Method and set top box for use in a multimedia system

• US 9,609,388 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2014
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pixelworks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: VIXS Systems Incorporated (Pixelworks Incorporated)
• Inventors: Laksono, Indra
• Primary Examiner(s): Parra, Omar S
• Application Number:
  US14/514,629
• Publication Number:
  US 20150089565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 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 set top box comprising

a wired transceiver operably coupled to an in-home coaxial cable network to communicate with a plurality of client modules that are each coupled to at least one client device that includes a video display, wherein the plurality of client modules are remotely located on the in-home coaxial cable network at remote points from the set top box, wherein the wired transceiver receives a first video request from a first client module of the plurality of client modules and a second video request from a second client module of the plurality of client modules;

at least one tuner operably coupled to receive digital video signals in a high definition format from at least one broadcast video source and operable to respond to the first video request via the in-home coaxial cable network from the first client module by tuning a video channel from the digital video signals to generate a first video stream;

video storage module operably coupled to digitally record and store at least one video program included in the digital video signals, wherein the video storage module responds to receive the second video request and to generate a second video stream from the at least one video program digitally recorded and stored in the video storage module;

an encoding module operably coupled to format the first video stream and the second video stream in accordance with a packet format of the in-home coaxial cable network and forms a stream of channel data that includes the first video stream and the second video stream, wherein the encoding module controls delivery of the first video stream via the in-home coaxial cable network to the first client module in accordance with a priority associated with real-time transmissions and further in accordance with pause, fast forward and rewind commands from the first client module, while also controlling delivery of the second video stream via the in-home coaxial cable network to the second client module in accordance with the priority associated with real-time transmissions and further in accordance with pause, fast forward and rewind commands from the second client module; and

a control module operably coupled to evaluate the first video request, to determine if the at least one tuner has sufficient resources to fulfill the first video request, and to authorize the at least one tuner to satisfy the first video request when the at least one tuner has sufficient resources to fulfill the first video request.

2. The set top box of claim 1 further comprising:

a control module operably coupled to evaluate the first video request, to determine if the at least one client device associated with the first client module is authenticated, to determine if access privileges associated with a subscriber associated with the at least one client device permit fulfillment of the first video request, and to authorize the at least one tuner to satisfy the first video request when the at least one client device associated with the first client module is authenticated and also the access privileges associated with the subscriber permit fulfillment of the first video request.

3. The set top box of claim 1 further comprising:

a control module operably coupled to evaluate the first video request, to determine if parental controls associated with a subscriber permit fulfillment of the first video request, and to authorize the at least one tuner to satisfy the first video request when the parental controls associated with the subscriber permit fulfillment of the first video request.

4. The set top box of claim 3 wherein the control module is further operable to:

evaluate the second video request, to determine if parental controls associated with a subscriber permit fulfillment of the second video request, and to authorize the at least one tuner to satisfy the second video request when the parental controls associated with the subscriber permit fulfillment of the second video request.

5. The set top box of claim 1 wherein the first video request is generated by the first client module as a selection from a favorite channel list.

6. The set top box of claim 1 further comprising:

a modem interface for accessing Internet content via an Internet connection;

wherein the encoding module responds to an Internet content request from a third client module that indicates the Internet content by including the Internet content received via the modem interface with the stream of channel data and controlling delivery of the Internet content via the in-home coaxial cable network to the third client module while maintaining the priority associated with real-time transmissions for the stream of channel data.

7. The set top box of claim 1 wherein the video storage module responds to requests from at least one cellphone to access the at least one video program digitally recorded and stored via the video storage module.

8. A set top box comprising

a wireless transceiver operably coupled to an in-home wireless network to communicate with a plurality of client modules that are each coupled to at least one client device that includes a video display, wherein the plurality of client modules are remotely located on the in-home wireless network at remote points from the set top box, wherein the wireless transceiver receives a first video request from a first client module of the plurality of client modules and a second video request from a second client module of the plurality of client modules;

at least one tuner operably coupled to receive digital video signals in a high definition format from at least one broadcast video source and operable to respond to the first video request via the in-home wireless network from the first client module by tuning a video channel from the digital video signals to generate a first video stream;

video storage module operably coupled to digitally record and store at least one video program included in the digital video signals, wherein the video storage module responds to receive the second video request and to generate a second video stream from the at least one video program digitally recorded and stored in the video storage module;

an encoding module operably coupled to format the first video stream and the second video stream in accordance with a packet format of the in-home wireless network and forms a stream of channel data that includes the first video stream and the second video stream, wherein the encoding module controls delivery of the first video stream via the in-home wireless network to the first client module in accordance with a priority associated with real-time transmissions and further in accordance with pause, fast forward and rewind commands from the first client module, while also controlling delivery of the second video stream via the in-home wireless network to the second client module in accordance with a priority associated with real-time transmissions and further in accordance with pause, fast forward and rewind commands from the second client module; and

a control module operably coupled to evaluate the first video request, to determine if the at least one tuner has sufficient resources to fulfill the first video request, and to authorize the at least one tuner to satisfy the first video request when the at least one tuner has sufficient resources to fulfill the first video request.

9. The set top box of claim 8 further comprising:

a control module operably coupled to evaluate the first video request, to determine if the client device is authenticated, to determine if access privileges associated with a subscriber permit fulfillment of the first video request, and to authorize the at least one tuner to satisfy the first video request when the client device is authenticated and also the access privileges associated with the subscriber permit fulfillment of the first video request.

10. The set top box of claim 8 further comprising:

a control module operably coupled to evaluate the first video request, to determine if parental controls associated with a subscriber permit fulfillment of the first video request, and to authorize the at least one tuner to satisfy the first video request when the parental controls associated with the subscriber permit fulfillment of the first video request.

11. The set top box of claim 10 wherein the control module is further operable to:

evaluate the second video request, to determine if parental controls associated with a subscriber permit fulfillment of the second video request, and to authorize the at least one tuner to satisfy the second video request when the parental controls associated with the subscriber permit fulfillment of the second video request.

12. The set top box of claim 8 wherein the first video request is generated by the first client module as a selection from a favorite channel list.

13. The set top box of claim 8 further comprising:

a modem interface for accessing Internet content via an Internet connection;

wherein the encoding module responds to an Internet content request from a third client module that indicates the Internet content by including the Internet content received via the modem interface with the stream of channel data and controlling delivery of the Internet content via the in-home wireless network to the third client module while maintaining the priority associated with real-time transmissions for the stream of channel data.

14. The set top box of claim 8 wherein the video storage module responds to requests from at least one cellphone to access the at least one video program digitally recorded and stored via the video storage module.

15. A method for use in conjunction with a set top box, the method comprising

communicating, via wired transceiver, with a plurality of client modules that are each coupled to at least one client device that includes a video display, wherein the plurality of client modules are remotely located on a in-home coaxial cable network at remote points from the set top box, wherein the communicating includes receiving a first video request from a first client module of the plurality of client modules and a second video request from a second client module of the plurality of client modules;

receiving, via at least one tuner, digital video signals in a high definition format from at least one broadcast video source;

receiving from the first client module the first video request via the in-home coaxial cable network;

tuning a video channel from the digital video signals to generate a first video stream;

digitally recording and storing, via a video storage module, at least one video program included in the digital video signals;

receiving the second video request and, in response, generating a second video stream from the at least one video program digitally recorded and stored in the video storage module;

mixing the first video stream and the second video stream into a stream of video data;

formatting the stream of video data, and controlling delivery of the first video stream via the in-home coaxial cable network to the first client module in accordance with a priority associated with real-time transmissions and further in accordance with pause, fast forward and rewind commands from the first client module, while also delivering the second video stream via the in-home coaxial cable network to the second client module in accordance with a priority associated with real-time transmissions and further in accordance with pause, fast forward and rewind commands from the second client module;

evaluating the first video request to determine if the at least one tuner has sufficient resources to fulfill the first video request; and

satisfying the first video request when the at least one tuner has the sufficient resources to fulfill the first video request.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

evaluating the second video request to determine if parental controls associated with the subscriber permit fulfillment of the second video request; and

satisfying the second video request when the parental controls associated with the subscriber permit fulfillment of the second video request.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

responding to a third video request from at least one cellphone to access the at least one video program digitally recorded and stored via the video storage module.