System and method to provide a unified video signal for diverse receiving platforms

• US 8,966,563 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2011
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ansari, Ahmad C., Nadarajah, Dinesh, Hartman, David Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodarzi, Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peng, Fred
• Application Number:
  US13/021,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20110167442A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• Field of Search: 725/54, 725/90, 725/116
• US Class Current: 725/116
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4353 involving decryption of additional data arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4358 for generating different versions, e.g. for different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440227 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44029 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4408 involving video stream encryption, e.g. re-encrypting a decrypted video stream for redistribution in a home network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6336 directed to decoder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A system includes a signal-processing engine configured to generate a video data stream including a plurality of data packets based on a received video signal. A first subset of the plurality of data packets is usable to generate a video display of content having a first quality and all of the plurality of data packets are usable to generate a second video display of the content having a second quality. The second quality is higher than the first quality. The signal-processing engine is further configured to distinguish the first subset of the plurality of data packets from other data packets of the plurality of data packets by applying a tag to particular data packets to form tagged data packets. The system also includes a transmitter coupled to the signal-processing engine and configured to transmit the plurality of data packets of the video data stream.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor including;

a data packet generator configured to generate a video data stream including a plurality of data packets based on a received video signal, wherein a first subset of the plurality of data packets is usable to generate a first video display of content having a first quality, wherein a second subset of the first subset is usable to generate a second video display of the content having a second quality, and wherein all of the plurality of data packets are usable to generate a third video display of the content having a third quality, the second quality lower than the first quality and the first quality lower than the third quality; and

a data packet tagger configured to distinguish the first subset of the data packets by applying a first tag to data packets of the first subset to form first tagged data packets and to distinguish the second subset of the data packets by applying the first tag and a second tag to data packets of the second subset to form second tagged data packets; and

a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to transmit the plurality of data packets of the video data stream.

2. The system as in claim 1, further comprising a remote gateway configured to receive the video data stream and to distribute the plurality of data packets to a first video display device that is capable of displaying the content at the third quality, and to distribute copies of the first tagged data packets to a second video display device that is capable of displaying the content at the first quality.

3. The system as in claim 1, further comprising a security module or a digital rights management module to authorize a video display device and to enable secure communications with the video display device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first quality is associated with a first display resolution parameter and the third quality is associated with a second display resolution parameter that is higher than the first display resolution parameter.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first quality is associated with a first data rate and the third quality is associated with a second data rate that is higher than the first data rate.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein a third tag is applied to data packets of the plurality of data packets that are not in the first subset.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein no tag is applied to data packets of the plurality of data packets that are not in the first subset.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first tag is applied to each Nth data packet of the plurality of data packets to form the first tagged data packets and the second tag is applied to each Mth data packet of the plurality of data packets to form the second tagged data packets, where M is a multiple of N.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a receiver having a splitter, wherein the splitter is configured to generate copies of tagged data packets, to send the copies of the tagged data packets to a first display device, and to send tagged and untagged data packets to a second display device.

10. A method comprising:

receiving a video signal at a signal-processing engine;

generating, at the signal-processing engine, a video data stream including a plurality of data packets based on the video signal, wherein a first subset of the plurality of data packets is usable to generate a video display of content having a first quality, wherein a second subset of the first subset is usable to generate a second video display of the content having a second quality, and wherein all of the plurality of data packets are usable to generate a third video display of the content having a third quality, the second quality lower than the first quality and the first quality lower than the third quality;

distinguishing the first subset of the data packets by applying a first tag to data packets of the first subset to form first tagged data packets;

distinguishing the second subset of the data packets by applying the first tag and a second tag to the data packets of the second subset to form second tagged data packets; and

transmitting the plurality of data packets of the video data stream.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the video data stream is transmitted to a gateway device that is configured to transmit copies of the first subset of the plurality of data packets to a first video display device and to transmit all of the plurality of data packets to a second video display device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the video signal comprises a high-resolution video signal, and wherein the method further comprises compressing the high-resolution video signal.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the data packets are tagged based on a tagging sampling rate.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first subset is usable to generate the video display of content having the first quality without using other data packets of the plurality of data packets.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the second subset consists of data packets in the first subset.

16. A device comprising:

a receiver to;

receive a video data stream via a network, the video data stream comprising a plurality of data packets, wherein a first subset of the plurality of data packets is usable to generate a video display of content having a first quality and all of the plurality of data packets are usable to generate a second video display of the content having a second quality, the second quality higher than the first quality, and wherein the first subset of the plurality of data packets is distinguished from other data packets of the plurality of data packets by a tag;

identify characteristics of a first display device and a second display device;

determine to send the first subset of the plurality of data packets to the first display device based on identified characteristics of the first display device and based on the tag;

determine to send the first subset of the plurality of data packets and the other data packets to the second device based on identified characteristics of the second device and based on the tag; and

generate copies of the first subset of the plurality of data packets; and

a transmitter to send the copies of the first subset of the plurality of data packets to the first display device and to send the first subset of the plurality of data packets and the other data packets of the plurality of data packets to the second device.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the video data stream further comprises a second subset of the plurality of data packets, wherein the second subset of the plurality of data packets is usable to generate a third video display of the content having a third quality, the third quality lower than the first quality, wherein the second subset of the plurality of data packets is distinguished from other data packets of the plurality of data packets by the tag and a second tag, and wherein the receiver is further configured to generate copies of the second subset of the plurality of data packets and the transmitter is further configured to send the copies of the second subset of the plurality of data packets to a third display device.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the tag identifies a specific device type of the first display device.

19. The device of claim 16 wherein the tag identifies a display resolution of the first display device.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the tag is a keep tag indicating that data packets received between receiving a first particular data packet with the keep tag and receiving a second particular data packet with a drop tag are associated with the first subset.

21. The device of claim 16, wherein the copies of the first subset of the plurality of data packets are sent to the first display device concurrently with transmission of the first subset of the plurality of data packets and the other data packets of the plurality of data packets to the second device.