Delivering a supplemented CCTV signal to one or more subscribers

• US 8,854,459 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Inventors: Yip, Robert Hingyee
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazaro, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOROBOV, VITALI A
• Application Number:
  US11/642,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20070199042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,847 Days
• Field of Search: 348/61, 348/143
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/04 from field pickup units [FPU]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/30 by a single channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/16 on playing information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/186 Video door telephones

Abstract

A method and a system are provided for delivering a supplemented CCTV message to subscribers, such as residents of a MDU. A processor combines the signal from a local CCTV camera system with a supplementary message to be provided to subscribers. The supplemented CCTV signal resulting from this combining is inserted into a dedicated channel of an incoming broadcast television feed. For a digital television feed, the supplemented CCTV signal may be forwarded to a central office managing television feeds for this particular location, so that the inserting may take place thereat.

Claims

1. A method for delivering a supplemented CCTV signal to one or more subscribers of a multi-dwelling unit (MDU), comprising:

a) receiving at least one supplementary message to be provided to said one or more subscribers;

b) combining a signal from a local CCTV camera system located at the MDU and said supplementary message into said supplemented CCTV signal, wherein said receiving and said combining occur at or proximate the MDU; and

c) causing transmission of said supplemented CCTV signal to a respective set top box of each of said one or more subscribers as a dedicated channel of a digital commercial broadcast television feed, wherein said causing transmission comprises;

i. forwarding said supplemented CCTV signal to a central office terminal supplying said digital commercial broadcast television feed to said one or more subscribers; and

ii. integrating said supplemented CCTV signal in said dedicated channel of said digital commercial broadcast television feed supplied from said central office terminal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said supplementary message comprises at least one of a text message, a graphical message, a sequence of graphical messages and a combination thereof.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing said supplementary message on a background template.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said background template comprises a plurality of background pages displayed in a sequence.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein said combining comprises overlaying said signal from said local CCTV camera system on a portion of said background template.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said combining comprises overlaying said supplementary message on a portion of said signal from said local CCTV camera system.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said signal from said local CCTV camera system comprises sequenced signals from multiple cameras of said local CCTV camera system.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said signal from said local CCTV system comprises simultaneously displayed signals from multiple cameras of said local CCTV camera system.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said supplementary message is received from a source remote of the MDU.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said supplementary message is received through an internet connection.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said supplementary message is inputted at the MDU.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said supplementary message is generated at the MDU.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said supplementary message is uploaded at the MDU from a data storage medium.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising digitally encoding said supplemented CCTV signal after said combining.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said causing transmission further comprises authorizing said one or more subscribers of the MDU to access said dedicated channel.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein said forwarding comprises using an upstream bandwidth of a transmission line having a downstream bandwidth providing said digital commercial broadcast television feed to said one or more subscribers of the MDU.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said transmission line is a VDSL line and said method further comprises formatting said supplemented CCTV signal into a VDSL compatible format.

18. The method according to claim 1, wherein said digital commercial broadcast television feed is a digital commercial cable television feed.

19. A system for delivering a supplemented CCTV signal to one or more subscribers of a multi-dwelling unit (MDU), comprising:

a processor located at or proximate the MDU and operable to;

receive at least one supplementary message to be provided to said one or more subscribers;

receive a signal from a local CCTV camera system located at the MDU; and

combine said signal from said local CCTV camera system and said supplementary message into said supplemented CCTV signal; and

transmission means operable to cause transmission of said supplemented CCTV signal to a respective set top box of each of said one or more subscribers as a dedicated channel of a digital commercial broadcast television feed, said transmission means comprising a central office terminal supplying said digital commercial broadcast television feed to said one or more subscribers, said central office terminal comprising;

an interface operable to receive said supplemented CCTV signal from said processor; and

an integrating module operable to integrate said supplemented CCTV signal in said dedicated channel of said digital commercial broadcast television feed supplied by said central office terminal.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said supplementary message comprises at least one of a text message, a graphical message, a sequence of graphical messages and a combination thereof.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein said supplementary message is provided on a background template.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said background template comprises a plurality of background pages displayed in a sequence.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein to combine said signal from said local CCTV camera system and said supplementary message into said supplemented CCTV signal, said processor is operable to overlay said signal from said local CCTV camera system on a portion of said background template.

24. The system according to claim 19, wherein to combine said signal from said local CCTV camera system and said supplementary message into said supplemented CCTV signal, said processor is operable to overlay said supplementary message on a portion of said signal from said local CCTV camera system.

25. The system according to claim 19, wherein said signal from said local CCTV camera system comprises sequenced signals from multiple cameras of said local CCTV camera system.

26. The system according to claim 19, wherein said signal from said local CCTV system comprises simultaneously displayed signals from multiple cameras of said local CCTV camera system.

27. The system according to claim 19, wherein said processor is a personal computer.

28. The system according to claim 19, wherein said processor comprises a port and said system further comprises a modem coupled to said port, said modem receiving the supplementary message from a source remote of said processor.

29. The system according to claim 28, said modem is connected to the internet.

30. The system according to claim 28, wherein said modem is one of a dial-up modem, a cable modem, a DSL modem, a VDSL modem, and a wireless modem.

31. The system according to claim 19, wherein said processor comprises an input interface for inputting said supplementary message in said processor.

32. The system according to claim 31, wherein said input interface comprises a keyboard connected to the processor for entering said supplementary message in said processor.

33. The system according to claim 31, wherein said input interface comprises at least one reader connected to the processor for uploading said supplementary message on said processor from a data storage medium.

34. The system according to claim 19, wherein said processor comprises a video capture application for digitally encoding said signal from said local CCTV system.

35. The system according to claim 34, wherein said processor comprises a combining module for combining the signal digitally encoded by the video capture application and said supplementary message into said supplemented CCTV signal.

36. The system according to claim 19, wherein said processor comprises an encoding module for encoding said supplemented CCTV signal into a format compatible with said digital commercial broadcast television feed.

37. The system according to claim 36, wherein said transmission means comprise a digital communication line providing said digital commercial broadcast television feed to said one or more subscribers of the MDU.

38. The system according to claim 37, wherein said digital communication line is a VDSL line.

39. The system according to claim 38, wherein said processor comprises a VDSL modem connected to said VDSL line.

40. The system according to claim 19, wherein said central office terminal comprises an authorization module operable to authorize said one or more subscribers of the MDU to access said dedicated channel.

41. A processor for generating a supplemented CCTV signal for delivery to one or more subscribers of a multi-dwelling unit (MDU), the processor being located at or proximate the MDU, the processor comprising:

an input port in communication with a local CCTV camera system located at the MDU for receiving a signal therefrom;

an interface operable to receive at least one supplementary message to be provided to said one or more subscribers;

a combining module operable to combine said signal from said local CCTV camera system and said supplementary message into said supplemented CCTV signal;

a configuring application operable to configure said supplemented CCTV signal into a format compatible for integration as a dedicated channel of a digital commercial broadcast television feed; and

an output port in communication with a central office terminal supplying said digital commercial broadcast television feed to a respective set top box of each of said one or more subscribers, said central office terminal comprising an interface operable to receive said supplemented CCTV signal from the processor, and an integrating module operable to integrate said supplemented CCTV signal in said dedicated channel of said digital commercial broadcast television feed supplied by said central office terminal.

42. The processor according to claim 41, wherein said supplementary message comprises at least one of a text message, a graphical message, a sequence of graphical messages and a combination thereof.

43. The processor according to claim 41, wherein said supplementary message is provided on a background template.

44. The processor according to claim 43, wherein said background template comprises a plurality of background pages displayed in a sequence.

45. The processor according to claim 43, wherein said combining module is operable to overlay said signal from said local CCTV camera system on a portion of said background template.

46. The processor according to claim 41, wherein said combining module is operable to overlay said supplementary message on a portion of said signal from said local CCTV camera system.

47. The processor according to claim 41, wherein said signal from said local CCTV camera system comprises sequenced signals from multiple cameras of said local CCTV camera system.

48. The processor according to claim 41, wherein said signal from said local CCTV system comprises simultaneously displayed signals from multiple cameras of said local CCTV camera system.

49. The processor according to claim 41, wherein said processor is a personal computer.

50. The processor according to claim 41, wherein said interface comprises a port of said processor coupled to a modem, said modem receiving the supplementary message from a source remote of said processor.

51. The processor according to claim 41, wherein said interface comprises an input interface for inputting said supplementary message in said processor.

52. The processor according to claim 51, wherein said input interface comprises a keyboard connected to the processor for entering said supplementary message in said processor.

53. The processor according to claim 51, wherein said input interface comprises at least one reader connected to the processor for uploading said supplementary message on said processor from a data storage medium.

54. The processor according to claim 41, comprising a video capture application for digitally encoding said signal from the local CCTV system.

55. The processor according to claim 54, wherein said combining module is operable to combine the signal digitally encoded by the video capture application and said supplementary message into said supplemented CCTV signal.

56. The processor according to claim 41, wherein the configuring application is an encoding application for encoding said supplemented CCTV signal into a format compatible with said digital commercial broadcast television feed.