Method for swapping channel assignments in a broadcast system

• US 8,578,427 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2008
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• 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: Luu, Trang V, Takamoto, Mark T, Tronson, Jonathan L, Zaldivar, Gilbert, Hayes, Joseph T
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): OKEKE, ONYEDIKA C
• Application Number:
  US12/042,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20090228932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,072 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/63
• 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 21/26283 for associating distribution time parameters to content, e.g. to generate electronic program guide data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26291 for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6402 Address allocation for clients address allocation in data networks H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

A method of swapping channels in a broadcast system includes a broadcast operation channel management system receiving broadcast operation channel swap data for a first station and a second station. The channel swap data comprises an effective date, a first station identifier and a first position and a second station identifier and a second position. A traffic scheduling system database communicates a first channel mapping data for a first channel to the broadcast operation channel management system. The traffic scheduling system database communicates a second channel mapping for a second channel to the broadcast operation channel management system. The broadcast operation channel updates the first channel mapping to form a first updated first channel mapping by setting a first end date of the first channel mapping to the effective date for the first station and communicating the first updated first channel mapping to the traffic scheduling database. The broadcast operation channel updating the second channel mapping to form a first updated second channel mapping by setting a second end date of the second channel mapping to the effective date for the first station and communicating the first updated second channel mapping to the traffic scheduling database. The broadcast operation channel forms a first new channel mapping for the first station with the effective date as the first start date and forms a second new channel mapping for the second station with the effective date as the second start date.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

communicating broadcast operation channel swap data for a first station and a second station to a broadcast operation channel management system of a broadcast system, said channel swap data comprising an effective date, a first station identifier and a first channel position and a second station identifier and a second channel position;

communicating a first channel mapping data for a first channel from a traffic scheduling system database of the broadcast system to the broadcast operation channel management system;

communicating a second channel mapping for a second channel from the traffic scheduling system database to the broadcast operation channel management system;

updating the first channel mapping to form a first updated first channel mapping by setting a first end date of the first channel mapping to the effective date for the first station;

communicating the first updated first channel mapping to the traffic scheduling database;

updating the second channel mapping to form a first updated second channel mapping by setting a second end date of the second channel mapping to the effective date for the first station;

communicating the first updated second channel mapping to the traffic scheduling database;

forming a first new channel mapping for the first station with the effective date as a first start date at the broadcast operation channel management system;

forming a second new channel mapping for the second station with the effective date as a second start date at the broadcast operation channel management system; and

broadcasting the first station and second station from the broadcast system to user devices using the first new channel mapping and the second new channel mapping, respectively.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising communicating a broadcast operation channel swap command to a broadcast operation channel from an engineering module.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating a first channel mapping data request from the broadcast operation channel management system to a traffic and scheduling database.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating a second channel mapping data request from the broadcast operation channel management system to the traffic and scheduling database.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first channel mapping comprises a first mapping for a first schedule channel.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first channel mapping comprises a first mapping for a first guide channel.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first channel mapping comprises a first schedule channel and a first guide channel.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the second channel mapping comprises a second mapping for a second schedule channel.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the second channel mapping comprises a second mapping for a second guide channel.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the second channel mapping comprises a second schedule channel and a second guide channel.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first channel mapping data comprises transponder data.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the second channel mapping data comprises transponder data.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first channel mapping data comprises bit rate allocation for a satellite transponder.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the second channel mapping data comprises bit rate allocation for a satellite transponder.

15. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating broadcast operation swap data comprises communicating broadcast operation swap data from an engineering module.

16. A system comprising:

a broadcast operation channel management system of a broadcast system receiving broadcast operation channel swap data for a first station and a second station, said channel swap data comprising an effective date, a first station identifier and a first channel position and a second station identifier and a second channel position; and

a traffic scheduling system database of the broadcast system communicating a first channel mapping data for a first channel to the broadcast operation channel management system, said traffic scheduling system database communicating a second channel mapping for a second channel to the broadcast operation channel management system;

said broadcast operation channel management system updating the first channel mapping to form a first updated first channel mapping by setting a first end date of the first channel mapping to the effective date for the first station and communicating the first updated first channel mapping to the traffic scheduling database;

said broadcast operation channel management system updating the second channel mapping to form a first updated second channel mapping by setting a second end date of the second channel mapping to the effective date for the first station and communicating the first updated second channel mapping to the traffic scheduling database;

said broadcast operation channel management system forming a first new channel mapping for the first station with the effective date as a first start date and forming a second new channel mapping for the second station with the effective date as a second start date;

said broadcast system broadcasting the first station and the second station to user devices using the first new channel mapping and the second new channel mapping, respectively.

17. A system as recited in claim 16 wherein the first channel mapping comprises a first mapping for a first schedule channel.

18. A system as recited in claim 16 wherein the first channel mapping comprises a first mapping for a first guide channel.

19. A system as recited in claim 16 wherein the first channel mapping comprises a first mapping first schedule channel and a first guide channel.

20. A system as recited in claim 16 wherein the second channel mapping comprises a second mapping for second schedule channel.

21. A system as recited in claim 16 wherein the second channel mapping comprises a second mapping for a second guide channel.

22. A system as recited in claim 16 wherein the second channel mapping comprises a second mapping second schedule channel and a second guide channel.