Method and apparatus for receiving full-motion digital video multi-casts, interactive data and interactive voice via a DSL circuit
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method in a computer system for distributing lists of available channels to subscriber units, each channel being assigned an IP multicast group, the method comprising:
- receiving from a subscriber unit a request for a list of available channels, the request including information identifying a subscriber and being sent using HTTP protocol; and
upon receiving the request,identifying one or more available channels that the identified subscriber is permitted to access; and
sending to the subscriber unit a response to the received request with an indication of the identified channels, the response being sent using HTTP protocol and identifying the IP multicast group assigned to each identified channel.
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Abstract
An IP multicast aware switched digital method and apparatus are provided in a settop unit wherein packet streams containing reference information are multicast while a select set of program information is routed to the settop units so that multicast streams can be identified and full content can be routed individually to the settop unit for decoding. Specific or preferred embodiment applications include simultaneous output and interactive communication with a television (true video on demand), computer (Internet access), videophone and telephone.
63 Citations
77 Claims
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1. A method in a computer system for distributing lists of available channels to subscriber units, each channel being assigned an IP multicast group, the method comprising:
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receiving from a subscriber unit a request for a list of available channels, the request including information identifying a subscriber and being sent using HTTP protocol; and upon receiving the request, identifying one or more available channels that the identified subscriber is permitted to access; and sending to the subscriber unit a response to the received request with an indication of the identified channels, the response being sent using HTTP protocol and identifying the IP multicast group assigned to each identified channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method in a computer system for distributing lists of available channels to subscriber units, the method comprising:
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receiving from a subscriber unit a request for a list of available channels, the request including information identifying a subscriber and being sent using HTTP protocol; and upon receiving the request, identifying one or more channels that the identified subscriber is authorized to access; and sending to the subscriber unit a response with an indication of the identified channels, the response being sent using HTTP protocol and identifying a IP multicast group assigned to each identified channel, the response managed via IP multicast capable TCP/IP software. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method in a computer system for distributing lists of available channels to subscriber units, each channel being assigned an IP multicast group, the method comprising:
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receiving from a subscriber unit a request for a listing of available channels, the request being sent in response to a subscriber indicating to view the listing, the request being sent using HTTP protocol; and upon receiving the request, identifying channels that are available to be accessed; and via a channel server, sending to the subscriber unit a response with an indication of the identified channels, the response being sent using HTTP protocol and identifying the IP multicast group assigned to each identified channel, the response managed via IP multicast capable TCP/IP software. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A method in a computer system for distributing lists of available channels to subscriber units, each channel being assigned an IP address, the method comprising:
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receiving from a subscriber unit a request for a list of available channels, the request being sent using HTTP protocol and in response to a subscriber requesting to view the list; and upon receiving the request, identifying one or more channels; and sending to the subscriber unit a response with an indication of the identified channels, the response being sent using HTTP protocol and identifying the IP multicast group assigned to each identified channel, the response managed via IP multicast capable TCP/IP software. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 76)
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75. A method in a computer system for distributing lists of available channels to subscriber units, data of the channels being transmitted via multicasting, the method comprising:
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receiving from a subscriber unit a request for a listing of available channels, the request including information identifying a subscriber; and upon receiving the request, identifying one or more channels that the identified subscriber is permitted to access; and via a channel server, sending to the subscriber unit a response via session announcement protocol with an indication of the identified channels, the response identifying an IP multicast group assigned to each identified channel sent using HTTP protocol and identifying the IP multicast group assigned to each identified channel, the response managed via IP multicast capable TCP/IP software. - View Dependent Claims (77)
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Specification