System and method for local video distribution

• US 7,310,807 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2003
• Issued: 12/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chanyu Holdings LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pearson, Larry B., Bridges, J. Bradley
• Primary Examiner(s): Beliveau, Scott E.
• Application Number:
  US10/696,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20050097612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 725/71, 725/74, 725 78- 83, 725/85, 725/29, 725/30, 725/119, 725/120, 348/734
• US Class Current: 725/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/42692 for reading from or writing on a volatile storage medium, e.g. Random Access Memory [RAM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for facilitating local video distribution. A method incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include linking a plurality of users with associated carrier frequencies. The associated frequencies may be given approximately six MHz slices of the radio frequency spectrum that correspond to portions of the very high frequency (VHF) ranges assigned to television channels. A user may input a command identifying a desired video stream, which may be encoded in an MPEG format. In response to the command, the desired video stream may be decoded and modulated on the carrier frequency associated with the user. The modulated signal may be output to a premise network such that the user can access the modulated stream by tuning a premise network connected television to the appropriate carrier frequency.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

linking a plurality of users with associated carrier frequencies;

receiving a request for media content from a first user;

modulating the media content on a carrier frequency associated with the first user; and

outputting the media content on the carrier frequency to a premise network such that the first user can access the media content by tuning a premise network connected device to the carrier frequency associated with the first user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating that the first user is associated with a first carrier frequency; and

allowing only the first user to request different media content for the first carrier frequency.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

comparing the request for the media content to a block list associated with the first carrier frequency;

notifying the first user that the requested media content, will not be displayed.

4. A method of facilitating video distribution, comprising:

linking a plurality of users with associated carrier frequencies;

receiving a first command from a first user;

authenticating that the first user is associated with a first carrier frequency;

modulating a decoded video stream identified by the first command on the first carrier frequency; and

outputting the modulated stream to a premise network such that the first user can access the modulated stream by tuning a premise network connected television to the first carrier frequency.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a second command from a second user;

modulating a second decoded video stream identified by the second command on a second carrier frequency, wherein the second carrier frequency is associated with the second user; and

outputting the modulated second stream to the premise network such that the second user can access the modulated chosen stream by tuning a given premise network connected television to the second carrier frequency.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising tracking a viewing metric of the first user.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising disabling access to a certain video strewn for at least one of the plurality of users.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

authenticating that the second user is associated with the second carrier frequency.

9. A video distribution system, comprising:

a plurality of remote controllable channel output modules, each configured to output a signal modulated to an assigned frequency block associated with a particular user, the signal representing a decoded version of a selected MPEG video stream;

an access engine to authenticate a user of a remote control mechanism, wherein the access engine authenticates that the user is associated with the assigned frequency block; and

a premise network interface operable to output a composite signal to a premise network, the composite signal comprising a modulated signal from at least one of the plurality of remote controllable channel output modules.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the premise network comprises a wireless local area network.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the premise network comprises coaxial cable.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the assigned frequency block for a first of the remote controllable channel output modules comprises a range of approximately 60 to 66 MHz, the assigned frequency block for a second of the remote controllable channel output modules computes a range of approximately 66 to 72 MHz, and the assigned frequency block for a third of the remote controllable channel output modules comprises a range of approximately 76 to 82 MHz.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the assigned frequency blocks correspond to portions of the Very High Frequency spectrum assigned to television channels.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising a first remote controllable channel output module fixed to output information to one assigned frequency block.

15. The system of claim 9, further comprising a table mapping each of a plurality of viewers to at least one assigned frequency block.

16. The system of claim 9, further comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) engine operable to initiate presentation of a GUI on a television display communicatively coupled to the premise network, wherein the GUI engine is further operable to initiate display of a GUI element indicating video programs represented by the selected MPEG video stream output by each of the plurality of remote controllable channel output modules.

17. A video distribution system comprising:

a receiver operable to receive a multiplexed signal comprising a plurality of encoded video information streams;

a first decoder communicatively coupled to the receiver and operable to decode a first video information stream the multiplexed signal;

a second decoder communicatively coupled to the receiver and operable to decode a second video information stream of the multiplexed signal;

a combiner operable to output a composite signal for communication via a premise network, the composite signal comprising a decoded first video information stream modulated to a first radio frequency band associated with a first user and a decoded second video information stream modulated to a second radio frequency band associated with a second user

a remote control mechanism operable to communicate a request signal to the first decoder requesting that the first decoder decode a different video information stream of the multiplexed signal; and

an access engine to authenticate that a user of the remote control mechanism is associated with the first radio frequency band.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a diplexer operable to distinguish between upstream and downstream communication flow, the diplexer further operable to output the multiplexed signal to the receiver; and

a modem communicatively coupled to the diplexer and operable to output data traffic to the diplexer.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the remote control mechanism is further operable to communicate using a wireless local area network communication protocol.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising a radio frequency communication module operable to support at least a portion of a communication path interconnecting the remote control and the first decoder.

21. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a network interface operable to provide at least a portion of a communication path interconnecting the receiver and a wide area communication network; and

a communication module having a local area wireless transceiver.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the premise network comprises installed coaxial cable.

23. The system of claim 17, further comprising a modem device selected from the group consisting of a cable modern, a dial-up modem, a wireless modem, a satellite modem, and an xDSL modem.

24. The system of claim 17, further comprising a messaging engine operable to initiate communication of message information via the premise network, wherein the message information represents a message sent using a service selected from the group consisting of electronic mail, mobile alerts, IM, SMS, EMS, and MMS.

25. The system of claim 17, further comprising a metric engine operable to track a metric associated with the first video information stream, wherein the metric is selected from the group consisting of a video stream content rating, an amount of time associated with outputting the decoded first video information stream, a cost associated with viewing the first video information stream, and an assigned programming channel for the first video information stream.

26. The system of claim 17, further comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) engine operable to initiate presentation of a GUI on a television display communicatively coupled to the premise network.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the access engine employs a password authentication scheme.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein the access engine employs a biometric authentication scheme.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein the access engine employs a device based authentication scheme.

30. The system of claim 17, wherein the remote control mechanism is a wireless telephone.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the remote control mechanism has Bluetooth functionality.