System and method to provide a unified video signal for diverse receiving platforms

• US 7,908,627 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hartman, David B., Ansari, Ahmad C., Nadarajah, Dinesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl; Joseph P
• Assistant Examiner(s): PENG, FRED H
• Application Number:
  US11/158,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20060294559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,092 Days
• Field of Search: 725/54, 375/240.01
• US Class Current: 725/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4353 involving decryption of additional data arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4358 for generating different versions, e.g. for different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440227 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44029 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4408 involving video stream encryption, e.g. re-encrypting a decrypted video stream for redistribution in a home network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6336 directed to decoder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for providing a unified video data stream for diverse receiving platforms. In some embodiments, the unified data stream can provide video data to multiple receiving devices with diverse video data input requirements. The communication system can include a digitizer that converts an analog video to a high resolution (HR) digital video signal. The communication system can also include a signal processing engine that receives the HR digital video signal, compress the video signal, creates video packets from the compressed signal, and identifies at least a portion of the video packets for distribution to lower resolution devices. The HR data stream can be sent to high resolution devices wherein the identified packets can be “copied” from the HR data stream and sent to devices having lower resolution requirements.

Claims

1. A communication system configured to provide video data to a subscriber comprising:

a signal-processing engine configured to receive a high resolution digital video signal, configured to compress the high resolution digital video signal, configured to create video packets from the compressed high resolution digital video signal, and configured to tag a portion of the video packets of the compressed high resolution digital video signal with a tag, wherein the tag indicates which packets in the compressed high resolution digital video signal to include in a low resolution version of the compressed high resolution digital video signal, wherein each video packet of the compressed high resolution digital video signal is used to form a high resolution data stream capable of being displayed at a high resolution device, and

wherein a copy of the tagged portion of the video packets is capable of being distributed to and viewed by at least one lower resolution device; and

a transmitter coupled to the signal-processing engine and configured to transmit the video packets of the compressed high resolution digital video signal including the tagged portion of the video packets.

2. The system as in claim 1 further comprising a remote gateway configured to receive the transmitted video packets and to distribute the received video packets to a first video display device that is capable of displaying a high resolution of content, and to distribute the copy of the tagged portion of the video packets to a second video display device that is capable of displaying a lower resolution version of content than the first video display device.

3. The system as in claim 2 wherein the transmitter further comprises one of a security module and a digital rights management module for authorizing the first video display device and providing secure communications with the first video display device.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the tagged portion of the video packets has a different classification based on display device resolution parameters.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the second video display device has a display resolution parameter and a receiver is configured to identify the display resolution parameter and distribute a classification of the tagged portion of the video packets to the second video display device based on the identified display resolution parameter.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the first video display device is a high definition television and the second video display device is one of a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, and a non-high definition television.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a receiver having a splitter, wherein the splitter is configured to split the tagged portion of the video packets of the compressed high resolution digital video signal such that the copy of the tagged portion of the video packets can be transmitted to a second video display device.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the splitter time-multiplexes the compressed high resolution digital video signal.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the signal-processing engine receives the high resolution digital video signal over one of VDSL, fiber to the premise, and a fiber to the curb network access technology.

10. The system of claim 2 wherein at least one of the first and second video display devices decompress the compressed high resolution digital video signal.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the video packets of the compressed high resolution digital video signal are selected for tagging based on a tagging sampling rate.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein tagging prevents the transmission of duplicate packets.

13. A method of communicating data comprising:

at a signal-processing engine, receiving a high resolution signal comprising packetized data representing content having at least a high resolution level;

tagging portions of the packetized data of the high resolution signal with a tag, wherein the tagged portions of the packetized data are capable of being utilized by a video display device having an input data format with a lower resolution level than the high resolution level;

wherein the tag indicates which packets in the packetized data of the high resolution signal to include in a low resolution version of the high resolution signal, wherein each packet of the packetized data of the high resolution signal is used to form a high resolution data stream capable of being displayed at a high resolution device; and

transmitting the packetized data of the high resolution signal including the tagged portions to a remote gateway configured to receive the transmitted packetized data and configured to distribute the received packetized data to a first video display device that is capable of displaying a high resolution of content, and to distribute a copy of a first tagged portion of the packetized data to a second video display device that is capable of displaying a lower resolution version of content than the first video display device.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising receiving the packetized data and selectively distributing the copy of the first tagged portion of the packetized data of the high resolution signal to the second video display device.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising compressing the high resolution signal.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising decompressing the packetized data.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the remote gateway is configured to transmit the copy of the first tagged portion of the packetized data to the second video display device and to transmit a copy of a second tagged portion of the packetized data to a third video display device.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the second tagged portion of the packetized data is a subset of the first tagged portion of the packetized data.

19. A system configured to provide data for diverse video receivers comprising:

a gateway configured to receive a high resolution video signal from a communication network, the high resolution video signal having a plurality of packets, wherein portions of the plurality of packets of the high resolution video signal are tagged with a tag for lower resolution devices;

wherein the tag indicates which packets in the plurality of packets of the high resolution video signal to include in a low resolution version of the high resolution video signal, wherein each packet of the plurality of packets of the high resolution video signal is used to form a high resolution data stream capable of being displayed at a high resolution device; and

a first low-resolution device having a video input requirement, wherein the gateway transmits a copy of a first tagged portion of the plurality of packets to the first low-resolution device responsive to the video input requirement.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the video input requirement is determined based on a device type.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the first tagged portion of the plurality of packets is identified for a first type of device.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein a second tagged portion of the plurality of packets is identified for a second type of device.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein a subset of the first tagged portion is sent to the second type of device.

24. A non-transitory computer readable medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions to manipulate a computing platform to:

receive a high resolution signal comprising packetized data;

tag portions of the packetized data of the high resolution signal with a tag, wherein the

tagged portions of the packetized data are capable of being utilized by a video display device having an input data format that has a lower resolution than a high definition television input format;

wherein the tag indicates which packets in the packetized data of the high resolution signal to include in a low resolution version of the high resolution signal, wherein each packet of the packetized data of the high resolution signal is used to form a high resolution data stream capable of being displayed at a high resolution device; and

transmit the packetized data including the tagged portions to a remote gateway configured to receive the transmitted packetized data and configured to distribute a copy of a first tagged portion of the packetized data to a display device having the lower resolution than the high definition television format.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 24 further comprising instructions to receive the packetized data and to selectively distribute the packetized data to receiving devices.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 24 further comprising instructions to digitize the high resolution signal and selectively packetize the data in a configuration useable for at least two video display devices having different data input parameters.