DIGITAL DOMAIN CONTENT PROCESSING AND DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS AND METHODS

• US 20110292785A1
• Filed: 05/27/2010
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hardin, Glen
• Granted Patent: US 9,300,445 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2601 Multicarrier modulation systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/34 Amplitude- and phase-modulated carrier systems, e.g. quadrature-amplitude modulated carrier systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0007 the frequencies being orthogonal, e.g. OFDM(A), DMT
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/003 Arrangements for allocating sub-channels of the transmission path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0044 allocation of payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for distributing content using a spectrum generation device. In one embodiment, digital content is received via a time-multiplexed network transport (such as Gigabit Ethernet), and converted to frequency channels suitable for transmission over a content distribution (e.g., Hybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC)) network. In one variant, the conversion is performed using digital domain processing performed by a full spectrum generation device. Additionally, methods and apparatus for selectively adding, removing, and/or changing digital content from the full spectrum device are also disclosed. Various aspects of the present invention enable physical (infrastructure) consolidation, and software-implemented remote management of content distribution.

Claims

1. A spectrum generation apparatus for distributing content from a plurality of content sources to a plurality of users, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface adapted to receive digital content from a plurality of content sources, via a first network;

a downstream interface in communication with the plurality of users via one or more frequency resources; and

programmable apparatus configured to convert the digital content received from the network interface into a form suitable for transmission via the one or more frequency resources.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more frequency resources comprise QAM-modulated channels.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the QAM-modulated channels comprise approximately 6 MHz in frequency bandwidth.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the QAM-modulated channels are substantially contiguous within the frequency spectrum.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said programmable apparatus configured to convert the digital content received from the network interface into a form suitable for transmission via the one or more frequency resources comprises an inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) apparatus.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

said digital content received from a plurality of content sources comprises a multiplexed stream; and

said programmable apparatus configured to convert the digital content received from the network interface into a form suitable for transmission via the one or more frequency resources further comprises a demultiplexer apparatus capable of demultiplexing the multiplexed stream.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) apparatus is configured to assign individual ones of a plurality of said digital content to respective ones of said frequency resources.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) apparatus is configured to assign individual ones of a plurality of said digital content to two or more of said frequency resources as a function of time, thereby providing time and frequency diversity.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising:

a processor; and

computer readable apparatus comprising media adapted to contain a computer program, which is configured to, when executed;

select one or more of the digital content based on one or more criteria;

assign the selected one or more digital content to the one or more frequency resources; and

program the programmable substrate according to the assignment.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising:

a processor; and

computer readable apparatus comprising media adapted to contain a computer program which, when executed;

receives one or more frequency or spectrum configurations; and

programs the programmable substrate according to the one or more configurations.

11. A method of providing content to a plurality of users of a content distribution network, comprising:

receiving digital content from one or more content sources, said content being received at an entity disposed substantially at the edge of the network;

converting the received digital content to one or more frequency domain signals using digital domain processing;

converting the processed digital domain signals to an analog form; and

transmitting the converted signals to the plurality of users over one or more frequency carriers.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the digital content comprises a plurality of program streams multiplexed into a single stream, and the entity comprises a demultiplexer function configured to demultiplex the single streams to recover said program streams.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said one or more frequency carriers comprise QAM-modulated channels each having a frequency bandwidth of approximately 6 MHz.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said digital domain processing comprises an inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT).

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said plurality of users are associated with a common service group within said network.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said plurality of users are associated with a common distribution node within said network.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein said digital content is received from said one or more sources via a packet-switched network.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein said entity is substantially remotely reprogrammable, such that an allocation of said digital content to said one or more frequency carriers can be changed dynamically and remotely.

19. A method of managing distribution of content to a plurality of subscribers, comprising:

routing a plurality of digital content from a plurality of content sources to a spectrum generation device;

programming the spectrum generation device with one or more constraints; and

responsive thereto, the spectrum generation device distributing at least a subset of the plurality of digital content to the plurality of subscribers.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the act of distributing comprises transmitting the subset of the digital content within one or more frequency channels.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the act of routing comprises one or more time-multiplexed transfers.

22. A method of providing a plurality of heterogeneous types of content products to various ones of a plurality of users of a content distribution network, the method comprising:

receiving said heterogeneous types of content from one or more content sources;

allocating the different types of content to frequency resources;

performing digital domain processing on said content to effect said allocating;

converting the processed digital domain content to an analog form; and

transmitting the converted content to the plurality of users over the allocated frequency resources.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the different types of content comprise:

(i) VOD content;

(ii) broadcast content; and

(iii) high-speed data (HSD) content.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the frequency resources comprise a plurality of substantially contiguous frequency bands disposed within the frequency spectrum such that the lowest frequency band is below 100 MHz.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein said frequency resources comprise QAM-modulated channels each having a frequency bandwidth of approximately 6 MHz.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein said digital domain processing comprises an inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT).

27. The method of claim 22, wherein said plurality of users are associated with a common distribution node within said network, and all of the users associated with that node are served by a common edge device performing said method.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said common edge device is substantially remotely reprogrammable, such that an allocation of said different types of content to said frequency resources can be changed dynamically and remotely.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said common edge device is configured to modulate each of said heterogeneous types of content according to a respective heterogeneous modulation scheme.

30. Reconfigurable content processing apparatus for use in a content distribution network, comprising:

a first interface to receive a plurality of digital content elements from one or more content sources;

logic configured to allocate the content elements to frequency resources based on a first allocation scheme;

a programmable apparatus configured to perform digital domain processing on said content elements to effect said allocation; and

a second interface configured to receive information from a remote entity, said information relating to a second, different allocation scheme;

wherein said programmable apparatus and said logic are configured to cooperate to implement said second allocation scheme based on said received information.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the reconfigurable apparatus is disposed substantially at an edge of said content distribution network, and said remote entity comprises a headend entity of said network.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the first allocation scheme comprises including N content elements according to a frequency mapping plan, and said second allocation scheme comprises including (N minus X) content elements to a second frequency mapping plan, said second mapping plan utilizing at least a portion of the frequency spectrum allocated to said X content elements;

and

wherein X<

N.

33. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said digital domain processing comprises an inverse FFT to convert said content elements from a time domain to a frequency domain.

34. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said programmable apparatus and said logic are disposed on a common integrated circuit substrate.

35. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said programmable apparatus and said logic are disposed on a common integrated circuit substrate.

36. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said first interface comprises a Gigabit Ethernet (Gig-E) interface.

37. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said frequency resources comprise individual wavelengths or ranges of wavelengths of visible light.

38. A method of operating a content distribution network, comprising:

distributing a plurality of content-related services to a plurality of users associated with a service group of said network using a substantially reprogrammable edge device; and

adding an additional service, or remove one of said services, from delivery to said service group by remotely reprogramming said edge device.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein said edge device is disposed at a hubsite of said network, and is configured to generate a full frequency spectrum capable of supplying all of said services.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein said services include at least:

(i) VoD;

(ii) linear broadcast; and

(iii) high speed data.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein said distributing comprises:

receiving a plurality of program streams at said edge device;

allocating said program streams to frequency resources associated with a downstream distribution network; and

processing said streams so as to utilize said allocated frequency resources.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said frequency resources are each modulated using a different modulation technique.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein said downstream distribution network comprises at least a portion with a physical medium comprising cabling or wiring capable of handling radio frequency signals, and said frequency resources comprise a plurality of QAM channels.