Distribution system, reception apparatus, and methods for transitioning to new services

• US 9,137,566 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2013
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Fay, Luke
• Primary Examiner(s): EKPO, NNENNA NGOZI
• Application Number:
  US13/930,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20150007242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 725/67, 725/68, 725/114, 725/116
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/33 by plural channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/423 Transmitter side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/00 Arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linking to broadcast information or broadcast space-time; Broadcast-related systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/236 Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream multiplexing of data packets for data networks, e.g. RTP/UDP H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/241 Operating system [OS] processes, e.g. server setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859

Abstract

A distribution system and reception apparatus, and methods thereof, are provided for broadcasting and receiving a plurality of non-backwards-compatible services. The broadcasting method includes receiving, by a first service provider, a plurality of first services, which include a first service from each of the first and second service providers. The first service provider generates a first broadcast multiplex, including the plurality of first services, and broadcasts the first broadcast multiplex on a first broadcast channel allocated to the first service provider. A second service provider receives a plurality of second services, which include a second service from each of the first and second service providers. The second service provider generates a second broadcast multiplex, including the plurality of second services, and broadcasts the second broadcast multiplex on a second broadcast channel allocated to the second service provider.

Claims

1. A method for broadcasting a plurality of non-backwards-compatible services, the method comprising:

receiving, by a first service provider, a plurality of first services, including a first service associated with the first service provider and a first service associated with a second service provider;

generating a first broadcast multiplex including the plurality of first services,

broadcasting, by the first service provider, the first broadcast multiplex and including the first service associated with the second service provider on a first broadcast channel allocated to the first service provider;

receiving, by the second service provider, a plurality of second services, including a second service associated with the first service provider and a second service associated with the second service provider;

generating a second broadcast multiplex including the plurality of second services; and

broadcasting, by the second service provider, the second broadcast multiplex and including the second service associated with the first service provider on a second broadcast channel allocated to the second service provider.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of second services have a lower video resolution than the plurality of first services.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of first services are encoded using a first coding and the plurality of second services are encoded using a second coding, the first coding being different from the second coding.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the first coding is MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of first and second services include television programs, and

the step of broadcasting the first broadcast multiplex includes broadcasting at least one television program that is the same as a television program broadcast in the step of broadcasting the second broadcast multiplex.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of second services are broadcast on the same physical broadcast channel and assigned different major virtual channel numbers.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the first and second service providers are digital television broadcast providers,

the second service provider broadcasts digital television content over the second broadcast channel using an 8-level vestigial sideband modulation (8-VSB) modulation method, and

the first service provider broadcasts digital television content using a modulation method different from the 8-VSB modulation method.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

entering into a contract between the first and second service providers to provide the plurality of first services on the first broadcast channel and the plurality of seconds services on the second broadcast channel.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the first and second broadcast channels occupy different portions of the digital television broadcast spectrum.

9. A distribution system, comprising:

a first service provider, including first circuitry configured to

receive a plurality of first services, including a first service associated with the first service provider and a first service associated with a second service provider,

generate a first broadcast multiplex including the plurality of first services, and

broadcast the first broadcast multiplex on a first broadcast channel allocated to the first service provider and including the first service associated with the second service provider; and

the second service provider, including second circuitry configured to

receive a plurality of second services, including a second service associated with the first service provider and a second service associated with the second service provider;

generate a second broadcast multiplex including the plurality of second services, and

broadcast the second broadcast multiplex on a second broadcast channel allocated to the second service provider and including the second service associated with the first service provider.

10. The distribution system according to claim 9, wherein

the plurality of second services have a lower video resolution than the plurality of first services.

11. The distribution system according to claim 9, wherein

the plurality of first services are encoded using a first coding and the plurality of second services are encoded using a second coding, the first coding being different from the second coding.

12. The distribution system according to claim 11, wherein the first coding is MPEG-2 or MPEG-4.

13. The distribution system according to claim 9, wherein

the plurality of first and second services include television programs, and

the first circuitry broadcasts at least one television program that is the same as a television program broadcast by the second circuitry.

14. The distribution system according to claim 9, wherein at least two of the plurality of second services are broadcast on the same physical broadcast channel and assigned different major virtual channel numbers.

15. The distribution system according to claim 9, wherein

the first and second service providers are digital television broadcast providers,

the second service provider broadcasts digital television content over the second broadcast channel using an 8-level vestigial sideband modulation (8-VSB) modulation method, and

the first service provider broadcasts digital television content using a modulation method different from the 8-VSB modulation method.

16. The distribution system according to claim 9, wherein the first and second service providers have a contract to provide the plurality of first services on the first broadcast channel and the plurality of seconds services on the second broadcast channel.