System and method for controlling content and delivery of internet protocol television (IPTV) services

• US 8,059,662 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2007
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HBC Solutions Incorporated (AEG Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Delay, John L., Bugir, Taras M., Moote, Stanley R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao; Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kao; Jutai
• Application Number:
  US11/733,230
• Publication Number:
  US 20070242700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,680 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/400
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2407 Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

A system and method supplies internet protocol television (IPTV) services to a subscriber. A content management subsystem processes and executes integrated workflow functionality for content management of video data to be delivered from a video headend to a subscriber premises. An infrastructure subsystem performs signal processing and routing of the video data from the video headend across the network to subscriber premises based on subscriber requirements at the subscriber premises. A network management, test and monitoring subsystem is coupled with the content management and infrastructure subsystems and includes test and management equipment and control and monitoring systems equipment for monitoring network performance and controlling the infrastructure subsystem and optimizing network performance and video delivery to the subscriber premises.

Claims

1. A system for supplying internet protocol television (IPTV) services to a subscriber comprising:

a content management subsystem configured to process and execute integrated workflow functionality for content management of video data comprising at least one of news, branding and ads to be delivered from a video headend to a subscriber premises wherein said content management subsystem is configured to insert at least one of news, branding and ads, and configured to route and switch data and transport video data using subscriber requirements based on what video is to be delivered to a subscriber premises;

an infrastructure subsystem coupled with the content management subsystem and operative for receiving video data from the content management subsystem and performing signal processing and routing of the video data corresponding to the video data delivered from the video headend across a network to the subscriber premises, wherein said infrastructure subsystem further comprises a super or regional video headend section comprising circuitry that is configured to convert video data and process the video data digitally without encoding, and a local or regional video headend section configured to receive converted and processed video data from the super or regional video headend section via at least one regional office switch and comprising an encoder and circuitry that is configured to convert video data that had been converted and processed at the super or regional video headend section and process the video data digitally and encode the video data within the encoder before delivery via at least one central office switch to a subscriber premises; and

a network management, test and monitoring subsystem coupled with the content management and infrastructure subsystems and comprising test and measurement equipment and control and monitoring systems equipment for monitoring network performance during delivery of video data to the subscriber premises and controlling the infrastructure subsystem for optimizing network performance and delivery of video data to the subscriber premises.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said infrastructure subsystem comprises a module for synchronizing and processing video data for level/color control, three dimensional adaptive color decoding, noise reduction, frame synchronization, time based correction, and aspect ratio conversion.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said infrastructure subsystem comprises a module for transporting video data to a subscriber premises having preselected video attributes based on subscriber requirements at the subscriber premises.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein said preselected video attributes comprise at least one of picture format, picture quality and compression format.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein said content management subsystem further comprises a file transport manager module for storing data regarding video attributes to be transported to a subscriber premises.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said file transport manager module is operative for forwarding the video attribute data to said infrastructure subsystem wherein video data having preselected video attributes will be transported to a subscriber premises.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein said network management, test and monitoring subsystem is operative for verifying that preselected video attributes are successfully transported and received at a subscriber premises.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said content management subsystem comprises a playout/operational automation module operative for editing and managing news applications and play-out selected news to a subscriber premises.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said infrastructure subsystem is operative for inserting localized versions of branded programming and advertisements for delivery to selected subscriber premises.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein said content management subsystem is operative for distributing selected digital content and permutations thereof to different subscriber premises based on account status and subscriber requirements.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein said network management, test and monitoring subsystem comprises modules for signal monitoring and having alarm thresholds for signal levels and time duration.

12. A system according to claim 1, wherein said network management, test and monitoring subsystem comprises a display system permitting a central operator to view remotely network systems and operation.

13. A system according to claim 1, wherein said content management subsystem further comprises a billing and finance module operative to process billing and finance data about a subscriber.

14. A system according to claim 1, wherein said content management subsystem processes airtime sales and traffic and scheduling.

15. A system according to claim 1, wherein said infrastructure system performs ad insertion.

16. A system for supplying internet protocol television (IPTV) services to a subscriber comprising:

a content management subsystem configured to process and execute integrated workflow functionality for airtime sales, traffic and scheduling, and content management of video data comprising at least one of news, branding and ads to be delivered from a video headend to a subscriber premises wherein said content management subsystem is configured to insert at least one of news, branding and ads, and configured to route and switch data and transport video data using subscriber requirements based on what video is to be delivered to a subscriber premises;

an infrastructure subsystem coupled with the content management subsystem and operative for performing signal processing, ad insertion, routing and switching, and IPTV transport services of video data corresponding to the video data delivered from the video headend across a network to the subscriber premises, and further comprising a module for synchronizing and processing video data for level/color control, three dimensional adaptive color decoding, noise reduction, frame synchronization, time based correction, and aspect ratio conversion based on subscriber requirements, and wherein said infrastructure subsystem further comprises a super or regional video headend section comprising circuitry that is configured to convert video data and process the video data digitally without encoding, and a local or regional video headend section configured to receive converted and processed video data from the super or regional video headend section via at least one regional office switch and comprising an encoder and circuitry that is configured to convert video data that had been converted and processed at the super or regional video headend section and process the video data digitally and encode the video data within the encoder before delivery via at least one central office switch to a subscriber premises; and

a network management, test and monitoring subsystem coupled with the content management and infrastructure subsystems and comprising test and measurement equipment and control and monitoring systems equipment for video processing data at the desired level/color control, three dimensional adaptive color decoding, noise reduction, frame synchronization, time base correction, and aspect ratio conversion and forwarding monitoring data to the infrastructure subsystem and network for optimizing network performance and transport of video data to a subscriber premises based on the requirements at the subscriber premises.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein said infrastructure subsystem is operative for inserting localized versions of branded programming and advertisements for delivery to selected subscriber premises.

18. A system according to claim 16, wherein said content management subsystem is operative for distributing selected digital content and permutations thereof to different subscriber premises based on account status and subscriber requirements.

19. A system according to claim 16, wherein said network management, test and monitoring subsystem comprises modules for signal monitoring and having alarm thresholds for signal levels and time duration.

20. A method for applying internet protocol television (IPTV) services to a subscriber, comprising:

processing and executing integrated workflow functionality in a content management subsystem for airtime sales, traffic and scheduling and content management of video data comprising at least one of news, branding and ads to be delivered from a video headend to a subscriber premises wherein said content management subsystem is configured to insert at least one of news, branding and ads, and configured to route and switch data and transport video data using subscriber requirements based on what video is to be delivered to a subscriber premises;

performing signal processing, ad insertion, routing and switching and IPTV transport services of the video data corresponding to the video data within an infrastructure subsystem based on subscriber requirements, wherein said infrastructure subsystem further comprises a super or regional video headend section comprising circuitry that is configured to convert video data and process the video data digitally without encoding, and a local or regional video headend section configured to receive converted and processed video data from the super or regional video headend section via at least one regional office switch and comprising an encoder and circuitry that is configured to convert video data that had been converted and processed at the super or regional video headend section and process the video data digitally and encode the video data within the encoder before delivery via at least one central office switch to a subscriber premises;

transporting video data from the infrastructure subsystem at the video headend across a network to subscriber premises; and

monitoring network performance during video delivery to the subscriber premises and controlling the infrastructure subsystem and network for optimizing network performance and video delivery to the subscriber premises from a network management, test and monitoring subsystem that is coupled with the content management and infrastructure subsystems.

21. A method according to claim 20, which further comprises synchronizing and processing video data for level/color control, three dimensional adaptive color decoding, noise reduction, frame synchronization, time based correction, and aspect ratio conversion.

22. A method according to claim 20, which further comprises transporting video data to a subscriber premises having preselected video attributes based on at least one of picture format, picture quality and compression format.

23. A method according to claim 20, which further comprises editing and managing news applications at the content management subsystem and play-outing selected news to a subscriber premises.

24. A method according to claim 20, which further comprises inserting localized versions of branded programming and advertisements at the infrastructure subsystem and transporting to selected subscriber premises.

25. A method according to claim 20, which further comprises distributing selected digital content and permutations thereof to different subscriber premises based on account status and subscriber desires.

26. A method according to claim 20, which further comprises monitoring performance of the network and setting alarm thresholds for signal levels and time duration.