DATA BROADCASTING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISTRIBUTING DATA FROM ONE OR MORE CONTENT PROVIDERS TO PERSONAL COMPUTERS

• US 20010023429A1
• Filed: 02/16/1999
• Published: 09/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CyberStar LP
• Original Assignee: CyberStar LP
• Inventors: RAFTER, MARK T., BARKER, KEITH R.
• Application Number:
  US09/249,890
• Publication Number:
  US 20010023429A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

Improved data broadcasting systems 10 and methods 60 that distribute data to personal computers 16. The architecture of the data broadcasting system includes a content acquisition management system 20 having a publishing element 25, a broadcasting element 26, and a subscribing element 27. The publishing element packages data and data processing instructions for broadcast. The broadcasting element broadcasts the packaged data and data processing instructions. The subscribing element receives the packaged data from the broadcasting element and processes the data in accordance with the data processing instructions contained in the received data. An exemplary data distribution method comprises the following steps. Data and data processing instructions are packaged 61 for broadcast. The packaged data and data processing instructions are broadcast 62. The packaged data and data processing instructions are received 63 at remotely located personal computers. The received data are processed 64 at the remotely located personal computers in accordance with the data processing instructions.

Claims

1. A data broadcasting system 10 for distributing data to personal computers, comprising:

a publishing element 25 for packaging data and data processing instructions for broadcast;

a broadcasting element 26 for receiving and broadcasting the packaged data and data processing instructions; and

a subscribing element 27 for receiving the packaged data processing instructions from the data broadcasting element and for processing the data in accordance with the data processing instructions.

2. The system 10 recited in

claim 1

wherein the publishing element comprises a provider content software module 31 that allows a content provider to schedule content feeds and ad-hoc feeds.

3. The system 10 recited in

claim 2

wherein the publishing element comprises a provider content software module 31 that allows a content provider to designate unique content types.

4. The system 10 recited in

claim 1

wherein the publishing element comprises a provider content software module 31 that allows a content provider to manually and automatically submit content.

5. The system 10 recited in

claim 1

wherein the publishing element comprises a provider content software module 31 that is configured to allow third party applications to be used to submit or publish data for broadcast.

6. The system 10 recited in

claim 1

wherein the broadcasting element comprises a content distribution software engine 33 coupled to a data broadcast system 34.

7. The system 10 recited in

claim 6

wherein the content distribution software engine 33 comprises means for scheduling broadcasts, scheduling unplanned broadcasts, scheduling premium/protected broadcasts, and global/free to air content broadcasts.

8. The system 10 recited in

claim 6

wherein the content distribution software engine 33 tracks and logs transactions associated with each broadcast and outputs billing and usage information relating thereto.

9. The system 10 recited in

claim 6

wherein the content distribution engine 33 enables conditional access by clients and content providers 11.

10. The system 10 recited in

claim 6

wherein the content distribution engine 33 generates program schedules and relays the information to the data broadcast system 34 which broadcasts announcements of schedule in response thereto.

11. The system 10 recited in

claim 6

further comprising a feed queue 32 for storing and forwarding packaged content.

12. The system 10 recited in

claim 1

wherein the subscribing element 27 comprises a client software module 41 that allows manual and automatic, unattended, reception of packaged content, and real time acquisition of content streams based on announcement schedules.

13. The system 10 recited in

claim 1

wherein the subscribing element 27 comprises a client software module 41 that manages data received from multiple content providers 11 within a singular data management scheme.

14. A method 60 for distributing data to remotely located personal computers 16, comprising the steps of:

packaging 61 data and data processing instructions for broadcast;

broadcasting 62 the data and data processing instructions;

receiving 63 the packaged data and data processing instructions at the remotely located personal computers 16; and

processing 64 the data at the remotely located personal computers in accordance with the data processing instructions.

15. The method 60 recited in

claim 14

wherein the data processing instructions include scheduling instruction relating to content feeds and ad-hoc feeds.

16. The method 60 recited in

claim 14

wherein the data processing instructions include scheduling instruction relating to designation of unique content types.

17. The method 60 recited in

claim 14

wherein the data processing instructions include scheduling instruction relating to manual and automatic content submission.

18. The method 60 recited in

claim 14

wherein the broadcasting step 62 comprises means for scheduling broadcasts, scheduling unplanned broadcasts, scheduling premium/protected broadcasts, and global/free to air content broadcasts.

19. The method 60 recited in

claim 14

wherein the data processing instructions enable conditional access by clients and content providers 11.

20. The method 60 recited in

claim 14

wherein the data processing instructions enable manual and automatic, unattended, reception of packaged content during the processing step 64.