Realtime broadcast stream and control data conversion system and method

• US 8,839,313 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2013
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Encore Incorporated (Wynit)
• Original Assignee: Encore Incorporated (Wynit)
• Inventors: Higgins, Sean Gordon, Billingsley, Derek Joseph Tobias, Furlong, Jeffery Louis, McNeill, Jared David
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Rong
• Application Number:
  US13/735,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20130125170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• US Class Current: 725/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4355 involving reformatting operations of additional data, e.g. HTML pages on a television screen optimising the visualization of content for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/9577; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/066; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440218 by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 conversion of standards in analogue television systems H04N7/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4823 using a channel name
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6437 Real-time Transport Protocol [RTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate

Abstract

A system that delivers live broadcast media to consumer devices, including a system for enabling devices without native capabilities such as internal bulk storage and stream processing, to have command and control of live broadcast streams, has been provided. This is achieved through intercepting and converting the normal service provider channel mapping data to a new channel map which points to a software system that delivers command and control of live broadcast media, and implementation of a software system which can receive a channel change protocol, establish a command and control session with the device, convert the channel map protocol to the original format, tune in, receive, convert and process the live stream so that it can be delivered to the requesting device and in turn be controlled by user interaction with that device or the software system. A corresponding method is also provided.

Claims

1. A method for processing an electronic program guide (EPG) information for use in live command and control for channel tuning and for control of a video play mode by a plurality of N subscriber terminals, the method comprising:

(a) connecting the subscriber terminals (STs) to a video broadcast subscriber link through a live conversion system controlling live streaming of a video;

(b) receiving a broadcast stream and an EPG channel on the broadcast subscriber link, processing the received broadcast stream and transmitting the processed broadcast stream by using a Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP);

(c) joining the EPG channel in an EPG tuner;

(d) reading an EPG information on the EPG channel, and constructing from the EPG information a channels file comprising a set of channels definitions;

(e) parsing the channels file;

(f) converting the channels file to a converted channel map in a control and command format, comprising converting the control and command format into a RTSP control and command format; and

(g) sending the converted channel map to each ST.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the steps (d) to (g) at predetermined time intervals.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a video channel from video channels contained in the broadcast stream.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the selecting the video channel includes receiving a channel request from a ST and tuning in to the corresponding video channel in the broadcast stream.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

buffering the selected video channel in a media buffer; and

transmitting the buffered video channel to a ST.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the buffered video channel is transmitted to the ST as a media payload in the form of media packets.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the processing the EPG information further comprises providing normal play and trick play processing for the selected video channel by processing the media payload with a stored key frame index.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the broadcast stream is a multi-media broadcast provided in one of:

an over-the-air digital radio frequency (RF) broadcast;

or

an Internet protocol (IP) multicast.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (g) further comprises limiting the converted channel map to a selected subset of channels to one or more STs.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing the EPG information comprises processing by one or more STs are Digital Living Network Alliance (DNLA) home network devices or mobile devices.

11. A system for processing an electronic program guide (EPG) information for use in live command and control for channel tuning and for control of a video play mode by a plurality of N subscriber terminals, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory device having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution by the processor, causing the processor to;

(a) connect the subscriber terminals (STs) to a video broadcast subscriber link through a live conversion system controlling live streaming of a video;

(b) receive a broadcast stream and an EPG channel on the broadcast subscriber link, process the received broadcast stream and transmit the processed broadcast stream by using a Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP);

(c) join the EPG channel in an EPG tuner;

(d) read an EPG information on the EPG channel, and construct from the EPG information a channels file comprising a set of channels definitions;

(e) parse the channels file;

(f) convert the channels file to a converted channel map in a control and command format, comprising converting the control and command format into a RTSP control and command format; and

(g) send the converted channel map to each ST.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the processor to repeat the steps (d) to (g) at predetermined time intervals.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the processor to select a video channel from video channels contained in the broadcast stream.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the processor to receive a channel request from a ST and tune in to the corresponding video channel in the broadcast stream.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the processor to:

buffer the selected video channel in a media buffer; and

transmit the buffered video channel to a ST.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the processor to transmit the buffered video channel to the ST as a media payload in the form of media packets.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the processor to provide normal play and trick play processing for the selected video channel by processing the media payload with a stored key frame index.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the broadcast stream is a multi-media broadcast provided in one of:

an over-the-air digital radio frequency (RF) broadcast;

or

an Internet protocol (IP) multicast.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer readable instructions further cause the processor to limit the converted channel map to a selected subset of channels to one or more STs.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein one or more STs are Digital Living Network Alliance (DNLA) home network devices or mobile devices.