Content delivery to a digital TV using a low-power frequency converted RF signal

• US 8,063,996 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2007
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Meld Technology Inc.
• Original Assignee: Meld Technology Inc.
• Inventors: Du Val, Jordan, Kniess, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Yenke; Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haiem; Sean
• Application Number:
  US11/740,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20070256108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,671 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/725
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/034 Portable transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4363 Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/40 Modulation circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7755 the recorder being connected to, or coupled with, the antenna of the television receiver

Abstract

A simple antenna is connected to the RF input port on a conventional digital TV to receive video content from a plurality of video content sources wirelessly. The video content sources, such as a DVD player and cable/satellite box, may generate baseband signals in a variety of formats. The baseband signals are connected to a remote converter for converting the baseband signals to a low power RF transmission having a standard format typically received at the digital TV'"'"'s RF input. The RF transmission has a range generally limited to within a home or room. The small antenna connected to the RF input of the digital TV will typically be located behind the TV so as not to be seen. The low power RF transmission is on a carrier frequency that is legally authorized by the FCC in frequency and power level.

Claims

1. A video content conversion system comprising:

a plurality of localized digital televisions, each digital television having an external RF port for receiving a terrestrial broadcast signal and an internal tuner settable to different channels for accessing a particular terrestrial broadcast channel;

at least one converter having at least one input receiving video signals conveying a plurality of different video content, each video content being associated with a different channel, wherein the video signals conveying the plurality of different video content are original format signals,

the at least one converter converting the original format signals for the plurality of different video content to at least one low power RF transmission so as to wirelessly transmit multiple channels for simultaneous local reception by the digital televisions tuned to different channels to display the plurality of different video content simultaneously,

the at least one RF transmission having a format capable of being demodulated by the digital televisions so that the video content associated with a channel is displayed on a screen of any of the televisions tuned to receive that particular channel, a frequency and bandwidth of the at least one RF transmission being within a specified operating range for a standard terrestrial broadcast transmission; and

a passive antenna directly coupled to the RF input port of each of the digital televisions for wirelessly receiving the low power at least one RF transmission, wherein the tuner internal to each television is set to a channel to display video content within an associated one of the at least one RF transmission, there being no active powered components between the antenna and the RF input port of each television, wherein the at least one RF transmission is in a format such that a receiver in each television whose tuner is set to a channel associated with a particular one of the at least one RF transmission does not distinguish between the RF transmission and a conventional terrestrial broadcast.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the format of the at least one RF transmission is any one of NTSC, ATSC, QAM, DVB-C/T, ISDB-T, VSB, and PAL

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one converter receives the original format signal in any one of the following formats:

NTSC, PAL, SECAM, composite or component digital TV signals, CVBS, YbPbR, RGB, S-Video, and HDMI.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one converter receives the original format signal in any one of the following formats:

NTSC, PAL, SECAM, composite or component digital TV signals, CVBS, YbPbR, RGB, S-Video, and HDMI, and the at least one converter then converts the original format signal into the at least one RF transmission in any one of the following formats;

ATSC, QAM, DVB-C/T, ISDB-T, and VSB.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the original format signals are baseband signals.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of video content sources coupled to the at least one converter and applying original format signals to the at least one converter.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the video content sources are any of the following:

a DVD player, a set top box, and a computer.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one converter is configured to generate an MPEG or H.264 transport stream from video content sources and digitally modulate the transport stream as the at least one RF transmission for reception by the digital televisions.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of video content sources coupled to the at least one converter and applying the original format signals to the at least one converter, wherein the plurality of video content sources generate the original format signals in different formats to the at least one converter, the at least one converter converting the different formats to a common format for RF transmission to the digital televisions.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the original format signals are derived from at least one RF transmission received by the at least one converter containing the plurality of video content, wherein the at least one converter converts the at least one RF transmission received by the at least one converter into a VSB or QAM format for transmission to the antenna coupled to the associated digital televisions.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one converter transmits signals to the televisions using at least one television channel in the frequency range of 289.25 MHz-883.25 MHz.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one converter transmits MPEG I frames or MPEG I, B, P motion frames for an on-screen display menu or other still pictures on the televisions.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one converter is controlled remotely using a wireless remote control.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one converter is controlled by a remote computer using at least one of an interface, an Internet connection, or an automatic program.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one converter adds information to the plurality of video content for transmission to the televisions.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one converter converts baseband signals to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal prior to conversion to the at least one RF transmission.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one RF transmission comprise a plurality of RF transmissions.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one converter comprises a plurality of converters.

17. A method performed by video content conversion system comprising:

receiving video signals, by at least one converter, conveying a plurality of different video content, each video content being associated with a different channel, wherein the video signals conveying the plurality of different video content are original format signals;

converting, by the at least one converter, the original format signals for the plurality of different video content to at least one low power RF transmission so as to wirelessly transmit multiple channels for simultaneous local reception by a plurality of digital televisions tuned to different channels to display the plurality of different video content simultaneously, each digital television having an external RF port for receiving a terrestrial broadcast signal and an internal tuner settable to different channels for accessing a particular terrestrial broadcast channel,

the at least one RF transmission having a format capable of being demodulated by the digital televisions so that the video content associated with a channel is displayed on a screen of any of the televisions tuned to receive that particular channel, a frequency and bandwidth of the at least one RF transmission being within a specified operating range for a standard terrestrial broadcast transmission; and

wirelessly receiving, by a passive antenna directly coupled to the RF input port of each of the digital televisions, the low power at least one RF transmission, wherein the tuner internal to each television is set to a channel to display video content within an associated one of the at least one RF transmission, there being no active powered components between the antenna and the RF input port of each television, wherein the at least one RF transmission is in a format such that a receiver in each television whose tuner is set to a channel associated with a particular one of the at least one RF transmission does not distinguish between the RF transmission and a conventional terrestrial broadcast.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the original format signals are baseband signals.