Method and apparatus for tuning used in a broadcast data system

• US 8,073,955 B1
• Filed: 04/09/2002
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gagnon, Gregory J., Hughes, Henry A. Jr., Feaster, Linda, Gunn, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Serrao, Ranodhi
• Application Number:
  US10/119,202
• Time in Patent Office: 3,528 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/203, 725/38, 725/39, 725/86
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/16 Arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/40 Arrangements for broadcast specially adapted for accumulation-type receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/25 Arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 for identifying broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

A method for tuning used in a broadcast data system having a receiving station with a memory, wherein the receiver station files data and real-time data is disclosed. The method includes storing the memory in a table having tuning information corresponding to a plurality of IP addresses and ports, receiving a download request based on a user input, and using the download request to identify download information including an IP address and a port. The method further includes using the identified IP address and port to open a connection to a socket, using the table to determine tuning information corresponding to the identified IP address and port, and using the tuning information to tune the receiver station to the identified IP address and port.

Claims

1. A method for tuning used in a broadcast data system having a receiver station with a memory, wherein the receiver station receives file data and real-time data, the method comprising the steps of:

storing in the memory a table giving tuning information corresponding to a plurality of IP addresses and ports;

receiving a download request based on user input;

using the download request to identify download information including an Internet Protocol (IP) address and port;

using the identified IP address and port to open a connection to a socket;

using the table to determine tuning information corresponding to the identified IP address and port; and

using the tuning information to tune the receiver station to the identified IP address and port.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the table comprises a plurality of address records having tuning information and download information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the download information comprises an IP address.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the IP address comprises a multicast IP address.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the download information comprises a port.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the download information comprises a software title.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the tuning information comprises a transponder.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the tuning information comprises a service channel identifier (SCID) number.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of storing in the memory a table having tuning information corresponding to a plurality of IP addresses and ports includes the step of storing in the memory a table having a plurality of transponders and service channel identifier (SCID) numbers corresponding to the plurality of IP addresses and ports.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of using the table to determine tuning information corresponding to the identified IP address and port includes the step of using the table to determine a transponder and a SCID number corresponding to the identified IP address and port.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of using the tuning information to tune the receiver station to the identified IP address and port includes the step of using the transponder and the SCID number to tune the receiver station to the identified IP address and port.

12. A tuning system for use in a broadcast data system having a receiver station that receives file data and real-time data, wherein the receiver station includes a processor and a memory adapted to store a table having tuning information corresponding to a plurality of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and ports, the system comprising:

a computer readable medium and

a plurality of routines stored on the computer readable medium and adapted to be executed by the processor, wherein the plurality of routines comprises;

a first routine that is adapted to receive a download request based a user input;

a second routine that is adapted to use the download request to identify download information including an IP address and a port;

a third routine that is adapted to use the identified IP address and port to open a connection to a socket;

a fourth routine that is adapted to use the table to determine tuning information corresponding to the identified IP address and port; and

a fifth routine that is adapted to use the tuning information to tune the receiver station to the identified IP address and the port.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the table comprises a plurality of address records having tuning information and download information.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the download information comprises an IP address.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the IP address comprises a multicast IP address.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the download information comprises a port.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the download information comprises a software title.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the tuning information comprises a transponder.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the tuning information comprises a service channel identifier (SCID) number.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the memory comprises a memory adapted to store a table having a plurality a transponders and service channel identifier (SCID) numbers corresponding to the plurality of IP address and ports, and wherein the fourth routine is further adapted to use the table to determine a transponder and a SCID number corresponding to the identified IP address and port.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the fifth routine is further adapted to use the transponder and the SCID number to tune the receiver station to the identified IP address and port.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the medium comprises one of a programmable gate array, application specific integrated circuit erasable programmable read only memory, read only memory, random access memory, magnetic media, and optical media.

23. A tuning system for use in a broadcast data system having a user input device and a receiver station that receives file data and real-time data, the system comprising:

a memory adapted to store a table having tuning information corresponding to a plurality of IP addresses and ports;

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is adapted. To receive a download request based on the user input from a user input device, to use the download request to identify download information including an Internet Protocol (IP) address and a port, to use the identified IP address and port to open a connection to socket, and to se the table to determine tuning information corresponding to the identified IP address and port; and

a tuner coupled to the processor, wherein the tuner is adapted to use the tuning information to tune the receiver station to the identified IP address and port.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the table comprises a plurality of address records having tuning information and download information.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the download information comprises and IP address.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the IP address comprises a multicast IP address.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the download information comprises a port.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the download information comprises a software title.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the tuning information comprises a transponder.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the tuning information comprises a service channel identifier (SCID) number.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the memory comprises a memory adapted to store a table having a plurality of transponders and service channel identifier (SCID) numbers corresponding to the plurality of IP address and ports.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the processor comprises a processor adapted to use the table to determine a transponder and a SCID number corresponding to the identified IP address and port.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the processor comprises a processor adapted to use the transponder and the SCID number to tune the receiver station to the identified IP address and port.

34. The system of claim 23, wherein the user input device includes a keyboard.

35. The system of claim 23, wherein the user input device includes a mouse.