Digital domain content processing and distribution apparatus and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9300445-B2
Application number	US-78932210-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2010
Priority date	May 27, 2010
Publication date	Mar 29, 2016
Grant date	Mar 29, 2016

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for distributing content using a spectrum generation device. In one embodiment, digital content is received via a time-multiplexed network transport (such as Gigabit Ethernet), and converted to frequency channels suitable for transmission over a content distribution (e.g., Hybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC)) network. In one variant, the conversion is performed using digital domain processing performed by a full spectrum generation device. Additionally, methods and apparatus for selectively adding, removing, and/or changing digital content from the full spectrum device are also disclosed. Various aspects of the present invention enable physical (infrastructure) consolidation, and software-implemented remote management of content distribution.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spectrum generation apparatus configured to distribute a plurality of digital content from a plurality of content sources to a plurality of users of a service group, said spectrum generation apparatus comprising:
one or more network interfaces adapted to receive said plurality of digital content from
said plurality of content sources via one or more Time Domain Multiplexed (TDM) data streams, said plurality of digital content being characterized by a proportion of one or more narrowcast programs to other content;
a downstream interface in communication with said plurality of users of said service group via one or more frequency resources;
one or more demultiplexers configured to demultiplex said one or more TDM data streams; and
programmable inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) apparatus configured to multiplex said demultiplexed one or more TDM data streams into a Frequency Domain Multiplexed (FDM) data stream for transmission to said plurality of users of said service group via said one or more
frequency resources, said programmable IFFT apparatus further configured to assign individual ones of said plurality of digital content to two or more of said frequency resources as a function of time, and thereby provide time and frequency diversity; and
wherein said programmable apparatus is further configured to dynamically adjust said proportion of one or more narrowcast programs to other content responsive to a change in a
number of said plurality of users of said service group.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said one or more frequency resources comprise Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM)-modulated channels.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said QAM-modulated channels comprise approximately 6 MHz in frequency bandwidth.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein said QAM-modulated channels are contiguous within said frequency spectrum.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said IFFT
apparatus is configured to assign individual ones of said plurality of digital content to respective ones of said frequency resources.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 ,
additionally comprising: a processor; and
computer readable apparatus comprising media adapted to contain a computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed, cause said apparatus to:
select one or more individual ones of said plurality of digital content based on one or more criteria;
assign said selected one or more individual ones of said plurality of digital content to said one or more frequency resources; and
program said programmable substrate based at least in part on said assignment.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 ,
additionally comprising: a processor; and
computer readable apparatus comprising media adapted to contain a computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed, cause said apparatus to:
receive one or more frequency or spectrum configurations; and
program said programmable substrate based at least in part on said one or more frequency or spectrum configurations.

8. A method of providing content to a plurality of users of a content distribution network, comprising:
receiving digital content from one or more content sources via one or more data streams comprising a first multiplexing scheme, said digital content being received at an entity disposed substantially at said edge of said network, said digital content comprising a plurality of packetized program streams multiplexed into a single packet stream, and said entity comprising a demultiplexer function configured to demultiplex said single packet stream to recover said plurality of packetized program streams;
converting said received digital content using an inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT), from said first multiplexing scheme, into a data stream suitable for transmission to said plurality of users, said data stream comprising a radio frequency spectrum for supporting one or more subscriber services, where each one of said one or more subscriber services corresponds to a
packetized program stream and is allocated to one frequency carrier of one or more frequency carriers as a function of time; and
transmitting said data stream to said plurality of users over the one or more frequency carriers, the allocation as a function of time providing time and frequency diversity.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said one or more frequency carriers comprise Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM)-modulated channels each having a frequency bandwidth of approximately 6 MHz.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein said plurality of users are associated with a common service group within said network.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein said plurality of users are associated with a common distribution node within said network.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein said digital content is received from said one or more sources via a packet-switched network.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein said entity is remotely reprogrammable, such that an allocation of said digital content to said one or more frequency carriers can be changed dynamically and remotely.

14. A method of providing a plurality of heterogeneous types of content products to various ones of a plurality of users of a content distribution network, said method comprising:
receiving said heterogeneous types of content products from one or more content sources, said heterogeneous types of content products comprising targeted narrowcast content directed to said various ones of said plurality of users;
allocating said heterogeneous types of content products to one or more frequency resources and as a function of time, such that each one of said one or more frequency resources are allocated a packet stream associated with one program stream and a proportion of said targeted narrowcast content to other heterogeneous types of content products is dynamically adjusted responsive to a trigger condition;
performing inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) processing on said received heterogeneous types of content products to effect said allocating, said IFFT processing comprising converting said received heterogeneous types of content products into time domain content comprising a multiplexed data stream for transmission to said plurality of users;
encrypting said time domain content;
converting said encrypted time domain content to an analog form; and transmitting said converted content to said plurality of users over said allocated one or more frequency resources, said transmitted converted content having both time and frequency diversity.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said heterogeneous types of content products comprise one or more of: (i) Video on Demand (VOD) content; (ii) broadcast content; and (iii) high-speed data (HSD) content.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein said one or more frequency resources comprise a plurality of contiguous frequency bands disposed within said frequency spectrum such that said lowest frequency band is below 100 MHz.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein said one or more frequency resources comprise Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM)-modulated channels each having a frequency bandwidth of approximately 6 MHz.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein said plurality of users are associated with a common distribution node within said network, and all of said plurality of users associated with that node are served by a common edge device performing said method.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said common edg

Assignees

• Hardin Glen
• Time Warner Cable Entpr Llc

Inventors

• Hardin Glen

Classifications

• H04L27/2601

  Multicarrier modulation systems · CPC title

• H04N21/47202

  for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand · CPC title

• H04L5/0044

  Allocation of payload; Allocation of data channels, e.g. PDSCH or PUSCH · CPC title

• H04L27/34

  Amplitude- and phase-modulated carrier systems, e.g. quadrature-amplitude modulated carrier systems · CPC title

• H04L5/003

  Arrangements for allocating sub-channels of the transmission path · CPC title