Digital residential entertainment system
First Claim
1. A system for providing digital entertainment data, the system comprising:
- a shared system bus interconnecting internal components of a gateway, the gateway comprising;
a processor having a processor input connected to the shared system bus and a processor output connected to the shared system bus;
memory having a memory input connected to the shared system bus and a memory output connected to the shared system bus;
multiple pairs of a tuner and a demodulator connected to the shared system bus to receive control signals, with each pair of the tuner and the demodulator tuning to a frequency to receive a plurality of information signals broadcast from a source;
a data switch having multiple input ports and multiple output ports;
a dedicated link between one of the multiple input ports and a respective one of the multiple pairs of the tuner and the demodulator, such that each pair of the multiple pairs of the tuner and the demodulator is dedicated to a different input port of the data switch;
a video overlay processor coupled to the data switch that superimposes a first audio-visual signal over a second audio-visual signal to produce a superimposed signal; and
a mass storage device connected to the shared system bus, the mass storage device storing a plurality of content items and a corresponding single data record describing one content item in the plurality of content items the single data record being a row in a data table, the row having a plurality of data fields, the plurality of data fields comprising;
an item identifier field describing a title of the one content item;
a type field indicating a type of the one content item;
a cost of playback field indicating a fee for playing the one content item;
a usage field indicating the one content item has been played;
a cost of purchase field indicating the fee for purchasing the one content item;
a purchase field indicating the one content item has been licensed for purchase; and
a storage position identifier specifying a position for the one content item in a lineup of different content items, the storage position identifier received from a source remote from the system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is a comprehensive digital residential entertainment system. A system includes a data switch, a mass storage device, a tuner and a demodulator. The data switch has a plurality of switch ports, and the mass storage device is coupled to a switch port of the plurality of switch ports of the data switch. The tuner selects an information channel of a plurality of information channels. The demodulator is coupled to a switch port of the plurality of switch ports of the data switch and to the tuner. A Web-based graphical user interface can be provided for accessing and controlling the features and functions of the digital residential entertainment system.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A system for providing digital entertainment data, the system comprising:
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a shared system bus interconnecting internal components of a gateway, the gateway comprising; a processor having a processor input connected to the shared system bus and a processor output connected to the shared system bus; memory having a memory input connected to the shared system bus and a memory output connected to the shared system bus; multiple pairs of a tuner and a demodulator connected to the shared system bus to receive control signals, with each pair of the tuner and the demodulator tuning to a frequency to receive a plurality of information signals broadcast from a source; a data switch having multiple input ports and multiple output ports; a dedicated link between one of the multiple input ports and a respective one of the multiple pairs of the tuner and the demodulator, such that each pair of the multiple pairs of the tuner and the demodulator is dedicated to a different input port of the data switch; a video overlay processor coupled to the data switch that superimposes a first audio-visual signal over a second audio-visual signal to produce a superimposed signal; and a mass storage device connected to the shared system bus, the mass storage device storing a plurality of content items and a corresponding single data record describing one content item in the plurality of content items the single data record being a row in a data table, the row having a plurality of data fields, the plurality of data fields comprising; an item identifier field describing a title of the one content item; a type field indicating a type of the one content item; a cost of playback field indicating a fee for playing the one content item; a usage field indicating the one content item has been played; a cost of purchase field indicating the fee for purchasing the one content item; a purchase field indicating the one content item has been licensed for purchase; and a storage position identifier specifying a position for the one content item in a lineup of different content items, the storage position identifier received from a source remote from the system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification