Method and system for processing signals from a local collection facility at a signal processing facility

• US 8,170,069 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2007
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pham, Hoang D., Mika, Jeanet C., Miner, Daniel M., Ribordy, Douglas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): SWEET, LONNIE V
• Application Number:
  US11/853,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20090070826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,694 Days
• Field of Search: 370/240.01, 370/532, 370/535, 370/240, 155/3.01, 455/3.01
• US Class Current: 370/535
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite

Abstract

A system and method for processing signal in a remote facility includes an IP network and a first local collection facility that includes a first plurality of receiving circuit modules receiving a first plurality of channel signals and generating a first plurality of IP encoded signals from the first plurality of channel signals and a first router routing the first plurality of encoded signals to the IP network. The system also includes a second local collection facility comprising a second plurality of receiving circuit modules receiving a second plurality of channel signals and generating a second plurality of IP encoded signals from the second plurality of channel signals and a second router routing the second plurality of encoded signals to the IP network. The system also includes a remote facility having a statistical multiplexer in communication with the IP network. The remote facility includes a compression system controller configuring the statistical multiplexer and at least one of the first plurality of receiving circuit modules and at least one of the second plurality of receiving circuit modules to form a multicast group so that at least one of the first plurality of encoded signals and at least one of the second plurality of encoded signals are multiplexed together with the statistical multiplexer to form an output signal.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a first local collection facility comprising a first plurality of receiving circuit modules,

receiving a first plurality of channel signals at the first plurality of receiving circuit modules;

generating a first plurality of IP encoded signals from the first plurality of channel signals; and

at a first router, routing the first plurality of encoded signals to an IP network;

at a second local collection facility comprising a second plurality of receiving circuit modules,

receiving a second plurality of channel signals at the second plurality of receiving modules;

generating a second plurality of IP encoded signals from the second plurality of channel signals; and

at a second router, routing the second plurality of encoded signals to the IP network;

at a remote facility located remotely from the first local collection facility and the second local collection facility, and controlling the first plurality of receiving circuit modules and the second plurality of receiving circuit module with a compression system controller, configuring an output signal of a statistical multiplexer with the compression system controller so that at least one of the first plurality of receiving circuit modules and at least one of the second plurality of receiving circuit modules form a multicast group wherein at least one of the first plurality of encoded signals and at least one of the second plurality of encoded signals are multiplexed together with the statistical multiplexer to form the output signal.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising monitoring the first plurality of receiving circuit modules and the second plurality of receiving circuit modules with the compression system controller.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 further comprising configuring an encoder at the first local collection facility in response to monitoring.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising monitoring the statistical multiplexer with the compression system controller.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising controlling the statistical multiplexer to form an uplink signal for a transponder of a satellite with the compression system controller.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating a multiplexed IP signal and an asynchronous serial interface signal at the statistical multiplexer.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising communicating the multiplexed IP signal to the compression system controller from the statistical multiplexer.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving the first plurality of channels comprises receiving standard definition terrestrial over-the air channel signals received through an antenna.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving the first plurality of channels comprises receiving high definition terrestrial over-the air channel signals received through an antenna.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein receiving the first plurality of channels comprises receiving local channel signal received through wired or optical connection.

11. A system comprising:

an IP network;

a first local collection facility comprising a first plurality of receiving circuit modules receiving a first plurality of channel signals and generating a first plurality of IP encoded signals from the first plurality of channel signals and a first router routing the first plurality of encoded signals to the IP network;

a second local collection facility comprising a second plurality of receiving circuit modules receiving a second plurality of channel signals and generating a second plurality of IP encoded signals from the second plurality of channel signals and a second router routing the second plurality of encoded signals to the IP network; and

a remote facility having a statistical multiplexer in communication with the IP network, said remote facility comprising a compression system controller controlling the first plurality of receiving circuit modules and the second plurality of receiving circuit modules and configuring the statistical multiplexer and at least one of the first plurality of receiving circuit modules and at least one of the second plurality of receiving circuit modules to form a multicast group so that at least one of the first plurality of encoded signals and at least one of the second plurality of encoded signals are multiplexed together with the statistical multiplexer to form an output signal.

12. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein the compression system controller comprises a primary compression system controller and a secondary compression system controller.

13. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein the compression system controller monitors the first plurality of receiving circuit modules and the second plurality of receiving circuit modules.

14. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein the compression system controller configures an encoder at the first local collection facility.

15. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein the compression system controller monitors the statistical multiplexer.

16. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein the compression system controller controls the statistical multiplexer to form an uplink signal for a transponder of a satellite.

17. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein the statistical multiplexer generates a multiplexed IP signal and an asynchronous serial interface signal.

18. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein the statistical multiplexer communicates the multiplexed IP signal the compression system controller.

19. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein the first router comprises a primary router and a secondary router.

20. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein the first plurality of channel signals comprises standard definition terrestrial over-the air channel signals received through an antenna.

21. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein the first plurality of channel signals comprises high definition terrestrial over-the air channel signals received through an antenna.

22. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein the first plurality of channel signals comprises local channel signals received through wired or optical connection.

23. A system as recited in claim 11 wherein the first local collection facility is located in a first designated marketing area and the second local collection facility is located in a second designated marketing area spaced apart from the first designated marketing area.