Method and apparatus for wideband distribution of content

• US 9,723,267 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Carlucci, John B., Williamson, Louis D., Helms, William
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, JOSHUA D
• Application Number:
  US11/013,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20060130113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,612 Days
• Field of Search: 725114, 725116, 725118, 725131, 725138, 725139, 725146, 725148, 725 91- 97
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23655 Statistical multiplexing, e.g. by controlling the encoder to alter its bitrate to optimize the bandwidth utilization
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42615 involving specific demultiplexing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47208 for requesting near-video-on-demand content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6371 directed to network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method and apparatus to create and transmit transport multiplexes comprising one or more levels of service over a network. In one embodiment, the level of service comprises high definition (HD) content or programs, and the transmitted multiplexes are distributed over a plurality of downstream RF carriers in a cable network simultaneously. A head-end architecture for performing the multiplexing and distribution of multiple HD programs over the multiple carriers (i.e., in a “wideband” configuration) is disclosed. CPE having one or more wideband tuners is also disclosed, the CPE being adapted to receive the multiplexed HD content from the various RF carriers, and demultiplex it in order to permit decoding and subsequent viewing by the user. The use of multiple HD source programs with the multiplex advantageously provides for enhanced statistical multiplexing by providing a larger “pool” of constituent inputs and available carriers.

Claims

1. A content distribution system for efficient transmission of a plurality of High Definition (HD) programs over a content distribution network, comprising:

first apparatus configured to receive said plurality of HD programs;

second apparatus operatively coupled to said first apparatus and configured to process said plurality of HD programs based on a plurality of operator-controlled rules, via a creation of a multiple-input multiple-output multiplex of at least portions of said plurality of HD programs; and

transmission apparatus configured to transmit each of said processed HD programs across a plurality of radio frequency (RF) channels, said transmission apparatus comprising a plurality of modulators;

wherein said multiple-input multiple-output multiplex is rendered more efficient based at least in part on use of said plurality of HD programs and said transmission of different portions of individual ones of said HD programs across different ones of said plurality of RF channels; and

wherein at least one of said plurality of operator-controlled rules causes transmission of selected ones of said plurality of HD programs to be constrained to a smaller subset of said different ones of said plurality of RF channels based at least in part on a detection of an error in at least one of transmission or reception of said plurality of HD programs, said transmission comprising transmission of said constrained and non-constrained programming across said plurality of RF channels.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a number of said plurality of modulators is equal to a number of said plurality of RF channels.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said system further comprises a quantization apparatus adapted to quantize at least portions of said plurality of HD programs.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said quantization apparatus is provided feedback generated by said second apparatus, said feedback comprising information related to an instantaneous bandwidth available on at least one of said multiple-outputs.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said multiple-inputs comprise N inputs, and said multiple outputs comprise M outputs, and wherein N inputs map to M outputs based at least in part on said feedback.

6. A content distribution system, comprising:

apparatus configured to receive a plurality of content;

content server apparatus configured to process said plurality of content based on a plurality of operator-controlled rules; and

transmission apparatus configured to transmit said processed content across a plurality of radio frequency (RF) channels, at least a portion of said channels being non-contiguous;

wherein said system is configured to;

improve bandwidth utilization of an associated cable system for delivery of high definition (HD) video;

provide a plurality of HD programs as part of said content;

provide a plurality of standard definition (SD) programs as part of said content;

provide a plurality of other data programs as part of said content;

multiplex portions of said HD, SD, and other data programs onto different ones of said plurality of RF channels, said multiplex comprises at least two data carousels comprising different data rates, said at least two carousels being configured to provide optimized placement of said HD, SD and other data programs on said plurality of RF channels; and

deliver said plurality of RF channels to a plurality of user devices, said delivery comprising information that maps said portions of individual ones of said HD, SD and other data programs to said different ones of said plurality of RF channels; and

wherein said improved bandwidth utilization is provided at least in part by said transmission of said processed content including said HD programs across said plurality of RF channels, said plurality of RF channels allow for an increased HD program pool size.

7. A content distribution system, comprising:

first apparatus configured to receive a plurality of programs;

content server apparatus operatively coupled to said first apparatus and configured to process said plurality of programs via creation of a multiple-input multiple-output statistical multiplex of one or more packets of individual ones of said plurality of programs, said multiple-input multiple-output statistical multiplex being selectively configured based on at least one operator-controlled input/output mapping rule; and

transmission apparatus configured to transmit said processed programs across a plurality of radio frequency (RF) channels, at least a portion of said channels being non-contiguous;

wherein said processed programs are transmitted as a single multi-program transport stream comprising a first program having packets thereof which are respectively transmitted via multiple ones of said RF channels and a second program having packets thereof which are respectively transmitted via only one of said RF channels; and

wherein said transmission apparatus is further configured to transmit information that correlates said packets of said first program to said respective RF channels over which said packets are transmitted in order to facilitate reassembly of said first program therefrom.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said plurality of RF channels correspond to respective ones of said multiple outputs of said statistical multiplex.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said at least one operator-controlled rule relates to available bandwidth on said system, and comprises at least one of:

(i) a “

round robin”

scheme;

(ii) a “

most loaded”

scheme; and

/or (iii) “

least loaded”

scheme.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of packet queues, and wherein said at least one operator-controlled rule causes packets to be pulled preferentially from one or more of said packet queues having a highest number of packets.

11. The system of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of packet queues, and wherein said at least one operator-controlled rule causes packets to be pulled preferentially from one or more of said packet queues based on their respective times of arrival at said one or more queues.

12. A method for improving bandwidth utilization during delivery of high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) video programs, said method comprising:

providing a plurality of HD programs;

providing a plurality of SD programs;

multiplexing portions of said HD and SD programs onto different ones of said plurality of radio frequency (RF) channels, said act of multiplexing utilizing at least two data carousels having different data rates, said at least two carousels providing optimized placement of said HD and said SD programs on said plurality of RF channels; and

delivering said plurality of RF channels to a plurality of user devices, said delivery including information mapping said portions of individual ones of said HD and said SD programs to said different ones of said plurality of RF channels.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising processing said HD programs, and said SD programs based on a plurality of operator-controlled rules.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of said operator-controlled rules comprises a rule for causing certain ones of said multiple packets to be preferentially statistically combined based at least in part on an evaluation of which packets arrived earliest at their corresponding program queue.

15. A content distribution system, comprising:

a first apparatus comprising at least one interfacefor reception of a plurality of program streams;

a content server apparatus operatively coupled to said first apparatus, said content server apparatus comprising at least one processing entity configured to processes said plurality of program streams to produce a plurality of processed program streams; and

a transmission apparatus comprising a plurality of modulators for;

transmission of said processed program streams across a plurality of radio frequency (RF) channels, at least a portion of said channels being non-contiguous, said processed program streams being transmitted as a single multi-program transport stream comprising a first program stream comprising packets thereof which are respectively transmitted via multiple ones of said RF channels, and a second program stream comprising packets thereof which are respectively transmitted via only one of said RF channels;

transmission of information that correlates said packets of said first program stream to said respective RF channels over which said packets of said first program stream are transmitted in order to facilitate reassembly of said first program stream therefrom at a destination;

wherein at least one of a plurality of client devices configured to receive said first program stream is further configured to selectively switch to receive said second program stream upon detection of an error in transmission of said first program stream.