Method for effectively implementing a multi-room television system

US 20060117371A1
Filed: 04/21/2005
Published: 06/01/2006
Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2001
Status: Active Grant

First Claim

Patent Images

1. An apparatus for implementing a digital base station, comprising:

a media input subsystem coupled to said digital base station and configured to process a program source to thereby generate a processed stream;

a decompression unit of said media input subsystem, said decompression unit being configured to operate on digital program source data;

a compression unit of said media input subsystem, said compression unit being configured to generate processed video;

a communications processor coupled to said media input subsystem, said communications processor being configured to manipulate said processed stream to produce a transmitter-ready stream; and

a radio-frequency transmitter device coupled to said communications processor, said radio-frequency transmitter being configured to wirelessly transmit said transmitter-ready stream.

View all claims

3 Assignments

Timeline View

Assignment View

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

A method for effectively implementing a multi-room television system includes a digital base station that processes and combines various program sources to produce a processed stream. A communications processor then responsively transmits the processed stream as a local composite output stream to various wired and wireless display devices for flexible viewing at variable remote locations. The transmission path performance is used to determine the video encoding process, and special attention is taken to assure that all users have low-latency interactive capabilities.

435 Citations

45 Claims

1. An apparatus for implementing a digital base station, comprising:
- a media input subsystem coupled to said digital base station and configured to process a program source to thereby generate a processed stream;
  
  a decompression unit of said media input subsystem, said decompression unit being configured to operate on digital program source data;
  
  a compression unit of said media input subsystem, said compression unit being configured to generate processed video;
  
  a communications processor coupled to said media input subsystem, said communications processor being configured to manipulate said processed stream to produce a transmitter-ready stream; and
  
  a radio-frequency transmitter device coupled to said communications processor, said radio-frequency transmitter being configured to wirelessly transmit said transmitter-ready stream.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- - 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said media input subsystem receives and decompresses video information from said program source, said media input subsystem then compressing said video information to produce said transmitter-ready stream, said video information being received in an MPEG format, said compression unit producing a wavelet transform format transmitter-ready stream.
  - 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said media input subsystem receives and decompresses video information from a first program source, said media input subsystem also receiving and decompressing a second program source, said media input subsystem producing a combined video stream that incorporates both said video information from said first program source and program information from said second program source.
  - 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said media input subsystem receives and decompresses video information from a first program source, said media input subsystem receiving program guide information from a second program source, said media input subsystem combining said video information and said program guide information to produce a combined video stream.
  - 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said media input subsystem receives and decompresses video information from a program source, said media input subsystem performing graphics processor operations on said video information, said media input subsystem then compressing said video information to produce said transmitter-ready stream, said media input subsystem producing a compressed-format transmitter-ready stream that consists of wavelet transforms of said video information.
  - 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said media input subsystem receives and processes uncompressed video information from a personal computer, said media input subsystem producing a compressed-format transmitter-ready stream which consists of wavelet transforms of said video information.
  - 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said radio-frequency transmitter device provides RF transmission channel information to said communication processor which provides said RF transmission channel information to a video processor that uses said RF transmission channel information to adjust and improve video encoding based on said RF transmission channel information, said communication processor adjusting said transmitter-ready stream according to both said RF transmission channel information and said video encoding.
  - 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said radio-frequency transmitter device provides RF transmission channel information to said media input subsystem which uses said RF transmission channel information to adjust error resiliency for subband encodings based on said RF transmission channel information.
  - 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said radio-frequency transmitter device utilizes Ultra Wide Band RF communications.

10. A video processing apparatus for processing program information to provide processed video stream image data to a network, comprising:
- a decompression unit, a graphics processor, and a display and overlay processor that process an input program stream to generate a modified version of visual information from said input program stream;
  
  a compression processor that compresses a modified output of said display and overlay processor in a format that is different from a prior decompression format; and
  
  a communications processor coupled to said video processing apparatus, said communications processor being configured to manipulate said processed video stream image data to produce a transmitter-ready stream.
- View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
- - 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said video processing apparatus receives a non-ATSC compatible program source, said video processing apparatus producing said processed video stream image data that is compatible with an ATSC standard for high definition television, said communications processor transmitting said processed video stream image data over a coax cable in a manner that is consistent with an ATSC-compatible television'"'"'s ability to receive and decode said processed video stream image data.
  - 12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said decompression unit, said graphics processor, said display and overlay processor, and said compression processor are implemented as an integrated circuit.
  - 13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said video processing apparatus includes video compression that produces a compressed-format transmitter-ready stream that includes a wavelet transform of said modified version of said visual information.

14. An apparatus for implementing a digital base station system, comprising:
- a media input subsystem coupled to said digital base station system, said media input subsystem being configured to process a program source to thereby generate a processed stream;
  
  a video compression unit of said media input subsystem, said video compression unit being configured to operate on program source data in real time, with a lone frame or less of delay, to produce a wavelet transform encoded video stream including multi-resolution subbands of said program source data; and
  
  a communications processor coupled to said media input subsystem, said communications processor-being configured to manipulate said processed stream to thereby produce a transmitter-ready stream.
- View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
- - 15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said media input subsystem combines program stream information from two or more program sources prior to performing video compression.
  - 16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said media input subsystem combines video information from one or more program streams with processed data stream information from one or more program sources, said video information and said processed data stream information being combined to produce a combined video image prior to performing a video compression procedure.
  - 17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said media input subsystem combines video information from one or more program streams with data information provided from a non-program source, said video information and said data information being combined to produce a combined video image prior to performing a video compression procedure.
  - 18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said multi-resolution subbands are independently processed for different levels of error resilience.
  - 19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said communication processor provides feedback information to said media input subsystem which uses said feedback information to determine different levels of error resilience for each of said multi-resolution subbands.
  - 20. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said communication processor is coupled to one or more radio-frequency transmitter devices to transmit one or more transmissions of said transmitter-ready stream.
  - 21. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said communication processor is coupled to one or more local-area-network transmitter devices to transmit one or more transmissions of said transmitter-ready stream.
  - 22. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said media input subsystem is implemented as an integrated circuit.
  - 23. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein both said media input subsystem and-said communication processor are implemented as a single combined integrated circuit.
  - 24. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein encoded video streams are transmitted to two or more receivers that are each capable of decoding said encoded video stream.
  - 25. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein viewers at different displays choose one or more selectable program sources, and interactively control an on-screen display generated and manipulated by said media input subsystem.

26. An apparatus for implementing a remote television viewing system, comprising:
- a receiving device that is coupled to a digital base station, said receiving device including a decoder that selects encoded information in a transmitted stream from said base station, said decoder processing and decoding said encoded information to produce decoded information; and
  
  a display processor that formats said decoded information from said encoded information for display, said encoded information including an encoded video stream that includes multi-resolution subband encoded video.
- View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
- - 27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said decoder for multi-resolution subband encoded video and said display processor are implemented as a monolithic integrated circuit.
  - 28. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said encoded information follows conventions of 3D wavelet transform data.
  - 29. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said remote television viewing system incorporates a display screen for viewing video output information.
  - 30. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said decoder receives said multi-resolution subbands and produces a high-quality video image from said multi-resolution subbands, said decoder hiding defects caused by data that was lost during transmission.

31. A method for implementing a digital base station system, comprising the steps of:
- processing a program source with a media input subsystem that includes a decoding unit configured to decode a program source bitstream;
  
  generating a compressed bitstream with said media input subsystem that includes an encoding unit configured to compress video frames;
  
  manipulating said compressed bitstream with a communications processor to produce a transmitter-ready stream; and
  
  utilizing a radio-frequency transmitter to propagate said transmitter-ready stream with wireless transmission techniques.
- View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
- - 32. The method of claim 31 wherein said media input subsystem receives and processes MPEG program information to produce a non-MPEG transmitter-ready stream.
  - 33. The method of claim 31 wherein said radio-frequency transmitter utilizes Ultra Wide Band transmission protocols.
  - 34. The method of claim 31 wherein said media input subsystem receives video information from one or more sources, said media input subsystem combining said video information with program guide information to produce a combined video stream that includes both said video information and said program guide information.
  - 35. The method of claim 31 wherein said media input subsystem produces a compressed-format transmitter-ready stream that includes multi-resolution subbands of a processed stream.
  - 36. The method of claim 31 wherein said media input subsystem utilizes transmission information from said communications processor to adjust one or more factors to produce a more error-resilient transmitter-ready stream.
  - 37. The method of claim 31 wherein said media input subsystem utilizes RF transmission information to adjust one or more factors to thereby produce a more error-resilient encoded video stream.

38. A method for implementing a digital base station system, comprising the steps of:
- processing a program source with a media input subsystem that includes a video compression unit to generate a processed video stream, said video compression unit producing an encoded video stream that includes subbands of multi-resolution processed video; and
  
  propagating said processed and encoded video stream to a communications processor to produce a transmitter-ready stream.
- View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
- - 39. The method of claim 38 wherein said video compression unit produces a wavelet-encoded video stream in which subbands of video have unequal error resilience.
  - 40. The method of claim 38 wherein said media input subsystem combines video or data information from two or more sources to produce a combined video stream.
  - 41. The method of claim 38 wherein said media input subsystem propagates video encoding information regarding image energy of different subbands to said communication processor, said communications processor utilizing said video encoding information to produce an optimized transmitter-ready stream.
  - 42. The method of claim 38 wherein said media input subsystem produces two or more processed streams that are propagated to said communications processor, said communications processor producing transmitter-ready streams which are then propagated to one or more network interfaces.
  - 43. The method of claim 38 wherein said transmitter-ready stream is propagated over the Internet.

44. A method for wirelessly receiving and displaying a transmission propagated from a digital base station, comprising the steps of:
- receiving said transmission propagated from said digital base station by utilizing a communication subsystem;
  
  decoding said transmission with a processing subsystem that decodes one or more subbands of a multi-resolution video stream of said transmission; and
  
  producing a displayable output from said processing subsystem.
- View Dependent Claims (45)
- - 45. The method of claim 44 wherein said decoding of said transmission constructs a display that is consistent with wavelet decoding techniques, said decoding being performed to conceal bit errors that occur in transmission of said video stream.

Specification

Resources

Litigation Campaign Assessment

Current Assignee
Sling Media LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
Original Assignee
Digital Display Innovations, LLC
Inventors
Margulis, Neal

Granted Patent

US 8,266,657 B2
Time in Patent Office

Days
Field of Search
US Class Current

725/131
CPC Class Codes

H04L 1/0041   Arrangements at the transmi...

H04L 12/2838   Distribution of signals wit...

H04L 2012/2849   Audio/video appliances

H04L 65/1101   Session protocols

H04L 65/752   adapting media to network c...

H04L 65/762   at the source reformatting...

H04N 21/4227   Providing Remote input by a...

H04N 21/426   Internal components of the ...

H04N 21/43615   Interfacing a Home Network,...

H04N 21/43632   involving a wired protocol,...

H04N 21/43637   involving a wireless protoc...

H04N 21/440218   by transcoding between form...

H04N 21/440227   by decomposing into layers,...

H04N 21/44227   Monitoring of local network...

H04N 21/4621   Controlling the complexity ...

H04N 21/4622   Retrieving content or addit...

H04N 21/84   Generation or processing of...

H04N 5/38   Transmitter circuitry for t...

H04N 7/106   for domestic distribution

H04W 84/12   WLAN [Wireless Local Area N...

Method for effectively implementing a multi-room television system

First Claim

3 Assignments

0 Petitions

Accused Products

Abstract

435 Citations

45 Claims

Specification

Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links

Method for effectively implementing a multi-room television system

First Claim

3 Assignments

Subscription Required

Subscription Required

0 Petitions

Subscription Required

Accused Products

Subscription Required

Abstract

435 Citations

45 Claims

Specification

Subscription Required

Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links