APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR PACKETIZED CONTENT DELIVERY OVER A BANDWIDTH EFFICIENT NETWORK

• US 20150264447A1
• Filed: 03/19/2015
• Published: 09/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: BROOKS, PAUL D., GONDER, TOM
• Granted Patent: US 9,961,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/222 Secondary servers, e.g. proxy server, cable television Head-end provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2385 Channel allocation H04N21/266 takes precedence; Bandwidth allocation H04N21/24 takes precedence ; allocation of channels according to the instantaneous demands of the users in time-division multiplex systems H04J3/1682; admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896; negotiating bandwidth in wireless networks H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing packetized content to users via a bandwidth-optimized network. In one embodiment, legacy and IPTV streams are carried over the same switched digital infrastructure, and freely intermixed without regard to their encoding or type. A user'"'"'s selection for IPTV content is transmitted to an IP proxy (such as a gateway apparatus or a headend server), then on to the switched digital server which causes provision of the requested content back to the proxy for formatting. The formatted content is then delivered to the requesting IP-capable device. The entire carrier class program stream is therefore available as IP-encapsulated content to the IP capable devices (and as legacy content to legacy devices) without any significant modifications to the network infrastructure or bandwidth penalty.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method of operating a content distribution network to deliver both legacy encoded and Internet Protocol television (IPTV) content via a switched digital system, said method comprising:

receiving a request for said IPTV content at said system issued from a requesting device;

determining whether said IPTV content is currently being delivered over said system;

when said IPTV content is currently being delivered, providing said requesting device information on how to access said IPTV content;

when said IPTV content is not currently being delivered, switching in at least one stream via said system to effect delivery of said IPTV content; and

providing said legacy encoded content via said switching system to at least one user in a same service group as that of said requesting device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said IPTV content is encoded using a codec that is both different and more bandwidth efficient than that used for said legacy encoded content.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein said IPTV content includes digital rights management (DRM) protection, and said legacy encoded content is protected using a conditional access system.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said act of receiving said request for said IPTV content comprises formatting said request to include a source identifier of said IPTV content.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein said delivery of said IPTV content comprises exposing a multicast address of said at least one stream, said requesting device being configured to identify and utilize said multicast address to stream said IPTV content.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein said legacy encoded content is configured to freely intermix with said IPTV content without regard to an encoding thereof in a first IP format and/or a second non-IP format.

27. A computer readable apparatus comprising a medium adapted to store a computer program, said computer program configured to when executed:

receive a request for IP packetized content from at least one consumer device;

format said request to a protocol utilized by a switched digital video (SDV) server configured to optimize bandwidth by addition of said IP packetized content to a currently provided multiplex and removal of said IP packetized content from said currently provided multiplex according to existing requests;

transmit said request to said SDV server;

extract one or more elementary streams associated with said requested IP packetized content from a multiplex;

encapsulate said one or more elementary streams according to a networking protocol; and

deliver said one or more encapsulated elementary streams to said at least one consumer device.

28. The computer readable apparatus of claim 27, wherein said delivery of said one or more encapsulated elementary streams is configured to expose a multicast address of said one or more elementary streams, said at least one consumer device being configured to identify and utilize said multicast addresses to stream said IP packetized content.

29. The computer readable apparatus of claim 27, wherein said IP packetized content further comprises digital rights management (DRM) information for use at said at least one consumer device.

30. The computer readable apparatus of claim 27, wherein said request for said IP packetized content to said SDV server includes a source identifier of said IP packetized content.

31. A method of operating a content distribution network having both switched channels and non-switched channels, said method comprising:

transmitting content that is not access restricted only on one or more non-switched channels; and

transmitting content that is access restricted only on one or more switched channels.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said switched channels comprise a plurality of content delivery channels in which:

delivery of individual ones of program streams may be switched out when no user of said network is watching them; and

delivery of individual ones said program streams may be switched in when one or more request for them exists.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said content that is not access restricted comprises at least one of public, educational, government, or emergency content.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein said content that is access restricted further comprises digital rights management (DRM) information for use by at least one consumer device.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein said content that is not access restricted comprises content which is configured to always be delivered from said network to each of a plurality of consumer devices.

36. Premises apparatus configured to receive content from a content distribution network, comprising:

an interface;

a processor; and

at least one storage device in communication with said processor, said at least one storage device comprising at least one computer program configured to, when executed on said processor;

receive said content from said network via said interface;

encapsulate said content according to a networking protocol; and

transmit said encapsulated content to a premises device configured to utilize said protocol;

wherein said receipt, encapsulation and transmission do not further comprise processing of audio or video portions of said received content.

37. The premises apparatus of claim 36, wherein said networking protocol comprises an Internet Protocol (IP), and said encapsulation further comprises at least one IP header having a multicast address associated therewith.

38. The premises apparatus of claim 36, wherein said content comprises digital rights management (DRM) information, and said DRM information is not processed or utilized by said premises apparatus.

39. The premises apparatus of claim 36, wherein said content comprises at least one stream within an MPEG-2 multi-program transport stream (MPTS), and said receipt thereof comprises demodulation and extraction of said at least one stream from said MPTS.

40. The premises apparatus of claim 36, wherein said content comprises content which is configured to always be delivered from said network to each of a plurality of consumer devices.