i 1 Integrated IRD IRD

US005892535A

Ulllted States Patent [19] [11] Patent Number: 5,892,535 Allen et al. [45] Date of Patent: Apr. 6, 1999

[54] FLEXIBLE, CONFIGURABLE, [56] References Cited HIERARCHICAL SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTING PROGRAMMING U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

[75] Inventors: Philip M. Allen; Joseph W. Davis, 2/ 1136f?“ 6‘ al' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ " é both of Duluth Ga _ Michael J , , / erlne .............. .. .. /

’ " I 5,424,770 6/1995 SchmelZer et al. . 348/9 Maslaney> Atlanta; Khanh Mah 5,600,366 2/1997 SClllllInan .................................. .. 348/9 Alpharetta; Howard L. Paulk, C ' ' K Th Atl t 11 Ofu 221mg’ en ompson’ an a’ a Primary Examiner—Nathan Flynn

' Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Sawyer & Associates

Assignee: Video Systems, IIlC-, LOS Gatos, a 1 .

A?eXible and con?gurable system for distributing media (or [21] Appl, N()_j 766,569 programming) to one or more distribution networks. The

_ system includes a media server, at least one server interface [22] Flled: Dec‘ 13’ 1996 unit, a ?rst communications path coupling the media server

_ _ and a server interface unit, distribution network interface Related U‘S‘ Apphcatlon Data unit(s), and a second communications path coupling a server

63 C _ _ _ fs N 646 657 M 8 1996 interface unit and the distribution network interface unit(s). [ ] Ontmuanondmpart 0 er‘ 0' ’ ’ ay ’ ' The media server stores ?les of encoded (e.g., compressed)

[51] Int. Cl.6 ..................................................... .. H04N 7/10 media data and ?les of scheduling information. Each of the [52] us. Cl. .................................. .. 348/9; 348/6; 455/42; distribution notwoik intoiiooo unit(s) conditions ioooivool

345/327 media data for transmission over the distribution network(s) [58] Field of Search .................................. .. 348/6, 7, 8, 9, Which may be analog and/Or digital distribution networks

348/705, 706; 455/41; 345/327; H04N 7/10, 7/16 66 Claims, 37 Drawing Sheets

: I I Network Feed Downlink @208 - - l 2106X l ' ' - l i 1 Integrated IRD IRD

Receiver/ Decoder 1 2 N Low Level "/202 k ) (or Local) 226 210a 2100 Media 224 250a \m o o

Server 1 (206a I 1 f

A A Distribution 2123 C1 230 232 Network

Server Interface Modulator Interface (Channel 1)

Unit f C2

, \ 204 Distribution 21%

Communications ' Network Modulator Network 0 Interface

(?g. (Channel I I - k206b

Channel Distribution 212C combiner \ Network Interface

(Channel N) 21gb Distribution H' h L l __ ._ -

(time; um 23 2 Media 225 , (Analog) S 218a , erver

SONOS 1014 -

SONOS 1014 -

U.S. Patent Apr. 6, 1999 Sheet 3 0f 37 5,892,535

< Ad Insertion ) 300 Routlne

Decode Received Cue Tones in Channel of Network Feed at Distribution Network Interface Unit

302

I

Communicate the Decoded Cue Tone to the Local Server /1/ 304

Check Schedule Database to Determine Appropriate Video File Based on Channel No. of the Distribution /-\_/ 306

Network Interface and the Time

I

Retrieve Appropriate File of Compressed Video Data /_L/ 308

Stream the File of Compressed Video Data and Communicate it to the Distribution 0 310

Network Interface Via the Server Interface

7

Decode the Compressed Video Data and Format it in Sync with the Channel of the Network Feed 4/312

\

Output an Appropriate One of the Channel of the Network Feed or the Decoded, Formatted Video Data Based, in Part, OJ 314

on the Decoded Cue Tone

r

Perform Verification and Administrative Functions /L/ 316

End

FIG. 3

SONOS 1014 -


Compositing 400 Routine

I

At Local Server, Generate Decoded Cue Tone Signals Based on Scheduling Information 4/ 402 Retrieved from a Scheduling Database

7

In Response to the Generated, Decoded Cue Tone, Retrieve a File(s) of Encoded On-Screen Display(s) @ 404

Based on the Scheduling Information

v

Stream the File(s) of Encoded On-Screen Display(s) and Communicate it to the Distribution /L/ 406

Network Interface Unit Via the Server Interface

r

At the Distribution Network Interface Unit, Decode the Encoded On-Screen Display(s), and Format it in Sync w 408

with a Channel of a National Video Feed

7

Spatially Combine the Decoded and Formatted On-Screen Displays with the Channel of the National Video Feed A" 410

V

Output the Spatially Combined Video Signal 4/ 412

End

FIG. 4

SONOS 1014 -


( NVOD Routine I

7

Process Subscriber Request - Determine Port Availability @ 502 - Determine Expected Demand

504

Is Requested

Movie Currently Scheduled to

Determine Whether any Open Channels Are Available

5 16 Y F

506 \ Assign _ any Channels Avallable

Present Available Available and is ) Channel to Start Times to Demand criteria Moviefor Subscriber Met Subscriber

. Viewing

512W Present the Next Available Start Time to Subscriber

514w " Await Subscriber Response

Did Subscriber

Select Available Time \

f) ' Verify Billing and Transmit Descrambling

N 520 \J\ Key to Subscriber

l

518

522 End FIG. 5

SONOS 1014 -

U.S. Patent

230

232

Apr. 6, 1999 Sheet 6 0f 37 5,892,535

604 612 F f ‘ Data Transport 1 I 4 Compressed Data >

7 Controller Bus Controller 3

224

606 614 F F Bus 4 > ; Buffer

Arbiter Memory l

‘ (608 Transfer 4 7

Process

610 616 F F System 4 4 Control Bus 4 ;

7 Processor Controller 3

226

602 l_

2% SERVER INTERFACE UNIT (SYSTEM INTERFACE CONTROLLER)

FIG. 6

SONOS 1014 -

SONOS 1014 -

U.S. Patent

224

1 766 768 i I ‘I I Auto J \ Black I Analog

—€—:> CGain l > aevel : , Video on ro ‘ ' 250 I A dkmp : Switch 1 l ‘ k71s E Synch : r732

Strlpper I : i I MP BUS I | K770 | L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ J

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g ‘i L\ R S g | 772 774 776 778 780 | L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ — _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ - — _ ‘ _ _ _ _ _ — _ _ _ _ _ _ T\__ _- _ _ -- _l

l

722

Apr. 6, 1999 Sheet 8 0f 37

I- “ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ “ _ _ _ _ _ _ _' _ —l

7/04 308 7rl50 Transport MPEG Digital Stream ‘ Video Video

Demultiplexer Decoder Encoder

5,892,535

SONOS 1014 -

5,892,535

i

U.S. Patent Apr. 6, 1999 Sheet 9 0f 37

C!\

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Biz/250m 820m A

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£58m

620m \ wmm

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Dual to 1204 1202

1208 Decoder " Subscriber

Controller J 1210 \ K1209 Telephone Message

' Generator

Set Top Box

Controller ‘ > Modem

$ $ 12 l 8 1216

1228 QAM256 ———>

H d E d Co-Axial Cable Subscriber ea n Distribution Set Top Box

8 NCtWOI‘k S 1226 1222 1 220

Central Wall Subscriber Office Box ' Set Top Box

“ S 1234 1204 1232 1230

1236 202/222 1 a H

(Ethernet) Local (or remote) Bridge Media Server . 1

SONOS 1014 -

SONOS 1014 -

U.S. Patent

1408 1410

l 1

Apr. 6, 1999

1412

Sheet 18 0f 37

1414

l 1

5,892,535

w 1402a

1404a 4’ ID No. 1 Channel 1 ' ESPN, Atlanta /,L’1406a

@14021) 1404b '1' ID No. 1 Channel 2 ' HBO, Atlanta /,\_r1406b

; I “14026

14040 41 ID No. 1 Channel n ' CBS, Atlanta /,L/1406C

; I . O

N £1

14%

FIG. 14

SONOS 1014 -


1412 1414

b‘ V Network, Zone (e.g. NBC, Atlanta)

l502a~ Break 1: Scheduled Start Time; Scheduled Stop Time (or Length); Start Window; Stop Window; End-of-Break Policy; Error Handling Policy

1504a~ Spot 1: File Key (e.g. Break ID, Break Position); Length; Playtime; Status

l504b~Spot N1 :

1502b ~Break X: Spot 1:

Spot N2:

1500

FIG. 15

SONOS 1014 -

SONOS 1014 -

i 1 Integrated IRD IRD

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