System and method for content transmission network selection

• US 8,584,185 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2008
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Swix, Scott R., Watson, Paul T., Gray, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goodarzi, Nasser
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peng, Fred
• Application Number:
  US12/191,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20080307469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,916 Days
• Field of Search: 725/92, 725/93, 725/95, 725/96, 725/109, 725/110, 725/114, 725/116, 709/226, 709/227, 370/238
• US Class Current: 725/93
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26216 involving the channel capacity, e.g. network bandwidth admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a schedule or organising the servicing of application requests taking into account QoS H04L67/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/266 Channel or content management, e.g. generation and management of keys and entitlement messages in a conditional access system, merging a VOD unicast channel into a multicast channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A content transmission selection system is disclosed. The content transmission selection system receives requests from viewers for specific video content items. Using characteristics of the designated content item, the content transmission selection system determines whether to transmit the content item over a broadcast network or a broadband network.

Claims

1. A method for providing video content, the method comprising:

receiving, by a transmission network selector comprising a processor, a transmission request from equipment located at a viewer location, wherein a first data coupling is available between the equipment at the viewer location and the transmission network selector through a broadcast network and a second data coupling is available between the equipment at the viewer location and the transmission network selector through a broadband network, wherein the broadcast network and the broadband network are different networks, and wherein the transmission request comprises a request for video content;

selecting, by the transmission network selector, one of the first data coupling through the broadcast network or the second data coupling through the broadband network as a selected data coupling for transmission of the video content to the equipment at the viewer location based on characteristics of the video content, wherein each of the first data coupling and the second data couplings is available to transmit the video content to the equipment at the viewer location responsive to the transmission request;

transmitting, by the transmission network selector, a notification to the equipment at the viewer location, wherein the notification comprises an identification of the selected data coupling; and

after the transmitting of the notification, transmitting, by the transmission network selector, the video content from the transmission network selector to the equipment at the viewer location according to the selected data coupling.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the broadcast network comprises a satellite network, and the broadband network comprises a coupling over a digital subscriber line, and the selecting of the one of the first data coupling through the broadcast network or the second data coupling through the broadband network is further based on a feature selected from a group consisting of characteristics of the transmission request, characteristics of the broadcast network, characteristics of the broadband network, other transmission requests received by the transmission network selector and combinations thereof.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the notification comprises a satellite transponder attribute selected from a group consisting of a satellite transponder frequency, a satellite transponder polarity and combinations thereof.

4. A method according to claim 2 wherein the notification comprises a stream identification used to identify packets to extract in a stream.

5. A method according to claim 2 wherein the transmitting of the video content comprises encapsulating the video content in a compliant spooler file to provide real-time broadcast conditional access.

6. A method according to claim 2 wherein the notification comprises a time of transmission of the video content.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the transmitting of the video content comprises transmitting the video content through the broadcast network using real-time conditional access.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the transmitting of the video content comprises trickle streaming the video content through the broadband network.

9. A method claim 1 wherein the characteristics of the video content comprises fast forward and rewind control features associated with the video content.

10. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

before the selecting of the one of the first data coupling through the broadcast network or the second data coupling through the broadband network, determining, by the transmission network selector, a first scheduled available bandwidth on the broadband network and a second scheduled available bandwidth on the broadband network responsive to receiving the transmission request; and

wherein the second scheduled available bandwidth on the broadband network is greater than the first scheduled available bandwidth on the broadband network.

11. A method according to claim 1,

wherein the first data coupling comprises a data coupling between the equipment at the viewer location and the transmission network selector through a satellite of the broadcast network,

wherein the notification comprises a satellite transponder attribute selected from a group consisting of a satellite transponder frequency, a satellite transponder polarity and combinations thereof, and wherein the notification comprises a time of transmission of the video content,

wherein, in response to the selecting of the first data coupling through the broadcast network, the transmitting of the video content comprises encapsulating the video content in a compliant spooler file to provide real-time broadcast conditional access, and

wherein, in response to the selecting of the second data coupling through the broadband network, the notification comprises a stream identification used to identify packets to extract in a stream and a time of transmission of the video content.

12. A method according to claim 2,

wherein the transmitting of the video content comprises trickle streaming the video content through the broadband network including the digital subscriber line, and

wherein the transmission request comprises fast forward, rewind, and video cassette recorder controls.

13. A method according to claim 12 further comprising:

before the selecting of the first data coupling for transmission of the video content, determining, by the transmission network selector, a first scheduled available bandwidth on the broadband network responsive to receiving the transmission request; and

before the selecting of the second data coupling for transmission of the video content, determining, by the transmission network selector, a second scheduled available bandwidth on the broadband network responsive to receiving the transmission request,

wherein the second scheduled available bandwidth on the broadband network is greater than the first scheduled available bandwidth on the broadband network.

14. A method according to claim 1,

wherein the second data coupling comprises a data coupling between the equipment at of the viewer location and the transmission network selector through a digital subscriber line of the broadband network,

wherein the notification comprises a stream identification used to identify packets to extract in a stream and a time of transmission of the video content, and

wherein transmitting the video content comprises encapsulating the video content into a transmission control protocol internet protocol packet stream.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the selecting of the one of the first data coupling or the second data coupling is at least in part responsive to a respective estimated cost of transmission through each of the first data coupling and the second data coupling.

16. A device, comprising:

a memory storing computer instructions; and

a processor in communication with the memory, wherein the processor, responsive to executing the computer instructions, performs operations comprising;

receiving a transmission request from equipment located at a viewer location, wherein a first data coupling is available between the equipment at the viewer location and a transmission network selector through a broadcast network and a second data coupling is also available between the equipment at the viewer location and the transmission network selector through a broadband network, wherein the broadcast and broadband networks are different, and wherein the transmission request comprises a request for video content;

selecting one of the first data coupling through the broadcast network or the second data coupling through the broadband network as a selected data coupling for transmission of the video content to the equipment at the viewer location based on characteristics of the video content, wherein each of the first data coupling and the second data coupling is available to transmit the video content to the equipment at the viewer location responsive to the transmission request;

transmitting a notification to the equipment at the viewer location, wherein the notification comprises an identification of the selected data coupling; and

after the transmitting of the notification, transmitting the video content from the transmission network selector to the equipment at the viewer location through the selected data coupling.

17. A device according to claim 16, wherein the processor further performs operations comprising:

before the selecting of the first data coupling for transmission of the video content, determining a first scheduled available bandwidth on the broadband network responsive to receiving the transmission request; and

before the selecting of the second data coupling for transmission of the video content, determining a second scheduled available bandwidth on the broadband network responsive to receiving the transmission request,

wherein the second scheduled available bandwidth on the broadband network is greater than the first scheduled available bandwidth on the broadband network.

18. A device according to claim 16, wherein the processor further performs operations comprising determining a respective estimated cost of transmission through each of the first data coupling and the second data coupling, wherein automatically selecting one of the first data coupling and the second data coupling is accomplished in consideration of the respective estimated of cost transmission.

19. A computer-readable storage device, comprising computer instructions which, responsive to being executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a transmission request from equipment located at a viewer location, wherein a first data coupling is available between the equipment at the viewer location and a transmission network selector through a broadcast network and a second data coupling is also available between the equipment at the viewer location and the transmission network selector through a broadband network, wherein the broadcast and broadband networks are different, and wherein the transmission request comprises a request for video content;

automatically selecting one of the first data coupling through the broadcast network or the second data coupling through the broadband network as a selected data coupling for transmission of the video content to the equipment at the viewer location based on characteristics of the video content, wherein each of the first data coupling and the second data coupling is available to transmit the video content to the equipment at the viewer location responsive to the transmission request;

transmitting a notification from the transmission network selector to the equipment at the viewer location, wherein the notification comprises an identification of the selected data coupling; and

after the transmitting of the notification, transmitting the video content from the transmission network selector to the equipment at the viewer location through the selected data coupling.

20. A computer-readable storage device according to claim 19, wherein the processor further performs operations comprising determining a respective estimated cost of transmission through each of the first data coupling and the second data coupling, wherein selecting one of the first data coupling and the second data coupling is accomplished consideration of the respective estimated of cost transmission.