Intelligent device system and method for distribution of digital signals on a wideband signal distribution system

• US 10,136,180 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2015
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CBV, Inc., ChanBond, LLC (Unified Online, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ChanBond, LLC (Unified Online, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hennenhoefer, Earl, Snyder, Richard, Stine, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Hance, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US14/679,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20150350724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• Field of Search: 725 74- 85, 725112-113, 725 68- 72, 725100, 725131, 725139, 725150, 3702301, 370540, 370542, 330100
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/143 for modulated signals H04L5/1469 takes precedence
• 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 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2383 Channel coding or modulation of digital bit-stream, e.g. QPSK modulation arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received by adapting the channel coding H04L1/0009; analogue front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/239 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. prioritizing client content requests hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for upstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in data networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2408 Monitoring of the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. client requests monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• 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 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4382 Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44245 Monitoring the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. its availability, bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64738 Monitoring network characteristics, e.g. bandwidth, congestion level data switched network analysis H04L41/14; monitoring functioning in data switched networks H04L43/0817; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/108 the cable being constituted by a pair of wires
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A plurality of intelligent device systems for use with a wideband signal distribution network, and methods for transmitting digital information and receiving digital and non-digital information onto and off of an RF carrier through a wideband signal distribution network, are disclosed. The intelligent device systems provide networks of intelligent devices that modulate and demodulate digital video, IP video/data/voice and digital wireless onto, and off of, a wideband signal distribution system, such as an analog carrier system, using existing EIA/TIA 568 standard wiring infrastructure. The methods modulate and demodulate digital video, IP video/data/voice and digital wireless onto, and off of, a wideband distribution system, such as an analog carrier system, and separate IP portions from non-IP portions.

Claims

1. A method for bonding a plurality of upstream digital channels in a customer premises equipment operating on a cable system capable of providing at least television content, the method comprising:

receiving the plurality of upstream digital channels from at least one addressable device;

channel bonding the plurality of upstream digital channels by binding the plurality of upstream digital channels into a digital stream group;

measuring, by a traffic sensor, an information volume of the digital stream group;

generating traffic information comprising the information volume; and

modulating the digital stream group onto a sum of at least two adjacent RF channels, the modulating comprising, in accordance with the generated traffic information, a processor instructing transmission of the digital stream group on a number of bonded RF channels based on the information volume of the received plurality of upstream digital channels and a provisioned bandwidth of the number of bonded RF channels,

wherein a total RF channel bandwidth consumed by the modulated digital stream group is an aggregate RF channel bandwidth of the at least two adjacent RF channels.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises broadcast transceiving.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two adjacent RF channels are selected by the processor according to channel-in-use information concerning downstream RF channels.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein modulating the digital stream group onto a sum of at least two adjacent RF channels comprises modulating the digital stream group by at least two modulators.