KR20050035290A - Method and system for providing a cache guide - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and system for providing a cache guide to a client. The cache guide containing a subset of available guide data. The available guide data being locally stored in a Mini- Headend unit (12) and the subset being stored in the cache memory of a remote set-top box (44).

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING A CACHE GUIDE}

The present invention relates to providing video services in a multi-dwelling or multi-tenant network.

In conventional video systems (e.g., satellites, cables, etc.), the content provider provides a program guide (which describes the channel ID, program title, program description, etc.) to clients on the system. Typically, the entire program guide is stored on a customer premises device device (eg, set top box) in each client's residential unit. However, one drawback to this approach is that program guides are often very large (eg 6 MBs). Therefore, the CPE device needs to have a relatively large memory and allocate a large portion of the memory for the storage of the program guide. The present invention is directed to solving this drawback.

1 illustrates an exemplary system of the present invention.

2 is a flow chart illustrating a program guide caching method of the present invention.

The present invention limits the memory requirements in a network set-top box, reducing the overall system cost by using smaller memory to collect a portion of the guide, and the entire guide resides on an accessible network. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and system for providing a cache guide to a client. The cache guide includes a subset of the available guide data. The available guide data is stored locally in the Mini-Headend unit, and the subset is stored in the cache memory of the remote set top box.

The features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description by way of example.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an exemplary system 10 is shown that operates in accordance with the principles of the present invention. System 10 is an integrated digital data system for providing broadband digital video and services to multiple users. More specifically, system 10 integrates high quality audio and video into digital IP data services for multiple users. The system design provides a platform for launching a variety of cost-effective digital services. System 10 is designed to be scalable, so that different digital data services can be added incrementally.

System 10 includes a mini-headend unit 12 in which digital audio, video, and data services are received, aggregated and distributed together, and a collective residential and / or multi-residential area (MxU) Network 14. The network 14 may be located in one or more apartment buildings, hotels, or any other building inhabited by a number of clients seeking digital audio, video, and data services.

The mini-headend unit 12 may receive data, provide quality of service (QoS), provide customized service, and route the data to the residential unit 16 in the MxU network 14. Responsible. The mini-headend unit 12 includes a core video service system 18, an improved video service system 22, a data service system 24 communicatively connected to the Internet 26, and a QoS switch 28. do.

The core video service system 18 preferably includes a satellite receiver system 19 communicatively coupled to the satellite 20. The satellite receiver system 19 can scale the number of streams received from the satellite 20 according to the number of clients wishing to service. More specifically, satellite receiver system 18 operates a multi-cast server to cause network set top box 44 in residential unit 16 to request a digital data stream. The satellite receiver system 18 is sized by the number of tuning blades in the chassis until all transponders for the satellite have been received. A fully loaded chassis with 60 transponders can handle an input data rate of 2.4 Gbps. In this regard, the chassis can handle n users by accepting new user requests for the appropriate multi-cast group. The satellite receiver system 19 can receive satellite signals and output IP packets to the multi-cast aware switch 28 at a data rate of 2 Gbps. More specifically, outgoing IP packets are described in QoS {standard IEEE 802.1p (titled "Traffic Class Fast Processing and Dynamic Multicast Filtering") and IEEE 802.1q (titled "virtual LAN"). }, To ensure that packets are delivered correctly. The network interface on the satellite receiver system 19 is a 1 Gbps Ethernet port and is scalable to two 1 Gbps Ethernet ports. The management system of the satellite receiver 19 accepts a request for a program from a client. The management system allows the client to select a satellite, transponder, and program ID, and allows the satellite receiver system 19 to provide a particular program stream to the client. The management system also supports multi-casting to save bandwidth. Although satellite receiver system 19 and satellite 20 are shown in FIG. 1 as content delivery media, the use of other media (eg, cables, optical fibers, etc.) for delivering content is also contemplated within the scope of the present invention. do.

The improved video service system 22 is a platform that works in conjunction with the satellite receiver 19 to enable additional digital video services. The improved video service system 22 scales with the number of clients using the service. For example, system 22 may require more servers 30 as the number of clients increases. The types of services provided are, in particular, video on demand, near video on demand, limited video on demand, Nielsen Rating, time shift, automatic recording, personal video recording (PVR), and the like. The improved video system 22 includes a conditional access system (not shown) used for program streams recorded on the hard drive (s) 32. When recording, the original program stream received from the satellite receiver system 19 is decrypted, the image data is extracted, and the new program stream (including the extracted image data) is encrypted and placed on the hard drive (s) 32. Are stored in. The conditional access system of the network provider is terminated at the improved video system server 30, and the new conditional access system is then used.

The data service system 24 is sized according to the number of clients using the Internet service and the required speed or bandwidth of the Internet service.

The mini-headend unit 12 may include a gigabit QoS Ethernet switch 28 (needed for medium to large systems) that is scalable and can be removed in small facilities. As is known to those skilled in the art, several issues to consider when selecting the switch 28 are the type of service provided and how many residential units 16 in the MxU network 14 need to be supported. The switch 28 provides connectivity between the satellite receiver system 19, the enhanced video service system 22, and the data service system 24. The switch 28 also provides connectivity from the mini-headend unit 12 to the MxU network 14. The switch 28 supports a full-duplex gigabit Ethernet interface and can be sized to support systems of various sizes. The switch 28 supports the QoS set described in the IEEE 802.1p and 802.1q standards. Having QoS facilitates communication between switch 28 and improved video service provider 22 and data service system 24. More specifically, video data from video service system 18 and enhanced video service system 22 are given a higher priority than data from data service system 24. For example, when video data and internet data are requested at the same time, the video data is transmitted first, and the internet data is transmitted at the same time if sufficient bandwidth is available, or later when sufficient bandwidth is available.

The MxU network 14 includes a service rack 34 and a residential unit 16. The service rack 34 is sizeable according to the number of living units 16 in the MxU network 14 and is located in the center where telephone lines in the MxU network 14 converge. The number of MxU networks 14 in system 10 represents the number of service racks 34 required. Preferably, a service rack 34 is provided for each network 14 (eg, a building) in a multi-network environment (eg, multiple building complexes). Each service rack 34 is a conventional telephone service (POTS) for combining digital video, audio, and data and POTS services 40 received from the QoS switch 28 of the mini-headend 12 via a 1 Gbps telephone line. A VDSL switch 36 using a plain old telephone service splitter 38. Although the VDSL switch 36 is shown as being an Ethernet QAM switch, it should be noted that the use of any other Ethernet switch is considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

In the system 10, each living unit 16 subscribing to the digital service is required to have a customer premises equipment (CPE) device. Depending on the client's service subscription, the CPE device for a given residential unit 16 may be a modem 42, a network set top box (STB) 44, all of the modems 42 and STB 44, or an integrated modem and STB unit ( Not shown). Exemplary system 10 of the present invention requires at least modem 42 for the reception of digital data, audio, and video services. Modem 42 is connectable to switch 36 via a telephone line and terminates the VDSL line. Modem 42 also has a POTS splitter (not shown), and a connection for telephone service 46. Modem 42 has an Ethernet port for providing computer 48 Internet access and network STB 44 access to audio and video services.

Although telephone lines are shown to be used as the communication medium between the residential unit 16 and the mini-headend unit 12, cable and wireless networks are contemplated within the scope of the present invention.

In summary, the system 10 provides a structure for delivering digital audio, digital video, high-speed Internet access, telephone services, security services, etc., in particular to clients residing in the residential unit 16, and incremental or new services. Provides a revenue stream and platform to add to the system provider.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a program guide caching method 50 is shown. At startup of the system 10, at step 52, the mini-headend unit 12 obtains a program guide from the core video service system 18. In some cases, it should be noted that the guide may be larger than 6Mbytes and may require scanning multiple channels or transponders to collect the entire guide. The mini-headend unit 12 stores the program guide locally and, in step 54, periodically updates the program guide as new guide data is provided by the core video service system 18. After the network STB 44 boots, in step 56, the STB 44 creates a RAM cache and requests program guide data from the mini-headend unit 12. In response to the request, in step 58, mini-headend unit 12 transmits a locally stored subset of program guide to STB 44. The subset maintains enough information to allow the client to select a different channel and provides a detailed snapshot of the channel currently being watched. In step 60, the STB 44 stores the received subset in cache memory. Thereafter, in step 62, the STB 44 will request an update from the mini-headend unit 12 to the stored program guide subset when the client navigates through the program guide, switches channels, and the like. Since the mini-headend unit 12 maintains a complete current program guide, the response to the request for update is such that the STB 44 sends the program stream, channel, and / or transponder of the core video service system 18. Scanning is much faster than when such updates need to be collected.

The program guide stored by the mini-headend unit 12 may be augmented with additional information (eg, program data, video clips, etc.) obtained from the Internet 26 via the data service system 24. It should be noted.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with the embodiments described herein, it should be understood that the foregoing description is intended to illustrate but not limit the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

As described above, the present invention is used for providing a video service to a multi-dwelling or multi-tenant network or the like.

Claims (20)

As a program guide, Obtaining (52) program guide data from a content provider; Locally storing the acquired program guide data; Transmitting (58) the subset of locally stored program guide data to a remote terminal; Receiving (62) a request for an update to the subset from the remote terminal; Accessing the locally stored program guide to generate the requested update; Sending the update to the remote terminal Including, program guide providing method. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote terminal is a set top box (44). The method of claim 1, wherein the update request is generated due to a channel change. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the subset of locally stored program guide data includes channel IDs for all channels in the locally stored program guide and detailed program information for one of the channels in the locally stored program guide. Including, program guide providing method. The method of claim 1, Periodically obtaining (54) updates to the program guide data from the content provider; Altering (54) the locally stored program guide data such that the locally stored program guide conforms to the update. Further comprising, program guide providing method. The method of claim 5, If the update received from the content provider has changed data in locally stored program guide data included in the subset previously transmitted to the terminal, sending a new subset to the remote terminal. . As a program guide, Allocating (56) a cache memory for storing a subset of program guide data; Acquiring (58) a subset of the program guide data; Storing the subset of program guide data in the cache memory; Processing 60 the subset of stored program guide data to generate a program guide; Including, program guide providing method. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising displaying the program guide to a client. The method of claim 7, wherein Receiving a channel change request from a client; Requesting a second subset of program guide data; Receiving a second subset of program guide data; Storing the second subset of program guide data in cache memory. Further comprising, program guide providing method. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the program guide data is stored remotely in a mini-headend unit (12). As a program guide providing system, Means (18) for obtaining program guide data from a content provider; Means (22) for locally storing the acquired program guide data; Means (12, 36) for transmitting said locally stored subset of program guide data to a remote terminal; Means (12) for receiving a request for an update to the subset from the remote terminal; Means (30) for accessing the locally stored program guide to produce the requested update; Means (28, 30, 36) for sending said update to said remote terminal; Including, program guide providing system. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the remote terminal is a set top box (44). 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the update request is generated due to a channel change. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the locally stored program guide data includes channel IDs for all channels in the locally stored program guide and detailed program information for one of the channels in the locally stored program guide. , Program guide providing system. Means (18) for periodically acquiring updates to the program guide data from the content provider; Means (30) for modifying the locally stored program guide data such that the locally stored program guide complies with the update. Further comprising, the program guide providing system. Means for transmitting a new subset to the remote terminal if the update received from the content provider changes data in locally stored program guide data included in the subset previously transmitted to the terminal. 30, 36), the program guide providing system. As a program guide providing system, Means (44) for allocating a cache memory for storing a subset of program guide data; Means (12, 36) for obtaining a subset of said program guide data; Means (44) for storing the subset of program guide data in the cache memory; Means 44 for processing the subset of stored program guide data to generate a program guide. Including, program guide providing system. 18. The system of claim 17, further comprising means (44) for displaying the program guide to a client. The method of claim 17, Means (44) for receiving a channel change request from a client; Means (28, 36, 44) for requesting a second subset of program guide data; Means (28, 36, 44) for receiving a second subset of program guide data; Means (44) for storing a second subset of program guide data in a cache memory; Further comprising, the program guide providing system. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the program guide data is stored remotely in a mini-headend unit (12).