Method and system for communicating changes in a broadcast system to other broadcast components

• US 8,255,954 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2008
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Barroso, Eduardo, Luu, Trang V, Takamoto, Mark T, Zaldivar, Gilbert, Munsell, Michael R, Nguyen, Dien V, Riley, Xavier D, Shimizu, Jason Y
• Primary Examiner(s): Featherstone, Mark D
• Application Number:
  US12/042,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20090228931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,638 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/74 of satellite networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• 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 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite

Abstract

A broadcast system includes a program guide system, a traffic and scheduling system having a traffic and scheduling database having a program schedule therein. The system also includes a broadcast operation channel management system initiating a channel mapping change or channel definition change using the program schedule and communicating a change notification to a traffic scheduling system from the broadcast operation channel management system, extracting channel data from the channel mapping or channel definition change. The broadcast operation channel management system communicates the channel data to a program guide system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing a program schedule into a traffic and scheduling system having a traffic and scheduling system database;

initiating a channel mapping change or channel definition change in the traffic and scheduling system using a user interface of a broadcast operation channel management system;

after approval at the broadcast operation channel management system, communicating a change notification to the traffic and scheduling system from the broadcast operation channel management system;

extracting channel data from the channel mapping or channel definition change at the traffic and scheduling system in response to the change notification; and

communicating the channel data to a program guide system from the traffic and scheduling system.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein initiating the channel mapping change comprises initiating a service channel identifier change and further comprising communicating a service channel identifier to a content management system after extracting.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein initiating the channel mapping change comprises initiating a service channel identifier change and further comprising communicating the service channel identifier to a secure data system after extracting.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein initiating the channel mapping change comprises initiating a service channel identifier change and further comprising communicating the service channel identifier to a software download system.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein initiating the channel mapping change comprises initiating a service channel identifier change and further comprising communicating the service channel identifier to a transport processing system.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein storing a program schedule into a traffic and scheduling database comprises storing a program schedule into the traffic and scheduling database of a satellite broadcasting system.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein initiating a channel mapping change or channel definition change comprises adding channel data.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein initiating a channel mapping change or channel definition change comprises adding channel data and adding program guide data.

9. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein adding channel data comprises adding a station type or a station logo.

10. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein adding channel data comprises adding a station type and setting an occasional channel flag.

11. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein adding channel data comprises adding guide channel data.

12. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein adding channel data comprises changing a bit ratio allocation of a satellite transponder.

13. A method as recited in claim 8 wherein initiating a channel mapping or channel definition change comprises adding at least two of a channel name, a logo, a market identifier, a channel type, or a call sign.

14. A system comprising:

a program guide system;

a traffic and scheduling system having a traffic and scheduling database with a program schedule therein; and

a broadcast operation channel management system having a user interface initiating a channel mapping change or channel definition change using the program schedule and communicating a change notification to the traffic and scheduling system from the broadcast operation channel management system;

said traffic and scheduling system extracting channel data from the channel mapping or channel definition change in response to the change notification;

said broadcast operation channel management system communicating the channel data to the program guide system.

15. A system as recited in claim 14 wherein the channel mapping change or channel definition change comprises a service channel identifier change.

16. A system as recited in claim 14 wherein the channel mapping change or channel definition change comprises adding a channel data.

17. A system as recited in claim 14 wherein the channel mapping change or channel definition change comprises adding a station type or a station logo.

18. A system as recited in claim 14 wherein the channel mapping change or channel definition change comprises adding a station type and setting an occasional channel flag.

19. A system as recited in claim 14 wherein the channel mapping change or channel definition change comprises adding guide channel data.

20. A system as recited in claim 15 further comprising a secure data system, said broadcast operation channel management system communicating the channel identifier change to the secure data system.

21. A system as recited in claim 15 further comprising a content management system, said broadcast operation channel management system communicating the channel identifier change to the content management system.