GB2322528A

GB2322528A - Broadband interactive media

Info

Publication number: GB2322528A
Application number: GB9802899A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Douglas J Newlin; Jeffrey Huppertz
Original assignee: Motorola Inc
Current assignee: Motorola Solutions Inc
Priority date: 1997-02-20
Filing date: 1998-02-12
Publication date: 1998-08-26
Also published as: ID19922A; AU5268098A; IL122978A0; BR9800712A; DE19806685A1; AR011667A1; GB9802899D0

Abstract

A whole-house, broadband interactive multimedia solution supplies a single broadband point-of entry at a network access node (NAN) (202) to a user's house (200). The NAN (202) allows the user to communicate with a central control (222) of a network (102) by simply using a NAN controller (210), such as a remote control, and connecting user devices such as televisions (208), VCR's (214) etc. to a coaxial cable system (209) in the house (200). The NAN (202) receives multiple signals from the network and transmits any number of multiple signals including any scram bled signals in a descrambled form when authorized by the network control (222) simultaneously to the user nodes (206) so that a user can choose any of the signals at any of the user nodes. Control (210) may be a remote control using RF signals or wired to the NAN (202).

Description

2322528 1 BROADBAND INTERACTIVE MEDIA

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates, in general, to communication of a user with a communication network, and more specifically to a broadband link of a user's house with a cable network.

Background of the Invention

Current cable television systems require that each user of the cable system that pays for one of the cable pay channels use a set-top box in order to descramble the otherwise encrypted video signal. Presently used set-top boxes are capable only of outputting a single video channel at a time.

Generally there is one set-top box associated with each television in the household. For any television to receive the pay frequencies, a separate set-top box must be supplied by the operator. Furthermore, the set-top box limits the options a user has with their television. For instance, even though the television has the capability to have split screen viewing, where two different frequencies are viewed simultaneously, the set-top box limits the viewing to a single channel.

A recent development allows broadband descrambling of all authorized channels at a single time. This development is described in U.S. Patent No. 5,430,799, Multichannel Television Signal Scrambling and Descrambling System and Method, by Katznelson. The '799 patent describes a process of effecting selective descrambling of an arbitrary subset of channels in a channel group. The signals allow a subscriber to use their cable ready equipment, such as cable ready televisions and cable ready VCRs, without a set-top box.

With the recent development comes new challenges as to how to effectively use the full capabilities and provide the 2 consumer with greater and more convenient access to services such as pay cable channels, pay-per-view events, Internet web surfing, cable telephony, digital video and cable video phones. These services need to be readily accessible to the user in a highly convenient manner.

Accordingly, there is a need to increase the services available to the user from the network 102 by supplying broadband, whole-home interactivc multi.-nedlia ser ic -; n a convenient, user friendly mode.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIG. 1 is a diagram of conventional multimedia services and their connections to user devices within a household.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a household with many user devices coupled to a network according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a method to obtain scrambled signals according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a method to obtain digital signals according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a method to obtain internet services according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a network access node according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

FIG. 1 shows how user locations, such as a user's home is wired conventionally to interact with a network 102.

The network 102 includes all types of communication systems, including telephony, cable television (CATV) which includes common television network stations as well as pay-movie channels and pay-per-view events, Internet access through a 3 computer/modem or through web browsing on the television, interactive gaming, video conferencing, data transfer, etc. Most homes today have many different network entrance points. For instance, the telephone 104 will be connected to network 102 generally through a twisted pair copper wire 106 connected to a Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) of the network 102. A computer 108 will be connected to the Internet on the network 102 through a twisted pair connection, an ISDN connection, or through a coaxial cable connection using 10 a cable modem (110). A user having subscribed to a CATV system will have a set-top box 112 connected to a cable TV transmission system through a coaxial cable 113 (if the user's computer is connected to the Internet using a cable modem, coaxial cable 110 and 113 will generally be the same) and 15 connected to the user's television 114 to allow the user to receive pay-movie channels and pay-per-view events. When a central control of the CATV system in the network 102 authorizes a user to access a pay channel, the set-top box 112 descrambles the signal(s) and outputs it to the TV 114. For a 20 second TV 116 to receive a pay-movie channel, a separate settop box 118 is required. Additional elements of conventional systems include remote controls that usually communicate with the TV using infrared signals (IR) with separate remote control units communicating with the set-top boxes, also communicating using IR signals. At those times when a user wants to order a pay-per-view channel or event, the user has a phone number which he or she must call connecting them to the central control of the CATV service provider, who then authorizes the 30 set-top box 112 to descramble the specific channel. A fundamental limitation with the set- top box is that only one channel can be descrambled and transmitted to the TV at a single time, typically on either channel 3 or channel 4. This limits the ability of the TV to viewing only signals input on 3 or 4. Many of the new features that are included with modern 4 TV's then are neutralized such as channel changing through the TV, split screen viewing, etc. Additional features which a set top box might add to a TV, such as on-screen program guides, are limited to viewing on the TV connected directly to the set top box.

The present invention supplies a whole-home, broadband interactive media system with a single broadband point-of entry to a user's house which is convenient to use and allows the user to communicate with the central control of the network 102 by simply using a remote control and the various user devices such as the user's TV.

FIG. 2 shows a whole-home, broadband interactive media system for a multimedia network according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this preferred embodiment, a user location, such as the house 200, is connected to the network 102 through a network access node (NAN) 202. The connection from NAN 202 to network 102 is a coaxial and hybrid fiber coaxial cable connection 204. The change from the coaxial cable to the hybrid fiber coaxial cable is not an element of the present invention and is not shown in FIG. 2. NAN 202 is coupled to different user nodes, such as user node 206, which are then coupled to user devices, such as the TV 208, through a coaxial cable network 209 wired throughout the house 200.

FIG. 2 shows NAN 202 on the outside of house 200 in the preferred embodiment. In an alternate embodiment, NAN 202 is located on the inside of house 200. It should be noted here that the present invention is utilized in any user environment although in the present explanation a house 200 is used for describing the preferred embodiment.

At least one network access node controller (NAN controller) 210 sends control signals to NAN 202 from anywhere within the house 200. In the preferred embodiment, NAN controller 210 is a remote control unit that can communicate with any of the user devices, such as the TV 208 or a VCR 214 using IR signals, and communicate with NAN 202 using wireless RF signals. NAN 202 receives the RF signals from NAN controller 210 through antennae 212. One with ordinary skill in the art will recognize that NAN controller 210 must be within line-of-sight to the user device in order to communicate using IR signals or use complicated and expensive IR repeaters. However, using RF signals to communicate with NAN 202, a user can roam anywhere within Lhe house 200 carrying a single NAN controller 210 and still communicate with NAN 202.

Although the preferred embodiment is explained using wireless RF signals, the present invention can also be practiced using other communication links between the NAN controller 210 and NAN 202, such as direct wired links through the coaxial cable system 209.

Other user devices that can be coupled to the coaxial cable network 209 include VCRs (214), video camera 216, telephone 218, and computer 220 through-a cable modem (not shown), to name a few.

According to the present invention, multiple multimedia signals are received by NAN 202 from network 102. These multimedia signals include data signals such as received from the Internet or computer-to-computer, CATV signals, telephony signals, either across conventional twisted pair copper lines or across hybrid fiber coaxial/coaxial lines, video telephony signals, interactive gaming signals, etc. NAN 202 is equipped with the various transmitters and receivers to allow access by a user within house 200 of all of these signals. NAN controller 210 generally controls which signals are transmitted to what user device over what frequency.

To explain how NAN controller 210 controls the signals from NAN 202, focus now is turned specifically to CATV signals.

CATV signals are received in both scrambled and descrambled form. The descrambled signals generally include regularly broadcast television (TV) channels such as the large 6 broadcasters using advertisement to support the programs broadcast. Scrambled signals are those which are regular TV signals but are not supported by advertisements and therefore paid for separately by the end user. A user desiring to view such scrambled, often termed premium, channels must request authorization from a central control 222 of the network. As mentioned before, a cable operator will supply the user with a set-top box, one for each television wi+iA'JL;.n the house, and control the premium channels descrambled by the set-top box that central control 222 has authorized to be viewed by the user. However, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the signals from network 102 that are scrambled but authorized to be descrambled are descrambled within NAN 202 and made available simultaneously to the coaxial system 209.

Descrambling within NAN 202 can be accomplished using the apparatus and methodology taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,430,799.

It should be recognized that signals from the network across a hybridfiber coaxial line to the end users are transmitted using RF signals in the 50-750 MHz frequencies.

Each carrier is approximately 6 MHz wide. Signals back upstream from the end users to the network 102 typically use frequencies in the range of 5 MHz to 45 MHz (this range is used in the U.S., but in other countries such as Australia, the range is to 65 MHz).

In the preferred embodiment, NAN controller 210 transmits the RF control signals to NAN 202 in the range of 750 MHz to I GHz. At this time, CATV signals are all confined within the 50-750 MHz range and will be through the near future. NAN controller 202 also can designate a given channel(s) within the 50-750 range where a user desires to have any of the authorized channels that are available from NAN 202 be placed or broadcast. For instance, a user, having authorization from central control 222 to watch an on-demand, pay-per-view boxing event, knows that programs are never 35 shown on channel 120 on their particular CATV system. This 7 may be an unauthorized pay channel or a vacant channel.

user then, using the buttons on the NAN controller 210 requests the pay-per-view boxing event to be shown on channel 120. The request is sent by NAN controller 210 by sending RF signals across the 750 MHz-1 GHz range.

Once NAN 202 receives the on-demand request from the user, NAN 202 transmits this request upstream to the central control 22.2. Central control 22.2 receives this request fi-Cmn NAN 202, and central control 222 responds by executing a procedure stored within central control 222 for checking the user's credit or ability to pay. The procedure checks the user's ability to pay and charges the user the amount of the pay-per view broadcast prior to authorizing NAN 202 to descramble the signal. Once the user has been charged and the stored procedure completed, central control 222 sends an authorization signal to NAN 202. NAN 202 then descrambles and re-modulates the pay-per-view boxing event onto the frequency associated with the requested channel (eg. Channel 120). The user then tunes any or all of the televisions (208) within the house 200 to the requested channel and receives the descrambled channel. In this manner, any of the user nodes (206) can access a different one of the multiple multimedia signals at the same time.

Central control 222 will sometimes use a "Store-and Forward" method of authorizing purchases rather than the "Real-Time" authorizations for pay-per-view movies/events.

This method avoids overloading the system during major pay per-view events. In this method, central control 222 issues a blanket authorization and NAN 202 automatically descrambles the signal. If the user desires to view the authorized pay-per view movie/event, the user will send a signal from NAN controller 210 to NAN 202 requesting the event, at the same time sending an IR signal to TV 208 tuning the TV 208 to the appropriate channel. NAN 202 registers that the user viewed the pay-per-view movie/event and transmits this information 8 to central control 222. The user is then charged for that movie/event.

Another, and user friendly, method of accessing the available pay-perview channels carried on analog channels is utilizing a pay-per-view ("PPV") button on NAN controller 210. NAN 202 generates an on-screen menu or matrix of PPV movies or events from information received from central control 2.22. in the multiple siginals (310 and 320 of FIG. 3). The user presses the PPV button on remote 210 which sends a request to NAN 202. At the same time, remote 210 sends the IR command to the TV 208 to tune to a designated channel (say for example channel 120). The menu is modulated by NAN 202 as an NTSC (National Television Standards Committee) signal on to channel 120. The user selects the desired PPV movie or event by navigating through the PPV menu in NAN 202 by scrolling through the menu or matrix using remote 210 (340).

Once the user makes a selection, NAN 202 verifies that the user is authorized to view the PPV movie/event (350) (as discussed below) and descrambles the signal (360). Upon purchase of the PPV movie/event, NAN 202 informs the user through the PPV menu which channel and at what time the PPV movie/event is on and transmits the descrambled signal simultaneously with other descrambled signals or non-scrambled signals to all user nodes (370). The user tunes to the channel at the appropriate time using the IR signal of NAN controller 210.

When a user desires to purchase a digital video channel (MPEG), the same procedure is followed as that listed immediately above (steps 310 through 350) except that upon purchase of the digitally compressed video signal, NAN 202 receives the signal demodulates and decompresses it, and converts the signal to an analog NTSC signal (410 and 420 of FIG. 4). This analog signal is then modulates on an unused NTSC channel (such as 121 or 122), or inserted in place of an existing NTSC channel by filtering out the existing NTSC channel (430).

9 NAN 202 receives from central control 222 information which is stored within NAN 202 to be available to the user on request. For instance, an on-screen program guide is stored within NAN 202 and accessible by the user by pressing a "Guide" button on NAN controller 210. This sends and IR signal to the TV 208 to tune to the appropriate channel and an RF signal to NAN 202 to send the program guide on that channel.

NAN 202 generates the program guide o.-A.- grid through which C, the user navigates using up/down and left/right buttons on NAN controller 210. Other information stored within NAN 202 includes information such as school closings, weather and local news.

Continuing on with the previous example, it is highly likely that at the same time that a user in house 200 is watching the pay-per-view boxing event, another user in house wants to watch a pay-per-view movie channel and requests the it be shown on a different channel (121). If authorization is received from central control 222, NAN 202 also descrambles the movie channel and transmits the descrambled movie channel across channel 121. Again, any TV 208 in house 200 tuned to channel 121 may view the descrambled movie channel.

A great advantage that the present invention has, particularly over set-top boxes, is that functions of the modern televisions, such as split-screen viewing, can be utilized. In the example above, if the user wants to watch the descrambled movie yet track how the boxing match is doing, the user can use the television's split-screen function (eg. picture-in picture (PIP) and picture-outside-picture (POP)), where the main picture is the movie yet in the corner the fight is viewed. Each of the user nodes in house 200 are multiple frequency agile, meaning that each can receive any and all of the frequencies transmitted by NAN 202.

If a neighbor of the user has a NAN similar to NAN 202 using a NAN controller similar to NAN controller 210, it is important to the user that the neighbor NAN controller does not interfere with the control and operation of NAN 202.

Additionally, there will probably be more than one NAN controller 210 in a single house 200, and at times these could sending conflicting signals to NAN 202 at the same time. The problem of interfering control signals in house 200 is readily avoided by NAN 202. In the preferred embodiment, NAN 202 determines a priority ol communication ltinks fror of the NAN controllers 210 when there are more than one active NAN controllers operating in the house 200 at a single given time.

In another embodiment, each of the NAN controllers active in house 200 are assigned a different frequency for communication with NAN 202. In another embodiment, each of the NAN controllers 210 is assigned a code for communicating with NAN 202. In another embodiment, the communication links between NAN 202 and each of the NAN controllers 210 are secured.

NAN 202 facilitates web surfing and other information retrieval from central control 222. When a user wants to access the internet and web surf, the user presses a "web" key, or some key indicating web surfing, depending upon the programming of the NAN controller 210, and NAN controller 210 sends this signal to NAN 202 (510 of FIG. 5). For web surfing, NAN controller 210 is preferably a keyboard rather than a remote control. Both may be used in house 200 at the same time and NAN controller 210 will recognize both and prioritize as explained above. At the time that NAN controller 210 sends the control signal to NAN 202, it sends an IR signal to TV 208 to tune TV 208 to the appropriate channel (such as 120). NAN 202 initiates an internet session with central control 222 through upstream data transmissions, which in the preferred embodiment are in the 5 - 40 Mhz range (520). Data is sent from central control 222 to NAN 202 which formats the data and modulates it on the designated channel (channel 120) (530). The data session continues in this manner.

1 1 FIG. 6 shows a general diagram of elements of NAN 202 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

A first coupling 610 couples NAN 202 to central control 222 and network 102. A second coupling 620 couples NAN 202 to the user nodes, where there are at least one, within the house 200. A descrambler 630 is coupled between the first and second couplings 610 and 620. Descrambler 630 descrambles the scrambled signals are described above. Dcscram. bler;LJ-L1 FIG. 6 is a general block representing many different devices such as processors, etc, which performs functions such as descrambling of scrambled NTSC signals, conversion of digital signals, modulation, and so on. A communication link 640 is coupled to descrambler 630. Communication link 640 couples NAN 202 to the NAN controllers 210, where there are at least one in the user location or house 200. NAN 202 responds to the various requests transmitted by the NAN controllers 210.

Antennae 212 is coupled to communication link 640 to receive wireless RF signals from NAN controllers 210.

In the preferred embodiment, the user can access many different user accessible applications through the NAN 202 using the NAN controller 210. Some of these applications have been mentioned above. For instance, pay-per-view movies and pay-per-view events such as boxing are accessible from the central control 222 if the user requests the application and is approved as mentioned above. Other applications include general information transmitted from the central control 222 and stored within NAN 202 for immediate access by the user such as programming guides and local news and weather. Still other user accessible applications stored within central control 222 include Internet web browsing and web surfing. Internet access connecting the computer 220 to the Internet is also a user accessible application that is available through the central control 222 of network 102.

Claims

What is claimed is:

12 CLAIMS 1. An interactive media system comprising: network access node coupling a user location to a network having at least one scrambled signal, the network access node operating as a single point of entry to the user location for the network; the user location having any ri-tii-,,'ucr of' user nodles for user devices; and the network access node receiving multiple signals from the network and transmitting any number of the multiple signals, including any of the at least one scrambled signal in a descrambled form when authorized to do so by a network central control, simultaneously to the user nodes such that a user can dynamically choose from any of the multiple signals from the network access node at any of the user nodes.
2. An interactive media system according to claim 1 wherein each of the user nodes can access a different one of the multiple signals at a same time.
3. An interactive media system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one network access node controller which controls the network access node from anywhere within the user location.
4. An interactive media system according to claim 3 wherein the network access node controller communicates with the network access node using radio frequency (RF) signals.
5. A method comprising:

receiving from a network multiple signals having at least one scrambled signal at a network access node, the network access node is a single point of entry for the multiple signals to a user location; 13 descrambling a number of the at least one scrambled signal in the network access node if authorization to descramble the designated number of the at least one scrambled signal is received by the network access node from a network central control; and simultaneously transmitting the multiple signals from the network access node to any number of user nodes within the user location such that each of the user nodes have access to all of the multiple signals at a single given time and can independently select from any of the multiple signals without affecting another of the user nodes.
6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the step of descrambling comprises:

transmitting an on-demand request from the network access node to the network central control for a pay per-view broadcast, which pay-per-view broadcast is a scrambled signal; receiving authorization from the network central control to descramble the pay-per-view broadcast; descrambling the pay-per-view broadcast in the network access node; and user nodes.

transmitting the pay-per-view broadcast to the
7. A method according to claim 6 wherein the method further comprises generating in the network access node a matrix from the multiple signals wherein the matrix represents a TV programming guide.
8. A network access node comprising: a first coupling to couple the network access node to a network, the network access node receiving and transmitting multiple signals with the network when coupled thereto; 14 descrambling device to descramble any of the multiple signals received from the network which are scrambled when a network central control of the network authorizes the descrambling; second coupling to couple the network access node to at least one user node within a user location; and wherein each of the at least one user node can access each and every one of the multiple signals, -including any of the multiple signals which are descrambled, when the network access node is coupled to the network and to the at least one user node.
9. A network access node according to claim 8 further comprising a communication link coupling the network access node to at least one network access node controller in a user location wherein the network access node is responsive to requests transmitted from the at least one network access node controller.
10. A network access node according to claim 9 wherein the communication link is an antenna coupling the network access node to the at least one network access node controller within the user location.