Delivery of data via omnidirectional digital transmission

• US 7,272,227 B1
• Filed: 02/12/2002
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David Beran
• Original Assignee: David Beran
• Inventors: Beran, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Moazzami; Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parthasarathy; Pramila
• Application Number:
  US10/075,112
• Time in Patent Office: 2,044 Days
• Field of Search: 713/193
• US Class Current: 380/241
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• 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

Abstract

Delivery of audiovisual data may be accomplished using a satellite system. The user may have a set-top box connected to a satellite dish and a network connection. An operator server may receive a request for a title from the user via the network connection. The operator server may then determine if the title is in a transmission schedule and add it to the schedule if it is not. The data corresponding to the request may be encrypted using an encryption algorithm, and a corresponding decryption key may be generated. The key may then be forwarded to the user via the network connection. Then, according to the transmission schedule, the database containing the data will forward the data to a transmitter where it is communicated to a satellite in orbit, which then communicates the data to the satellite dish. The data may be stored in the set-top box for later playback.

Claims

1. A method for delivery of audiovisual data to a user, including:

receiving a request for audiovisual data from the user via a network, said audiovisual data corresponding to said request having a title;

determining if said title is already in a transmission schedule;

adding said title to said transmission schedule if it is not already in said transmission schedule;

encrypting said audiovisual data corresponding to said request using an encryption algorithm, said encryption algorithm having a corresponding decryption algorithm;

generating a decryption key unique to the user using said corresponding decryption algorithm;

forwarding said decryption key to the user via said network; and

transmitting said encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request to a satellite for receipt by the user with a satellite dish, said transmitting occurring in accordance with said transmission schedule, wherein the user has a set-top box coupled to said network, and the satellite dish coupled to the set-top box, wherein the set-top box contains a storage device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said network is the Internet.

3. The method of claim 1, further including if said transmission schedule is empty, adding one or more popular titles to said transmission schedule.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said one or more popular titles are determined by statistical analysis of past requests by users.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said encryption algorithm is based on the Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) standard.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes:

receiving the encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request using said satellite dish;

storing said encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request in said storage device; and

decrypting said encrypted audiovisual data using said decryption key.

7. The method of claim 6, further including:

sending a query from the set-top box to an operator server through the network for a list of available titles, said operator server coupled to a database;

compiling a list of available titles by scanning said database; and

transmitting said list of available titles from the operator server to the set-top box.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said storage device is a hard disk.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the audiovisual data is a movie.

10. The method of claim 1, further including informing the user of a planned transmission time for said encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request has a playing speed, and said transmitting includes transmitting said encrypted audiovisual data at a rate faster than said playing speed.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request has a playing speed, and said transmitting includes transmitting said encrypted audiovisual data at a rate slower than said playing speed.

13. A system for delivery of audiovisual data to a user, including:

a database having one or more pieces of audiovisual data, each piece of audiovisual data having a title;

a transmitter coupled to said database;

an operator server coupled to a network and said database, said operator server configured to receive a request for audiovisual data from the user via a network, determine if said title is already in a transmission schedule, add said title to said transmission schedule if it is not already in said transmission schedule, encrypt said audiovisual data corresponding to said request using an encryption algorithm having a corresponding decryption algorithm, generate a decryption key unique to the user using said corresponding decryption algorithm, and forward said decryption key to the user via said network;

said database configured to forward said one or more pieces of audiovisual data to said transmitter according to said schedule; and

said transmitter designed to transmit encrypted audiovisual data to a satellite for receipt by the user with a satellite dish, wherein the user has a set-top box coupled to said network, and the satellite dish coupled to the set-top box, said satellite dish designed to receive said encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request, wherein the set-top box contains a storage device to store encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request in said storage device and decrypt said audiovisual data using said decryption key.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said network is the Internet.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said operator server is further configured to add one or more popular titles to said transmission schedule if said transmission schedule is empty.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said one or more popular titles are determined by statistical analysis of past requests by users.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein said encryption algorithm is based on the Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) standard.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the audiovisual data is a movie.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein said set top box is further configured to send a query to said operator server through said network for a list of available titles and said operator server is further configured to compile a list of available titles by scanning said database and transmit said list of available titles to said set-top-box.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein said storage device is a hard disk.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein said operator server is further configured to relate a planned transmission time for said encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request to the user through said network.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein said encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request has a playing speed, and said operator server is further configured to transmit said encrypted audiovisual data at a rate faster than said playing speed.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein said encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request has a playing speed, and said operator server is further configured to transmit said encrypted audiovisual data at a rate slower than said playing speed.

24. An apparatus for delivery of audiovisual data to a user, including:

means for receiving a request for audiovisual data from the user via a network, said audiovisual data corresponding to said request having a title;

means for determining if said title is already in a transmission schedule;

means for adding said title to said transmission schedule if it is not already in said transmission schedule;

means for encrypting said audiovisual data corresponding to said request using an encryption algorithm, said encryption algorithm having a corresponding decryption algorithm;

means for generating a decryption key unique to the user using said corresponding decryption algorithm;

means for forwarding said decryption key to the user via said network; and

means for transmitting said encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request to a satellite for receipt by the user with a satellite dish, said transmitting occurring in accordance with said transmission schedule, wherein the user has a set-top box coupled to said network, and the satellite dish coupled to the set-top box, wherein the set-top box contains a storage device.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said network is the Internet.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, further including means for adding one or more popular titles to said transmission schedule if said transmission schedule is empty.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said one or more popular titles are determined by statistical analysis of past requests by users.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said encryption algorithm is based on the Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) standard.

29. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the apparatus further includes:

means for receiving the encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request using said satellite dish;

means for storing said encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request in said storage device; and

means for decrypting said encrypted audiovisual data using said decryption key.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further including:

means for sending a query from the set-top box to an operator server through the network for a list of available titles, said operator server coupled to a database;

means for compiling a list of available titles by scanning said database; and

means for transmitting said list of available titles from the operator server to the set-top box.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said storage device is a hard disk.

32. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the audiovisual data is a movie.

33. The apparatus of claim 24, further including means for informing the user of a planned transmission time for said encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request.

34. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request has a playing speed, and said operator server is further configured to transmit said encrypted audiovisual data at a rate faster than said playing speed.

35. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request has a playing speed, and said operator server is further configured to transmit said encrypted audiovisual data at a rate slower than said playing speed.

36. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for delivery of audiovisual data to a user, including:

receiving a request for audiovisual data from the user via a network, said audiovisual data corresponding to said request having a title;

determining if said title is already in a transmission schedule;

adding said title to said transmission schedule if it is not already in said transmission schedule;

encrypting said audiovisual data corresponding to said request using an encryption algorithm, said encryption algorithm having a corresponding decryption algorithm;

generating a decryption key unique to the user using said corresponding decryption algorithm;

forwarding said decryption key to the user via said network; and

transmitting said encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request to a satellite for receipt by the user with a satellite dish, said transmitting occurring in accordance with said transmission schedule, wherein the user has a set-top box coupled to said network, and the satellite dish coupled to the set-top box, wherein the set-top box contains a storage device.

37. A method for delivery of audiovisual data to a user, including:

receiving a request for audiovisual data from the user via a network, said audiovisual data corresponding to said request having a title;

determining if said title is already in a transmission schedule;

adding said title to said transmission schedule if it is not already in said transmission schedule;

encrypting said audiovisual data corresponding to said request using an encryption algorithm, said encryption algorithm having a corresponding decryption algorithm;

generating a decryption key unique to the user using said corresponding decryption algorithm;

forwarding said decryption key to the user via said network; and

transmitting said encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request to a satellite for receipt by the user with a satellite dish, said transmitting occurring in accordance with said transmission schedule;

receiving the audiovisual data corresponding to said request using a satellite dish coupled to a set-top box associated with said user, said set-top box coupled to said network and comprising a storage device;

storing said encrypted audiovisual data corresponding to said request in said storage device; and

decrypting said audiovisual data using said decryption key.

38. The method of claim 37, further including:

sending a query from the set-top box to an operator server through the network for a list of available titles, said operator server coupled to a database;

compiling a list of available titles by scanning said database; and

transmitting said list of available titles from the operator server to the set-top box.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein said storage device is a hard disk.