Method and system for monitoring various signals in a continuous processing circuit for a single channel in a communication system

• US 9,461,758 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2007
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Barroso, Eduardo
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan, Yuwen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Paul P
• Application Number:
  US11/853,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20090067480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,311 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.02, 455/12.1, 455/512, 455/566, 348/21, 348/473, 348/486, 348/542, 348/553, 348/554, 348/555, 348/607, 348/723, 370/254, 370/255, 370/259, 370/316, 370/325, 370/431, 370/464, 370/466, 370/498, 375/224, 375/240.01, 375/240.28, 375/316, 386/75, 725/63, 725/67, 725/68, 725/78, 725/93
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/12 Arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/14 for monitoring programmes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/74 of satellite networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0806 the signals being two or more video signals H04N7/0803, H04N7/081 take precedence

Abstract

A method and system for monitoring a broadcast signal includes a transfer switch and a first receiver decoder circuit for a first channel coupled to the first transfer switch. The first receiver decoder circuit generates a first receiver decoder circuit signal. A second receiver decoder circuit for the first channel is coupled to the first transfer switch. The second receiver decoder circuit generates a second receiver decoder circuit signal. A monitoring display is formed in response to the first receiver decoder circuit signal and the second receiver decoder circuit signal for monitoring the broadcast signal.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring broadcast television signals comprising:

generating a first receiver decoder circuit signal at a first receiver decoder circuit for a first broadcast television channel;

communicating the first receiver decoder circuit signal to a first transfer switch;

generating a second receiver decoder circuit signal at a second receiver decoder circuit for the first broadcast television channel;

communicating the second receiver decoder circuit signal to the first transfer switch;

generating an output at the first transfer switch corresponding to the first receiver decoder circuit signal;

after generating the output, broadcasting the first receiver decoder circuit signal;

generating a monitoring display at a broadcasting system formed in response to, and simultaneously displaying, the first receiver decoder circuit signal and the second receiver decoder circuit signal;

after generating the monitoring display, switching the output of the first transfer switch to the second receiver decoder circuit signal;

in response to switching the output of the first transfer switch, discontinuing broadcasting the first receiver decoder circuit signal; and

in response to switching the output of the first transfer switch, broadcasting the second receiver decoder circuit signal at the first receiver decoder circuit signal.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating an on-line view on the monitoring display in response to the first receiver decoder circuit signal and generating an offline view from the second receiver decoder circuit signal.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising displaying the first receiver decoder circuit signal and the second receiver decoder circuit signal simultaneously on the monitoring display.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising routing the first receiver decoder circuit signal, the second receiver decoder circuit signal to the monitoring display through a router.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating an IRD signal for the first channel at an integrated receiver decoder and displaying the IRD signal at the monitoring display.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising displaying the first receiver decoder circuit signal, the second receiver decoder circuit signal and the IRD signal simultaneously.

7. The method as recited in claim 5 further comprising generating an output signal corresponding to at least one of an occasional router, a service access processing system router, a primary service access processing system router and a secondary service access processing system router, and displaying the output signal at the monitoring display simultaneously with the first receiver decoder circuit signal, the second receiver decoder circuit signal and the IRD signal.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 further comprising routing the first receiver decoder circuit signal, the second receiver decoder circuit signal and the output signal to the monitoring display.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating an output signal corresponding to at least one of an occasional router, a service access processing system router, a primary service access processing system router and a secondary service access processing system router, displaying the output signal at the monitoring display.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising generating an output signal corresponding to at least one of an occasional router, a service access processing system router, a primary service access processing system router and a secondary service access processing system router and displaying the output signal simultaneously with the first receiver decoder circuit signal and the second receiver decoder circuit signal on the monitoring display.

11. A monitoring system comprising:

a first transfer switch;

a first receiver decoder circuit for a first broadcast television channel coupled to the first transfer switch, said first receiver decoder circuit generating a first receiver decoder circuit signal corresponding to the first broadcast television channel;

a second receiver decoder circuit for the first broadcast television channel coupled to the first transfer switch, said second receiver decoder circuit generating a second receiver decoder circuit signal corresponding to the first broadcast television channel;

a monitoring display formed in response to, and displaying, the first receiver decoder circuit signal and the second receiver decoder circuit signal;

a controller switching the first transfer switch to output the first receiver decoder circuit signal and then output the second receiver decoder circuit signal based on the monitoring display;

a broadcasting system coupled to the first transfer switch broadcasting one of the first receiver decoder circuit signal, then broadcasting the second receiver decoder circuit signal while discontinuing broadcasting the first receiver decoder circuit signal after switching.

12. The monitoring system as recited in claim 11 wherein the first receiver decoder circuit signal generates an on-line view on the monitoring display and the second receiver decoder circuit signal generates an offline view.

13. The monitoring system as recited in claim 11 wherein the monitoring display displays the first receiver decoder circuit signal and the second decoder circuit signal simultaneously.

14. The monitoring system as recited in claim 11 further comprising a router routing the first receiver decoder circuit signal, the second receiver decoder circuit signal to the monitoring display.

15. The monitoring system as recited in claim 11 further comprising an integrated receiver decoder generating an IRD signal for the first channel, said monitoring display displaying the IRD signal.

16. The monitoring system as recited in claim 15 wherein the monitoring display displays the first receiver decoder circuit signal, the second receiver decoder circuit signal and the IRD signal simultaneously.

17. The monitoring system as recited in claim 15 further comprising at least one of an occasional router, a service access processing system router, a primary service access processing system router and a secondary service access processing system router generating an output signal, said monitoring display displaying the output signal simultaneously with the first receiver decoder circuit signal, the second receiver decoder circuit signal and the IRD signal.

18. The monitoring system as recited in claim 11 further comprising at least one of an occasional router, a service access processing system router, a primary service access processing system router and a secondary service access processing system router generating an output signal, said monitoring display displaying the output signal.

19. The monitoring system as recited in claim 11 further comprising at least one of an occasional router, a service access processing system router, a primary service access processing system router and a secondary service access processing system router generating an output signal, said monitoring display displaying the output signal simultaneously with the first receiver decoder circuit signal and the second receiver decoder circuit signal.