, broadcast service information and recasting information, and wherein said receiver address information corresponds with said satellite receiver and said broadcast service information corresponds with a source program of interest and said recasting information corresponds with at least one media player accessible through the computer network;

forwarding said control stream to said remote control module and extracting a program identifier from said broadcast service information, wherein said program identifier corresponds with said source program;

storing a specification for said source program in a non-volatile memory according to said program identifier;

storing a digital media package on said storage module;

selecting said digital media program packets for said source program from said plurality of programs according to each of said packet identifiers that correspond with said program identifier and said stored specification;

recasting said digital media program packets for said source program as a plurality of computer network data packets over the computer network, said recasting module performing said recasting step while said input module continues to receive said source program from said broadcast signal;

monitoring a control signal for a local insert command;

interrupting said recasting step and transmitting said stored digital media package over the computer network in response to said local insert command; and

returning to said recasting step.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of storing receiver address information on said storage module, wherein said receiver address information comprises said receiver address and a group address, wherein said receiver address is unique to said satellite receiver and said group address is shared in common with a plurality of satellite receivers.

22. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

receiving in said control stream a store command to store a new source program on said storage module; and

storing new digital media program packets corresponding with said new source program as a new digital media package on said storage module.

23. A remote controlled system for receiving a broadcast from a satellite and selectively recasting the broadcast over a computer network, comprising:

a central controller producing a control stream with receiver address information, broadcast service information and recasting information; and

a satellite receiver comprising an input module, a remote control module and a recasting module, wherein said input module receives the broadcast from the satellite, said remote control module receives said control stream from said central controller, and said recasting module recasts a selected source program from the broadcast to at least one media device connected to the computer network, and wherein said satellite receiver further comprises control logic for processing said control stream and correlating said satellite receiver, said selected source program and said media device with said receiver address information, said broadcast service information and said recasting information, respectively.

24. The remote controlled system according to claim 23, wherein said satellite receiver further comprises:

a storage module containing a digital media package;

a non-volatile memory containing program information corresponding with said selected program; and

wherein said satellite receiver further comprises spot insertion logic for replacing a portion of said selected source program with said digital media package and returning to said selected source program according to said program information in said non-volatile memory.

25. The remote controlled system according to claim 23, wherein said satellite receiver further comprises source control logic to switch between a plurality of source programs according to a change in broadcast service information, wherein said change is selected from the control group consisting of a new source program identifier, a new transponder identifier, and a new input identifier.

26. The remote controlled system according to claim 23, further comprising:

a communication route for said control stream between said central controller and said satellite receiver, wherein said transmission route is selected from the group consisting of a portion of the broadcast over the satellite and a connection via the computer network.

27. The remote controlled system according to claim 23, further comprising:

a second satellite receiver comprising a second input module, a second remote control module and a second recasting module, wherein said second input module receives the broadcast from the satellite, said second remote control module receives said control stream from said central controller, and said second recasting module recasts said selected source program from the broadcast to a different media device connected to the computer network, and wherein said second satellite receiver further comprises control logic for processing said control stream and correlating said second satellite receiver, said selected source program and said different media device with said receiver address information said broadcast service information, and said recasting information, respectively.