Method and modem for use in a multimedia system

• US 9,578,375 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2014
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: VIXS Systems Incorporated (Pixelworks Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: VIXS Systems Incorporated (Pixelworks Incorporated)
• Inventors: Laksono, Indra
• Primary Examiner(s): Parra, Omar S
• Application Number:
  US14/514,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20150089550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21 Server components or server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23 Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234 Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating encoded video stream scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234309 by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 or from Quicktime to Realvideo conversion of standards in analog television systems H04N7/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4363 Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44 Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to encoded video stream scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440263 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for displaying on a connected PDA
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4542 Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 : using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 : involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 : involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 : involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 : IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 : Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only

Abstract

A multimedia server receives a plurality of programs of a multimedia source. The multimedia server includes a tuning module to receive the plurality of programs and to select a set of programs from the plurality of programs based on a set of program select commands that is derived from select requests. A program mixer mixes the set of programs into a stream of program data. One or more transceiving modules transmit the stream of program data on to corresponding communication paths and receive the select requests. A client module produces the select requests for one or more clients. The client module includes a selection module to produce at least one of the select requests. A network interface controller transmits at least one of select requests to the multimedia server and receives the stream of program data via the communication path or paths in response.

Claims

1. A modem comprising:

a coax transceiver operably coupled to an in-home coaxial cable network to communicate with at least one first client device, wherein the at least one first client device couples to the in-home coaxial cable network at a remote point from the modem, wherein the coax transceiver receives a first media request, and wherein the first media request is from the at least one first client device;

a wireless transceiver operably coupled to an in-home wireless network to communicate with at least one cellphone;

a modem interface operably coupled to the Internet, the coax transceiver and the wireless transceiver, to respond to the first media request via the in-home coaxial cable network from the at least one first client device by forwarding the first media request to the Internet and receiving first media data in response thereto, and further to respond to a second media request via the in-home wireless network, wherein the second media request is from the at least one cellphone, by forwarding the second media request to the Internet and receiving second media data in response thereto, wherein the second media data includes a video stream; and

an encoding module operably coupled to format the first media data in accordance with a packet format of the in-home coaxial cable network, to route the first media data via the in-home coaxial cable network to the at least one first client device, to format the second media data in accordance with a packet format of the in-home wireless network and to route the second media data via the in-home wireless network to the at least one cellphone, wherein the encoding module controls delivery of the video stream in accordance with pause, fast forward and rewind commands from the at least one cellphone.

2. The modem of claim 1 wherein the first media data includes a first video stream and wherein the encoding module controls delivery of the first video stream in accordance with a priority associated with real-time transmissions.

3. The modem of claim 1 wherein the first media data includes a first video stream and wherein the encoding module controls delivery of the first video stream in accordance with a priority associated with real-time transmissions and further in accordance with pause, fast forward and rewind commands from the at least one first client device.

4. The modem of claim 1 wherein the encoding module controls delivery of the video stream in accordance with a priority associated with real-time transmissions.

5. The modem of claim 1 wherein the at least one first client device communicates with the modem over the in-home coax cable network via a client module remotely located with the at least one first client device.

6. A method for use with a modem, the method comprising:

communicating via an in-home coaxial cable network with at least one first client device, wherein the at least one first client device couples to the in-home coaxial cable network at a remote point from the modem, wherein the communicating with the at least one first client device includes receiving a first media request from the at least one first client device;

communicating via an in-home wireless network with at least one cellphone, wherein the communicating with the at least one cellphone includes receiving a second media request from the at least one first client device;

responding to the first media request via the in-home coaxial cable network from the at least one first client device by forwarding the first media request to the Internet and receiving first media data in response thereto;

responding to the second media request via the in-home wireless network from the at least one cellphone by forwarding the second media request to the Internet and receiving second media data in response thereto, wherein the second media data includes a video stream;

formatting the first media data in accordance with a packet format of the in-home coaxial cable network and routing the first media data via the in-home coaxial cable network to the at least one first client device; and

formatting the second media data in accordance with a packet format of the in-home wireless network and routing the second media data via the in-home wireless network to the at least one cellphone, wherein delivery of the video stream is controlled in accordance with pause, fast forward and rewind commands from the at least one cellphone.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the first media data includes a first video stream and the method further comprises:

controlling delivery of the first video stream in accordance with a priority associated with real-time transmissions.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the first media data includes a first video stream and the method further comprises:

controlling delivery of the first video stream in accordance with a priority associated with real-time transmissions and further in accordance with pause, fast forward and rewind commands from the at least one first client device.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

controlling delivery of the video stream in accordance with a priority associated with real-time transmissions.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the at least one first client device communicates with the modem over the in-home coax cable network via a client module remotely located with the at least one first client device.

11. A modem comprising:

a coax transceiver operably coupled to an in-home coaxial cable network to communicate with at least one first client device, wherein the at least one first client device couples to the in-home coaxial cable network at a remote point from the modem, wherein the coax transceiver receives a first media request, and wherein the first media request is from the at least one first client device;

a wireless transceiver operably coupled to an in-home wireless network to communicate with at least one cellphone;

an Ethernet interface operably coupled to communicate with at least one third client device, wherein the Ethernet interface receives a third media request from the at least one third client device;

a modem interface operably coupled to the Internet, the coax transceiver, the Ethernet interface and the wireless transceiver, to respond to the first media request via the in-home coaxial cable network from the at least one first client device by forwarding the first media request to the Internet and receiving first media data in response thereto, to respond to a second media request via the in-home wireless network, wherein the second media request is from the at least one cellphone, by forwarding the second media request to the Internet and receiving second media data in response thereto, wherein the second media data includes a video stream, and further to respond to the third media request from the at least one third client device by forwarding the third media request to the Internet and receiving third media data in response thereto; and

an encoding module operably coupled to format the first media data in accordance with a packet format of the in-home coaxial cable network, to route the first media data via the in-home coaxial cable network to the at least one first client device, to format the second media data in accordance with a packet format of the in-home wireless network, to route the second media data via the in-home wireless network to the at least one cellphone, wherein the encoding module controls delivery of the video stream in accordance with pause, fast forward and rewind commands from the at least one cellphone, to format the third media data in accordance with an Ethernet packet format of the in-home coaxial cable network, and to route the third media data to the at least one third client device via the Ethernet interface.

12. The modem of claim 11 wherein the first media data includes a first video stream and wherein the encoding module controls delivery of the first video stream in accordance with a priority associated with real-time transmissions and further in accordance with pause, fast forward and rewind commands from the at least one first client device.

13. The modem of claim 11 wherein the encoding module controls delivery of the video stream in accordance with a priority associated with real-time transmissions.

14. The modem of claim 11 wherein the at least one first client device communicates with the modem over the in-home coax cable network via a client module remotely located with the at least one first client device.