Multiple closed captioning flows and customer access in digital networks

• US 8,135,041 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2005
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Ramaswamy, Kumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, DUC T
• Application Number:
  US11/792,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20080018791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,434 Days
• Field of Search: 370/230, 370/231, 370/235, 370/389, 370/392, 370/400, 370/401, 370/419, 370/463, 370/487, 370/490, 370/527, 370/529
• US Class Current: 370/487
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4305 Synchronising client clock from received content stream, e.g. locking decoder clock with encoder clock, extraction of the PCR packets arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter by comparing receiver clock with transmitter clock H04L7/0012; arrangements for synchronising receiver with transmitter wherein the receiver takes measures against momentary loss of synchronisation H04L7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4856 for language selection, e.g. for the menu or subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6371 directed to network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64784 Data processing by the network data processing in packet switching systems H04L12/56; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; intermediate storage or scheduling H04L49/90; provisioning of proxy services in data packet switching networks H04L67/56

Abstract

There are provided a customer premise equipment (CPE) device, a corresponding method, and a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM) for connecting to a digital network. The CPE device includes a user input device for receiving a user input specifying one or more channels for which closed caption (CC) information is sought. The CPE device also includes a decoder for receiving the CC information for the one or more channels specified by the user input.

Claims

1. A customer premise equipment (CPE) device for connecting to a digital network, the CPE device comprising:

a user input device for transmitting a request to a digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM) that initiates a selection in the DLSAM of at least one closed caption (CC) signal from among a plurality of CC signals responsive to receiving a user input specifying one or more channels for which closed caption (CC) information is sought, the CC signal corresponding to the CC information; and

a decoder for receiving the CC information for the one or more channels specified by the user input, and for overlaying the CC information for a particular one or the one or more channels on programming content that is to be displayed for another one of the one or more channels.

2. The CPE device according to claim 1, wherein the CC information is for any normal channel, including channels other than a currently displayed channel.

3. The CPE device according to claim 1, wherein said decoder combines the CC information with any one of normal channel information and PIP channel information for display.

4. The CPE device according to claim 1, wherein the CC information is received by said decoder in response to a signal sent by the CPE.

5. The CPE device according to claim 1, wherein the CC information is decoded in multiple languages.

6. The CPE device according to claim 1, wherein the digital network is a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) network.

13. The CPE device according to claim 1, wherein the CC information for the particular one of the one or more channels corresponds to a particular sport, and the other one of the one or more channels corresponds to a different sport with respect to the particular sport.

14. The CPE device according to claim 13, wherein the other one of the one or more channels further corresponds to a picture-in-picture channel.

7. A method for receiving closed caption (CC) information in a customer premise equipment (CPE) device for connecting to a digital network, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a request to a digital subscriber line access multiplexer (DSLAM) that initiates a selection in the DSLAM of at least one closed caption (CC) signal from among a plurality of CC signals responsive to a user input from the CPE specifying one or more channels for which closed caption (CC) information is sought;

receiving the CC information for the one or more channels specified by the user input from the DSLAM; and

overlaying the CC information for a particular one or the one or more channels on programming content that is to be displayed for another one of the one or more channels.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the CC information is for any normal channel, including channels other than a currently displayed channel.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of combining the CC information with any one of normal channel information and PIP channel information for display.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the CC information is received in response to a signal sent by the CPE.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the CC information is decoded in multiple languages.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the digital network is a Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) network.

15. The method according to claim 7, wherein the CC information for the particular one of the one or more channels corresponds to a particular sport, and the other one of the one or more channels corresponds to a different sport with respect to the particular sport.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the other one of the one or more channels further corresponds to a picture-in-picture channel.