EP1145544A2 - Systeme de television numerique avec contenu web synchronise au plan mondial - Google Patents

Systeme de television numerique avec contenu web synchronise au plan mondial

Info

Publication number
EP1145544A2
EP1145544A2 EP99937537A EP99937537A EP1145544A2 EP 1145544 A2 EP1145544 A2 EP 1145544A2 EP 99937537 A EP99937537 A EP 99937537A EP 99937537 A EP99937537 A EP 99937537A EP 1145544 A2 EP1145544 A2 EP 1145544A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
web pages
mpeg data
html
data packets
broadcasting station
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
EP99937537A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Weidong Mao
David Chen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Liberate Technologies Inc
Original Assignee
LIBERATE TECHNOLOGIES MORECOM
Liberate Technologies MoreCom Division Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US09/124,572 external-priority patent/US6886178B1/en
Application filed by LIBERATE TECHNOLOGIES MORECOM, Liberate Technologies MoreCom Division Inc filed Critical LIBERATE TECHNOLOGIES MORECOM
Publication of EP1145544A2 publication Critical patent/EP1145544A2/fr
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

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]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/47—End-user applications
    • H04N21/478—Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
    • H04N21/4782—Web browsing, e.g. WebTV
    • 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
    • H04N21/235—Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
    • 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
    • H04N21/236—Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream
    • H04N21/23614—Multiplexing of additional data and video streams
    • 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
    • H04N21/236—Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL [Uniform Resource Locator] into a video stream, multiplexing software data into a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, e.g. to obtain a constant bit-rate; Assembling of a packetised elementary stream
    • H04N21/2365—Multiplexing of several video streams
    • 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
    • H04N21/433—Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
    • H04N21/4331—Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
    • 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
    • H04N21/434—Disassembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. demultiplexing audio and video streams, extraction of additional data from a video stream; Remultiplexing of multiplex streams; Extraction or processing of SI; Disassembling of packetised elementary stream
    • H04N21/4348—Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
    • 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
    • H04N21/435—Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
    • 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
    • H04N21/4622—Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet
    • 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
    • H04N21/47—End-user applications
    • H04N21/478—Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
    • H04N21/47815—Electronic shopping
    • 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]
    • H04N21/80—Generation or processing of content or additional data by content creator independently of the distribution process; Content per se
    • H04N21/85—Assembly of content; Generation of multimedia applications
    • H04N21/854—Content authoring
    • H04N21/8545—Content authoring for generating interactive applications
    • 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]
    • H04N21/80—Generation or processing of content or additional data by content creator independently of the distribution process; Content per se
    • H04N21/85—Assembly of content; Generation of multimedia applications
    • H04N21/858—Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
    • H04N21/8586—Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot by using a URL
    • 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

Definitions

  • This invention relates to the field of communication, and more particularly, to the convergence of broadcast television and interactive communication on the World Wide Web portion of the Internet.
  • a typical pointing device for user interface may consist of either a mouse, track ball, cursor buttons or like type of device. In such manner, the viewer may switch from one Internet site to another during the broadcast program.
  • Internet content may also be overlaid on broadcast content.
  • World wide web content may be displayed in a window while the broadcast content is still being displayed (picture in picture) .
  • a transparency such as text may be overlaid on the broadcast television image. In such manner, the viewer simultaneously views broadcast video and interactive Internet content .
  • the web site (http://www.cnn.com) represents an alternate form of substantially the same or similar content as contained in the broadcast video channel.
  • the web site represents a supplement to the content of the video channel.
  • the web site may deliver scheduled programming times, additional advertisements, and catalog style ordering of merchandise related to the broadcast video content.
  • a music channel can sell compact discs of the current music video selection.
  • a shopping channel can provide additional product information relating to the item on sale.
  • a programmer's web site can supplement and expand upon its broadcast video material.
  • An automobile advertisement for example, may contain an icon representing the automobile manufacturer. Clicking on the auto manufacturer' s icon takes the viewer to the web site of the manufacturer, for additional product information.
  • a uniform resource locator (or URL) is formatted onto a tag inserted into the broadcast television signal by the broadcaster (i.e., by the programmer, advertiser or content provider).
  • the inserted tag defines the Web page and identifies the URL where the related Internet information is located.
  • the requirement of a tag in the broadcast television signal in turn requires that a universal standard as to location and format of the tag be adopted.
  • Internet connectivity typically requires two way data paths.
  • the return path is used to transmit viewer selections such as mouse clicks and typed commands.
  • CATV cable television
  • Another option for two-way Internet connectivity is to use the public switched telephone network as the return path.
  • the use of the public switched network requires a telephone modem and also occupies the household telephone line. It would be desirable to implement interactive Internet access on a one way CATV network without a telephone connection.
  • Internet HTML Web page data is formatted to fit within the standard MPEG-2 data packet structure, and multiplexed along with other MPEG-2 digital video signals for transport within a multiple channel digital video system.
  • the HTML protocol is preserved, and mapped to the MPEG-2 transport format, resulting in HTML in MPEG video channel .
  • the headend server broadcasts a rotating carousel comprising an ensemble of Web pages in HTML format.
  • the rotating carousel contains both broadcast Web pages and simulcast Web pages.
  • Broadcast Web pages are of general interest to all viewers.
  • Simulcast Web pages are related to the contents of the broadcast video programs contained in the digital video channels. Simulcast Web pages are of interest primarily to those viewing the related broadcast video program.
  • the HTML pages may be accessed directly from the rotating carousel, or, depending on the amount of memory in the settop, some or all of the HTML Web pages may be locally stored in a high-speed cache memory in the settop for faster access.
  • the control map consists of three types of tables.
  • the first table is a master control map, in that the first table defines the locations of the second and third tables.
  • the first table is termed the HTML Program Association Table or HPAT.
  • the second and third tables respectively, are termed the HTML Program Map Table (HPMT) , and the HTML Event Information Table (HEIT) .
  • the HTML Program Map Table contains the location of HTML Web pages in the rotating carousel that correspond to broadcast Web pages.
  • the HTML Event Information Table contains the location of the HTML Web pages in the rotating carousel that correspond to simulcast Web pages.
  • HEIT HTML Event Information Table
  • the MPEG-2 decoder in the settop is synchronized with the MPEG- 2 data stream as is normally done in MPEG-2 decoding. Then the settop looks for and downloads the HTML Program Association Table, which is found in a predetermined data packet within the MPEG-2 data stream format. The settop then uses the HTML Program Association Table to locate, download and store the other two tables, HPMT and HEIT. After the first, second and third tables are downloaded and stored, the settop is responsive to viewer commands to navigate through the broadcast Web pages, or the simulcast Web pages of the continuous rotating carousel.
  • Broadcast Web sites are popular sites that are of interest to all viewers. Typical broadcast Web sites contain news, weather and sports, but can be any Web site of general interest to many viewers. The viewer selects an available broadcast Web site from a menu displayed on the TV.
  • the HTML Program Map Table is used as a lookup table to find the MPEG-2 data packet within the MPEG-2 data stream corresponding to the NY Times web page.
  • Location within the MPEG-2 data stream is defined by a packet identifier (PID) , a table identifier (tablelD) and table identifier extension (tablelDext) .
  • PID packet identifier
  • table identifier table identifier
  • table identifier extension tablelDext
  • the home page at NYTimes.com will typically display links to other pages by designating a URL.
  • the designated URL is looked up in the HTML Program Map Table, which provides the location of the desired HTML page in the MPEG-2 data packet within the MPEG-2 data stream corresponding to the designated URL web page.
  • the rotating carousel will normally contain all or most of the linked page URLs.
  • a location within the MPEG-2 data stream is defined by a packet identifier (PID) , a table identifier (tablelD) and table identifier extension (tablelDext) .
  • PID packet identifier
  • tablelD table identifier
  • table identifier extension tablelDext
  • the HTML Event Information Table for the corresponding video channel is used as a lookup table to find the MPEG-2 data packet within the MPEG-2 data stream corresponding to the Toyota web page.
  • the settop monitors the rotating carousel until the designated MPEG-2 data packet appears which is then stored and displayed.
  • the content of the HTML Event Information Table is synchronized to the broadcast video program. Whereas the available broadcast Web pages are changed relatively infrequently (by changing the content of the HPMT) the available simulcast Web pages are changed (by changing the content of the HEIT) relatively frequently, whenever the corresponding broadcast video program changes.
  • the home page at Toyota.com will typically display links to other pages by designating a URL.
  • links to other URLs in simulcast web pages are looked up in the appropriate table.
  • the HTML Event Information Table, HEIT is used to find the linked HTML pages.
  • the designated URL is looked up in the HEIT table, which provides the location of the desired HTML page in the MPEG-2 data stream corresponding to the designated URL web page.
  • the settop monitors the rotating carousel until the designated PID, tablelD and tablelDext appears in the MPEG-2 data stream, and then the HTML page data at that location in the MPEG-2 data stream is stored and displayed.
  • the content of the HTML Event Information Table defines the links between broadcast video programs and related Web sites.
  • Broadcast video may have advertising and/or entertainment content, and a video broadcast program content provider may be either a programmer and/or an advertiser.
  • the event information and its relationship to locations on the World Wide Web is obtained in individual communications sessions at the broadcasting station established over the Internet and then down loaded into each settop through the HTML Event Information Table.
  • the headend communicates with the individual web sites of each broadcast video content provider to obtain the relationship between broadcast video program content and corresponding web pages in the rotating carousel.
  • a local tag is inserted by the programmer into the video signal provided to the headend.
  • the inserted local tag is inserted by the programmer, and subsequently received at the headend when, it is desired by the programmer to initiate a simulcast connection between the its video signal and a given HTML Web page.
  • the HTML Event Information Table is generated in response to the local tag, and downloaded to the settop.
  • bandwidth is dynamically assigned to accommodate the required number of web pages in the rotating carousel.
  • the longest latency for retrieving a desired web page is the time for one rotation of the carousel .
  • FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a broadcast video system embodying the present invention
  • Figure 2 a protocol stack illustrating an embodiment for formatting HTML within an MPEG-2 stream.
  • Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating a method for mapping HTML data over an MPEG-2 stream.
  • FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the control map architecture in accordance with the present invention.
  • Figure 5 is a timing diagram, partially in block form, illustrating a system for navigating among HTML pages formatted into an MPEG-2 stream.
  • Figure 6 is a timing diagram illustrating the relationship between broadcast video, broadcast HTML Web pages, and simulcast HTML Web pages used in the generation and updating of the HTML Event Information Table in accordance with the present invention.
  • Figure 7 is a block diagram for simulcast Web pages using a local tag at the headend to generate an HTML Event Information Table in accordance with the present invention.
  • Figure 8 is a block diagram of a settop decoder in accordance with the present invention.
  • a broadcasting station 10 (in this case a CATV cable headend) , transmits World Wide Web pages over a one way digital video broadcast network (in this case a hybrid fiber coaxial CATV network 34), to a digital settop 38.
  • the viewer controls what the settop 38 displays on a local television receiver 40, via a remote control input device 36.
  • the present invention applies to any broadcast communications system, including without limitation, conventional VHF and UHF, direct broadcast satellite (DBS) , multipoint microwave distribution systems (MMDS), and the like.
  • DBS direct broadcast satellite
  • MMDS multipoint microwave distribution systems
  • the broadcasting station would be the satellite uplink center, and the settop would be the satellite receiver decoder.
  • the headend 10 includes a satellite receiving dish antenna 44C, coupled to an analog receiver 11 and a digital receiver 13, which downlink satellite delivered 44B signals.
  • the analog receiver 11 is coupled to an integrated receiver transcoder 20 that provides MPEG-2 encoded signals to an MPEG-2 remultiplexer 14.
  • the digital receiver 13 is coupled to an MPEG-2 encoder 12 that provides MPEG-2 encoded signals to the MPEG-2 remultiplexer 14.
  • the output of the MPEG-2 remultiplexer 14 is coupled to a digital quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) modulator/up converter 18, which transmits a digital video MPEG-2 data stream on HFC network 34.
  • QAM digital quadrature amplitude modulation
  • the headend 10 also includes a proxy server 22 coupled to an Internet dial up access server 24 and a computer 32 coupled to the MPEG-2 remultiplexer 14 via a local area network connection or data bus 25.
  • the MPEG-2 encoder 12 is also coupled to the network 25 to provide information on received analog video local tags to computer 32.
  • the integrated receiver transcoder 20 is coupled to the network 25 to provide information on received digital video local tags to computer 32. The use of received video local tags as an alternate embodiment of the present invention is described below.
  • a programmer 42 participates in the system by communicating via the Internet 46 to a network server node 47, and with the headend 10.
  • a typical programmer has a satellite uplink antenna 44A coupled to a transmitter 48.
  • An encoder 50 provides digital or analog signals as input to the transmitter 48, from such sources as video tape recorder 52 or camera 54.
  • typical programmers 42 receive downlinked signals (not shown) from other sources such as satellites, fiber optic cables or microwave links.
  • a computer 56 is coupled via the Internet 46 to a network server node 47, and to the headend 10.
  • programmer 42 communicates the Web page addresses that are related to its broadcast 44A programming in communication sessions over the Internet 46, either via the network server 47, or directly to the headend 10.
  • Headend 10 stores the simulcast Web pages, such as the ABC home channel 26, or a Toyota ad 30 in the http proxy server 22.
  • the headend 10 stores broadcast Web pages such as USA- news in the http proxy server 22.
  • computer 32 generates the control map, the HTML pages and the URLs for insertion into the industry standard transport layer of the MPEG-2 protocol in accordance with the present invention.
  • the protocol stack illustrating the layering of HTML on MPEG-2 is shown in figure 2.
  • the link layer modulation scheme is QAM/QPSK (quadrature amplitude modulation/quadrature phase shift keyed) .
  • the link layer 206 Above the link layer 206, is the standard MPEG-2 transport layer 204.
  • the data section 202 is the packet payload of the MPEG-2 transport, and the data carousel layer 201 contains the HTML data and control map.
  • the nesting of the layers of the protocol stack is further illustrated in the timing diagram of figure 3.
  • the MPEG-2 transport layer is composed of a packet identifier, PID 302 and a Transport Packet 306.
  • the content of the Transport Packet 306 is a portion of the Data Section (202 in the protocol stack of figure 2) .
  • the Data Section (which is part of the MPEG-2 protocol) is in turn composed of a tablelD and tablelDext 304, followed by a table payload 308.
  • the content of table payload 308 is a portion of the data carousel (201 in the protocol stack of figure 3) .
  • the data carousel carries the HTML Web pages 310, URLs 312 and the control map 314 of the present protocol.
  • the HPAT 402 is the control map of control maps in that the HPAT 402 locates the other two control maps, HPMT 404 (for broadcast Web pages) and HEIT 406 (for simulcast Web pages).
  • the HPMT 404 designates a plurality of broadcast Web pages within the rotating data carousel, such as Yahoo 408, USA-News 410 and NY times 412. Each of the designated broadcast Web pages contain other URLs 420 as links to other Web pages.
  • the HEIT 406 designates a plurality of simulcast Web pages within the rotating data carousel, such as ABC-home, 414, a current movie home page 416 and a Toyota ad 418. Each of the designated simulcast Web pages contain other URLs 422 as links to other Web pages.
  • the navigation in the settop provided by the control map to find a desired Web page within the MPEG-2 data stream is illustrated in figure 5.
  • the MPEG-2 data stream 510 there is a desired broadcast Web page HTML 517 and a desired simulcast Web page HTML 523.
  • the HPAT is then stored in the settop at step 514.
  • the settop uses the HPAT to locate the HPMT and stores the located HPMT at step 516.
  • a table lookup function 518 finds the PID, tablelD and tablelDext needed to locate the desired broadcast HTML Web page 517 in the rotating data carousel of the MPEG-2 data stream.
  • the located broadcast HTML page 517 is stored in the settop and displayed 530.
  • the maximum latency of the system to find a given HTML Web page is the amount of time it takes the rotating carousel of HTML Web pages to repeat itself.
  • the settop uses the stored HPAT (in step 514) together with the current channel number input 513, to locate the necessary HEIT.
  • HEIT 1 corresponds to the simulcast Web pages relating to the current channel number being viewed.
  • the located HEIT 1 is then stored in the settop at step 522. All the other HEITs, for which there is one simulcast channel, are similarly located and stored.
  • a table lookup 524 finds the appropriate PID, tablelD and tablelDext in the stored HEIT 1, needed to locate the desired simulcast HTML 1 Web page 523 in the rotating data carousel of the MPEG-2 data stream.
  • the located HTML simulcast page 523 is stored in the settop and displayed 530.
  • simulcast HTML 1 Web page corresponds to the current channel being viewed.
  • the current channel number is input 515 to the table lookup step 524.
  • Each simulcast channel has one corresponding HEIT.
  • the settop 800 includes a tuner 804 coupled to a digital QAM demodulator 806, coupled to an MPEG-2 demultiplexer 808 and thereafter to an MPEG-2 decoder 810.
  • the settop 800 further includes a microprocessor controller 814 for coordinating navigation activities, and a World Wide Web browser 816 program for displaying HTML Web pages.
  • a digital television data stream 802 and remote control signals 818 are input to the settop tuner 800.
  • microprocessor controller 814 directs tuner 804 to select a channel.
  • the digital QAM demodulator 806 converts the input signal into a digital data stream to demultiplexer 808.
  • microprocessor controller 814 determines the locations of the second and third control tables, HPMT and HEIT in the MPEG-2 data stream, and sets the packet select output to direct the demultiplexer 808 to the appropriate MPEG-2 data packets.
  • the located HPMT and HEIT are stored m the memory of microprocessor controller 814. The viewer indicates a desired broadcast web page or simultcast web page via the remote control input 818 to microprocessor controller 814.
  • microprocessor controller 814 looks up the PID, tablelD and tablelDext in the stored control maps, and sends the corresponding packet identifying information to the MPEG-2 demultiplexer 808 via the packet select control line.
  • the MPEG-2 demuliplexer 808 waits until the desired MPEG-2 data packet arrives in the rotating data carousel of HTML Web pages that correspond to the desired Web page, and then forwards the desired received World Wide Web page in HTML format to World Wide Web browser 816.
  • the MPEG-2 demultiplexer 810 selects other MPEG-2 data packets to provide MPEG-2 digital video and audio to the settop MPEG-2 decoder 810.
  • the present system permits a settop to navigate the HTML Web pages of the rotating carousel with little or no local memory storage. However, it is preferable to store downloaded HPAT and HEIT tables in the settop to speed up operation.
  • One option is to use a high-speed cache to store a number of the most recently accessed Web pages. If the cache contains the desired Web page (a hit) , then the cache memory is used in lieu of the rotating carousel. If the cache does not contain the desired Web page (a miss), then the rotating carousel is used to find the desired Web page.
  • the new Web page(s) are then stored in the high-speed cache (still in HTML format), displacing previously stored pages according to the memory logic of the cache.
  • the new Web pages may replace the least recently accessed Web pages.
  • the present invention and the navigation control maps operate in the same way whether desired Web pages are accessed from high-speed cache memory or demultiplexed from the rotating carousel.
  • a high-speed cache in the settop speeds up operation and reduces the latency period to select a desired World Wide Web page.
  • World Wide Web browser 816 Since the selected World Wide Web page is already in HTML format after it is demultiplexed from the MPEG-2 data stream, World Wide Web browser 816 is able to generate a Web page display without the need for a second MPEG-2 decoder. Thus, the present system provides simultaneous digital video and Internet Web pages with only one MPEG-2 decoder 810.
  • Microprocessor controller 814 further provides for combining the simultaneous outputs of the MPEG-2 decoder 810 and the World Wide Web browser 816 in a combiner 812 which provides a variety of video display output formats 820 to a television monitor (not shown) .
  • Common applications for combined video displays include picture in picture, split screen, transparent overlays and the like.
  • any industry standard World Wide Web browser 816 may be used to display Web pages.
  • the use of standard HTML format Web pages in MPEG-2 digital TV format permits the settop 800 to simultaneously display 812, 820 both digital TV and World Wide Web pages using only one MPEG-2 decoder 810.
  • Each event has a start time and an end time for broadcasting. For each event there is an event home page and multiple World Wide Web pages (defined by respective URLs) that are linked from the event home page.
  • each event has a refresh time that specifies the refreshing period of the URLs in the event. The refresh period is the time interval between changes made to the URLs during an event.
  • the content providers provide lists of events to be broadcast. Each event includes a list of URLs starting with a home page.
  • the event is submitted from the content provider to the application server (computer) located in the headend 10 in figure 1.
  • the events are stored in the application server in an event table that relates the event to the simulcast HTML Web pages.
  • the headend 10 packages the data into multiple MPEG output packet streams and generates the corresponding control map.
  • the set-top 38 receives the complete HTML data and control map and navigates through the contents.
  • a program is composed of multiple events.
  • the events can be overlapped in start time and end time.
  • One or more events can be linked to a particular broadcast TV program.
  • Broadcast Event/Program Events that are associated with all the TV channels and have infinite duration are called broadcast events. Although the present embodiment illustrates one broadcast program, multiple broadcast events forming multiple broadcast programs are also possible .
  • Simulcast Event/Program Events that are associated with a particular TV program are simulcast events . Multiple overlapped events form a simulcast program. The present embodiment illustrates one simulcast program associated with each video channel.
  • a first simulcast program (HEIT 1) is composed of event la, followed by event lb. During and contained within event lb is event lc. Following the completion of event lb and some time thereafter is event Id.
  • the control map stored in the settop is kept current. Each time an event changes the control map, the settop downloads an updated control map. Updating the version number in the HPAT signals the settop that a change to the control map has occurred.
  • HEIT 1 is updated at time 602 for event la and at time 604 for event lb.
  • HEIT 1 is also updated at times, 606 and 608, which correspond to the beginning and end of event lc.
  • HEIT is updated at times, 612 and 614, which correspond to the beginning and end of event Id.
  • the flexible nature of the event-based control map structure is illustrated by a second simulcast program (HEIT 2) in figure 6.
  • the second simulcast program is composed of event 2a, which begins and ends before event 2c. Bridging the gap between events 2a and 2c is event 2b, which begins during event 2a and ends during event 2c. Event 2d follows after the end of event 2c.
  • HEIT 2 is updated at times 620 and 624 for event 2a, times 622 and 628 for event 2b, and times 626 and 630 for event 2c. Finally, HEIT 2 is updated at time 632 and 634for event 2d.
  • event scheduling means that simulcast Web pages can be easily added and removed as they relate to the constantly changing broadcast digital video content .
  • Each event is a time period during which the broadcast video program is linked to an HTML Web page defined during the event.
  • HTML Web pages are linked to the broadcast video program at different times. In such manner, HTML Web pages are synchronized to the content of the broadcast video program.
  • An event synchronized to a program of infinite duration is a broadcast Web page.
  • Broadcast Web pages are shown in figure 6 as events 3a and 3b having potentially infinite duration, or are at least stable for relatively long periods of time. Broadcast events do change, when new Web sites are added, or old Web sites dropped from the broadcast Web page lineup. Accordingly, the HPMT changes at time 616 to begin broadcast events 3a and 3b and again at time 618 to end the broadcast of events 3a and 3b.
  • a local tag For events that are known, but cannot be scheduled in advance, a local tag is used.
  • the local tag is local in the sense that it is used in the headend, to signal the beginning of a simulcast event, and is not necessarily used globally.
  • Figure 7 illustrates the handling of local tags.
  • an analog video signal is input to a digital encoder.
  • the output of the digital encoder is input to remultiplexer 704.
  • the digital decoder 704 also detects a received tag (a local tag) in the VBI (vertical blanking interval) of the incoming signal.
  • a tag decoder 706 detects the arrival of the local tag, and a headend server 708 generates the HTML data and control map to remultiplexer 704.
  • the content provider 42 sends event data (but without timing information) and a local tag to the headend 10 in figure 1 via the Internet 46.
  • a local tag in the VBI of the received analog video supplies timing information.
  • the server 708 (in figure 7) generates the appropriate control map including a new HEIT and an updated HPAT with a new version number. (Server 708 in figure 7 corresponds to computer 32 in figure 1) . In such manner the headend can respond to changing simulcast events without advanced scheduling.
  • control map Generation and Transmission of the Control Map
  • the generation and transmission of the control map is synchronized with the actual event start, event refresh, and event end.
  • the rule is that the control map exactly reflects the current status of the active events.
  • the configuration of the broadcast and simulcast programs is set ahead of time. Therefore, the HPAT is generated through a pre-determined configuration file in the headend 10 of figure 1.
  • the parameters for HPAT are read from a configuration file in the headend periodically.
  • the information in the configuration file is used to configure the control map PID and program information.
  • the information carried on HPAT includes the pre-determined PIDs of the control map HPMT for the broadcast program and each of a plurality of control maps HEIT 1, HEIT 2 etc., one HEIT for each simulcast program.
  • the configuration file and the HPAT for broadcast or simulcast programs also determine program information such as programType or programlD (defined in the tables below) .
  • Any change of the HPAT configuration file is detected in the settop and the stored tables therein updated automatically.
  • a new HPAT is transmitted by incrementing the version number by one.
  • the settop detects an increase in the version number.
  • the change of the HPAT reflects the actual change in location of the other control maps. For example, after the change of PID of HPMT in HPAT, the control map HPMT is transported in the new PID immediately after the new HPAT is transmitted.
  • HPMT/HEIT The parameters for HPMT/HEIT are derived from event/stream attributes. Parameters are updated whenever the event is created, refreshed, or deleted. In addition, parameters are continuously broadcast over the low bandwidth channels.
  • HPMT There is only one HPMT for one broadcast program. Each broadcast program carries multiple streams. Each stream is carried on a single PID as indicated in the control map, HPMT. The generation of TablelD and/or TablelDext for each event is done on the per PID basis. The event with eventType (defined in the tables below) equal to broadcast is controlled by the HPAT.
  • the programlD field identifies each simulcast program.
  • Each simulcast program carries multiple events.
  • the association of event to the simulcast program is identified through the eventType and programlD fields in the event attributes.
  • Each event is carried on a single PID as indicated in the control map HPMT.
  • the generation of TablelD and/or TablelDext for each event is done on the per PID basis.
  • Each URL is for the complete Web page.
  • the files within the page are not separated as URLs, but are part of the page data and described in a header files from Proxy.
  • the 1 st URL in the stream/event is the home URL for the particular stream/event. If the Hash Table method is used, then it will be applied on the per event/stream basis. Within each event/stream, the order of URLs does not matter.
  • this event is a special page that is the master home page of the broadcast programs. This event shall be carried in the 1 st stream of the HPMT. Within each event/stream (PID) , the assignment of TablelDext shall start always from 0 and increment through the list of URLs in the event/stream.
  • the protocol of the present invention is defined in further detail by the following six tables.
  • the tables below set forth the syntax by which HPAT, HPMT and HEIT form the control map to navigate among the HTML pages of the rotating carousel.
  • the six tables are:
  • the PID (packet identifier) is the 13 bit Packet ID used to identify the stream at the MPEG-2 transport packet layer.
  • the table_id field is an 8 bit field to specify the type of section used. The following values of table_id are assigned at this moment.
  • HTML Program Association Table For the unique broadcast program and any new request of an event with a new programlD, a single HTML Program Association Table is generated and updated. Each transport stream has only one HTML Program Association Table to describe all the data programs and their corresponding HTML Program Map Table (broadcast) or Event Information Table (simulcast) .
  • the default Packet ID carrying the HTML Program Association Table is defined as OxlFOO.
  • HTML Program Map Table for broadcast of HTML web pages
  • HTML Event Information Table for simulcast of HTML web pages
  • transport_stream_ID use any for one transport stream.
  • MPEG-2 transport n each 6 MHz has different transport stream ID value
  • programlD use the same from event attributes (set to 0 for broadcast, video program number for simulcast)
  • HPAT_PID Packet ID for the corresponding HTML Program Map Table (HPMT) or HTML Event Information Table (HEIT) .
  • ProgramType Broadcast in the HTML Program Association Table, the associated Program Map Table is used.
  • the broadcast program is composed of multiple streams. (Each stream is defined as an event with infinite duration) .
  • tablelD use default value of OxlFOO for HTML Program Map Table.
  • programlD same as defined in the stream attributes. In the broadcast case, it is always set to 0 for broadcast program to every channel.
  • streamType same as specified by stream attributes. It is 0 for broadcast. It is 3 for master home page that should be broadcast as the 1 st stream.
  • streamPID same as specified by stream attributes. Every stream has different Packet ID.
  • startTime same as specified by stream attributes.
  • runningStatus set to "1" as running, "0" as not running. Determined by streaming server
  • url_descr ⁇ ptor determined by both application and streaming server (see table 6 below which defines the URL descriptor)
  • programType Simulcast n the HTML Program Association Table, the associated Event Information Table is used.
  • the simulcast program is composed of multiple events. And each simulcast program is associated with each video channel (programlD) .
  • eventID descriptor user defined a) eventType __length*8+ user defined (a, s) section eventPID 24 maintained startTime duration 32 runnmgStatus refreshTime refreshRate url_desc ⁇ ptor ( )
  • tablelD use default value of 0xF2 for HTML Event Information Table.
  • programlD same as defined n the stream attributes. In the simulcast case, it is always set to the associated video program number. 3. version_number : starting from value 0, increment when there is an updated version when (1) event is added (2) event is refreshed (3) event is deleted.
  • eventType same as specified by event attributes. It is 1 for regular simulcast, 2 for tag based simulcast that requires receiving the tag with home URL by the set-top or activated by the server (startTime and duration will be neglected if tag is used) .
  • eventPID same as specified by event attributes. Every event has different Packet ID.
  • startTime same as specified by event attributes.
  • runningStatus set to "1" as running, "0" as not running. Determined by streaming server
  • url_descriptor determined by both application and streaming server (see table 6 below which defines the URL descriptor) Table 6. Structure of the URL Descriptor
  • descr ⁇ ptor_tag use default value of OxEE for url_desc ⁇ ptor .
  • desc ⁇ ptor_length determined by the total number of bytes in the descriptor that follows the descr ⁇ ptor_tag field. This can be used to skip stream/event .

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
  • Databases & Information Systems (AREA)
  • Television Systems (AREA)
  • Two-Way Televisions, Distribution Of Moving Picture Or The Like (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un réseau de diffusion vidéo numérique unidirectionnel dans lequel les données des pages Web HTML Internet sont formatées de manière à s'insérer dans une structure de paquets de données MPEG-2 standard, puis multiplexées avec d'autres signaux numériques vidéo MPEG-2 en vue de leur acheminement dans un système vidéo numérique multicanal. Plus particulièrement, le serveur de tête diffuse en carousel un ensemble de pages Web en format HTML. Le carousel renferme des pages Web diffusées et des pages Web à émission simultanée et une carte de commande permettant de naviguer dans les pages Web HTML du carousel. La carte de commande contient en particulier les emplacements dans le carousel des pages Web HTML qui correspondent aux pages Web émises. De plus, cette carte contient les emplacement dans le carousel des pages Web HTML qui correspondent aux pages Web à émission simultanée. Cette carte est mise à jour et rediffusée chaque fois qu'une modification intervient au début, au milieu ou à la fin d'un programme vidéo diffusé, les pages Web à émission simultanée étant synchronisées avec les programmes numériques vidéo multicanal diffusés.
EP99937537A 1998-07-29 1999-07-27 Systeme de television numerique avec contenu web synchronise au plan mondial Ceased EP1145544A2 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

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US124572 1998-07-29
US09/124,572 US6886178B1 (en) 1998-04-01 1998-07-29 Digital TV system with synchronized world wide web content
PCT/US1999/017000 WO2000007361A2 (fr) 1998-07-29 1999-07-27 Systeme de television numerique avec contenu web synchronise au plan mondial

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EP1145544A2 true EP1145544A2 (fr) 2001-10-17

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JP (1) JP2002521972A (fr)
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AU (1) AU772187B2 (fr)
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CN1319304A (zh) 2001-10-24
AU5235099A (en) 2000-02-21
WO2000007361A9 (fr) 2000-05-18
AU772187B2 (en) 2004-04-08
CA2337910A1 (fr) 2000-02-10
JP2002521972A (ja) 2002-07-16
CA2337910C (fr) 2008-12-09
WO2000007361A3 (fr) 2001-12-13
WO2000007361A2 (fr) 2000-02-10

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