Networked multimedia system

• US 7,908,625 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2003
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tech 5 SAS
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gaul, Michael A., Prus, Bohdan S., Lett, David B., Russ, Samuel H., Robertson, Neil C., Nair, Ajith N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shang; Annan Q
• Application Number:
  US10/342,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20040068747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,981 Days
• Field of Search: 725 74- 85, 725/132, 725/133, 725/140, 725/152, 348/734, 348/552, 34082569-82572, 398/106, 398/107, 398/135
• US Class Current: 725/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/104 Switchers or splitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing downstream signals to a plurality of receiver networks. A receiver network (i.e., a networked multimedia system) includes a splitter/isolation module (SIM), a primary set-top terminal (STT), and at least one remote device. The remote devices communicate with the primary STT via the SIM over coaxial cable. Accordingly, the remote devices utilize some or all of the features including hardware and software that are included in the primary STT via the networked multimedia system.

Claims

1. A network system, comprising:

a splitter/isolation module (SIM) configured to receive downstream multimedia signals originating from an external source, the downstream multimedia signals being received in a first frequency range;

a primary set-top terminal (STT) coupled to the SIM via a first link, the primary STT being configured to receive downstream multimedia signals in the first frequency range from the external source via the SIM over the first link, the primary STT comprising a tuner system configured to extract selected content signals from the downstream multimedia signals, at least a portion of the selected content signals being processed to generate output signals for presentation on a first local device; and

at least one remote device coupled to the SIM via a second link, the at least one remote device being configured to receive downstream multimedia signals in the first frequency range directly from the external source via the SIM over the second link without the downstream multimedia signals being routed through the primary STT, wherein the at least one remote device is configured to process received multimedia signals to generate output signals for presentation on a second local device, and wherein the at least one remote device is configured to send reverse command signals to the primary STT in a second frequency range that does not overlap the first frequency range, the reverse command signals being routed over the second link, through the SIM, and over the first link to the primary STT;

the primary STT further comprising;

a storage device configured to store at least a portion of the selected content signals extracted by the tuner system;

a remote device command receiver configured to receive the reverse command signals from the at least one remote device; and

a modulator configured to modulate selected content signals from the tuner system or the storage device for transmission to the at least one remote device in response to the remote device command receiver receiving a reverse command signal requesting the selected content signals, wherein modulated content signals are frequency converted to a third frequency range that does not overlap the first and second frequency ranges, the modulated content signals being routed over the first link, through the SIM, and over the second link to the at least one remote device, wherein the at least one remote device is configured to process received modulated content signals to generate output signals for presentation on the second local device, wherein the SIM further comprises;

a first diplex filter coupled to the first link;

a second diplex filter coupled to the second link; and

a third diplex filter coupled to an interface with the external source;

wherein;

a first filter of the first diplex filter is coupled to a first filter of the third diplex fitter to provide a first signal path for the downstream multimedia signals from the external source to the primary STT;

a first filter of the second diplex filter is coupled to the first filter of the third diplex filter to provide a second signal path for the downstream multimedia signals from the external source to the at least one remote device; and

the first filter of the first diplex filter is coupled to the first filter of the second diplex filter to provide a third signal path for the modulated contents signals from the primary STT to the at least one remote device.

2. The network system of claim 1, wherein:

the SIM, the primary STT, and the at least one remote device are located within a premises.

3. The network system of claim 1, wherein the primary STT and the at least one remote device are further configured to send outbound signals to the external source via the SIM in a fourth frequency range that does not overlap the first, second, and third frequency ranges.

4. The network system of claim 1, wherein the SIM further comprises:

a frequency filter disposed in the third signal path between the first and second diplex filters and configured to pass signals in the third frequency range and reject signals in the first frequency range.

5. The network system of claim 4, further comprising:

first, second, and third splitters, wherein the first and second splitters are disposed in the third signal path between the first and second diplex filters, the first and third splitters are disposed in the first signal path between the first and third diplex filters, and the second and third splitters arc disposed in the second signal path between the second and third diplex filters.

6. The network system of claim 5, wherein the frequency filter is disposed between the first and second splitters.

7. The network system of claim 1, wherein:

a second filter of the first diplex filter is coupled to a second filter of the third diplex filter to provide a fourth signal path for the outbound signals from the primary STT to the external source; and

a second filter of the second diplex filter is coupled to the second filter of the third diplex filter to provide a fifth signal path for the outbound signals from the at least one remote device to the external source.

8. The network system of claim 7, wherein a common signal path comprises a portion of the fourth signal path and a portion of the fifth signal path, the SIM further comprising:

a frequency filter disposed in the common signal path and configured to pass signals in the fourth frequency range and reject signals in the second frequency range.

9. The network system of claim 8, wherein the SIM further comprises:

a splitter disposed at a junction between the fourth and fifth signal paths, wherein reverse command signals in the second frequency range originating from the at least one remote device are routed over the fifth signal path and reflected by the frequency filter to the fourth signal path and received by the primary STT.

10. The network system of claim 1, wherein the modulator is one of a QAM modulator, a QPSK modulator, an 8 VSB modulator, and a COFDM modulator.

11. The network system of claim 1, wherein the first and second links comprise coaxial cables.

12. The network system of claim 1, wherein the reverse command signals are transmitted in an on-off keying (OOK) format or in a frequency shift keying (FSK) format.

13. The network system of claim 1, wherein the modulated content signals are a stored presentation, a video-on-demand (VOD) presentation, an interactive program guide (IPG) application, a networked multimedia system (NMS) application, or a television channel.

14. The network system of claim 1, wherein the first and second local devices are configured to receive at least one tuned presentation selected from the downstream multimedia signals, wherein the first and second local devices provide the at least one tuned presentation to a viewing display.

15. The network system of claim 1, wherein the at least one remote device is capable of performing, via the primary STT, play, pause, fast-forward, rewind, and stop functions on a stored presentation.

16. The network system of claim 1, wherein the at least one remote device is another set-top terminal.

17. A method for operating a networked multimedia system including a primary set-top terminal (STT), at least one remote device, and a splitter/isolation module (SIM) coupled to the primary STT via a first link and coupled to the at least one remote device via a second link, the method comprising:

(a) supplying, to the primary STT over the first link in a first frequency range, downstream multimedia signals received by the SIM from an external source;

(b) extracting, in the primary STT, selected content from the downstream multimedia signals for presentation on a first local device;

(c) supplying, to the at least one remote device over the second link in a first frequency range, downstream multimedia signals received by the SIM from the external source without the downstream multimedia signals being routed through the primary STT;

(d) extracting, in the at least one remote device, selected content from the downstream multimedia signals for presentation on a second local device;

(e) routing a reverse command signal from the at least one remote device to the primary STT over the second link, through the SIM, and over the first link, the reverse command signal being supplied in a second frequency range that does not overlap the first frequency range;

(f) extracting, in the primary STT, selected content from the downstream multimedia signals for storage within the primary STT;

(g) modulating selected content extracted from the downstream multimedia signals or selected content previously stored in the primary STT in response to the primary STT receiving the reverse command signal, wherein modulated content signals are frequency converted to a third frequency range that does not overlap the first and second frequency ranges;

(h) routing the modulated content signals from the primary STT to the at least one remote device over the first link, through the SIM, and over the second link; and

(i) processing the modulated content signals in the at least one remote device for presentation on the second local device, wherein the SIM includes a first diplex filter coupled to the first link, a second diplex filter coupled to the second link, and a third diplex filter coupled to an interface with the external source, and wherein;

supplying, to the primary STT over the first link in the first frequency range, the downstream multimedia signals comprises routing the downstream multimedia signals from the external source to the primary STT on a first path in the SIM between the first and third diplex filters;

supplying, to the at least one remote device over the second link in the first frequency range, the downstream multimedia signals comprises routing the downstream multimedia signals from the external source to the at least one remote device on a second path in the SIM between the second and third diplex filters; and

routing the modulated content signals comprises routing the modulated content signals from the primary STT to the at least one remote device on a third path in the SIM between the first and second diplex filters.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

(j) sending outbound signals from the primary STT and from the at least one remote device to the external source via the SIM in a fourth frequency range that does not overlap the first, second, and third frequency ranges.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein (h) further comprises:

passing the modulated content signals through a frequency filter disposed in the third signal path, the frequency filter passing signals in the third frequency range and rejecting signals in the first frequency range.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein (g) includes modulating with QAM modulation. QPSK modulation, 8 VSB modulation, or COFDM modulation.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein (f) includes transmitting the reverse command signals in an on-off keying (OOK) format or in a frequency shift keying (FSK) format.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the modulated content signals are a stored presentation, a video-on-demand (VOD) presentation, an interactive program guide (IPG) application, a networked multimedia system (NMS) application, or a television channel.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one remote device is capable of performing, via the primary STT, play, pause, fast-forward, rewind, and stop functions on a stored presentation.

24. A network system, comprising:

a splitter/isolation module (SIM) configured to receive downstream multimedia signals originating from an external source, the downstream multimedia signals being received in a first frequency range;

a primary set-top terminal (STT) coupled to the SIM via a first link, the primary STT being configured to receive downstream multimedia signals in the first frequency range from the external source via the SIM over the first link, the primary STT comprising a tuner system configured to extract selected content signals from the downstream multimedia signals, at least a portion of the selected content signals being processed to generate output signals for presentation on a first local device; and

at least one remote device coupled to the SIM via a second link, the at least one remote device being configured to receive downstream multimedia signals in the first frequency range directly from the external source via the SIM over the second link, wherein the at least one remote device is configured to process received multimedia signals to generate output signals for presentation on a second local device, and wherein the at least one remote device is configured to send reverse command signals to the primary STT in a second frequency range that does not overlap the first frequency range, the reverse command signals being routed over the second link, through the SIM, and over the first link to the primary STT;

the primary STT further comprising;

a storage device configured to store at least a portion of the selected content signals extracted by the tuner system;

a remote device command receiver configured to receive the reverse command signals from the at least one remote device; and

a modulator configured to modulate selected content signals from the tuner system or the storage device for transmission to the at least one remote device in response to the remote device command receiver receiving a reverse command signal requesting the selected content signals, wherein modulated content signals are frequency converted to a third frequency range that does not overlap the first and second frequency ranges, the modulated content signals being routed over the first link, through the SIM, and over the second link to the at least one remote device, wherein the at least one remote device is configured to process received modulated content signals to generate output signals for presentation on the second local device, wherein the SIM further comprises;

a first diplex filter coupled to the first link;

a second diplex filter coupled to the second link; and

a third diplex filter coupled to an interface with the external source;

wherein;

a first filter of the first diplex filter is coupled to a first filter of the third diplex fitter to provide a first signal path for the downstream multimedia signals from the external source to the primary STT; and

a first filter of the second diplex filter is coupled to the first filter of the third diplex filter to provide a second signal path for the downstream multimedia signals from the external source to the at least one remote device.

25. The network system of claim 24, wherein the first filter of the first diplex filter is coupled to the first filter of the second diplex filter to provide a third signal path for the modulated contents signals from the primary STT to the at least one remote device.