Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
  • H04H60/00—Arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linking to broadcast information or broadcast space-time; Broadcast-related systems
  • H04H60/09—Arrangements for device control with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time; Arrangements for control of broadcast-related services
  • H04H60/13—Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
  • H04H60/00—Arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linking to broadcast information or broadcast space-time; Broadcast-related systems
  • H04H60/09—Arrangements for device control with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time; Arrangements for control of broadcast-related services
  • H04H60/14—Arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services
• • 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
  • H04N21/25—Management operations performed by the server for facilitating the content distribution or administrating data related to end-users or client devices, e.g. end-user or client device authentication, learning user preferences for recommending movies
  • H04N21/266—Channel or content management, e.g. generation and management of keys and entitlement messages in a conditional access system, merging a VOD unicast channel into a multicast channel
  • H04N21/2668—Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles
• • 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
  • H04N21/45—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
  • H04N21/4508—Management of client data or end-user data
  • H04N21/4532—Management of client data or end-user data involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences
• • 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
  • H04N21/454—Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• • 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
  • H04N21/4782—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]
  • H04N21/40—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
  • H04N21/4786—Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application e-mailing
• • 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
  • H04N21/4788—Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application communicating with other users, e.g. chatting
• • 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
  • H04N21/488—Data services, e.g. news ticker
  • H04N21/4882—Data services, e.g. news ticker for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders
• • 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]
  • H04N21/60—Network structure or processes for video distribution between server and client or between remote clients; Control signalling between clients, server and network components; Transmission of management data between server and client, e.g. sending from server to client commands for recording incoming content stream; Communication details between server and client 
  • H04N21/61—Network physical structure; Signal processing
  • H04N21/6106—Network physical structure; Signal processing specially adapted to the downstream path of the transmission network
  • H04N21/6143—Network physical structure; Signal processing specially adapted to the downstream path of the transmission network involving transmission via a satellite
• • 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]
  • H04N21/60—Network structure or processes for video distribution between server and client or between remote clients; Control signalling between clients, server and network components; Transmission of management data between server and client, e.g. sending from server to client commands for recording incoming content stream; Communication details between server and client 
  • H04N21/63—Control signaling related to video distribution between client, server and network components; Network processes for video distribution between server and clients or between remote clients, e.g. transmitting basic layer and enhancement layers over different transmission paths, setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet between remote STB's; Communication protocols; Addressing
  • H04N21/64—Addressing
  • H04N21/6402—Address allocation for clients
• • 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]
  • H04N21/60—Network structure or processes for video distribution between server and client or between remote clients; Control signalling between clients, server and network components; Transmission of management data between server and client, e.g. sending from server to client commands for recording incoming content stream; Communication details between server and client 
  • H04N21/63—Control signaling related to video distribution between client, server and network components; Network processes for video distribution between server and clients or between remote clients, e.g. transmitting basic layer and enhancement layers over different transmission paths, setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet between remote STB's; Communication protocols; Addressing
  • H04N21/64—Addressing
  • H04N21/6405—Multicasting
• • 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
  • H04N21/83—Generation or processing of protective or descriptive data associated with content; Content structuring
  • H04N21/835—Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates
  • H04N21/8352—Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• • 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
  • H04N21/83—Generation or processing of protective or descriptive data associated with content; Content structuring
  • H04N21/84—Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors
• • 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
  • H04N7/173—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
  • H04N7/17318—Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
  • H04H20/00—Arrangements for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast
  • H04H20/28—Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
  • H04H20/30—Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information by a single channel
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
  • H04H2201/00—Aspects of broadcast communication
  • H04H2201/70—Aspects of broadcast communication characterised in that receivers can be addressed

Definitions

• This invention is a continuation in part of Patent 171650 filed October 5, 1994 and US Patent 6,005,937 filed March 7, 1995 with priority date of March 7, 1994, and related to the method and system of the directional television broadcasting for providing the specific television broadcasting signals to the specified subscribers by their individual addresses and group addresses, and the bi-directional communication technology that utilizes the directional television broadcasting signal as the down-stream signals and the host computer of the television broadcastings station as the relay means which transmits the up-stream signals from the subscribers.
• this invention provides the method and system of the remote educational broadcasting by classes for the specified paid auditors, the national emergency alert television broadcasting to the specified addressed target, the e-mail of audio and video signal, and the e-newspapers subscribing by the television broadcasting network, and the means to control the access to the parental guided program by S/W rather than V-chip technology for better efficiency, utilizing the improved address system consisting of individual and group address as well as directional broadcasting method by network TV, satellite TV and Cable TV.
• the broadcasting station cannot remotely, control the subscriber's TV nor have the means to transmit the specific broadcasting programs to the specific viewer, it becomes impossible for the broadcasting station to alert the viewers who had switched off the television and are asleep when an emergency arises, and do not have the remote control means to switch on the TV set, tune to the channel where such emergency is being broadcast and turn up the volume loud enough to wake up the viewers in bed.
• the broadcasting stations were unable to televise special programs to a specific mass.
• Group broadcastings for example, a preaching of a religious sermon to the specific religious group, family broadcasting for the families of the employees of a company, high security broadcasting programs for soldiers or policemen and other like professions, or educational related programs for specific students were impossible to be provided.
• the network television, satellite and cable television have the superior means to transmit A/V and data signal by it's network, it is still not possible to provide e- mail services using such a benefits due to the lack of the directional communication technology by its network.
• V-Chip has been invented to prevent children from accessing to such parental guide programs, but this proved unsuccessful since children were able to easily manipulate with the secret coding which parents had encoded.
• V-Chips are costly to install into the television receiver, satellite broadcasting set-top boxes, cable TV set-top boxes, thus, it became a necessity to develop a new device that was simple and effective, yet prevent manipulation from children.
• the press company had developed a system to provide news through the Internet. But readers could access to the news only through the PC monitor, and would be unable to scan through the newspaper as they read the printed original journal.
• the newspaper may be compressed to digital data, where it can be transmitted and stored to subscriber's terminal of the designated subscribers, then there is a need to develop a subscription service where one may subscribe electronically to a variety of newspapers through the television monitor, and pay the arranged subscription fees. It would then be possible to view newspaper from the television monitor from a variety of subscribed newspaper, and important and/or necessary article may be printed out or stored as digital data, thus saving the cost of printing and discarding.
• receiving the latest news from a specified newspaper in real time from remote district or furthest country will be possible at the lowest rate.
• network, satellite or cable TV programs are able to broadcast over 200 different channels.
• remote educational methods comprising classes from students nationwide, and the grades of each individual are evaluated accordingly, where the grades are acknowledgeable and therefore brings forth the importance and growth the operation of cyber education as well as development of broadcasting educational techniques.
• the broadcasting stations transmit its program after scrambling and descrambling at the set-top box (converter) however this costly devise is not compatible with all these various standards of foreign region; thus difficulty arises in an attempt to manage cable broadcast station nationwide.
• the traditional bi-directional data communication system involves a station's host computer calling a subscriber set-top unit using a successive call method.
• the successive call method tools about 30 minutes per 100,000 subscribers. Therefore, the successive call method prohibits performing and instant viewer rating survey, or assist in question arising during an examination at an educational broadcast.
• this devise has been invented to provide the method and technology for directional broadcasting by its address and related bidirectional communication utilizing the network TV, cable TV or satellite TV broadcasting signal. It comprises broadcasting programs and data, such as video, audio or letter as the down-stream signal to the specified receiver by relaying the station's host computer.
• broadcasting programs and data such as video, audio or letter as the down-stream signal to the specified receiver by relaying the station's host computer.
• network TV " satellite TN cable or wireless cable TV transmitting stations are broadcasting programs to the specified subscribers, inserting information data and instruction data signals comprising address data and control data of the receiving group.
• This enables the broadcasting stations to broadcast directionally the specific data to the specific receivers, and where subscribers are able to receive the information data signal and the instruction data signal by the apparatus of receiving the above signals and controlling TV receivers as of the instruction signal of the TV program.
• This provides the technology to control subscribers' TV remotely such as tuning TV channels, On/Off and volume control by the broadcasting station's host computer during emergency while subscribers are watching other channels.
• the addressable broadcasting means for the specified receiver's group the remote educational broadcasting means by class for specified group by group basis, the e-mail A/V system utilizing TV broadcasting and the e- newspaper subscription system utilizing TV network.
• Fig 1 is a block diagram that illustrates the subscriber's controlling unit for the network TV operation of this invention.
• Fig 2 is a block diagram that illustrates the subscriber's controlling unit for the satellite TV operating this invention.
• Fig 3 is a block diagram that illustrates the subscriber's controlling unit for cable TV operation of this invention.
• Fig 4 is a block diagram of the unit purpose digital cable TV set-top box.
• Fig 5 is a block diagram of an e-newspaper-subscribing device of this invention.
• Fig 6 is a block diagram of a bi-directional communication system for cable TV network operation of this invention.
• the present invention provides technologies, methods and manufacturing techniques of related apparatus enabling to transmit information data with subscriber's address, by inserting the television programs of network TV, satellite TV or cable TV broadcasting.
• the configuration of the preferred embodiment the operation and the functions are as follows:
• Fig 2 illustrates the block diagram of the subscriber's control unit for this invention, utilizing network TV broadcasting system.
• the invention comprising the tuner (101) acts as the receiver of transmitted control data signal, which is inserted into programs that are broadcast from the broadcasting station; signal separator (102) which separates the data signal from the broadcasting programs a central processing unit, CPU (110) for controlling the CPU (103) of TV set; address designator (112) for designating at least one or more address comprising group addresses and individual address of the subscriber's CPU (110); memory devise (113) which stores the transmitted data from the broadcasting station to the address designated specified subscriber; display means (111) that indicates arrival of the specified transmitted information from the broadcasting station; signal processing means (114) that converts the data stored in the memory means to receptable signals to TV by control of the CPU of the subscriber's control unit.
• descrambling means of TV broadcasting programs or security means can also be served by a subscriber's controlling unit.
• the host computer of the broadcasting station classifies subscribers into groups to be controlled or not to be controlled, and designates group addresses to subscribers with in-band signals of the broadcasting program of the station.
• the broadcasting station transmits information in data and inserted them in the form of TV broadcasting signal to subscribers by their addresses.
• the subscriber's CPU (110) receives information data and instruction data which is designated to specified subscriber by address (individual and group addresses) and controls the tuning of channel, On/Off switch, volume control or stores the specified data in memory means (113) according to the instruction data.
• the subscriber's CPU (110) controls the CPU (103) of TV set by the instruction signals separated by separate means (102) and the CPU (103) controls the tuning of the TV channels, On/Off and volume of the subscriber's TV even if the specified subscriber's TV is off or receiving other channels.
• the broadcasting station may broadcast educational programs in identical ways as providing group address and instruction data on the educational program of the specified class or subject. Subscriber's TV will be automatically turned on to a specified channel, where the registered class is being broadcast at specific time, allowing registrants to form study groups to join others who participate the same class and/or subject.
• a step is required to make subscriber's control unit which is comprised of a separating means (102) used to separate data signals from broadcasting signals, a CPU (110) coupled to the separating means to control TV channels, or On/Off and the volume of TV sets, and address designating means (112) coupled to the central processing means for designating at least two or more addresses consisting of individual address and group address; and finally a step is necessary to make a connecting protocol between the subscriber's CPU (110) and the CPU (103, 206, 306) of TV set or satellite set-top boxes or cable TV set-top boxes which support universal connecting means.
• the host computer of the broadcasting station designates a common group address by class or by subject, by calling the class registrants by individual address through in-band of the broadcasting signals, and broadcasting the educational programs with a common group address data signals and instruction data signal according to their class or subject. This is necessary so that the subscriber's control unit receives the instruction data signal by the common groups address, and control TV set or satellite set-top box or cable TV set-top box for tuning channels, On/Off and volume for subscribers to receive educational programs on time.
• This system also provides the method of evaluating individual's follow-ups and their attendance of lectures of the class or subject by giving questions for examination through broadcasting for grading examination and receiving answers from attendants in wire or wireless communication means to the host computer of the educational programs.
• the invention allows the broadcasting of special programs to the designated address of its private members only as of the said educational system.
• each subscriber may send to the host computer broadcasting stations, in case of public and satellite TV broadcasting, may transmit the address data of the recipient to the host computer using it's telephone communication modem with e- mail data to be transmitted, the broadcasting station that transmits addresses designated broadcasting signals, and in case of cable TV broadcasting the host computer itself as a relaying means constitutes of a system that acts as a bidirectional communication means by its own network.
• the broadcasting station may then insert the necessary data needed to prohibit the broadcasting of such programs, and designates a group address code to the subscriber's control unit to control subscriber's TV and skipping the prohibited programs that are being televised.
• the host computer will adjust the common group address of similar rate, endowing the necessary group address to control the unit of the subscriber, which allows the control of common address as subscribers may request to the host computer of the broadcasting station the prohibition of a specified class programs, this provides the improved system on the former V-chip.
• the e- newspaper delivery system as of Fig 5, which comprises of input means (511) for receiving digital data of newspaper from a host computer where the newspaper is transmitted in the form on digital data.
• the broadcasting station compresses and inserts the data signal of the newspaper from the host computer, the separating means (512) where it separates the newspaper data signals that is received from the input means; the first memory means (503) where is stores the data signal of the newspaper that was separated from the separator means; data processing means (507) where it converts and processes the signals from the first memory means, that are exposable to the TV monitor; searching means (508) that searches, enlarges or erase the specified newspaper data signal from the TV monitor; the CPU (506) that controls all of the mentioned controls; address designator means (502) for designating individual and group addresses from the CPU, printing means (509) that prints out specific articles of the newspaper; and second memory means that stores the specified articles which the subscriber had selected for storage.
• Transmitting digital data of the newspaper using network, satellite or cable TV broadcasting network is done by that the newspaper company sends the digital data to the host computer of the broadcasting station, the host computer of the broadcasting station inserting and transmitting the received data to the subscriber's terminal which, receiving and storing the transmitted newspaper data into the memory means, displaying the received newspaper data from the memory storage on the TV, where it enables the subscriber to enlarge and read the newspaper, and if necessary, storing and/or printing of a specific article that the subscriber had just read.
• the broadcasting stations host computer pages the individual addresses of the subscriber's electronic newspaper subscription unit and endowing group code addresses and inserting addresses by newspaper and by group together with the newspaper data from the broadcasting station for transmitting such data to the subscribers newspaper devise so that the specified and/or coded newspaper may reach the subscribers according to their subscriptions.
• satellite and cable TV set-top box by broadcasting ways and means, OSD language, multi lingual system, or data frequency are different from country to country, region to region.
• Fig 2 illustrates the set-top boxes for the addressable satellite TV broadcasting system which comprises of input means (201) for receiving the broadcasting signal, a separating means (209) for separating information data signal and instructions data signal, CPU (210) for controlling the tuning of channel, On/Off or volume control according to the instruction data from the host computer, an address designating means (212) for designating at least two or more of the address consisting of individual and group addresses, memory means(213) for storing data which CPU designated, a signal processing means (214) for processing signals stored in the memory means for TV and a display means (211) for displaying the signal when the message data stored in the memory means
• the subscriber's control unit When separating the subscriber's control unit from the set-top box by the form of attachable module or card, the subscriber's control unit comprises a signal receiving means by separator (209) for receiving the data signal which is separated from the input means, a CPU (210) for controlling CPU (206) of the set-top box by the instruction signal from the host computer for de-scrambling security for accessing to the system, tuning of channels and On/Off ' or volume control of the TV set, an address designating means (212) for designating at least one or more address for individual and group, and a standard protocol to connect between CPU (206) of set- top box and CPU (210) of subscriber's control unit.
• a signal receiving means by separator (209) for receiving the data signal which is separated from the input means
• a CPU (210) for controlling CPU (206) of the set-top box by the instruction signal from the host computer for de-scrambling security for accessing to the system, tuning of channels and On/Off ' or volume control of the TV set
• the set-top box When universalizing the set-top box with the attachable subscriber's control unit, the set-top box is classified into a fixed function and variable function.
• the fixed function is a singular-bodied unit assembled on a PCB (200), while variable functions are separable and modularized based on their functions according to country to country, and region to region, such as tuner (210), bilingual module (203), OSD module (205) by the television broadcasting standards such as NTSC, PAL and SECOM.
• Fig 3 illustrates a block diagram of directional set -top box for cable television network.
• the cable television set-top box also needs universalization due to the differences of standards of each country.
• set-top box The universalization of set-top box is also possible by making the set-top box into two groups, one as the fixed singularly mother board PCB (300) and variable functions in separated attachable modules such as tuner (301), MOD and DEMOD module (303), OSD module (304), descrambling and security module (305) according to television system such as NTSC, PAL and SECOM and standard of each country, by making standard data communication protocol between CPU (306) of the main board and CPU (CPU 1 - CPU 5) of each module, and by making the receiver and transmitter (320, 323) with variable frequency system between the host computer of the station and set-top box by changing the frequencies according to the instruction signal from the host computer through in-band or out of band communication.
• attachable modules such as tuner (301), MOD and DEMOD module (303), OSD module (304), descrambling and security module (305) according to television system such as NTSC, PAL and SECOM and standard of each country
• standard data communication protocol between CPU (306) of the main board and CPU (CPU
• set-top box enables analog TV to also be receptive if the signal conversion (309) attached to be connected both analog TV (340) and digital TV.
• Fig 4 illustrates the supplemented ways of the set-top box that has the multiple functions to connect digital and analog TV, connectable to the Internet as well as the various multi media.
• Fig 4 as a means of transmitting and receiving of set-top box, when supplementing the detachable module with the Internet connectable means, it would enable the addressable set-top box to connect to the Internet as well.
• this system enables to connect various multimedia equipment such as DVD, CD, and VCR by multi media connecting means (432 - 435) and with the signal from the multi media by the AN Switching means of the addressable set-top box.
• the subscriber's control CPU unit comprises of a signal receiving means CPU (310) used to control CPU (306) of the set- top box, used for controlling the broadcasting of specific programs that are either viewable or not, the power switch, the tuning of channels and the volume control of the TV set.
• An address designating means (312) for designating at least two or more addresses consisting of individual address and group address and the standard data communication protocol between the subscriber's CPU (310) and the CPU (306) of the set-top box with the connecting means to connect signals of Data, Clock and Tag.
• this system will be added to the memory means (313) to store data for e-mail or e-newspaper, and a signal processing means (314) for processing signals stored in the memory means for the TV sets, and display means (311) for indicating the status of the memory means.
• Some other advantages of this invention are providing the method for bi-directional communication for internet operation, e-commerce activities, e-mail operation and educational system by utilizing the directional television broadcasting signal as the down-stream signal and wire or wireless telephone network for the up-stream signal.
• the bi-directional data communication between the host computer of cable TV station and subscriber's set-top box in this invention is the multi-channel loop communication method by variable frequency.
• Fig 6 illustrates a block diagram of the multi-channel loop communication system of this invention with variable frequency.
• This system is comprised of the transmitter (616, 602) which has PLL circuit for the variable operation of frequency between the host computer of the broadcasting station and set-top boxes of the cable TV network receiver (605, 612) which having PLL circuit for variable frequency, memory means (604, 614) which are used to store a plurality of frequencies for variable operation, and in-band means (620) which the host computer transmits the instruction data signal with broadcasting signal.
• the method to make bi-directional data communication system between the host computer and a plurality of subscriber's set-top box is comprised of the steps to store at least two or more frequencies in the memory means (604,614) to use for communicate between the host computer and a plurality of set-top box, transmitting the instruction signal from the host computer (601) to subscriber's set-top box by in- band of the broadcasting signal, separating the instruction signal from the broadcasting signal at set-top box, changing frequency of the transmitter or receiver as of the instruction signal from the host computer by PLL (603, 613, 607, 616), and making a new communication channel utilizing new frequency which is changed by the instruction signal from the host computer (601).
• the host computer detects by the steps of transmitting the calling signals to a plurality of set- top box in high speed, calculating the return signals from the set-top box and detecting the noise or signal ingress by the calculation of return signal, transmitting an instruction signal to the subscriber's set-top box to change the frequency of the memory means when the designated number of return signals are not received with the new frequency. If the noises or signal ingress are found again in the new communication channel, the host computer transmits an instruction signal again to change the frequency to the third frequency of the memory means till the N number of frequencies and returns again the first frequency among the frequency loop of the memory means.
• the bi-directional communication channel between the host computer and a plurality of set-top box remains cleans and noise free, thus allowing a smooth operation of PC for internet through cable TV network.
• a host computer can communicate with a plurality of set-top box of the cable network by dividing the specified number of set-top box in a group-cell, designates the common frequency for each group-cell and make a communication network by which a host computer controls all of the set-top box by the group cell unit bases.
• This method is applicable to various types of cable TV system that utilizes wireless, power lines and/or telephone lines.
• the subscriber may store the data to be transmitted to the host computer, when the host computer gradually calls the memory means (330) to transmit the data signals that was stored, and that data is automatically deleted.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
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• Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
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• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Two-Way Televisions, Distribution Of Moving Picture Or The Like (AREA)

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• 2000
  • 2000-10-18 CN CN 00817341 patent/CN1411663A/zh active Pending
  • 2000-10-18 GB GB0211213A patent/GB2376580B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2000-10-18 AU AU10586/01A patent/AU1058601A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-10-18 WO PCT/KR2000/001165 patent/WO2001033853A1/en active Application Filing

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