Broadcast transition channel

• US 9,148,676 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2013
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Fay, Luke, Michael, Lachlan
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Sumaiya A
• Application Number:
  US13/963,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20140157304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 725/118, 725/138, 725/148
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/22 Arrangements for broadcast of identical information via plural broadcast systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2383 Channel coding or modulation of digital bit-stream, e.g. QPSK modulation arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received by adapting the channel coding H04L1/0009; analogue front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• 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 21/2389 Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream encrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26291 for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• 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 first services from a plurality of different broadcast providers, which broadcast a plurality of second services over a plurality of different broadcast channels, on a transition broadcast channel that is different from the plurality of different broadcast channels. The system includes at least one receiver and a transmitter. The at least one receiver is configured to receive the plurality of first services from the plurality of different broadcast providers. The transmitter is configured to broadcast the plurality of first services over the transition broadcast channel.

Claims

1. A distribution system, comprising:

at least one receiver configured to receive a plurality of first services from a plurality of different broadcast providers, which broadcast a plurality of second services over a plurality of different broadcast channels; and

a transmitter configured to broadcast the received plurality of first services over a same transition broadcast channel that is different from the plurality of different broadcast channels, wherein

the plurality of different broadcast channels and the transition broadcast channel occupy different portions of a same wireless spectrum.

2. The distribution system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a signal generator configured to generate an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM)-based signal including the plurality of first services from the plurality of different broadcast providers, wherein

the transmitter is configured to broadcast the OFDM-based signal.

3. The distribution system according to claim 1, wherein

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

the transmitter is configured to broadcast at least one television program that is the same as a television program broadcast by one of the plurality of different broadcast providers.

4. The distribution system according to claim 3, wherein

the resolution of the television program broadcast by the transmitter is greater than the resolution of the television program broadcast by the one of the plurality of different broadcast providers.

5. The distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the transition broadcast channel is a multiple of a 6 MHz channel within a range of 470 MHz to 698 MHz.

6. The distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the transition broadcast channel is a multiple of a 6 MHz channel within a range of 470 MHz to 578 MHz.

7. The distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the transition broadcast channel is a 6 MHz channel that includes first services from six different digital television broadcast providers.

8. The distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the transition broadcast channel is a 6 MHz channel from 578 to 584 MHz or 698 to 704 MHz.

9. The distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the transition broadcast channel is a predetermined television channel that is specified by a contractual agreement between the plurality different broadcast providers.

10. The distribution system according to claim 1, wherein the transition broadcast channel is a predetermined television channel that is specified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a transition broadcast channel to be shared between the plurality of different broadcast providers.

11. The distribution system according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of different broadcast providers are different digital television broadcast providers that broadcast digital television content over a plurality of different broadcast channels using an 8-level vestigial sideband modulation (8-VSB) modulation method, and

the transmitter is configured to broadcast the plurality of first services over the transition broadcast channel using a modulation method different from the 8-VSB modulation method.

12. The distribution system according to claim 1, wherein

the wireless spectrum is a range of terrestrial broadcast frequencies.

13. A reception apparatus, comprising:

circuitry configured to

receive a plurality of first services from a plurality of different broadcast providers, which broadcast a plurality of second services over a plurality of different broadcast channels, on a same transition broadcast channel that is different from the plurality of different broadcast channels;

receive a selection of one of the plurality of first services broadcast via the transition broadcast channel;

tune to the transition broadcast channel;

decode the selected one of the plurality of first services on the tuned transition broadcast channel; and

output the selected one of the plurality of first services on the transition broadcast channel for display, wherein

the plurality of different broadcast channels and the transition broadcast channel occupy different portions of a same wireless spectrum.

14. The reception apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the reception apparatus is a mobile device.

15. The reception apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the reception apparatus is a cellular phone, a tablet, a portable computer, or a smart phone.

16. The reception apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)-based decoder configured to decode an OFDM-based signal including the plurality of first services and carried on the transition broadcast channel.

17. The reception apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

a communication interface configured to access a computer network based on information included in the selected one of the at least one of the plurality of first services.

18. The reception apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

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

the tuner is configured to receive a television program that is the same as a television program broadcast by one of a plurality of different digital television broadcast providers.

19. The reception apparatus according to claim 18, wherein

the resolution of the television program broadcast by the transmitter is greater than the resolution of the television program broadcast by the one of the plurality of different digital television broadcast providers.

20. The reception apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the transition broadcast channel is a multiple of a 6 MHz channel within a range of 470 MHz to 698 MHz.

21. The reception apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the transition broadcast channel is a multiple of a 6 MHz channel within a range of 470 MHz to 578 MHz.

22. The reception apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the transition broadcast channel is a 6 MHz channel that includes the plurality of first services from six different digital television broadcast providers.

23. The reception apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the transition broadcast channel is a 6 MHz channel from 578 to 584 MHz or 698 to 704 MHz.

24. The reception apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the transition broadcast channel is a predetermined television channel that is specified by a contractual agreement between the plurality different broadcast providers.

25. The reception apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the transition broadcast channel is a predetermined television channel that is specified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a transition broadcast channel to be shared between the plurality of different broadcast providers.

26. The reception apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

the plurality of different broadcast providers are digital television broadcast providers that broadcast digital television content over a plurality of different television channels using an 8-level vestigial sideband modulation (8-VSB) modulation method, and

the circuitry is configured to receive the plurality of first services broadcast over the transition broadcast channel using a modulation method different from the 8-VSB modulation method.

27. A method of a distribution system, the method comprising:

receiving, by at least one receiver of the distribution system, a plurality of first services from a plurality of different broadcast providers, which broadcast a plurality of second services over a plurality of different broadcast channels; and

broadcasting, by a transmitter of the distribution system, the received plurality of first services over a same transition broadcast channel that is different from the plurality of different broadcast channels, wherein

the plurality of different broadcast channels and the transition broadcast channel occupy different portions of a same wireless spectrum.

28. A method of a reception apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving, by an input interface of the reception apparatus, a selection of one of a plurality of first services from a plurality of different broadcast providers broadcast, via a same transition broadcast channel, wherein the plurality of different broadcast providers broadcast a plurality of second services over a plurality of different broadcast channels;

tuning, by a tuner of the reception apparatus, to the transition broadcast channel, the transition broadcast channel being different from the plurality of different broadcast channels;

decoding, by a decoder of the reception apparatus, the selected one of the plurality of first services on the tuned transition broadcast channel; and

outputting, by a display interface of the reception apparatus, the selected one of the plurality of first services on the transition broadcast channel for display, wherein

the plurality of different broadcast channels and the transition broadcast channel occupy different portions of a same wireless spectrum.