Method and apparatus for correcting corrupted digital video transport streams

• US 7,657,913 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2001
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Pedlow, Leo Mark Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHELEHEDA, JAMES R
• Application Number:
  US09/881,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20020087995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,155 Days
• Field of Search: 725/87, 725/90, 725/91, 725/95, 725/93, 725/96, 709/231, 709/232, 709/213, 370/505, 370/506, 370/395.2, 370/431
• US Class Current: 725/95
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/89 involving methods or arrangements for detection of transmission errors at the decoder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/238 Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. adapting the transmission rate of a video stream to network bandwidth; Processing of multiplex streams hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for downstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• 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 21/2404 Monitoring of server processing errors or hardware failure error or fault detection G06F11/07; monitoring in general G06F11/30

Abstract

A digital video system, method, and computer program product for correcting corrupted digital video transport streams is described. The digital video system may include a digital cable, digital broadcast satellite (DBS), high definition television (HDTV), or video-on demand (VOD) system. In a VOD system, a VOD client at each receiver is capable of subscribing to one or more VOD sessions. The headend includes a video server and a control server that is coupled to the video server. The video server transmits one or more VOD sessions to one or more receivers over a transport stream. The control server can also cause the video server to transmit one or more dummy sessions to maintain a predetermined minimum bandwidth of content over the transport stream. Alternatively, the headend can transmit one or more null packets having a randomized payload, as necessary, to maintain a constant bit rate over the transport stream.

Claims

1. A video-on-demand (VOD) system, comprising:

a transmission channel;

a plurality of receivers coupled to the transmission channel, a VOD client at each receiver capable of subscribing to one or more VOD sessions over a transport stream; and

a headend coupled to the transmission channel, said headend including a video server that can transmit one or more VOD sessions to one or more receivers, and a control server coupled to the video server, the control server to dynamically allocate and terminate VOD sessions over the transport stream as VOD clients are added and terminated, and to cause the video server to transmit one or more dummy sessions over the transport stream to maintain the predetermined minimum bandwidth of content over the transport stream,

wherein the control server is to prevent each receiver from decoding the dummy sessions.

2. A video-on-demand (VOD) system, comprising:

a transmission channel;

a plurality of receivers coupled to the transmission channel, a VOD client at each receiver capable of subscribing to one or more VOD sessions over a transport stream; and

a headend coupled to the transmission channel, said headend including a video server that can transmit one or more VOD sessions to one or more receivers, and a control server coupled to the video server, the control server to dynamically allocate and terminate VOD sessions over the transport stream as VOD clients are added and terminated, and to cause the video server to transmit one or more dummy sessions over the transport stream to maintain the predetermined minimum bandwidth of content over the transport stream,

wherein when the control server receives a request for a new VOD session from a VOD client, the control server terminates one or more of the one or more dummy sessions, and causes transmission of the new VOD session over the transport stream.