Switched digital video client reverse channel traffic reduction

• US 8,370,889 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2007
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Triton US VP Acquisition, Co.
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sukumar, Kanthimathi Gayatri, Sivaprakasam, Balaprakash, Satish, L. Gnanendra, Osborne, Jason C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodarzi, Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAY, MARY ANNE
• Application Number:
  US11/692,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20080244679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,141 Days
• Field of Search: 725 38- 42, 725/73, 725/80, 725/93, 725/100, 725/103, 725/105, 725/109, 725/111, 725/114, 725/116, 725/121, 725/131, 725/135, 725/139, 725/140, 725/143, 725/151
• US Class Current: 725/120
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17327 with deferred transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for enabling a switched digital video (SDV) client to intelligently generate and transmit reverse request in a SDV system. In this manner, reverse channel traffic is reduced. During rapid channel changes using the up and down keys on a remote control, the SDV client waits a predetermined amount of time before generating a reverse request that is subsequently transmitted upstream to a headend server. By way of example, changing broadcasted channels quickly will not generate a reverse request until the predetermined amount of time is over. In the event that a changed channel is an SDV session, a program select request is immediately generated in order to begin receiving the SDV session.

Claims

1. A Switched Digital Video (SDV) client for requesting and receiving services, the SDV client comprising:

a tuner,

a timer having a predetermined expiration time,

a processor for receiving a request for and requesting a broadcasted service or an SDV service,

wherein the request includes a tuner identity indicator, a tuner status, and a selected program name associated with one of the broadcasted service and the SDV service;

the processor further configured to;

determine if the request is for a broadcasted service or an SDV service based on a pre-determined channel map;

delay transmitting a broadcasted service select request for a predetermined period of time during rapid channel changes until a timeout period has expired after the channel has been selected;

immediately transmit an SDV service request to the SDV server if the SDV service is not already being broadcasted;

notify an SDV server that a previously selected SDV program has been deselected within a period of time when a series of rapid channel changes across one or more broadcasted service channels is initiated.

2. The SDV client of claim 1, wherein when the processor receives a second request for a second broadcasted service, the timer resets to the predetermined expiration time.

3. A Switched Digital Video (SDV) system comprising:

a plurality of set-top boxes, each set-top box (STB) for requesting and receiving a plurality of services, each STB comprising a timer and a processor;

an SDV server;

an application server;

a VOD server;

wherein popular services are continuously broadcasted throughout the system;

wherein SDV services are broadcasted only by reverse request and then only if there is available bandwidth,

wherein the SDV server binds SDV programs according to a subscriber'"'"'s request to a transport stream,

wherein session group bandwidth is shared among all services including VOD sessions, SDV sessions, and broadcast services.

4. The SDV system of claim 3, wherein the STB processor immediately transmits an SDV reverse request requesting the SDV service when a requested channel change is for an SDV service.

5. The SDV system of claim 3, wherein the SDV server, upon receiving the SDV reverse request, evaluates available bandwidth on an RF carrier frequency, and, if bandwidth is available, for transmitting the program associated with the SDV service.

6. The SDV system of claim 3, wherein the STB timer has a predetermined expiration time for determining when to transmit the broadcasted reverse request.

7. The SDV system of claim 3, wherein when the STB processor receives a second request for a second broadcasted service, the timer resets to the predetermined expiration time.

8. The SDV system of claim 3, wherein the broadcasted reverse request includes a tuner identity indicator, a tuner status, and a selected program name associated with the broadcasted service.

9. The SDV system of claim 3, wherein when the SDV server receives the broadcasted reverse request, the broadcasted reverse request is stored in a table.

10. The SDV system of claim 3, wherein, when the SDV server is transmitting an SDV service to the STB and subsequently receives the broadcasted reverse request, the SDV server discontinues the transmission of the SDV service.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a request for a broad casted service or an SDV service, wherein the request includes a tuner identity indicator, a tuner status, and a selected program name associated with one of the broad casted service and the SDV service;

requesting, by the processor, one of the broad casted service and the SDV service; and

determining, by the processor, if the request is for a broad casted service or an SDV service based on a pre-determined channel map,

delaying, by the processor and a timer having a predetermined expiration time, transmitting a broadcasted service select request for a predetermined period of time during rapid channel changes until a timeout period has expired after the channel has been selected;

immediately transmitting, by the processor, an SDV service request to the SDV server if the SDV service is not already being broadcasted;

notifying an SDV server, by the processor, that an SDV program has been deselected within a period of time when a series of rapid channel changes across one or more broadcasted service channels is initiated.

12. The method of claim 11, receiving, by the processor, a second request for a second broadcasted service, wherein the timer resets to the predetermined expiration time.