Hybrid central/distributed VOD system with tiered content structure

• US 20020059619A1
• Filed: 06/07/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Inc. (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lebar, Metod
• Granted Patent: US 7,690,020 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/87
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2225 Local VOD servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/238 Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. adapting the transmission rate of a video stream to network bandwidth; Processing of multiplex streams hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for downstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in packet 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 21/615 Signal processing at physical level signal processing in analog two-way television systems H04N7/173
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The present invention provides a hybrid central/distributed and tiered video on demand (VOD) service network with tiered content structure. In particular, the present invention uses media servers located in both the headend station and the hub stations. Set-top boxes generally would be supplied VOD services from the high-demand content media servers located in the hub station nearest to the user. The central media server located in the headend would be used as an installed backup to the hub media servers; as the primary source for lower demand VOD services and as the source of the real time, centrally encoded programs with PVR (personal video recorder) capabilities.

By distributing the servers to the hub stations, the size of the fiber transport network associated with delivering VOD services from the central headend media server is reduced. The invention provides that each user has access to several server ports located on at least two servers. Multiple paths and channels are available for content distribution to each user, assuring high system reliability and enhanced asset availability. Substantial cost benefits are derived from the reduced need for a large content distribution network and the reduced storage capacity requirements for hub servers.

Claims

1. A content delivery system capable of delivering content on demand, comprising:

a headend station having at least one central media server;

at least one first type hub station, the first type hub station having at least one hub media server and radio frequency management infrastructure, the at least one hub media server is coupled to the radio frequency management infrastructure;

at least one set-top box;

a content transport network coupling the at least one central media server to the radio frequency management infrastructure; and

a distribution network coupling the radio frequency management infrastructure to the at least one set-top box,

wherein content on demand services are supplied to the set-top box.

2. The content delivery system according to claim 1, further comprising

a broadband radio frequency network including an AM supertrunk coupling the at least one central media server to the radio frequency management infrastructure.

3. The content delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the content transport network is capable of distributing a MPEG format content stream.

4. The content delivery system according to claim 3, wherein the content transport network is a fiber digital video broadcasting-asynchronous serial interface (DVB-ASI) network.

5. The content delivery system according to claim 4, further comprising an interface coupled to the at least one central media server and the fiber DVB-ASI network that converts an electrical MPEG format content stream into an optical MPEG format content stream capable of being transferred over the fiber DVB-ASI network.

6. The content delivery system according to claim 4, further comprising an interface coupled to the fiber DVB-ASI network and the radio frequency management infrastructure that converts an optical MPEG format content stream into an electrical MPEG format content stream capable of being managed by the radio frequency management infrastructure.

7. The content delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the radio frequency management infrastructure includes at least one quadrature amplitude modulation device (QAM).

8. The content delivery system according to claim 7, further comprising a resource management processor that causes the requested content on demand to be provided to the set-top box over a particular content stream path originating from either the hub media server or the central media server.

9. The content delivery system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one second type hub station that does not have the hub media server.

10. The content delivery system according to claim 9, further comprising a resource management processor that causes the requested content on demand to be provided to the set-top box from the central media server through the second type hub station.

11. The content delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the content transport network includes a drop, add, pass feature.

12. The content delivery system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one hub media server can supply content on demand services to another hub station over the content transport network using the drop, add, pass feature of the content transport network.

13. The content delivery system according to claim 8, wherein the content is linked to remote hub radio frequency management infrastructure using the content transport network.

14. The content delivery system according to claim 8, wherein the resource management processor is coupled to the radio frequency management infrastructure using a data network.

15. The content delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the radio frequency management infrastructure comprises:

at least one QAM;

at least one radio frequency combiner coupled to the at least one QAM to form QAM sub-groups

at least one combiner/splitter to form QAM groups and direct the radio frequency modulated content stream via an appropriate transmitter to the appropriate set-top box; and

at least one optical transmitter coupled to the at least one combiner/splitter to convert the radio frequency modulated content stream into a format suitable for transmission over the distribution network.

16. The content delivery system according to claim 15, wherein the radio frequency management infrastructure and information database is coupled to a resource management processor to determine a particular content stream path for delivery of the content stream to the set-top box.

18. The hub station according to claim 17, wherein the radio frequency management infrastructure is further adapted to receive the content stream over an AM supertrunk.

19. The hub station according to claim 18, wherein the radio frequency management infrastructure further comprises:

at least one QAM coupled to the at least one content port of the hub media server and adapted to receive the content stream from the content transport network;

at least one radio frequency combiner coupled to the at least one QAM for radio frequency modulating the content stream;

at least one combiner/splitter coupled to the at least one radio frequency combiner and adapted to receive the content stream from the AM supertrunk to direct the content stream to the appropriate set-top box; and

at least one optical transmitter coupled to the at least one combiner/splitter to convert the radio frequency modulated content stream into a format suitable for transmission over the distribution network.

20. The hub station according to claim 19, wherein the radio frequency management infrastructure receives a control signal from the resource management processor that identifies the at least one QAM that should be used to provide the content stream to the set-top box.

21. The hub station according to claim 19, wherein the transport network is adapted to carry content streams from at least one central media server.

22. The hub station according to claim 19, wherein the transport network is adapted to carry content streams from at least one other hub media server.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the requesting step includes receiving a signal from a remote control device.

25. The method according to claim 23, further comprises the step of:

receiving a broadcast of at least one COD service that is capable of being requested; and

displaying a menu of the at least one COD service that is capable of being requested.

26. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of:

checking whether authorization to deliver the requested COD service exists.

27. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the steps of

determining whether the requested COD service is stored on a hub media server;

checking whether a content stream path associated with the hub media server is available; and

assigning the content stream path associated with the hub media server if the content stream path associated with hub media server is available.

28. The method according to claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether the requested COD service is stored on a central media server;

checking whether a content stream path associated with the central media server is available; and

assigning the content stream path associated with the central media server if the content stream path associated with hub media server is not available.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the determining step further includes determining whether the requested COD content is stored only on a central media server, and the assigning step further includes assigning a content stream path associated with the central media server if it is determined that the requested COD content is stored only on the central media server.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the verification process includes checking whether a content stream path associated with the central media server is available over a content transport network, and the assigning step includes assigning a content stream path associated with the central media server over an AM supertrunk if the video stream path over the content transport network in not available.

31. The method according to claim 30, further comprising the step of:

indicating a fault if no content stream paths are available.

32. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

instructing the set top box to tune to the appropriate radio frequency channel to receive the requested COD service; and

instructing the set-top box to extract an appropriate content stream from a received multiplexed signal to deliver the requested COD content.

33. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

creating a database having COD service assets available to a set-top box; and

indicating whether assets are currently in use.

35. The computer program product according to claim 34, wherein the requesting module is further configured to receive requests from a remote control device.

36. The computer program product according to claim 34, wherein the computer usable medium further comprises:

a displaying module configured to receive a broadcast of at least one COD service capable of being requested and displaying the at least one COD service to the viewer.

37. The computer program product according to claim 34, wherein the computer usable medium further comprises:

an authorizing module configured to check whether the requested COD service is authorized for delivery.

17. A hub station in a content delivery network capable of supplying content on demand (COD) services, the content delivery network having a central headend station having a resource management processor, the resource management processor is coupled to the hub station using a network, the hub station comprising:

a hub media server having at least one content port;

a radio frequency management infrastructure, the radio frequency management infrastructure coupled to the at least one content port of the hub media server and adapted to receive a content stream from a content transport network;

the radio frequency management infrastructure adapted to receive resource management control signals from the resource management processor to determine from where the radio frequency management infrastructure should receive the content stream; and

the radio frequency management infrastructure adapted to transmit the content stream to at least one set-top box over a distribution network.

23. A method of supplying content on demand (COD) services, the method comprising the steps of:

requesting a COD service;

accessing a COD asset database to identify COD assets that are capable of supplying the requested COD service;

determining a COD asset that is available to deliver the requested COD service;

identifying a content stream path based on the COD asset determined to be available;

assigning the identified content stream path to supply the requested COD service; and

supplying the requested COD service over the assigned content stream path.

34. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium including computer readable code embodied therein for processing data to process requests for COD service, the computer usable medium comprising;

a requesting module configured to receive requests for COD services from a viewer;

a determining module configured to access a COD asset database that identifies COD assets capable of being used to deliver the requested COD service and determining whether COD assets are available to deliver the requested COD service;

an identifying module configured to identify a particular content stream path from the COD assets determined to be available;

an assigning module to assign the identified content stream path to deliver the requested COD service and update the COD asset database to indicate the COD assets are no longer available; and

a supplying module configured to supply the requested COD service over the assigned content stream path.

38. A database for storing COD assets capable of delivering a content stream over a content stream path, the database comprising:

a server identifier for each media server capable of delivering COD services to at least one set-top box;

a port identifier for each port associated with each media server; and

a QAM identifier for each QAM associated with each port,

wherein the server identifier, port identifier, and QAM identifier indicate the COD assets associated with a particular content stream path associated with delivering COD services to the at least one set-top box.