Method for buffering video, data and voice signals using a common shared bus
First Claim
1. A method for combining a plurality of digital video signals, a plurality of digital data signals, and a plurality of upstream communications in a digital headend, comprising:
- providing a video interface for receiving said plurality of digital video signals within said digital headend;
providing a data interface for receiving said plurality of digital data signals within said digital headend;
providing an upstream communications interface for receiving said plurality of upstream communications within said digital headend;
buffering said plurality of digital video signals within said digital headend;
generating a buffered plurality of digital video signals;
buffering said plurality of digital data signals within said digital headend;
generating a buffered plurality of digital data signals; and
communicating said buffered plurality of digital video signals, said buffered plurality of digital data signals, and said plurality of upstream communications across a common shared bus.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method for combining a plurality of digital video signals, a plurality of digital data signals, a plurality of voice signals, and a plurality of upstream communications within a digital broadband headend. This digital broadband headend uses a common shared bus to optimize the resources used on a digital headend. More particularly, the method comprises providing a video interface for receiving the plurality of digital video signal, providing a data interface for receiving the plurality of digital data signals, and providing a voice interface for receiving the plurality of voice signals. The method then proceeds to process the plurality of digital video signals, digital data signals and voice signals. After this processing is completed by the digital headend, the plurality of digital video signals is communicated to at least one smart network interface module which is configured to buffer the plurality of digital video signals. Additionally, the plurality of digital data signals is also buffered with at least one smart network interface module. Further still, the plurality of voice signals is also buffered with the at least one smart network interface module. The method then provides for communicating said buffered plurality of digital video signals, said buffered plurality of digital data signals, said buffered plurality of voice signals, and said plurality of upstream communications across a common shared bus.
99 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for combining a plurality of digital video signals, a plurality of digital data signals, and a plurality of upstream communications in a digital headend, comprising:
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providing a video interface for receiving said plurality of digital video signals within said digital headend;
providing a data interface for receiving said plurality of digital data signals within said digital headend;
providing an upstream communications interface for receiving said plurality of upstream communications within said digital headend;
buffering said plurality of digital video signals within said digital headend;
generating a buffered plurality of digital video signals;
buffering said plurality of digital data signals within said digital headend;
generating a buffered plurality of digital data signals; and
communicating said buffered plurality of digital video signals, said buffered plurality of digital data signals, and said plurality of upstream communications across a common shared bus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 17, 18)
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7. A method for combining a plurality of digital data signals, a plurality of voice signals, and a plurality of upstream communications in a digital headend, comprising:
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providing a data interface for receiving said plurality of digital data signals within said digital headend;
providing a voice interface for receiving said plurality of voice signals within said digital headend;
providing an upstream communications interface for receiving said plurality of upstream communications within said digital headend;
buffering said plurality of digital data signals within said digital headend;
generating a buffered plurality of digital data signals;
buffering said plurality of voice signals within said digital headend;
generating a buffered plurality of voice signals; and
communicating said buffered plurality of digital data signals, said buffered plurality of voice signals, and said plurality of upstream communications across a common shared bus. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for combining a plurality of digital video signals, a plurality of voice signals, and a plurality of upstream communications in a digital headend, comprising:
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providing a video interface for receiving said plurality of digital video signals within said digital headend;
providing a voice interface for receiving said plurality of voice signals within said digital headend;
providing an upstream communications interface for receiving said plurality of upstream communications within said digital headend;
buffering said plurality of digital video signals within said digital headend;
generating a buffered plurality of digital video signals;
buffering said plurality of voice signals within said digital headend;
generating a buffered plurality of voice signals; and
communicating said buffered plurality of digital video signals, said buffered plurality of voice signals, and said plurality of upstream communications across a common shared bus. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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19. A method for combining a plurality of digital video signals, a plurality of digital data signals, a plurality of voice signals, and a plurality of upstream communications within a digital headend, comprising:
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providing a video interface for receiving said plurality of digital video signals within a digital headend;
providing a data interface for receiving said plurality of digital data signals within a digital headend;
providing a voice interface for receiving said plurality of voice signals within a digital headend;
providing an upstream communications interface for receiving said plurality of upstream communications within said digital headend;
buffering said plurality of digital video signals within said digital headend;
generating a buffered plurality of digital video signals;
buffering said plurality of digital data signals within said digital headend;
generating a buffered plurality of digital data signals;
buffering said plurality of voice signals within said digital headend;
generating a buffered plurality of voice signals; and
communicating said buffered plurality of digital video signals, said buffered plurality of digital data signals, said buffered plurality of voice signals, and said plurality of upstream communications across a common shared bus. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for combining a plurality of digital video signals, a plurality of digital data signals, a plurality of voice signals, and a plurality of upstream communications within a digital headend, comprising:
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providing a video interface for receiving said plurality of digital video signals within said digital headend;
providing a data interface for receiving said plurality of digital data signals within said digital headend;
providing a voice interface for receiving said plurality of voice signals within said digital headend;
providing an upstream communications interface for receiving said plurality of upstream communications wherein said plurality of upstream communications are generated by least one set-top box. digitally processing said plurality of digital video signals within said digital headend;
digitally processing said plurality of digital data signals within said digital headend;
digitally processing said plurality of voice signals within said digital headend;
buffering said plurality of digital video signals within said digital headend;
generating a buffered plurality of digital video signals;
buffering said plurality of digital data signals within said digital headend;
generating a buffered plurality of digital data signals;
buffering said plurality of voice signals within said digital headend;
generating a buffered plurality of voice signals; and
communicating said buffered plurality of digital video signals, said buffered plurality of digital data signals, said buffered plurality of voice signals, and said plurality of upstream communications across a common shared bus. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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Specification