System and method for providing interactivity for end-users over digital broadcast channels

• US 7,181,759 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2001
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BigBand Networks, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Oz, Ran, Strasman, Nery
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley, Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ma, Johnny
• Application Number:
  US09/903,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,050 Days
• Field of Search: 725/136, 725/119, 370/352, 370/422
• US Class Current: 725/119
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5605 Fibre
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5606 Metallic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/561 Star, e.g. cross-connect, concentrator, subscriber group equipment, remote electronics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5615 Network termination, e.g. NT1, NT2, PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5631 Resource management and allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5664 Support of Video, e.g. MPEG
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/04 Protocols for data compression, e.g. ROHC
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/218 Source of audio or video content , e.g. local disk arrays details of retrieval in video databases G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23655 Statistical multiplexing, e.g. by controlling the encoder to alter its bitrate to optimize the bandwidth utilization
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2368 Multiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4341 : Demultiplexing of audio and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 : Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4351 : involving reassembling additional data, e.g. rebuilding an executable program from recovered modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 : involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 : Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 : Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 : comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8153 : comprising still images, e.g. texture, background image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 : involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 : End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 : involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• 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: H04Q 11/0478 : Provisions for broadband connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing

Abstract

A system and method for allowing an end-user to interact with a system in order to execute an application. Multiple application packets are broadcast to a plurality of end-users, such that the upstream transmission of data from end-users is greatly reduced. Each end-ser further receives media packets, whereas visual objects relating to the application can be displayed on an end-user display unit with visual objects originating from the media packets.

Claims

1. System for provision of media packets and application packets to at least one group of end-users, each end-user has a display unit and a control unit for controlling the display unit, the system comprising:

a router, coupled to the control unit of the end-users, the router operative to receive application packets and media packets, and to provide group-associated application packets and media packets to control units of a group of end-users;

a session manager, coupled to the router, the session manager providing routing instructions to said router, for dynamically selecting group-associated application packets and media packets out of the received application packets and media packets;

wherein the control unit of each end-user is configured to process the application packets and accordingly (i) display at least a portion of a visual object on the display unit, or (ii) react to events that are related to the display of the at least portion of the visual object on the display unit; and

,

wherein some of the application packets and some of the media packets are non-addressable packets, wherein some media packets are addressable packets, wherein the router comprising;

a plurality of input ports, including at least one non-addressable stream input port;

a plurality of non-addressable stream output ports;

a multiple port switch, connected between said non-addressable stream input ports and said non-addressable stream output ports;

said multiple port switch directing a non-addressable application packets and media packets, received from a selected one of said at least one non-addressable stream input ports, to at least a selected one of said at least one non-addressable stream output ports,

said multiple port switch selecting said selected non-addressable stream output port according to the type and identity of said selected non-addressable stream input port and the identity information embedded in said non-addressable application packet.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one addressable stream communication port, connected to said multiple port switch, said multiple port switch directing an addressable media packet, received from a selected one of said at least one addressable stream communication ports, to at least a selected one of said at least one non-addressable stream output ports.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the selected non-addressable stream output port encapsulates an addressable media packet in a non-addressable stream packet, when the addressable packet is received from one of said at least one addressable stream input ports.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein MPEG transport packets are encapsulated into communication packets respective of the communication protocol of said multiple port switch.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one non-addressable stream input port comprises a multiple program transport interface and wherein said at least one non-addressable stream output port comprises a multiple program transport interface.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of stream processors, each said stream processor being connected between said multiple port switch and a respective one of said non-addressable stream output ports.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the control unit is a digital set-top-box.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein application packets are arranged in at least one application packet group;

wherein each application packet group comprises application packets allowing for executing an application.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein application packets comprise an identification IID field.

10. The system according to claim 1 wherein at least some of the application packets comprise a display period field.

11. The system according to claim 1 wherein at least some of the application packets comprise a bit map of a portion of a visual object.

12. The system according to claim 1 wherein at least some of the application packets further comprise a location field indicative of a location of the portion of the visual object on the display unit.

13. The system according to claim 1 wherein at least one application packet embeds a portion of a code for displaying an advertisement.

20. The method according to claim 1 wherein at least one application packet embeds a portion of a code for displaying an advertisement.

14. A method for providing application packets to at least one group of end-users, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving application packets and media packets;

dynamically selecting, for each group of end-users, group-associated media packets and application packets;

providing to each group of end-users, out of the at least one group of end-users, the corresponding group-associated media packets and application packets;

wherein application packets allow either for displaying at least a portion of a visual object on a display unit, or for reacting to events that are related to the display of the at least portions of the visual objects on the display unit;

wherein at least some of the media packets and the application packets are non-addressable packets; and

wherein the method further comprising the steps of;

receiving non-addressable packets from an input port selected from at least one non-addressable stream input port;

dynamically selecting packets out of the received packets to be provided to at least one of a plurality of non-addressable stream output ports;

whereas at least one non-addressable stream output port is coupled to at least one group of end-users; and

directing said non-addressable packets to said selected non-addressable stream output port.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the selection is responsive to the type and identity of said selected input port and the identity information embedded in said received packet.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein said input port is further selected from at least one addressable stream input port.

17. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of prioritizing the directing of the session associate with said received packet.

18. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of encapsulating said packet in a non-addressable stream packet, when said packet is received from one of said at least one addressable stream input ports.

19. The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of encapsulating said packet in a addressable stream packet, when said packet is received from one of said at least one non-addressable stream input ports.