Method and system for monitoring and controlling receiving circuit modules at a local collection facility from a remote facility

• US 8,356,321 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2007
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pham, Hoang D., Mika, Jeanet C., Ribordy, Douglas E., Miner, Daniel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Saltarelli, Dominic D
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUNG, JASON
• Application Number:
  US11/853,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20090070825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,953 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/68
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/33 by plural channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/74 of satellite networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2383 Channel coding or modulation of digital bit-stream, e.g. QPSK modulation arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received by adapting the channel coding H04L1/0009; analogue front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2408 Monitoring of the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. client requests monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method for controlling receiving circuit module includes a remote facility, an IP network and a local collection facility in communication with the remote facility through the IP network. The local collection facility includes a plurality of primary receiving circuit modules having a first encoder. The local collection facility generates a receiving circuit module monitoring signal. The local collection facility communicates the monitoring signal to the remote facility through the IP network. The monitoring system generates a receiving circuit module control signal in response to the monitoring signal communicates the receiving circuit module control signal to the receiving circuit module through the IP network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of primary receiving circuit modules at a local collection facility, said plurality of receiving circuit modules comprising a first receiving circuit module having a television receiver module tuning and receiving a television channel signal and encoder module encoding the television channel signal to form an encoded television channel;

communicating the encoded television channel signal to a remote facility;

uplinking the encoded television channel signal to a satellite from the remote facility;

generating receiving circuit module monitoring signals at the local collection facility corresponding to a first set of operational parameters corresponding to a first status of the television receiver module and a second set of operational parameters corresponding to a second status of the encoder module;

communicating the monitoring signals to the remote facility through a network;

generating a receiving circuit module control signal at the remote facility in response to the monitoring signals;

communicating the receiving circuit module control signal to the receiving circuit module through the network; and

controlling the television receiver module in response to the receiving circuit module control signal.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the television receiver module comprises a tuner, demodulator and decoder.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the television receiver circuit module comprises an IP encoder.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the network comprises an IP network.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the receiving circuit module control signal comprises an audio visual parameter signal.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the receiving circuit module control signal comprises a reset encoder signal.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the control signal receiving circuit module comprises a processing amplifier adjustment signal.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the control signal receiving circuit module comprises a closed caption control signal.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the monitoring signal comprises a closed caption status signal.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the monitoring signal comprises an encoder status signal.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the monitoring signal comprises an over temperature signal, a power supply failure signal or a fan alarm signal.

12. A system comprising:

a remote facility;

a network;

a local collection facility in communication with the remote facility through the network, said local collection facility comprising a plurality of primary receiving circuit modules comprising a first television receiver module for receiving a television channel signal and a first encoder module for encoding the television channel signal, said local collection facility uplinking the television channel signal to a satellite, said local collection facility generating a receiving circuit module monitoring signal corresponding to a first set of operational parameters corresponding to a first status of the television receiver module and a second set of operational parameters corresponding to a second status of the encoder module, said local collection facility communicating the monitoring signal to the remote facility through the network;

a monitoring system generating a receiving circuit module control signal in response to the monitoring signal and said monitoring system communicating the receiving circuit module control signal to the receiving circuit module through the network.

13. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the monitoring system and the remote facility are co-located.

14. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the monitoring system is disposed in a network operations center spaced apart from the remote facility.

15. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the receiving circuit module control signal comprises an audio-visual parameter signal.

16. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the receiving circuit module control signal comprises a reset encoder signal.

17. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the receiving circuit module control signal comprises a processing amplifier adjustment signal.

18. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the receiving circuit module control signal comprises a closed caption control signal.

19. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the monitoring signal comprises a closed caption status signal.

20. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the monitoring signal comprises an encoder status signal.

21. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the monitoring signal comprises an over temperature signal, a power supply failure signal or a fan alarm signal.

22. A system comprising:

a first remote facility and a second remote facility spaced apart from the first remote facility;

a network;

a first plurality of local facilities, each of the first plurality a local collection facilities in communication with the first remote facility through the network, each of the first plurality of local collection facilities comprising a first plurality of primary receiving circuit modules comprising a first encoder module and a first television receiver module receiving a first television channel signal, at least one of the plurality of first local collection facilities generating a first receiving circuit module monitoring signal corresponding to a first set of operational parameters corresponding to a first status of the first receiver module and a second set of operational parameters corresponding to a second status of the first encoder module, said at least one of the local collection facilities communicating the first receiving circuit module monitoring signal to the remote facility through the network;

a second plurality of local facilities, each of the second plurality of local collection facilities in communication with the second remote facility through the network, each of the second plurality of local collection facilities comprising a second plurality of primary receiving circuit modules comprising a second encoder module and a second television receiver module receiving a second television channel signal, at least one of the plurality of second local collection facilities generating a second receiving circuit module monitoring signal corresponding to a third set of operational parameters corresponding to a third status of the second receiver module and a fourth set of operational parameters corresponding to a fourth status of the second encoder module, said at least one of the second local collection facilities communicating the second receiving circuit module monitoring signal to the remote facility through the network;

said first remote facility uplinking the first television channel signal to a satellite;

said second remote facility uplinking the second television channel signal to the satellite;

a monitoring system generating a first receiving circuit module control signal in response to the first receiving circuit module monitoring signal and a second receiving circuit module monitoring signal, said monitoring system communicating the first receiving circuit module control signal to the first receiving circuit module and the second receiving circuit module control signal to the second receiving circuit module through the network.

23. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the first receiving circuit module monitoring signal comprises a first encoder status signal and the second receiving circuit module monitoring signal comprises a second encoder status signal.

24. A system as recited in claim 22 wherein the first receiving circuit module control signal comprises a first encoder control signal and the second receiving circuit module control signal comprises a second encoder control signal.