AU729159B2

AU729159B2 - Video server

Info

Publication number: AU729159B2
Application number: AU54948/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Wolfgang Peters; Gerhard Scheider
Original assignee: Alcatel NV
Current assignee: Alcatel Lucent NV
Priority date: 1995-07-10
Filing date: 1999-10-15
Publication date: 2001-01-25
Anticipated expiration: 2016-07-03
Also published as: AU5494899A

Description

P/00/01i1 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD DIVISIONAL PATENT Invention Title: 'Video server'

S

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: PNPSY nCP.NATPfl32fh992RgflI 14S CE99267020.2 2 This invention relates to a service for transmitting a video film and to a video server.

Video servers are servers which have a number of video films stored in a memory and which transit selected video films to their customers on demand.

One possibility of transmitting video films is known from U.S. Patent 5,410,343. The customers inquire about the video films currently available from the video server via a digital telephone network, and select one of them. The selected video film is transmitted from the video server over a broadband additional channel of the digital telephone network, and displayed to the customer on a television set. To provide the broadband additional channel, several digital-cross connect systems are necessary. Because of the nonuniform utilization of the broadband additional channels, the transmission capacity of the digital telephone network is not optimally utilized. Moreover, the selection of the video film involves a considerable amount of technical complexity, since its requires a protocol adaptation facility, a so-called video gateway, and a network management system.

*Disclosed herein is a service for transmitting a video signal from a video server to a S 15 video telephone wherein the video server and the video telephone are interconnected via an *integrated services digital network, wherein the video server is called via the video telephone to establish a switched connection, wherein via the video telephone a video signal is selected from among a number of video signals available, and wherein the selected video signal is transmitted from the video server to the video telephone over the switched connection and wherein the 20 video telephone is connected to the integrated services digital network via a digital radio network, and that the video telephone is located in a moving object.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a video server for transmitting video signals, comprising a transmitting unit, a receiving unit, a control unit, and a memory, wherein a number of video signals are storable in the memory, wherein via the control unit individual ones of the signal films stored in the memory are selectable and feedable to the transmitting unit, wherein the transmitting unit and the receiving unit are connectable to an integrated services digital network, wherein the video server is called by dialling a number composed of a service number plus an additional number, and that the additional number is based on the abbreviation of a name of the video server and wherein in response to signals received at the receiving unit, a stored video signal is selectable and transmittable over the switched connection into the integrated services digital network.

CE992 O020.2 3 According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a video telephone which has a slot for a chip card and a card-reading device; which can be put into operation by means of a chip card with a code dependent on a video server, wherein the call number of the video server is determinable via the card-reading device from the code dependent on the video server; and wherein the establishment of a switched connection to the respective video server is made possible via the card-reading device by automatic dialling of the call number of the video server.

One advantage of the invention is that video-on-demand service can be made possible via an existing digital telephone network.

Another advantage of the invention is that video-on-demand service can also be offered in moving objects.

A further advantage is that through the additional service, the functionality of the integrated services digital network can be extended, so that the network is optimally utilized and becomes more attractive.

The invention will become more apparent from the following description of two embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a first embodiment of a system for transmitting video films; *Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a second embodiment of a system for transmitting video films; and Figure 3 shows a numeric keypad of a system, according to the invention is illustrated.

The system SYS for transmitting video films comprises a video server VOD, an integrated services digital network ISDN, customer premises equipment END, and a transmitter TV for transmitting television signals.

The integrated services digital network ISDN is the so-called ISDN, in which information is transmitted in narrow-band bearer channels and signalling channels. At an ISDN basic access, the customer premises equipment is assigned, for example, two 64-kb/s bearer channels and one 16-kb/s signalling channel.

The transmitter TV for transmitting television signals is, for example, the transmitter of the SOddeytscher Rundfunk (South German Broadcasting Service), SDR, which feeds its television program into a broadband cable distribution network, for example, thus transmitting it to a plurality of customer premises equipments.

The customer premises equipment END comprises a video telephone TEL. The video telephone TEL is known, for example, from a prospectus entitled "Alcatel 2838 Das Bildtelefon in Ihrem Bro", 3/1995.

The video server VOD comprises a control unit CTRL, a memory MEMO, a transmitting unit SEN, and a receiving unit EMP. The control unit CTRL is, for example, a microprocessor or a digital signal processor, and the memory MEMO is, for example, a random-access memory.

The video server VOD is connected to the transmitter TV and, via the integrated services digital network ISDN, to the video telephone TEL. The video telephone TEL is connected to the integrated services digital network ISDN via a 2 x 64 kb/s 1 x 16 kb/s ISDN basic access.

The memory MEMO holds a number of video films. A video film is, for example, a newscast which was transmitted from the transmitter TV and received and recorded by the control unit CTRL. During the transmission of newscasts, studio pictures are transmitted. Studio pictures show little change in information from picture to picture. If only the change in information from picture to picture is transmitted instead of the entire picture, it is possible to transmit the newscast over a narrow-band channel, a 64-kb/s channel. Another video film shows, for example, a landscape shot as a promotion film of a travel agency or as information on the current weather situation in a skiing area.

The video server VOD provides interactive video service for transmitting selected video films from the video server VOD to the video telephone TEL of the customer premises equipment. The customer dials the number of the video server VOD via the-video telephone TEL to establish a switched connection. Via the signalling channel and via an exchange of the integrated services digital network ISDN, the switched connection between customer premises equipment END and video CE9921)20.2 server VOD is established. The switched connection contains the two 64-kb/s channels. One of the two 64-kb/s channels serves to transmit pictures, and the other serves to transmit speech, the sound associated with the pictures. When the switched connection has been established, the video server VOD transmits a lit of video films in the form of a menu to the customer premises equipment END. On the screen of the video telephone TEL, video film titles arranged according to subject, for example, are displayed with the associated selection number. Subjects are, for example, latest news, travel, or language course. The desired selection number is entered by the customer via the numeric keypad of the video telephone TEL and transmitted over the signalling channel to the video server VOD. The video server VOD receives the selection number via the receiving unit EMP and passes it on to the control unit CTRL. The control unit CTRL selects the video film belonging to the selection number from the video films stored in the memory MEMO, and transmits it in real time via the transmitting unit SEN and the two 64-kb/s channels to the video telephone TEL. Throughout the transmission, the switched connection between customer premises equipment END and video server VOD is maintained.

S 15 The switched connection can be released by the customer premises equipment END at any time simply by replacing the handset of the video telephone TEL like at the end of a normal telephone call. Furthermore, by entering a predetermined number at the video telephone TEL, the transmission of the video film can be stopped and the switched connections simultaneously maintained to select another video film via the menu then appearing. When the transmission of o*o* the selected video film has been completed, the video server VOD transmits the menu to the customer premises equipment. If no data is entered after a predetermined time, the switched connection will be released.

S Referring now to Figure 2, a second embodiment is illustrated. The system SYS for transmitting video films comprises a transmitter TV for transmitting television signals, a satellite SAT, a video server VOD, an integrated services digital network ISDN, a digital radio network GSM, and a moving object ZUG.

The transmitter TV for transmitting television signals is, for example, the transmitter of a television organization which transmits its television programs over a radio link to the satellite SAT, which transmits them back to earth, so that they can be received by a number of customer premises equipments.

The video server VOD is of a design comparable to that of the video server of Figure 1. It comprises a control unit, a memory, a transmitting unit, a receiving unit, and an additional receiving facility for receiving the television programs transmitted via the satellite SAT.

The integrated services digital network ISDN is the so-called ISDN of Figure 1.

The digital radio network GSM is a cellular mobile radio network based on the GSM standard; "GSM" stands for "Global System for Mobile Communication". The digital radio network GSM comprises a base station BTS, a base station controller BSC, and a mobile switching center MSC. The mobile switching center MSC is oooo connectable to several base station controllers. The base station controller BSC is connectable to several base stations. The base station BTS is connected to the integrated services digital network ISDN via-the base station controller BSC and the mobile switching center MSC.

As one embodiment of the moving object ZUG, a car of a railroad train has been chosen. The moving object ZUG may also be a motor vehicle, for example.

The railroad car ZUG comprises a unit UNIT for receiving the radio signals transmitted via the base station BTS, for converting these radio signals into signals capable of being processed by a video telephone, and for converting the signals from the video telephone into radio signals conforming to the GSM standard. The railroad car ZUG further contains a video telephone TEL.

The video telephone TEL corresponds to the video telephone of Figure 1 except it additionally has a slot for a chip card and a card-reading unit. Via the cardreading unit, the video telephone TEL can be locked. When there is no chip card in the slot, the video telephone TEL is locked. Only the insertion of a chip cardCARD with a code dependent on the video server VOD will unlock the video telephone TEL, so that the latter can be put into operation and a switched connection can be established to the respective video server. The code dependent on the respective video server (VOD) contains the call number of the respective video service (VOD).

The call number is entered via the card-reading device and dialled automatically, whereby a switched connection to the respective video server (VOD) is established.

During the transmission of a video film, the current charge is indicated, on the screen of the video telephone.

From the video telephone TEL, a switched connection to the video server VOD is established via the digital radio network GSM and the integrated services digital network ISDN. After establishment of the connection, a video film is selected and transmitted in a manner similar to that described with reference to Figure 1.

The video telephone TEL is incorporated in the back of a chair, for example, so that it is easy for a passenger of the railroad train to operate the phone.

S- Figure 3 shows an alphanumeric keypad which can be used for the video telephone of Figure 1 and the video telephone of Figure 2.

The keys with digits 2 to 0 are additionally assigned the letters A-Z of the alphabet. For example, the key with digit 2 is assigned the letters A, B, C, and the key with digit 6 is assigned the letters M and N.

Each video server VOD has a video server name. A video server is named, for example, after a television organization, such as "Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen" (Second German Television). As an abbreviation of the video server name, ZDF will -]]120 then be dialled, for example. If the customer wants to establish a switched connection to the video server VOD, ZDF, he of she will dial a service number plus an additional number which is dependent on the abbreviation of the video server name.

To access the video server VOD of ZDF, for example, the customer will dial the number 0190 as a service number plus VODZDF, which corresponds to the additional number 803033, to establish a connection to the video server VOD.

If the customer frequently selects the same numbers for the respective subjects, 100 for the latest news, in the menu of the video server VOD, he of she may also, after knowledge of the assignment, select a video film by direct dialling, i.e., without taking the route via the menu. Thus, the customer will be presented with the latest news from the video server VOD of CNN by entering 0190 VOD CNN 100 at his or her video telephone, which corresponds to the dialled digits 0190 803 226 100.

8 Both embodiments use the integrated'services digital network ISDN, in which information is transmitted over narrow-band channels. By "narrow-band", a transmission capacity of 9.6 kb/s to 2 Mb/s is understood. If a transmission capacity of 9.6 kb/s, as is used, for example, in digital radio networks, is not sufficient to transmit the selected video film, a switched connection can be established which combines several channels, so that seven times 9.6 kb/s 67.3 kb/s transmission capacity, for example, are available.

a 00 000*

Claims

1. A video server for transmitting video signals, comprising a transmitting unit, a receiving unit, a control unit, and a memory, wherein a number of video signals are storable in the memory, wherein via the control unit individual ones of the video signals stored in the memory are selectable and feedable to the transmitting unit, wherein the transmitting unit and the receiving unit are connectable to an integrated services digital network, wherein the video server is callable via the receiving unit for the establishment of a switched connection from the integrated services digital network, wherein the video server is called by dialling a number composed of a service number plus an additional number, and that the additional number is based on the abbreviation of a name of the video server, and wherein in response to signals received at the receiving unit, a store video signal is selectable and transmittable over the switched connection into the integrated services digital network.

2. A video telephone which has a slot for a chip card and a card-reading device, which can 15 be put into operation by means of a chip card with a code dependent on a video server, wherein the call number of the video server is determinable via the card-reading device from the code dependent on the video server; and wherein the establishment of a switched connection to the respective video server is made possible via the card-reading device by automatic dialling of the .**call number of the video server. ooo°

3. A video server as claimed in claim 1, wherein the video signal is a video film.

4. A video server substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 3 of the accompanying drawings. A video telephone substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 3 of the accompanying drawings. DATED THIS TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY OF JUNE 1996 ALCATEL N.V