Method and system for operating a receiving circuit module to encode a channel signal into multiple encoding formats

• US 9,762,973 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2008
• Issued: 09/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ribordy, Douglas E., Miner, Daniel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jebari, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US12/264,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20100115561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,234 Days
• Field of Search: 37524001-24029
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/51 specially adapted for satellite broadcast systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/74 of satellite networks
• 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 21/2389 Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream encrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440218 by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 conversion of standards in analogue television systems H04N7/01
• 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 21/64792 Controlling the complexity of the content stream, e.g. by dropping packets intermediate media network packet handling H04L65/765; proxy provisioning conversion or adaptation for reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data H04L67/5651; negotiation of resources in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

A receiving circuit module and method for operating the same includes a housing receiving a first signal, a first encoder disposed within the housing encoding the first signal to form a first encoded signal and a second encoder disposed within the housing encoding the first signal to form a second encoded signal having a different format than the first signal.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first television channel signal at a local collection facility by a first receiving circuit module, wherein the first receiving circuit module is in a first housing at the local collection facility;

receiving a second television channel signal at a local collection facility by a second receiving circuit module, wherein the second receiving circuit module is in a second housing at the local collection facility;

decoding and demodulating the first television channel signal at a first decoder and a first demodulator of the first receiving circuit module in the first housing to form a first data signal;

decoding and demodulating the second television channel signal at a second decoder and a second demodulator of the second receiving circuit module in the second housing to form a second data signal;

encoding the first data signal, via a first encoder in the first receiving circuit module and within the first housing, to form a first encoded signal having a first format based on the first data signal;

via a second encoder within the first housing of the first receiving circuit module, encoding the first data signal to form a second encoded signal having the second format different than the first format;

receiving a first audio signal in a first audio format at an audio encoder from the second encoder and generating, based on the first audio signal, a second audio signal in a second audio format and a third audio signal in a third audio format;

encoding the second data signal, via a third encoder in the second receiving circuit module and within the second housing, to form a third encoded signal having the first format based on the third data signal;

via a fourth encoder within the second housing of the second receiving circuit module, encoding the second data signal to form a fourth encoded signal having the second format;

multiplexing the first encoded signal, the second encoded signal, the second audio signal and the third audio signal at a first multiplexer and within the first housing to form a first multiplexed signal;

multiplexing the third encoded signal and the fourth encoded signal at a second multiplexer and within the second housing to form a second multiplexed signal;

generating a first output signal at the first housing based on the first multiplexed signal;

generating a second output signal at the second housing based on the second multiplexed signal;

communicating the first output signal from the first receiving circuit module to a third multiplexer within the local collection facility;

communicating the second output signal from the second receiving circuit module to the third multiplexer within the local collection facility;

multiplexing the first output signal the second output signal to form an output signal;

communicating the output of the third multiplexer from the local collection facility to a satellite uplink facility through the Internet Protocol network;

communicating the output signal to a satellite; and

monitoring, through the Internet Protocol network, the first receiving circuit module and the second receiving circuit module from a network operations center or remote uplink facility.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first television channel signal is an over-the-air television signal.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first television channel signal is an over-the-air standard definition television signal.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first television channel signal is an over-the-air high definition television signal.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein:

the first encoded signal comprises a Moving Pictures Expert Group (MPEG)-2 encoded signal; and

the second encoded signal comprises a MPEG-4 encoded signal.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving audio data at the second encoder based on at least one of the first data signal and a link between the first encoder and the second encoder;

sending the audio data from the second encoder to a fifth encoder;

based on the audio data, sending a plurality of audio signals from the fifth encoder to the first multiplexer; and

multiplexing the plurality of audio signals, the first encoded signal and the second encoded signal to generate the first multiplexed signal.

6. A receiving circuit module comprising:

a first housing having a first input for receiving a first television signal at a first local collection facility;

a second housing having a second input for receiving a second television signal at a first local collection facility;

a first decoder and a first demodulator decoding and demodulating the first television signal to form a first data signal;

a second decoder and a second demodulator decoding and demodulating the second television signal to form a second data signal;

a first encoder disposed within the first housing and encoding the first data signal to form a first encoded signal based on the first data signal;

a second encoder disposed within the first housing and encoding the first data signal to form a second encoded signal, wherein the second encoded signal has a different format than the first encoded signal;

a third encoder disposed within the second housing and encoding the second data signal to form a second encoded signal based on the second data signal;

a fourth encoder disposed within the second housing and encoding the second data signal to form a fourth encoded signal, wherein the fourth encoded signal has a different format than the third encoded signal and the same format as the first encoded data signal;

an audio encoder receiving a first audio signal in a first audio format from the second encoder and generating, based on the first audio signal, a second audio signal in a second audio format and a third audio signal in a third audio format;

a first multiplexer disposed within the first housing and generating a first multiplexed signal by multiplexing the first encoded signal, the second encoded signal, the second audio signal and the third audio signal;

a second multiplexer disposed within the second housing and generating a second multiplexed signal by multiplexing the third encoded signal and the fourth encoded signal;

a third multiplexer multiplexing the first multiplexed signal and the second multiplexed signal to form a third multiplexed signal;

a fourth multiplexer receiving the third multiplexed signal from a first local collection facility through an IP network; and

a network operation center or remote uplink facility monitoring the first receiving circuit module and the second receiving circuit module through the IP network.

7. The receiving circuit module as recited in claim 6 wherein the first encoded signal comprises an MPEG 2 encoded signal and the second encoded signal comprises an MPEG 4 encoded signal.

8. A system comprising:

the first local collection facility having a first plurality of receiving circuit module recited in claim 6, wherein the first plurality of receiving circuit modules generates a first plurality of multiplexed signals;

a second multiplexer multiplexing the first plurality of multiplexed signals to form a second multiplexed signal;

a second local collection facility having a second plurality of receiving circuit module recited in claim 6, wherein the second plurality of receiving circuit modules generate a second plurality of multiplexed signals;

the IP network in communication with the first local collection facility and the second local collection facility and receiving the second multiplexed signal and the third multiplexed signal;

a remote uplink facility communicating with the first local collection facility and the second local collection facility through the IP network and generating uplink signals in response to the second multiplexed signal and the third multiplexed signal.

9. A system comprising:

the receiving circuit module of claim 6; and

an uplink signal processing system configured to generate communication signals based on the first encoded signal, the second encoded signal, the third encoded signal and the fourth encoded signal;

wherein the uplink signal processing system is configured to transmit the communication signals to a plurality of user devices via at least one satellite.