Method and system for monitoring and encoding signals in a local facility and communicating the signals between a local collection facility and a remote facility using an IP network

• US 9,049,037 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wasden, Mitchell B., Arya, Vishal, Miner, Daniel M., St. Laurent, Darren M., Boltz, David T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bilodeau, David
• Application Number:
  US11/930,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20090109883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,771 Days
• Field of Search: 455/78
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0668 by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 Transmission error

Abstract

A system and method for collecting signals includes an IP network, a remote facility and a local collection facility in communication with the local collection facility through the IP network. The local collection facility receives channel signals, encoding the channel signals into respective IP signals, communicating the respective IP signals through an IP network to the remote facility. The remote facility controls an antenna switch at the local collection facility to communicate a first channel signal of the channel signals to a monitoring receiver circuit module. The local collection facility generates a monitoring signal at the monitoring receiver circuit module and communicates the monitoring signal through to a remote facility through the IP network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving channel signals at a local collection facility;

encoding the channel signals into respective IP signals;

communicating the respective IP signals through an IP network from the local collection facility to a remote facility;

controlling an antenna switch at the local collection facility to communicate a first channel signal of the channel signals to a monitoring receiver circuit module;

generating a monitoring signal at the monitoring receiver circuit module;

communicating the monitoring signal to a remote facility through an IP network;

generating a control signal at the monitoring system for controlling the antenna switch;

communicating the control signal through the IP network from the remote facility;

controlling the antenna switch at the local collection facility to communicate a second channel signal of the channel signals to the monitoring receiver circuit module; and

switching the antenna switch in response to the control signal.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising receiving a downlink signal at a monitoring integrated receiver decoder at the local collection facility.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 further comprising encoding the downlink signal into a downlink monitor IP signal.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 further comprising communicating the downlink monitor signal to the remote facility.

5. A method as recited in claim 4 further comprising controlling a backup receiving circuit module in response to the downlink monitor signal from the remote facility.

6. A method as recited in claim 2 further comprising tuning the monitoring integrated receiver decoder from the remote facility.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising controlling a backup receiving circuit module in response to the monitoring signal.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the respective IP signals comprises video-over-IP signals.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising multiplexing the respective IP signals to form a multiplexed signal;

forming a transport stream signal from the multiplexed signal;

modulating the transport stream signal to form a modulated signal;

forming uplink signals from the modulated signals; and

uplinking the uplink signals to a satellite from the remote facility.

10. A method comprising:

receiving channel signals at a local collection facility;

encoding the channel signals into respective IP signals;

communicating the respective IP signals through an IP network from the local collection facility to a remote facility;

controlling an antenna switch at the local collection facility from the remote facility through the IP network to communicate a first channel signal of the channel signals to a monitoring receiver circuit module;

generating a first monitoring signal at the monitoring receiver circuit module;

communicating the first monitoring signal to a remote facility through an IP network;

receiving a downlink signal from a satellite at a monitoring integrated receiver decoder at the local collection facility;

communicating the downlink signal to the monitoring receiver receiving circuit module;

encoding the downlink signal into a downlink monitor IP signal;

communicating the downlink monitor IP signal to the remote facility through the IP network;

displaying the downlink monitor IP signal at a display of a monitoring system of the remote facility.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 further comprising controlling a backup receiving circuit module in response to the downlink monitor signal from the remote facility.

12. A system comprising:

an IP network;

a remote facility comprising a monitoring system and a display associated with the monitoring system; and

a local collection facility in communication with the remote facility through the IP network, said local collection facility receiving channel signals, encoding the channel signals into respective IP signals, communicating the respective IP signals through the IP network to the remote facility,

said remote facility controlling an antenna switch at the local collection facility to communicate a first channel signal of the channel signals to a monitoring receiver circuit module;

said local collection facility generating a monitoring signal at the monitoring receiver circuit module and communicating the monitoring signal to the remote facility through the IP network;

said monitoring system generating a control signal for controlling the antenna switch and communicating the control signal to the local collection facility through the IP network;

said antenna switch switching the antenna switch to communicate a second channel signal to the monitoring receiver circuit module.

13. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the local collection facility receives a downlink signal at a monitoring integrated receiver decoder at the local collection facility encodes the downlink signal into a downlink monitor IP signal and communicates the downlink monitor signal to the remote facility.

14. A system as recited in claim 13 wherein the remote facility controls a backup receiving circuit module in response to the downlink monitor signal.

15. A system as recited in claim 14 further comprising tuning the monitoring integrated receiver decoder from the remote facility.

16. A system as recited in claim 12 further comprising a backup receiving circuit module in the local facility said remote facility controlling the backup receiving circuit module in response to the monitoring signal.

17. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the remote facility comprises a multiplexer multiplexing the respective IP signals to form a multiplexed signal;

a transport module forming a transport stream signal from the multiplexed signal;

a modulator modulating the transport stream signal to form a modulated signal;

an uplink system forming uplink signals from the modulated signals and uplinking the uplink signals to a satellite from the remote facility.

18. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the IP signals comprise video-over-IP signals.

19. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the channel signals comprise terrestrial over-the air channel signals received through an antenna.

20. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the channel signals comprise standard definition terrestrial over-the air channel signals received through an antenna.

21. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the channel signals comprise high definition terrestrial over-the air channel signals received through an antenna.

22. A system as recited in claim 12 wherein the local collection facility comprises a plurality of local collection facilities.