Automatic user band assignment in a satellite signal distribution environment

• US 9,319,644 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Original Assignee: BCE Incorporated
• Inventors: Popa, Ovidiu Octavian, Scrivens, Wayne, Ishankov, Alexander, Dagenais, Alan, Dinesen, Tim, Marusich, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEPARD, JUSTIN E
• Application Number:
  US12/643,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20110016496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,311 Days
• Field of Search: 725/63
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/38 Arrangements for distribution where lower stations, e.g. receivers, interact with the broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/61 Network physical structure; Signal processing H04B takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6193 involving transmission via a satellite arrangements for data linking, networking or transporting, or for controlling an end to end session in a satellite broadcast system H04B7/18526
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/637 Control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64 Addressing network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00; support for multicast or broadcast of one-way stream services H04L65/611
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6402 Address allocation for clients address allocation in data networks H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/647 Control signaling between network components and server or clients; Network processes for video distribution between server and clients, e.g. controlling the quality of the video stream, by dropping packets, protecting content from unauthorised alteration within the network, monitoring of network load, bridging between two different networks, e.g. between IP and wireless real-time session protocols H04L65/1101
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

A communications system and method involving a set top box (STB) and a channel stacking switch (CSS). The STB comprises a communications interface configured to issue a request for a user band, the request identifying the STB and further configured to receive a message identifying an assigned user band; and a tuning element configured to tune to the assigned user band in response to receipt of the message. The CSS comprises a communications interface configured to receive the request for a user band identifying the STB; a memory; and a processing entity configured to access the memory to identify a particular user band that is available for the STB and to assign the particular user band to the STB; wherein the communications interface is further configured to issue to the STB a message identifying the particular user band assigned to the STB.

Claims

1. A method of communication involving a set top box (STB) and a channel stacking switch (CSS), comprising, after a cold boot or memory reset command:

the STB accessing an STB memory to determine a user band in use prior to the cold boot or memory reset command;

the STB tuning to the prior user band and determining presence or absence of a valid signal from the CSS;

responsive to determining the absence of a valid signal, the STB issuing a request for a user band, the request identifying the STB;

the CSS receiving the request identifying the STB;

the CSS consulting a CSS memory to identify a particular user band that is available for the STB;

the CSS assigning the particular user band to the STB;

the CSS issuing a message identifying the particular user band;

the STB receiving the message identifying the particular user band;

the STB tuning to the particular user band.

2. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising, after receiving the message identifying the particular user band, the STB updating the STB memory to indicate that the particular user band is in use by the STB.

3. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising the CSS receiving the memory reset command.

4. The method defined in claim 3, wherein the memory reset command is received from the STB.

5. The method defined in claim 3, wherein the memory reset command is received from a head end via a satellite feed unit.

6. The method defined in claim 3, wherein the memory reset command is received from the STB after the STB received it from the CSS and the CSS received it from a head end via a satellite feed unit.

7. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a second STB issuing a request for a user band, the request identifying the second STB;

the CSS receiving the request identifying the second STB;

the CSS consulting the CSS memory to identify a user band that is available for the second STB, the user band that is available for the second STB being a second user band different from the particular user band;

assigning the second user band to the second STB;

the CSS issuing a message identifying the second user band;

the second STB receiving the message identifying the second user band;

the second STB tuning to the second user band.

8. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising the STB issuing a tuning request to the CSS, the request identifying a desired satellite transponder channel.

9. The method defined in claim 8, further comprising the CSS receiving the tuning request, controlling a satellite feed unit to isolate from an ambient signal a wideband satellite signal, isolating the desired satellite transponder channel from the wideband satellite signal and frequency translating the desired satellite transponder channel into the particular user band.

10. The method defined in claim 9, wherein the satellite feed unit comprises at least one low noise block downconverter.

11. The method defined in claim 9, wherein controlling the satellite feed unit comprises setting a polarization of the wideband satellite signal.

12. The method defined in claim 9, wherein controlling the satellite feed unit comprises setting a frequency range of the wideband satellite signal.

13. The method defined in claim 9, further comprising deriving the desired satellite transponder channel from a user-generated television channel request.

14. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the request and the message are in compliance with at least one version of the DiSEgC™

protocol.

15. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the particular user band occupies one out of a plurality of sub-hands in the frequency range between 950 MHz and 2150 MHz.

16. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the CSS memory stores a plurality of candidate user bands, each of which is either assigned or not assigned to a respective set top box, wherein the CSS consulting the memory to identify the particular user band comprises the CSS selecting the particular user band from among the candidate user bands not assigned to any set top box.

17. The method defined in claim 16, the STB being a first STB, wherein the assigning comprises updating the CSS memory to indicate that the particular user band is assigned to the first STB, thereby to render the particular user band unavailable to any set top box other than the first STB.

18. The method defined in claim 1, the STB being a first STB, wherein the CSS memory stores a plurality of candidate user bands, each of which is either assigned or not assigned to a respective set top box, wherein the CSS consulting the CSS memory to identify the particular user band comprises the CSS selecting the particular user band from among the candidate user bands not assigned to any set top box other than the first STB.

19. The method defined in claim 18, wherein the assigning comprises the CSS updating the CSS memory to indicate that the particular user band is assigned to the first STB, thereby to render the particular user band unavailable to any set top box other than the first STB.

20. The method defined in claim 1, the STB being a first STB, wherein the CSS memory stores a plurality of candidate user bands, each of which is either assigned or not assigned to a respective set top box, wherein when a given one of the candidate user bands was already assigned to the first STB, the assigning comprises the CSS setting the particular user band to be the given one of the candidate user bands.

21. The method defined in claim 1, the STB being a first STB, wherein the CSS memory stores a plurality of candidate user bands, each of which is either assigned or not assigned to a respective set top box, wherein when a given one of the candidate user bands was already assigned to the first STB, the assigning comprises the CSS selecting the particular user band from among the candidate user bands other than the given one of the candidate user bands.

22. The method defined in claim 21, the assigning further comprising the CSS updating the CSS memory to indicate that the particular user band is assigned to the first STB and to indicate that the given one of the user bands is not assigned to any set top box, thereby to render the particular user band unavailable to any set top box other than the first STB and to render the given one of the user bands available to any set top box.

23. A system comprising:

a set top box (STB) configured for, after a cold boot or memory reset command;

accessing an STB memory to determine a user band in use prior to the cold boot or memory reset command;

tuning to the prior user band and determining presence or absence of a valid signal from a channel stacking switch; and

responsive to determining the absence of a valid signal, issuing a request for a user band, the request identifying the STB; and

a channel stacking switch (CSS) configured to receive the request identifying the STB, consult a CSS memory to identify a particular user band that is available for the STB, assign the particular user band to the STB and issue a message identifying the particular user band;

wherein the STB is further configured to tune to the particular user band in response to receipt of the message.

24. A method implemented by a set top box (STB), comprising, after a cold boot or memory reset command:

the STB accessing a memory to determine a user band in use prior to the cold boot or memory reset command;

the STB tuning to the prior user band and determining presence or absence of a valid signal from the CSS;

responsive to determining the absence of a valid signal, issuing a request for a user band, the request identifying the STB;

receiving a message identifying an assigned user band;

tuning to the assigned user band in response to receipt of the message.

25. A set top box (STB), comprising:

a computing apparatus configured for, after a cold boot or memory reset command, accessing a memory to determine a user band in use prior to the cold boot or memory reset command;

a tuning element configured to tune to the prior user band; and

a communications interface;

wherein the computing apparatus is further configured to determine presence or absence of a valid signal from a channel stacking switch and, responsive to determining the absence of a valid signal, to cause the communications interface to issue a request for a user band, the request identifying the STB;

wherein the communications interface is further configured to receive a message identifying an assigned user band; and

wherein the tuning element is further configured to tune to the assigned user band in response to receipt of the message.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for execution by a set top box (STB), wherein execution of the instructions by the STB after a cold boot or memory reset command cause the STB to:

access a memory to determine a user band in use prior to the cold boot or memory reset command;

tune to the prior user band and determine presence or absence of a valid signal from a channel stacking switch;

responsive to determining the absence of a valid signal, issue a request for a user band, the request identifying the STB;

respond to receipt of a message identifying an assigned user band by tuning to the assigned user band.