CA2331419A1 - Apparatus and method for distribution of high quality image and audio programs to remote locations - Google Patents

Apparatus and method for distribution of high quality image and audio programs to remote locations Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2331419A1
CA2331419A1 CA002331419A CA2331419A CA2331419A1 CA 2331419 A1 CA2331419 A1 CA 2331419A1 CA 002331419 A CA002331419 A CA 002331419A CA 2331419 A CA2331419 A CA 2331419A CA 2331419 A1 CA2331419 A1 CA 2331419A1
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Prior art keywords
information
presentation
image
data
compressed
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CA002331419A
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French (fr)
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CA2331419C (en
Inventor
Steven A. Morley
Gregory L. Westling
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Qualcomm Inc
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Individual
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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/20—Servers specifically adapted for the distribution of content, e.g. VOD servers; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/23—Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
    • H04N21/436—Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/20—Servers specifically adapted for the distribution of content, e.g. VOD servers; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/23—Processing of content or additional data; Elementary server operations; Server middleware
    • H04N21/234—Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams, manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs
    • H04N21/2347—Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams, manipulating MPEG-4 scene graphs involving video stream encryption
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
    • H04N21/4104—Peripherals receiving signals from specially adapted client devices
    • H04N21/4122—Peripherals receiving signals from specially adapted client devices additional display device, e.g. video projector
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
    • H04N21/4104—Peripherals receiving signals from specially adapted client devices
    • H04N21/4131—Peripherals receiving signals from specially adapted client devices home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
    • H04N21/414—Specialised client platforms, e.g. receiver in car or embedded in a mobile appliance
    • H04N21/41415—Specialised client platforms, e.g. receiver in car or embedded in a mobile appliance involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/43—Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video stream; Elementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronising decoder's clock; Client middleware
    • H04N21/44—Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream, rendering scenes according to MPEG-4 scene graphs
    • H04N21/4405—Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream, rendering scenes according to MPEG-4 scene graphs involving video stream decryption
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/45—Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies, resolving scheduling conflicts
    • H04N21/462—Content or additional data management, e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end, controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
    • H04N21/4623—Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N7/00—Television systems
    • H04N7/16—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
    • H04N7/162—Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
    • H04N7/165—Centralised control of user terminal ; Registering at central
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N7/00—Television systems
    • H04N7/16—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
    • H04N7/167—Systems rendering the television signal unintelligible and subsequently intelligible
    • H04N7/1675—Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N7/00—Television systems
    • H04N7/16—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
    • H04N7/173—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
    • H04N7/17309—Transmission or handling of upstream communications
    • H04N7/17336—Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

Apparatus and method are provided for the distribution of very high quality audio or visual programming material from one or more central hubs (102) to one or more presentation locations (56, 104) such as theaters using high data rate links such as satellites (106). At the central hub (102), a source generation system (108) generates an electronic program signal from an analog signal, a compression/encryption system (110) codes and digitally encrypts the electronic signal, and a modulation/transmission system (114) processes the signal for transmission via the satellite (106). A network management system (112) at the central hub (102) controls the operation of the hub. At the theater (56) or other location, a receiver/demodulator (120) receives the programming signal transmitted using the satellite (106). A
theater management system (122) then controls the storage, routing, decoding, and display of the received programming material. Storage arrays (124A-124N) in the theater system (104A-104N) provide for centralized storage of the programming material. The programming material is routed through a local area network to designated auditoriums, several of which may operate within a theater system (104A-104N). At each auditorium, the programming material is decompressed and decrypted for display using electronic projection equipment (132A) and standard auditorium sound systems (134A).

Claims (123)

1. Apparatus for distribution of digitized image information to viewing locations, the apparatus comprising:
at least one central facility for receiving and compressing digitized image information according to a preselected format;
means for transferring resulting compressed image information for one or more remotely located presentation systems, wherein each presentation system comprises:
means for receiving and storing transferred image information for presentation at at least one preselected time;
means for distributing stored compressed image information to one or more decompression systems;
means for decompressing transferred image information in each decompression system; and at least one projection system connected to receive decompressed image information and present visual images represented hereby as a presentation event.
2. The apparatus of Claim 1, wherein said compressed image information is stared in a non contiguous manner.
3. The apparatus of Claim 1 or 2, wherein said compression of information is performed remotely from the central facility.
4. The apparatus of any preceding Claim, further comprising a digital image generation system for generating images in digital format.
5. The apparatus of Claim 4, wherein images from said generator are captured, compressed and transferred substantially in real time to preselected authorized presentation systems by said central facility substantially contemporaneous with digitizing of images.
6. The apparatus of any preceding Claim, further comprising means for storing compressed image information in said central facility for transfer at a later predetermined time.
7. The apparatus of any preceding Claim, wherein said at least one central facility is configured for receiving and compressing digitized audio information according to a preselected format, and wherein each presentation system comprises:
means for distributing stored compressed audio information for one or more decompression systems;
means for decompressing transferred audio information in each decompression system; and at least one sound system connected to receive decompressed audio information and to present the audio represented as part of said presentation event.
8. The apparatus of Claim 7; wherein said compressing of said digitized audio information occurs at a variable rate.
9. The apparatus of Claim 7 or 8, further comprising means for compressing and transferring audio programs associated with image information segregated in time from an associated image using an identifier to allow linking of one or more preselected audio. programs with at least one preselected image program as desired at presentation.
10. The apparatus of Claim 8 or 9, wherein each of said audio programs comprise multiple audio tracks to be presented with the same image program during different presentation events.
11. The apparatus of any preceding Claim, wherein said compressing of said digitized image information occurs at a variable rate.
12. The apparatus of any preceding Claim, further comprising means for encryption of said information and said presentation system comprises means for decryption of encrypted information.
13. The apparatus of Claim 12, further comprising means for providing cryptographic key information necessary far decryption of information to authorized presentation systems at a separate time from encrypted information itself.
14. The apparatus of Claim 12, further comprising means for storing and transporting cryptographic key information :necessary for decryption to authorized presentation systems at a time separate from transfer of encrypted information.
15. The apparatus of Claim 13 or 14, further comprising means for indicating a time interval over which said cryptographic key information is valid and for assuring that said key is only used during that interval.
16. The apparatus of Claim 15, further comprising means for overwriting said cryptographic key information in a storage location after said time interval expires.
17. The apparatus of any preceding Claim, further comprising means for adding at least one watermark which is perceptually unnoticeable during presentation of decompressed image information at a predefined normal rate of transfer, but is detectable when said image or audio information is presented at a rate substantially different from said normal rate.
18. The apparatus of Claim 17, wherein said watermark identifies both presentation time and location for image or audio information.
19. The apparatus of any preceding Claim, further comprising a modulation and transmission system for establishing a wireless communication link over which compressed information is transferred between said central facility and presentation systems.
20. The apparatus of Claim 19, wherein said transfer comprises broadcasting of said compressed information to any one or more of a plurality of auditoriums to allow multiple presentations of information in different auditoriums at the same time.
21. The apparatus of Claim 19 or 20, wherein a transmission bit rate of compressed information is not equal to a bit rate at which said information is compressed.
22. The apparatus of Claim 19, 20, or 21,, wherein a transmission bit rate of compressed information is equal to a bit rate at which said information is compressed.
23. The apparatus of any of Claims 19 to 22, wherein additional checksum information is appended to said compressed information so as to allow detection of blocks of transmitted information in which transmission errors occur.
24. The apparatus of any of Claims 19 to 23, wherein said means for transfer comprises at Least one satellite, the apparatus further comprising at least one collocated satellite receiver terminal at said central facility for monitoring quality of a satellite channel used for transferring compressed information so as to allow adjustments in transfer characteristics of said satellite channel to maintain a desired Level of quality.
25. The apparatus of any preceding Claim, further comprising a two-way transfer link disposed between said central facility and presentation systems over which data is exchanged.
26. The apparatus of Claim 25, wherein said data comprises data used for cryptographic security purposes.
27. The apparatus of Claim 25 or 26, wherein said data comprises data used to request re-transmission of compressed :information received at said presentation system with errors.
28. The apparatus of Claim 27, further comprising means for re-transmitting compressed information having been received at said presentation system with errors over said two-way link.
29. The apparatus of any of Claims 25 to 28, wherein said data comprises various monitor and control inputs and commands transferred between said central facility and presentation systems.
30. The apparatus of any preceding Claim, further comprising a network management system for managing a network of presentation systems to present images for viewing at authorized times and locations.
31. The apparatus of Claim 30, wherein said network management system provides operational control of each presentation system.
32. The apparatus of any preceding Claim, wherein each presentation system comprises a theater with at least one auditorium.
33. The apparatus of Claim 32, wherein compressed information is broadcast to pre-selected auditoriums within a multiplicity of auditoriums in a theater complex at a given time.
34. The apparatus of Claim 32 or 33, further comprising at least one decoder/decrypter integrated into each image projector within said auditorium to prevent wiretapping and copying of images.
35. The apparatus of Claim 14 or any of Claims 15 to 34 as dependent thereon, further comprising means for detecting physical intrusion into a projection system for an auditorium system and for erasure of cryptographic key information whenever such an intrusion is detected.
36. The apparatus of Claim 32 or any of Claims 33 to 35 as dependent thereon, wherein at least one theater comprises a complex of multiple auditoriums and said central storage system is configured to transfer compressed information of a single image program to different ones of said auditoriums with preselected programmable offsets in time relative to each other.
37. The apparatus of Claim 36, wherein said preselected programmable offsets are substantially zero so that said single image program is presented to different ones of said auditoriums substantially simultaneously.
38. The apparatus of Claim 32 or any of Claims 33 to 37 as dependent thereon, further comprising a central theater storage system for storing compressed information which is to be used for creating presentation events at one or more auditoriums.
39. The apparatus of Claim 38, wherein said central theater storage system comprises a data storage bank shared by multiple auditoriums.
40. The apparatus of Claim 39, wherein said data storage bank comprises:
an array of magnetic media storage devices, and means for using parity information to link different preselected portions of compressed information to different ones of said devices during storage and to a single presentation at retrieval.
41. The apparatus of Claim 40, wherein said central theater storage system comprises means for parallel "striping" of received information across said array of storage devices to provide a desired data transfer rate and error protection redundancy.
42. The apparatus of Claim 40 or 41, further comprising means for storing a viewing history of authorized programs presented in said auditorium and for reporting said history to said central facility.
43. The apparatus of Claim 30 or any of Claims 31 to 42 as dependent thereon, further comprising theater management system for operational control and monitoring of auditoriums within a theater complex.
44. The apparatus of Claim 43, wherein said theater management system further comprises program control means for creating data representing program sets from data representing one or more received individual image programs, which are scheduled for presentation on an auditorium system during an authorized interval.
45. The apparatus of Claim 43 or 44, further comprising means far automatically distributing, storing, and presenting programs under programmable control from said central facility.
46. The apparatus of Claim 43, 44, or 45, further comprising means for automatically distributing, storing, and presenting programs under programmable control from a control element remote from said central facility
47. The apparatus of any of Claims 43 to 46, further comprising means for controlling certain preselected network operations from a location remote from said central facility.
48. The apparatus of any of Claims 43 to 47, further comprising a local theater network system far distributing stored information to one or more of a multiplicity of auditorium locations for presentation to an audience.
49. The apparatus of any preceding Claim, wherein the image information is provided in the form of image programs which are in the form of either a single still frame or series of frames shown as motion pictures of varying length.
50. The apparatus of any preceding Claim, wherein said means for transfer comprises:
means fox storing compressed digital information in said central facility;
means for retrieving said stored information onto a transportable storage medium for physical distribution to said presentation systems; and means for retrieving said stored information on said medium and transferring it to said presentation system storage
51. The apparatus of Claim 50, further comprising means for archiving said medium at said central facility.
52. The apparatus of Claim 50 or 51, further comprising means for archiving said medium at said presentation system.
53. A method for distribution of digitized image, of either still or motion type, information to viewing locations comprising:
receiving and compressing said digitized image information according to a preselected format at at least one central facility;
54 transferring resulting compressed image information to one or more remotely located presentation systems;
receiving and storing transferred image information for presentation at at least one preselected time each presentation system;
distributing stored compressed image information to one or more decompression systems;
decompressing transferred image information in each decompression system; and receiving decompressed image information at at least one connected projection system and presenting visual images to one or more viewers based on said received information.
54. The method of Claim 53, further comprising storing said compressed image and audio information in a non contiguous manner independent of each other.
55. The method of Claim 53 or 54, wherein said step of compressing information is performed remotely from the central facility.
56. The method of any of Claims 53 to 55, further comprising generating images in digital format using a digital image generation system.
57. The method of Claim 56, further comprising capturing, compressing and broadcasting images from said digital image generation system to preselected authorized presentation systems through said central facility substantially contemporaneous with digitizing of images.
58. The method of any of Claims 53 to 57, further comprising storing compressed image and audio information in said central facility for transfer at a later predetermined time.
59. The method of any of Claims 52 to 58, wherein said at least one central facility is further configured for receiving and compressing digitized audio information according to a preselected format, and further comprising:
distributing stored compressed audio information to one or more decompression systems;
decompressing transferred audio information in each decompression system; and receiving decompressed audio information at at least one connected sound system and presenting it to one or more listeners based on said received information.
60. The method of Claim 59, wherein said step of compressing said digitized audio information occurs at a variable rate.
61. The method of Claim 59 or 60, further comprising compressing and transferring audio programs associated with image information segregated in time from an associated image using an identifier to allow linking of one or more preselected audio programs with at least one preselected image program as desired at presentation.
62. The method of Claim 59, 60, or 61, wherein each of said audio programs comprise multiple audio tracks to be presented with the same image program during different presentation events.
63. The method of any of Claims 53 to 62, wherein said step of compressing said digitized image information occurs at a variable rate.
64. The method of any of Claims 53 to 63, further comprising encrypting said information at said central facility and decrypting resulting encrypted information at said presentation system.
65. The method of Claim 64, further comprising storing and transporting cryptographic key information necessary for decryption to authorized presentation systems at a time separate from transfer of encrypted information.
66. The apparatus of Claim 64, further comprising indicating a time interval over which said cryptographic key information is valid and assuring that said key is only used during that interval.
67. The apparatus of Claim 66, further comprising overwriting said cryptographic key information in a storage location after said time interval expires.
68. The method of any of Claims 53 to 67, further comprising adding at least one watermark which is perceptually unnoticeable during presentation of decompressed image or audio information at a predefined normal rate of transfer, but is detectable when said image or audio information is presented at a rate substantially different from said normal rate.
69. The method of Claim 68, comprising configuring said watermark to identify both a presentation time and a location for image or audio information.
70. The method of any of Claims 53 to 69, further comprising modulating and transmitting compressed information over a wireless communication link between said central facility and presentation systems.
71. The method of Claim 70, comprising broadcasting said compressed information to any one or more of a plurality of theater auditoriums to allow multiple presentations of information in different auditoriums at the same time.
72. The method of Claim 70 or 71, comprising using a transmission bit rate for compressed information that is not equal to a bit rate at which said information is compressed.
73. The method of Claim 70, 71, or 72, comprising using a transmission bit rate for compressed information is equal to a bit rate at which said information is compressed.
74. The method of any of Claims 70 to 73, comprising appending checksum information is appended to said compressed information so as to allow detection of blocks of transmitted information in which transmission errors occur.
75. The method of any of Claims 70 to 74, comprising:
using at least one satellite for transferring signals to said presentation systems; and collocating at least one satellite receiver terminal at said central facility and monitoring quality of a satellite channel used for transferring compressed information therewith, so as to allow adjusting transfer characteristics of said satellite channel to maintain a desired level of quality.
76. The method of any of Claims 53 to 75, further comprising exchanging data over a two-way transfer link disposed between said central facility and presentation systems.
77. The method of Claim 76, comprising using said exchanged data for cryptographic security purposes.
78. The method of Claim 76 or 77, requesting re-transmission of compressed information received at said presentation system with errors.
79. The method of Claim 78, further comprising re-transmitting compressed information having been received at said presentation system with errors over said two-way link.
80. The method of any of Claims 76 to 79, wherein said data comprises various monitor and control inputs and commands transferred between said central facility and presentation systems.
81. The method of any of Claims 53 to 80, further comprising a network management system which provides operational control of each presentation system for managing a network of presentation systems to present images for viewing at authorized times and locations.
82. The method of any of Claims 53 to 81, comprising configuring each presentation system as a theater with at least one auditorium.
83. The method of Claim 82, comprising broadcasting compressed information to pre-selected auditoriums within a plurality of auditoriums in a theater complex at a given time.
84. The method of Claim 65 or any of Claims 66 to 88 as dependent thereon, further comprising detecting physical intrusion into a projection system for an auditorium system and erasing of decryption key information whenever such an intrusion is defected.
85. The method of Claim 82, 83, or 84, further comprising transferring compressed information of a single image program from said central storage system to different ones of said auditoriums in a complex of multiple auditoriums in a theater with preselected programmable offsets in time relative to each other.
86. The method of Claim 85, comprising reducing said preselected programmable offsets to be substantially zero so that said single image program is presented to different ones of said auditoriums substantially simultaneously.
87. The method of Claim 82 or 83, further storing compressed information which is to be used for creating presentation events at one or more auditoriums in a central theater storage system.
88. The method of Claim 87, comprising using an array of magnetic media storage devices as said central theater storage system.
89. T'he method of Claim 88, comprising using parity information to link different preselected portions of compressed information to different ones of said devices during storage and to a single presentation at retrieval.
90. The method of Claim 88 or 89, comprising parallel "striping" of received information across said array of storage devices to provide a desired data transfer rate and error protection redundancy.
91. The method of Claim 88, 89, or 90, further comprising storing a viewing history of authorized programs presented in said auditorium and reporting said history to said central facility.
92. The method of any of Claims 53 to 91, further comprising creating program sets within said theater management system from one or more received individual image and audio programs, which are scheduled for presentation on an auditorium system during an authorized interval.
93. The method of Claim 92, further comprising automatically distributing, storing, and presenting programs under programmable control from said central facility.
94. The method of Claim 92 or 93, further comprising controlling certain preselected network operations from a location remote from said central facility.
95. The method of Claim 92, 93, or 94, further comprising for distributing stored information to one or more of a multiplicity of auditorium locations for presentation to an audience over a local theater network system.
96. The method of any of Claims 53 to 95, further comprising providing image information in the form of image programs which are in the form of either a single still frame or series of framers shown as motion pictures of varying length.
97. The method of any of Claims 53 to 96, wherein said transferring step comprises:
storing compressed digital information in said central facility;
retrieving said stored information onto a transportable storage medium for physical distribution to said presentation systems; and retrieving said stored information on said medium and transferring it to said presentation system storage
98. The method of Claim 97, further comprising archiving said medium at said central facility
99. The method of Claim 97, further comprising archiving said medium at said presentation system:
100. An apparatus for transmitting data representing images to selected locations, the apparatus comprising:
an input for receiving image data;
a data compressor for compressing the image data;

a data encryptor for encrypting the image data such that the encrypted data contains data identifying selected locations and requires data defining an encryption key to enable the data to be decoded; and a transmitter for transmitting the encrypted data over a transmission medium, wherein the encryption system is arranged to output the data defining the encryption key for transfer independently of the encrypted data.
101. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 100, wherein the data defining the encryption key is output for transmission at a different time than the encrypted data.
102. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 100 or 101, wherein playback of the image at a selected location is to be authorised for a predetermined period, and the encryption key is output for transmission shortly before the beginning of the predetermined period.
103. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 102, wherein the encryption key is arranged to limit playback only to the predetermined period.
104. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the encrypted data is broadcast over a broadcast medium.
105. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the encryption key is transferred over a medium different than the transmission medium.
106. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the data encryptor is arranged to add a watermark to the encrypted data.
107. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 106, wherein the watermark comprises data in the encrypted data representing a location specific and/or time specific identifier at pseudo random positions in the images.
108. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 107, wherein the watermark is constructed to indicate an authorised location and time for presentation of the images represented by the encrypted data.
109. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the transmitter is arranged to transmit the encrypted data over a broadcast transmission medium.
110. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the transmitter is arranged to transmit the encrypted data at a transmission rate depending on characteristics of the image represented thereby and on characteristics of the transmission medium.
111. An apparatus for displaying images represented by data transmitted over a transmission medium, the apparatus comprising:
a receiver for receiving encrypted data transmitted over a transmission medium and representing images for display and for receiving data representing an encryption key;
a decoder for decoding the encrypted data using the encryption key;
a plurality of image display devices; and a distribution network for distributing the decoded data to selected image display devices during a presentation event:
112. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 111, wherein the data defining the encryption key is received at a different time than the encrypted data.
113. An apparatus as claimed in claim 111 or 112, wherein the encryption key is arranged to limit playback only to a predetermined period, and the decoder is arranged to be responsive to the encryption key to decode the data only during said predetermined period.
114. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 111 to 113, wherein the encrypted data is selectively received from a broadcast medium.
115. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 111 to 114, wherein the encryption key is received from a medium different than the transmission.
medium.
116. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 111 to 115, further comprising a management processor for measuring quality parameters of the received signal and outputting a request for retransmission of a portion of the encrypted data in the event that the quality parameters fall below predetermined values.
117. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 111 to 116, wherein the management processor is arranged to compare digital signatures in portions of the encrypted data and to request retransmission of portions if the digital signatures are incorrect.
118. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 117, wherein the management processor is arranged to replace the portions of encrypted data with incorrect digital signatures with portions with correct digital signatures once the same have been retransmitted.
119. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 111 to 117, further comprising a storage array for storing the decoded data for subsequent distribution to selected display devices.
120. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 111 to 119, wherein the data is distributed to a plurality display devices for simultaneous display of the images thereon.
121. An apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 111 to 119, wherein the data is distributed to a plurality display devices for relative time delayed display of the images thereon.
122. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 119 as dependent on Claim 113, wherein the store is arranged to store encrypted elate before the predetermined period, and the decoder is arranged to decode the encrypted data from the store for display of the images represented thereby during the predetermined period.
123. An apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 111 to 122, further comprising a recorder for recording a history of presentation events.
CA2331419A 1998-05-08 1999-04-30 Apparatus and method for distribution of high quality image and audio programs to remote locations Expired - Fee Related CA2331419C (en)

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