Demand-cast system and bandwidth management for delivery of interactive programming

• US 7,607,152 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2000
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Li, Alfred, Edmonds, Jeremy S., Gordon, Donald F., Bayrakeri, Sadik, Ludvig, Edward A., Comito, John P., Gershtein, Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): SHELEHEDA, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US09/538,562
• Time in Patent Office: 3,492 Days
• Field of Search: 725/54, 725/61, 725/95, 725/100, 725/103, 725/105, 725/120, 725 39- 43, 725 86- 87, 725/97, 370/211, 370278-282, 37524026-24028
• US Class Current: 725/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6408 Unicasting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A system for more efficient utilization of the finite bandwidth available for distribution of interactive program guide (IPG) video sequences. The system utilizes a session manager and a transport stream generator to enable a set top terminal to access an entire array of guide pages from the IPG within the constraints imposed by the limited bandwidth available in the distribution network.

One embodiment of the present invention comprises a system that includes a session manager (SM) and a transport stream generator (TSG) within a distribution control center. The SM monitors and controls usage of demand-cast stream bandwidth within the distribution network. The TSG receives information from the SM on each demand-cast stream. The information includes which set top terminals, if any, are currently acquiring the stream. The TSG uses the information to control the demand-cast streams multiplexed into the transport stream for distribution to the set top terminals.

Claims

1. A system for providing access to an array of guide pages from an interactive program guide within constraints imposed by limited bandwidth available in a distribution network, the system comprising:

a distribution control center coupled to the distribution network;

a session manager configured to monitor and control usage of demand-cast stream bandwidth within the distribution network; and

a transport stream generator configured to;

receive demand-cast guide page usage information from the session manager,

determine, based on the received information, an unaccessed demand-cast guide page of a transport stream, the transport stream comprising multiple demand-cast streams containing corresponding demand-cast guide pages, wherein the demand-cast guide pages were generated as video sequences,

determine a replacement demand-cast guide page of the array of guide pages to replace the unaccessed demand-cast page by substituting a demand-cast stream of the unaccessed demand-cast page with a demand-cast stream of the replacement demand-cast page, wherein the demand-cast stream of the replacement demand-cast page is multiplexed into the transport stream, and

transmit the transport stream toward a plurality of terminals via the distribution network for delivering toward at least one of the plurality of terminals a requested demand-cast guide page requested by the at least one terminal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of terminals are coupled to a node within the distribution network, and said transport stream is transmitted from the transport stream generator to said node.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the session manager receives demand-cast stream acquisition, release, and request messages from the plurality of terminals.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said acquisition, release, and request messages are transmitted via out-of-band communications.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the transport stream includes a list of available demand-cast streams, and said list is used by a terminal in determining whether a demand-cast stream has a particular demand-cast guide page of said array of guide pages that may be acquired immediately or needs to be requested.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein an acquisition message is sent from the terminal to the session manager if the stream is acquired, and a request message is sent from the terminal to the session manager if the stream needs to be requested.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein a release message is sent from the terminal to the session manager once the terminal is no longer acquiring the stream.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the session manager tracks demand-cast streams that are acquired by at least one terminal by maintaining a dynamic list of terminals that are presently acquiring each demand-cast stream.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the session manager informs the transport stream generator when a terminal request a demand-cast stream which is not present in the transport stream.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the session manager informs the transport stream generator when there is no longer any terminals acquiring the demand-cast stream.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the distribution control center comprises a cable headend.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the transport stream generator is co-located with the session manager at the distribution control center.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the transport stream generator is located separately from the session manager.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the session manager comprises:

a monitoring module for receiving acquisition, release, and request messages from the plurality of terminals;

a tracking module for maintaining a dynamic list of terminals that are presently acquiring each demand-cast stream; and

a controlling module for informing the transport stream generator when a terminal requests a demand-cast stream which is not present in the transport stream and for informing the transport stream generator when there is no longer any terminals acquiring the demand-cast stream.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the transport stream generator comprises:

an interface to a session manager for receiving the demand-cast guide page usage information from the session manager;

a multiplexer for multiplexing demand-cast streams into the transport stream for transmission to the plurality of terminals via the distribution network; and

a controller for controlling which demand-cast streams are multiplexed into the transport stream using the demand-cast guide page usage information.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the transport stream generator determines the replacement demand-cast guide page upon receiving a request message from the session manager.