WO2002021841A1 - Multimedia et systeme informatique - Google Patents

Multimedia et systeme informatique Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2002021841A1
WO2002021841A1 PCT/US2001/022002 US0122002W WO0221841A1 WO 2002021841 A1 WO2002021841 A1 WO 2002021841A1 US 0122002 W US0122002 W US 0122002W WO 0221841 A1 WO0221841 A1 WO 0221841A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
multimedia
media server
home media
channel
network
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2001/022002
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Stephen G. Perlman
Original Assignee
Moxi Digital 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
Application filed by Moxi Digital Inc. filed Critical Moxi Digital Inc.
Priority to AU2002238153A priority Critical patent/AU2002238153A1/en
Publication of WO2002021841A1 publication Critical patent/WO2002021841A1/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L65/00—Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication
    • H04L65/10—Architectures or entities
    • H04L65/102—Gateways
    • H04L65/1023—Media gateways
    • H04L65/1026—Media gateways at the edge
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
    • H04H20/00—Arrangements for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast
    • H04H20/53—Arrangements specially adapted for specific applications, e.g. for traffic information or for mobile receivers
    • H04H20/61—Arrangements specially adapted for specific applications, e.g. for traffic information or for mobile receivers for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast
    • H04H20/63—Arrangements specially adapted for specific applications, e.g. for traffic information or for mobile receivers for local area broadcast, e.g. instore broadcast to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
    • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
    • H04L12/2801—Broadband local area networks
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
    • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
    • H04L12/2803—Home automation networks
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
    • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
    • H04L12/2803—Home automation networks
    • H04L12/283—Processing of data at an internetworking point of a home automation network
    • H04L12/2834—Switching of information between an external network and a home network
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
    • H04L12/54—Store-and-forward switching systems 
    • H04L12/56—Packet switching systems
    • H04L12/5691—Access to open networks; Ingress point selection, e.g. ISP selection
    • H04L12/5692—Selection among different networks
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L65/00—Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication
    • H04L65/10—Architectures or entities
    • H04L65/102—Gateways
    • H04L65/1033—Signalling gateways
    • H04L65/1036—Signalling gateways at the edge
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L65/00—Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication
    • H04L65/60—Network streaming of media packets
    • H04L65/61—Network streaming of media packets for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
    • H04L65/611—Network streaming of media packets for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio for multicast or broadcast
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L65/00—Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication
    • H04L65/60—Network streaming of media packets
    • H04L65/75—Media network packet handling
    • H04L65/764—Media network packet handling at the destination 
    • 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
    • H04N21/426—Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof
    • 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
    • H04N21/443—OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
    • H04H40/00—Arrangements specially adapted for receiving broadcast information
    • H04H40/18—Arrangements characterised by circuits or components specially adapted for receiving
    • H04H40/27—Arrangements characterised by circuits or components specially adapted for receiving specially adapted for broadcast systems covered by groups H04H20/53 - H04H20/95
    • H04H40/90—Arrangements characterised by circuits or components specially adapted for receiving specially adapted for broadcast systems covered by groups H04H20/53 - H04H20/95 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
    • 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
    • H04H60/76—Arrangements characterised by transmission systems other than for broadcast, e.g. the Internet
    • H04H60/81—Arrangements characterised by transmission systems other than for broadcast, e.g. the Internet characterised by the transmission system itself
    • H04H60/82—Arrangements characterised by transmission systems other than for broadcast, e.g. the Internet characterised by the transmission system itself the transmission system being the Internet
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
    • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
    • H04L12/2803—Home automation networks
    • H04L2012/284—Home automation networks characterised by the type of medium used
    • H04L2012/2841—Wireless
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
    • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
    • H04L12/2803—Home automation networks
    • H04L2012/284—Home automation networks characterised by the type of medium used
    • H04L2012/2845—Telephone line
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
    • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
    • H04L12/2803—Home automation networks
    • H04L2012/2847—Home automation networks characterised by the type of home appliance used
    • H04L2012/2849—Audio/video appliances

Definitions

  • This invention relates generally to the field of multimedia systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a multimedia system for storing and coordinating the distribution of multimedia content and data over local and remote communication channels.
  • audio and video content today may be digitally encoded on compact disks ("CDs”), digital video disks ("DVDs”), MiniDisksTM, digital audio/video tapes, and VHS tapes.
  • CDs compact disks
  • DVDs digital video disks
  • MiniDisksTM digital audio/video tapes
  • VHS tapes digital audio/video tapes
  • DSL digital subscriber lines
  • consumers are frequently turning to the Internet to retrieve, store and play back audio and video content (e.g., in "MP3” or "MPEG-2” format, respectively).
  • MP3 digital subscriber lines
  • MPEG-2 MPEG-2
  • various direct-to-home satellite broadcast systems e.g., DirecTVTM, the Dish NetworkTM
  • Internet service via dial-up, DSL and cable
  • AM/FM radio AM/FM radio
  • a home media server comprising: means for receiving broadcast multimedia content; means for receiving packet-switched multimedia content; means for converting the broadcast multimedia content and said packet switched multimedia content into a standard multimedia content format; and means for distributing the multimedia content in the standard format to a plurality of multimedia nodes.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a network architecture for implementing embodiments of the invention.
  • FIG. 2a illustrates one embodiment of a home media server hardware architecture.
  • FIG. 2b illustrates one embodiment of a home media server software architecture.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates a plurality of media modules installed in one embodiment of a home media server.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of a home media server which includes a DVD/CD/CD-RW drive.
  • FIG. 5 illustrates a home media server communicating to two audio/video media nodes over a wireless network.
  • FIG. 6a illustrates one embodiment of a multimedia node hardware architecture.
  • FIG. 6b illustrates one embodiment of a multimedia node software architecture.
  • FIG. 6c illustrates one embodiment of the system for tuning between multimedia channels.
  • FIG. 6d illustrates one embodiment of the system for playing a CD jukebox.
  • FIG. 7a illustrates one embodiment of a home media server for coordinating between standard telephone services and IP telephone services.
  • FIG. 7b illustrates one embodiment of a software architecture for implementing standard telephone, IP telephone and/or video conferencing.
  • FIG. 7c illustrates a signal diagram of communication between a home media server and telephone.
  • FIG. 8a illustrates a home media server coordinating between standard broadcast channels and packet-switched channels (e.g., the Internet).
  • standard broadcast channels e.g., the Internet
  • packet-switched channels e.g., the Internet
  • FIG. 8b illustrates a potential progression of bandwidth allocation between packet switched channels and analog/digital broadcast channels.
  • FIG. 8c illustrates multimedia buffering according to one embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 9a illustrates a histogram showing a normalized bitrate for a particular multimedia stream.
  • FIG. 9b illustrates one embodiment of a system for intelligent bandwidth allocation and buffering.
  • FIG.9c illustrates bitrate data normalized at one second intervals.
  • FIG. 9d illustrates bitrate data for three separate multimedia streams normalized at 10 second intervals.
  • FIGS. 9e-m illustrate histograms of normalized bitrate data for various DVDs.
  • FIG. 10 illustrates a cable television module according to one embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 11 illustrates a satellite module according to one embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 12 illustrates a cable modem module according to one embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 13 illustrates copyright tags implemented in one embodiment of the invention.
  • a digital media server 110 equipped with a processor and a mass storage device acts as a central repository for decoding, storing and distributing multimedia content and data. More particularly, the digital media server 100 coordinates multimedia content from Internet communication channels 120 (e.g., DSL, cable Internet), broadcast communication channels 130 (e.g., digital/analog cable, satellite), and/or Public Switched Telephone Network (“PSTN”) communication channels 170 (i.e., standard telephone) to provide a stable, real-time home media network 140 for a plurality of network devices 150-151, 160-166.
  • Internet communication channels 120 e.g., DSL, cable Internet
  • broadcast communication channels 130 e.g., digital/analog cable, satellite
  • PSTN Public Switched Telephone Network
  • a home media server 110 computing architecture includes a central processing unit 200 capable of processing data and multimedia content stored in main memory 201 and a mass storage device 230 for storing data and multimedia content.
  • the central processing unit 200 is a Pentium®-class processor such as a Pentium III® operating at a 1 GHz or faster clock frequency. It should be noted, however, that the underlying principles of the invention are not limited to any particular processor speed or processor type.
  • the main memory 201 may be a random access memory or any other dynamic storage medium (e.g., SDRAM, DDRAM, RD-RAM, . . . etc).
  • the mass storage device 230 of one embodiment is capable of storing hundreds, or even thousands of hours of multimedia content (e.g., movies, digital audio, . . . etc) as well as other types of digital data (e.g., computer programs, word processing documents, . . . etc).
  • Devices transmit and receive data to/from the mass storage device 230 over a high speed interface such as an enhanced IDE interface with Ultra DMA capabilities or a Small Computer System Interface ("SCSI").
  • SCSI Small Computer System Interface
  • An application-specific integrated circuit (“ASIC") 210 coordinates communication between the various system components and offloads certain designated processing tasks from the CPU.
  • the ASIC may be custom built based on the requirements of the home media server 110 or may be built using gate arrays, standard cells or programmable logic devices.
  • Communication modules 240-245 electrically coupled to the home media server 110 via a system bus 220, allow the home media server 110 to communicate over different local and remote communication channels.
  • the system bus 220 is a peripheral component interconnect ("PCI") bus, although various other bus types may be configured within the home media server 110 (e.g., ISA, EISA, Micro Channel, VL-bus . . . etc).
  • the communication modules 240-245 electrically coupled to the system bus 220 include an RF network module 240 for communicating over the home media network 140 (i.e., via a wireless RF channel), a cable TV module 241 for receiving broadcast cable channels, a cable modem module 242 for providing Internet access via a cable system (i.e., using the TCP/IP protocol), a satellite TV module 243 for receiving satellite broadcasts, and a DSL module 244 for DSL Internet access.
  • RF network module 240 for communicating over the home media network 140 (i.e., via a wireless RF channel)
  • a cable TV module 241 for receiving broadcast cable channels
  • a cable modem module 242 for providing Internet access via a cable system (i.e., using the TCP/IP protocol)
  • satellite TV module 243 for receiving satellite broadcasts
  • DSL module 244 for DSL Internet access.
  • a virtually unlimited number of new modules may be added as necessary to support new or existing communication channels/protocols (as indicated by module 245)
  • an MPEG- 2 decode module 202 (and/or other decode modules such as AC3, MPEG-1, . . . etc); an audio module 203 comprised of a digital-to-analog converter, a Sony-Philips Digital Interconnect Format ("SP-DIF") interface and a standard telephony interface for providing digital and analog audio and standard telephone service to external audio/telephony devices; an Ethernet port provided directly the system ASIC 210 (as indicated by the "100 Base-T Ethernet” designation); a Firewire (IEEE 1394) port 204; a Universal Serial Bus (“USB”) port 205; and an infrared port 206.
  • MPEG- 2 decode module 202 and/or other decode modules such as AC3, MPEG-1, . . . etc
  • an audio module 203 comprised of a digital-to-analog converter, a Sony-Philips Digital Interconnect Format ("SP-DIF") interface and a standard telephony interface for providing digital and analog audio and standard telephone service to external audio
  • Various other communication interfaces may be configured in the system, either directly on the primary home media server architecture 110 (e.g., on the media server 110 "motherboard"), or as an add-on module 240-245.
  • the communication modules e.g., 202-206
  • the CPU 200 and/or the memory 201 may be incorporated within the system ASIC 210, rather than as separate modules as illustrated in Figure 2a.
  • Embodiments of the home media server 110 may also be equipped with a DVD drive, CD player, CD Read- Write drive, recordable DVD drive (as described in greater detail below), and/or any other type of portable storage medium 235.
  • these devices may communicate with the home media server 110 via an AT Attachment Packet Interface ("AT API"), although the type of interface used is not pertinent to the underlying principles of the invention.
  • AT API AT Attachment Packet Interface
  • FIG 2b illustrates a software architecture employed in one embodiment of the home media server 110.
  • Different hardware architectures 280 may be used to support the software, including the hardware architecture illustrated in Figure 2a.
  • a multitasking, multithreaded operating system (“OS") 270 e.g., Linux, UNIX, Windows NT®
  • OS multithreaded operating system
  • certain proprietary customizations 292 are programmed in the media server OS 270 including, for example, real time services for streaming audio and video (real time OSs typically do not include these features).
  • a media toolkit 260 executed within the home media server 110 provides an application programming interface ("API") for the different media server 110 applications described herein as well as a set of media server 110 utilities.
  • API application programming interface
  • QoS minimum quality of service
  • the media toolkit 110 may be comprised of several functional layers including a media stream abstraction layer; a media stream resource management layer; a security/conditional access layer; and a transport/storage abstraction layer.
  • the home media server 110 is configured with support for the realtime transport protocol (“RTP”) and the realtime streaming protocol (“RTSP”) (see, e.g., RTP/RTSP module 251).
  • RTP is an IP protocol which supports real time transmission of voice and video.
  • An RTP packet typically resides on top of a user datagram protocol (“UDP”) and includes timestamping and synchronization information in its header for proper reassembly at the receiving end.
  • RTSP is a well known protocol for streaming multimedia content over a network. It should be noted, however, that various other streaming protocols may be implemented while still complying with the underlying principles of the invention (e.g., Quicktime®, Windows Media, . . . etc).
  • RTP and RTSP were designed primarily for PC to PC communication over non- realtime networks. Accordingly, because one embodiment of the home media server 110 operates over a realtime home media network 140 and communicates to devices other than PCs (e.g., media nodes 150, 151), certain optimizations 290 may be programmed within the RTP/RTSP component 251. These include, for example, support for multiple data streams between the home media server 110 and the various multimedia devices 150, 151; 160-166 (e.g., one or more video streams and several audio streams)
  • Apache HTTP server support 250 is also included in one embodiment of the home media server 110.
  • Apache is an open-source HTTP server software product which may be executed on various modern desktop and server operating systems.
  • certain media server customizations 290 may be included within the Apache component 250, further refining HTTP support for the home media network 140 environment.
  • a plurality of device servers 252 are executed on the home media server 110. These devices servers provide application support for each of the media nodes 150-151 and other devices 160-166 communicating with the home media server 110 over the home media network 140. For example, in response to a "tune" command sent from a media node 150, a tuning device server will cause the home media server to tune to a broadcast channel specified by the tune command.
  • the tuning server may also include conditional access functionality (i.e., only allowing tuning to occur for channels to which the user has access rights).
  • numerous digital and analog devices may be configured to communicate with the home media server 110 over the home media network 140.
  • these include personal computers 160, cameras or digital camcorders 161, printers 162, notebook computers 163, automotive audio/video systems 164, cell phones or personal digital assistants 165, standard telephones 165 (including fax machines), home security systems (not shown); and/or home climate control systems (not shown).
  • complex multimedia and data processing such as tuning to selected channels, recording of specified programs/music, storing phone numbers and personal data, connecting to remote network sites, etc.
  • these devices 160-166 may be manufactured relatively inexpensively.
  • multimedia nodes 150, 151 may be equipped with just enough processing power and memory to receive and play back a multimedia signal, with storage and control (e.g., tuning) functions offloaded to the home media server 110.
  • a telephone 166 may be designed with nothing more than a low power microcontroller coupled to an RF transmitter, with telephony functions and contact data storage provided by the home media server 110.
  • the primary communication medium over which the home media server 110 and the various devices 150-151, 160-166 communicate is wireless RF (e.g., via network module 240), with terrestrial transport connections such as Ethernet reserved for devices which are not within RF transmission range.
  • certain devices which require a substantial amount of home media network 140 bandwidth e.g., high definition television 170
  • devices which are in close proximity to the media server 110 may be configured to communicate over terrestrial transports, depending on the requirements of the particular configuration.
  • Distributed multimedia nodes 150 and 151 illustrated in Figure 1 provide an interface to the home media network 140 for audio systems 170 (e.g., audio amplifiers and speakers) and/or video systems 171 (e.g., standard television sets, wide screen television sets, high definition television (“HDTV”) sets, or any other device capable of displaying video).
  • audio systems 170 e.g., audio amplifiers and speakers
  • video systems 171 e.g., standard television sets, wide screen television sets, high definition television (“HDTV”) sets, or any other device capable of displaying video.
  • HDTV high definition television
  • a multimedia node architecture (see, e.g., node 150 in Figure 1), is comprised of a network interface 605 coupled to the multimedia node bus 610 (e.g., a PCI bus); a system ASIC 620, including MPEG-2 decode/graphics logic 630 (or other multimedia decode logic); a central processing unit 640 and memory 650; an audio processing unit 660; and/or an infrared port 670.
  • the multimedia node bus 610 e.g., a PCI bus
  • system ASIC 620 including MPEG-2 decode/graphics logic 630 (or other multimedia decode logic)
  • central processing unit 640 and memory 650 e.g., an audio processing unit 660
  • an infrared port 670 e.g., an infrared port
  • the local central processing unit 640 and memory 650 execute programs and process data locally (i.e., at the multimedia nodes 150, 151).
  • the system ASIC 620 decodes and processes incoming multimedia content transmitted from the home media server 110 via MPEG-2 decode/graphics logic 630 (or other multimedia compression standard) to produce one or more video outputs 680 (e.g., an NTSC output, an HDTV output, . . . etc).
  • a separate audio processing unit 660 produces both digital and analog audio outputs, 681 and 682, respectively.
  • one embodiment also includes a local mass storage device (not shown) for storing certain multimedia content and/or data (e.g., frequently-requested content/data).
  • the local infrared interface 670 receives control commands from a remote control unit (e.g., unit 532 in Figure 5) operated by a user. As described below with reference to Figure 5, control. data/commands received through the infrared interface 670 may subsequently be transmitted to the home media server 110 for processing. For example, in one embodiment, if a user selects a command to change to a live broadcast channel (e.g., the evening news), the command is transmitted from multimedia node 151 to a home media server 110 tuning application, which forwards the command to a video module (e.g., CATV module 241, satellite TV module 243).
  • a video module e.g., CATV module 241, satellite TV module 243.
  • the tuner in the video module (see, e.g., tuner 910 in Figure 9) then tunes to the requested frequency and the new video signal is streamed from the home media server 110 to the multimedia node 151.
  • the requested content was previously stored on the home media server 110 (e.g., on mass storage device 230)
  • no broadcast tuning is necessary - the content is simply read from the storage device 230 and transmitted to the multimedia node 150. Accordingly, as described in greater detail below, the amount of audio/video content which must be broadcast to the home media server 110 (i.e., over dedicated broadcast channels) is significantly reduced.
  • FIG. 6b One embodiment of a multimedia node 150 software architecture is illustrated in Figure 6b.
  • Various hardware architectures 690 may be used to support the software architecture, including the architecture illustrated in Figure 6a.
  • An operating system 691 executed on hardware 690 e.g., Windows '98, Linux, . . . etc
  • client customizations for optimizing communication over the home media network 140 e.g., providing low level support for real time streaming of audio and video).
  • a standard set of user interface components 694 included in one embodiment may be employed (e.g., by application developers) to generate unique interactive interfaces at each of the media nodes 150, 151.
  • a user-navigable tuning index may be included which lists available content by dates/times and allows users to graphically select a particular broadcast channel and/or stored content from the mass storage device 230.
  • HTML hypertext markup language
  • XML extensible markup language
  • Multimedia nodes 150, 151 may include client-specific applications 697 and/or home media server 110 control applications 696.
  • client-specific applications 697 and/or home media server 110 control applications 696 Two examples of media server control application 696 will now be described with reference to Figures 6c-6d. It should be noted, however, that these examples are for the purpose of illustration only and should not be read to limit the scope of the invention.
  • FIG 6c illustrates an embodiment for tuning to a particular broadcast channel (e.g., cable, satellite broadcast).
  • a user initially selects a particular channel (e.g., via a remote control device) to be viewed at the local multimedia node 151.
  • the command is received by the local TV tuning application 601 executed on the multimedia node 151, which sends a tuning request to the home media server 110 over the home media network 140.
  • a tuner server module 602 executed on the home media server 110 receives the request and forwards the request to the tuner driver 271 (e.g., through the media toolkit 260).
  • the tuner driver 271 directs the tuner hardware (see, e.g., tuner 910 in Figure 9 described below) to tune to the specified channel.
  • the tuner driver also communicates with the conditional access subsystem (see, e.g., module 930 in Figure 9) to determine whether the user has the right to view the particular channel (e.g., the channel may be a subscription-based channel such
  • the tuner server module 252 creates video stream for the specified broadcast channel and feeds the stream to the multimedia node 151.
  • the tuner server module 602 creates the stream using the RTP/RTSP protocol (i.e., by communicating with the RTP/RTSP module 251).
  • the media node receives the stream through the local TV tuning application 601 and decodes the stream using a codec embedded within the media toolkit 260 (various additional encoding features of the system are set forth below). Once decoded, the video image is generated on the video display.
  • Figure 6d illustrates an embodiment for employing a music jukebox at a multimedia node 150.
  • a user initially selects a particular music play list (e.g., via a remote control device) to be played at the multimedia node 150.
  • the request is received by a music jukebox application 601 executed on the multimedia node 150, which forwards the request to the home media server 110.
  • a jukebox server module 604 executed on the home media server 110 receives the request and forwards the request to the media server file system 606 (through the media toolkit 260), which retrieves the music files from the mass storage device 230.
  • the jukebox server module 604 then creates the audio stream for the specified files and feeds the stream to the multimedia node 150.
  • the tuner server module 252 uses the RTP RTSP protocol to create the stream (e.g., through communication with the RTP/RTSP module 251).
  • the multimedia node 150 receives the stream through its jukebox application 601 and decodes the stream using a codec embedded within the media toolkit 260. Once decoded, the music tracks are reproduced on a set of speakers.
  • a network operation center (“NOC”) 180 illustrated in Figure 1 provides data and multimedia services for the home media server 110.
  • the NOC may be comprised of one or more servers communicating with the home media server 110 over the Internet 120 (or other network).
  • the NOC performs one or more of the following functions: Remote Monitoring and Maintenance.
  • the NOC 180 monitors the home media server to ensure that it is operating within normal parameters.
  • the home media server 110 periodically transmits a status update to the NOC 180, indicating whether any particular services are required and/or whether any problems have arisen. If the home media server 110 fails to transmit a status update after a predetermined period of time, the NOC 180 may take steps to determine the cause of the problem and/or take steps to contact the user.
  • diagnostic tests may be performed to evaluate the network connection between the home media server 110 and the NOC 180. If the diagnostic tests do not provide an answer, then the user may be contacted via telephone to determine the next course of action.
  • NOC 180 is staffed by engineers or other technical assistance personnel 24-hours a day.
  • the user's home security system and/or fire system communicates with the home media server 110 over the home media network 140.
  • the home media server 110 may be programmed to relay home security and/or fire system data to the NOC 180 on a periodic basis during certain periods of time (e.g., every minute). If a security problem or fire trouble indication is encountered during this period of time (e.g., a door/window is opened without the proper security access code), the NOC 180 may notify a local law enforcement agency and/or the local fire department.
  • the NOC 180 provides automated software downloading and upgrades to the home media server 110. For example, when a new software interface/program (e.g., a new graphical user interface) is developed for the home media server 110 it may be automatically downloaded from the NOC 180 and installed. Whether the NOC 180 should upgrade software on the home media server 110 automatically may be determined by each individual user. Certain users may opt to manually upgrade all of their software while other users may specify a particular subset of software to be automatically upgraded. For example, a user may specify automatic upgrades for graphical user interface software and manual upgrades for email clients and word processors.
  • a new software interface/program e.g., a new graphical user interface
  • the NOC 180 may store up-to-date drivers for various home media network devices 160-166.
  • the device may automatically identify itself to the home media server 110 (e.g., via USB, IEEE 1394 or other device identification technology).
  • the home media server 110 will then determine whether the device is supported by the system and, if so, query the NOC 180 for the latest driver.
  • the driver is automatically downloaded from the NOC 180 and installed on the home media server 110. Once installed, the driver may be updated automatically as new updates become available. Accordingly, driver software will no longer need to be bundled with home network devices 160-166, resulting an additional cost savings to the end-user.
  • users will not be required to install and configure device drivers for each new network device they purchase.
  • the home media server 110 may check the NOC 180 to determine whether the home network device has been certified by the NOC 180 as meeting some minimum level of quality and/or performance.
  • device drivers will be downloaded and installed on the system only if the device has been certified. In this manner, a minimum quality of service may be maintained for all devices employed on the system.
  • communication modules 240-245 such as those described above.
  • certain communication modules 240-245 which do not meet a minimum quality of service requirement e.g., those which perform inefficient bus transactions which tie up the system bus 220
  • NOC 180 will not be certified by the NOC 180 and will not be permitted to be installed in the home media server 110.
  • the communication modules 240-245 are manufactured and certified by third party content providers (e.g., satellite broadcast operators).
  • the content providers may configure the modules 240-245 to work with their own proprietary communication protocols, encryption techniques, and/or application programs.
  • DirecTVTM may develop a proprietary interface for its users so that when a user selects his DirecTV feed he will be presented with a unique user interface and/or channel programming environment. Accordingly, while the present invention provides a standard media transport interface for a variety of different communication channels, service providers can still distinguish their services based on the proprietary applications/transports which they develop.
  • the NOC 180 may perform logging and data warehousing for the home media server 110. More specifically, the NOC
  • the NOC 180 may maintain a log of network transactions for each home media server 110 and subsequently evaluate the log for a variety of reasons (e.g., to troubleshoot system problems, to determine a user's preferences and tailor services and/or advertising to that user, . . . etc). For example, by monitoring usage patterns, the NOC 180 may determine that every time a certain Java applet is downloaded, the home media server 110 crashes. As such, the NOC 180 may takes steps to ensure that the applet in question is no longer downloaded by the home media server 110 (e.g., by notifying the user or automatically blocking the applet). The NOC 180 could then notify the technical support staff to determine the problem with the applet.
  • reasons e.g., to troubleshoot system problems, to determine a user's preferences and tailor services and/or advertising to that user, . . . etc.
  • the NOC 180 may determine that every time a certain Java applet is downloaded, the home media server 110 crashes. As such, the NOC 180 may takes steps to ensure that
  • the usage log may be evaluated to determine the preferences of a user and to provide specialized services to that user based on those preferences. For example, based on the Web sites the user visits and/or the channels that the user watches, the NOC 180 may determine that the user is interested in baseball. As such, the NOC 180 may automatically provide baseball-related content to the user such as, for example, broadcast schedules for upcoming games, a subscription offer to a sports magazine, advertisements, and various other baseball-related content.
  • baseball-related content such as, for example, broadcast schedules for upcoming games, a subscription offer to a sports magazine, advertisements, and various other baseball-related content.
  • the NOC 180 may determine that the user watches certain television shows on a regular basis, and may automatically download/record those shows on the home media server 110 (e.g., via TCP/IP), so that they will be readily available for the user (e.g., during non-broadcast periods of time).
  • users may backup multimedia content and other types of data at the NOC 180.
  • a user may take a series of pictures with a digital camera and transmit the originals to the NOC 180 for developing.
  • the NOC will transmit the pictures to a developer on behalf of the user and will store a backup copy of each of the originals (the NOC 180 will be backed up regularly to prevent loss of the originals).
  • the NOC 180 will monitor all multimedia content purchased by the user over the Internet. For example, when the user downloads a new compact disk ("CD") from a music download site, the NOC 180 will record the transaction in the user's profile. As such, the user does not need to store all of his/her multimedia content locally on the home media server 110. Rather, because the NOC 180 keeps track of all the content to which the user has access rights, the user can offload storage to the NOC 180 and re- download the content when necessary (e.g., following a hard drive failure on the home media server 110).
  • CD compact disk
  • users may be required to register with the NOC 180 upon purchasing a home media server 110 and related network devices 150-151, 160-166.
  • the NOC 180 may prompt each user to respond to a series of question directed to the user's preferences, the type/level of NOC 180 services desired by the user, the authorization level of each user in the home media server 110 household (e.g., children may be provided with limited limited functionality), and any other user-related data which may aid the NOC 180 in providing user services.
  • the NOC 180 will automatically detect the home media server 110 configuration and store this data in a user database (e.g., to be used for software upgrades, troubleshooting, . . . etc).
  • the NOC 180 will coordinate communication between the home media server 110 and any satellite/cable services to which the user has subscribed. For example, the NOC 180 may forward pay-per- view requests transmitted from the home media server 110 to the various cable/satellite operators, and perform the back-end processing (e.g., authentication, billing) required for the pay-per-view transaction. Because a persistent communication channel exists between the NOC 180 and the home media server 110 (e.g., through DSL or cable modem), no dial-up processing is required (unlike current pay-per-view cable and satellite systems).
  • the NOC 180 may forward pay-per- view requests transmitted from the home media server 110 to the various cable/satellite operators, and perform the back-end processing (e.g., authentication, billing) required for the pay-per-view transaction. Because a persistent communication channel exists between the NOC 180 and the home media server 110 (e.g., through DSL or cable modem), no dial-up processing is required (unlike current pay-per-view cable and satellite systems).
  • the NOC 180 may perform various e-commerce functions itself.
  • the NOC 180 may market and sell products on behalf of other online retailers (e.g., Amazon.com®).
  • the NOC 180 of this embodiment may perform the back-end processing (e.g., billing and record keeping) required for each e-commerce transaction.
  • the NOC 180 will provide support for applications executed on the home media server 110.
  • the NOC 180 may provide a compact disk database containing CD titles, track information, CD serial numbers, etc.
  • the home media server 110 may query the database (as described in greater detail below) and download title and track information (or other information) used to identify/index each CD and each track.
  • public CD databases e.g., such as the database maintained at "www.cddb.com"
  • Various other types of application support may be implemented at the
  • NOC 180 consistent with the underlying principles of the invention.
  • Remote-Access Gateway the NOC 180 may be used as a gateway to access to the home media server 110 from a remote location.
  • a user from a PC connected to the Internet may log in to his home media server 110 through the NOC 180.
  • the home media server 110 is configured to make outgoing connections only (i.e., to reject direct incoming connections).
  • the home media server 110 may poll the NOC 180 periodically (e.g., every few seconds) and transmit a status update. During this periodic poll the home media server 110 may query the NOC 180 to determine whether anyone is attempting to access the home media server 110 from a remote location. If so, then the NOC 180 transmits specific information related to the connection attempt to the home media server 110 (e.g., authentication data such as user ED' . s, passwords, . . . etc). The home media server 110 may then initiate a connection with the remote user (e.g., using the remote user's IP address and encryption key).
  • the remote user e.g., using the remote user's IP address and encryption key.
  • the NOC 180 will authenticate the remote user before notifying the home media server 110 of the connection attempt. For example, upon receipt of a remote connection request, the NOC 180 may prompt the user to answer a series of questions (e.g., personal questions, questions related to the user's account, . . . etc). If the user does not answer the questions in a satisfactory manner, a member of the NOC staff may contact the user directly (e.g., via standard telephone or IP telephone). Regardless of how authentication takes place, once a remote user is authenticated, the user's data is transmitted to the home media server 110, which subsequently establishes a connection with the remote user. Additional Home Media Server Embodiments and Applications
  • FIG. 3 An external illustration of one embodiment of the home media server 110 is shown in Figures 3 and 4 (from the back and front, respectfully).
  • Figure 3 shows a home media server 110 with a plurality of different media modules 320-325 installed in its expansion bays (i.e., electrically coupled to its system bus 220).
  • certain standard communication ports such as Ethernet 301, IEEE 1394302, USB 303, digital/analog audio 305, standard telephone 304, XGA/HDTV 306, and/or other standard audio/video ports (e.g., AV output ports 307 and 308) may be installed directly in the primary home media server, rather than as an expansion card.
  • one embodiment of the system includes a DVD player 420 (and/or a CD player, CD-Re Writable drive, recordable DVD drive or other type of portable digital media player/recorder).
  • the DVD player 420 is capable of playing a DVD directly and/or transferring multimedia content from the DVD to the mass storage device 230.
  • an indexing module executed on the home media server 110 indexes the multimedia content in a content database (not shown).
  • DVD/CD identification techniques may be used to identify the particular DVD/CD inserted and copied to the storage device 230. For example, a checksum may be calculated for a known unique portion of the DVD/CD and compared with a CD/DVD checksum database (e.g., maintained at the NOC 180 or other server). Similarly, the serial number may be read from the DVD/CD and compared with a database of DVD/CD serial numbers. Additional DVD/CD identification techniques which may be utilized in accordance with the principles of the invention are disclosed in co-pending applications entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SCALING A VIDEO SIGNAL, Serial No. 09/632,458, filed August 4, 2000; and COMPACT DISK AND DIGITAL VIDEO DISK
  • the storage device 230 (e.g., a hard drive) is preferably large enough to store hundreds of hours of video and/or audio content, as well as a variety of other digital information such as telephone voice messages, computer programs/data . . . etc.
  • the current recommended size for the storage device 230 is at least 80 gigabytes, however the particular size of the storage device is not pertinent to the underlying principles of the invention.
  • One or more RF transmitters 430 are also provided in one embodiment of the home media server 110.
  • the transmitter 430 (as well as the LAN 390, if one is installed) allows the home media server 110 to simultaneously transmit multimedia content and other types of data to the various media devices 150-151, 160-166 over the home media network 140 (e.g., at least one MPEG-2 video stream and several audio streams).
  • the wireless transmission system is capable of handling isochronous multimedia traffic reliably (i.e., without jitter) in a wide range of residential settings.
  • the system must be capable of working in the presence of common residential RF interference such as microwave ovens and cell phones.
  • these requirements are met through the proper choice of modulation and coding.
  • one embodiment employs a modified version of IEEE 802.11b adapted to operate in a real time environment (e.g., using Reed-Solomon forward error-correction and antenna diversity with circular polarization).
  • Figure 5 illustrates a home media server 110 communicating simultaneously with a video node 520 and an audio node 522.
  • Certain multimedia nodes such as node 522, include an LCD 524 (or other type of display) for displaying information about the multimedia content stored on home media server 110 (e.g., CD and movie titles, CD tracks . . . etc).
  • the audio node 522 may be electrically coupled to an amplifier for amplifying the transmitted audio signal into a pair of speakers.
  • the individual multimedia nodes also include local storage devices (not shown) for locally caching recently used multimedia content and data.
  • Data/commands sent from remote control devices 530, 532 are transmitted through the nodes 520, 522 to the home/media server 110 as indicated.
  • the remote control devices include an LCD (not shown) or other type of display for displaying information about the multimedia content stored on home media server 110 (i.e., instead of, or in addition to, the multimedia node 522 display 524).
  • all of a user's data, music and video may be stored in a single location (i.e., home media server 110) and accessed from anywhere in the house (e.g., stereo node 522) or the car (e.g., via an automotive multimedia node 164 as indicated in Figure 1).
  • the home media server 110 is connected to the Internet through, for example, a persistent DSL connection 360, the user can access all of the stored content from various other locations across the globe (e.g., a summer home or a hotel while away on business).
  • One embodiment of the system provides a secure, encrypted data stream when content/data is requested from the home media server 110 in this manner, thereby protecting the user's privacy as well as the copyrights to the underlying multimedia content.
  • a multimedia node when the automobile is parked within range of the media server's RF transmissions, music or other audio/video content may be transmitted and stored on a storage device within the automobile, even when it is not running.
  • the specific type of audio/video content to be transmitted at a particular time during the day or week may be variable, based on users' preferences.
  • the home media server 110 may be configured to transmit up-to- date traffic reports during the morning and evening hours before the user leaves home/work. The user will then receive an instant traffic report as soon as he starts his car in the morning and/or evening, followed by music or video selected based on the user's preferences.
  • CD-ReWritable (“CD-RW”) drive
  • users can produce custom CDs using the audio content stored on the mass storage device 230 or downloaded from the Internet.
  • the CD-RW drive may utilize serial copy management techniques to produce CDs which cannot themselves be copied, thereby protecting the copyrights to the underlying works.
  • the system will determine whether the content owner or content creator allows copying of the multimedia content. For example, certain content creators/owners may allow a copy to be stored on the home media server mass storage device 230, but may not allow copying to a portable disk (e.g., a CD-RW disk).
  • content stored on the mass storage device 230 may be labeled as non-copyable by setting one or more "copy" bits to a particular value (e.g., in a bit field associated with the content).
  • a portable music/video player node may be configured to retrieve multimedia content directly from the home media server 110 or via an adapter module.
  • Portable MP3 players such as the RioTM from Diamond MultimediaTM, for example, may be used to store and play back digital audio content transmitted from the home media server in a flash memory module.
  • the CD-RW drive 420 is capable of accepting the 1/3 inch "mini CD" format. Accordingly, users may produce unique mini CDs (e.g., using tracks stored on the mass storage device 230), for playback on MP-3 players capable of playing mini-CDs.
  • video content stored in MPEG-2 format may be converted to MPEG-1 format and recorded on a "video CD" (a compact disc format used to hold full-motion MPEG-1 video).
  • video CD a compact disc format used to hold full-motion MPEG-1 video
  • users may store video on a portable medium, even on a home media server 110 which is not equipped with a recordable DVD drive.
  • home appliances e.g., the refrigerator, the toaster, the air conditioner
  • other home systems e.g., security, air conditioning
  • RF transmission devices to communicate with the home media server 110.
  • Each device may also be configured with it's own internal network address and/or Internet address. Users may then access information pertaining to these devices and/or control these devices from any room in the home or over the Internet.
  • the user's automobile is outfitted with an RF transmitter and a network address.
  • the automobile is capable of reporting maintenance information to the user via the home media server 110 (e.g., low brake pads, oil change needed . . . etc).
  • a user may publish a home Web page containing up-to-date information on each home appliance or other network device. Accordingly, users of this embodiment are able to monitor and control home appliances and systems from anywhere in the world. In one embodiment this includes the ability to select broadcast listings and direct the home media server 110 to make recordings (e.g., based on date/time or broadcast ID code). In addition, in one embodiment, users may connect remotely to the home media server to review email and/or voicemail listings (which may be displayed to the user in the form of a single, generic "message" box). Voicemail messages may be streamed to the remote user's location over the Internet or other network.
  • home telephone devices 166 may also be configured to run through the home media server 110.
  • incoming faxes and voicemail are stored on the home media storage device 230 and may be accessed from any room in the house (e.g. from telephone devices 166, personal computers 160, PDAs 165, and/or video systems 151/171).
  • phone number and address information may be stored in a contact database 740 on the home media server 110 and accessed through the various telephone devices 166 (or other home media devices). Offloading user contact data from the telephone devices 166 in this manner allows telephone devices 166 to be manufactured will less memory and less processing power, further decreasing costs to the end user.
  • the home media server 110 includes a telephone connection module 730 which coordinates between standard telephony calls placed/received over the public switched telephone network ("PSTN") 170 and calls placed over the Internet 120 using IP telephony protocols.
  • PSTN public switched telephone network
  • the telephone connection module 730 will automatically route incoming calls from both sources to the same set of home telephone devices 166 (or other home media devices such as the user's personal computer 160).
  • Users may specify whether a particular outgoing call should be placed over the Internet 120 (e.g., to an IP telephony device 710) or over the PSTN 170 (e.g., to a standard telephone device 720).
  • the telephone connection module 730 analyzes each outgoing telephone connection request to determine whether the call should be routed through the Internet 120 or through the PSTN 170.
  • the telephone connection module 370 may factor in various types of connection data to make telephone connection determinations. For example, a user may specify certain contacts within the contact database 740 for which IP telephone connections should be used and certain contacts for which standard telephone connections should be used.
  • the telephone connection module 730 will select a particular connection based on whether it is the least expensive option for the user (e.g., for contacts with both IP and standard telephone capabilities). Another variable which may be factored into the selection process is the connection throughput available to the user over the Internet. More specifically, the telephone connection module 730 may initially test the connection throughput (including the availability of a reliable connection) over the Internet 120 and place an IP telephony call only if some minimum level of throughout/reliability is available. Any of the foregoing variables, alone or in combination, may be evaluated by the telephony connection module 730 to select and appropriate telephone connection.
  • FIG. 2b One embodiment of a protocol architecture for supporting IP telephony and related communication functions on the home media server 110 is illustrated in Figure 2b.
  • Various telecommunication standards are supported by this embodiment, including the H.248 media gateway control standard (“MEGACO”) standard; the ITU-T H.323 and session initiation protocol (“SIP”) standards for multimedia videoconferencing on packet-switched networks; the Realtime Control Protocol (“RTCP”) standard - a companion protocol to the realtime transport protocol (“RTP”) (described above) used to maintain a minimum QoS; and the ITU T.120 standard for realtime data conferencing (sharing data among multiple users).
  • MGACO media gateway control standard
  • SIP session initiation protocol
  • RTCP Realtime Control Protocol
  • RTP realtime transport protocol
  • ITU T.120 for realtime data conferencing (sharing data among multiple users).
  • various audio and video codecs are supported by the illustrated embodiment, including G.711, G.723, and G.729 (for audio); and H.261 and H.261 (for video).
  • each of these codecs may be executed above RTP, an IP protocol that supports realtime transmission of voice and video.
  • Each of the foregoing IP communication protocols may be utilized by media server 110 application programs through the programming interfaces of the media toolkit 260.
  • Figure 7c illustrates a signal diagram representing the set up and termination of a telephony connection according to one embodiment of the home media server 110.
  • the home media server transmits a call connection "invitation" on behalf of User 1 to User 2.
  • a "success” message is transmitted back to the home media server 110 at 751.
  • the home media server 110 acknowledges receipt of the "success” message at 752 and allocates a media stream 760 to support bi-direction audio communication between User 1 and User 2.
  • the home media server 110 acknowledges receipt of the "success" message at 752 and allocates a media stream 760 to support bi-direction audio communication between User 1 and User 2.
  • To tear down the media stream 760 one of the users must hang up the phone, resulting in a "bye” message 753, 754 followed by a termination acknowledgement ("success") from both sides 755, 756.
  • content providers 830 may transmit content to home media server 110 over Internet channels 120 as well as standard broadcast channels 170.
  • the transmitted content may then be cached locally in a content database 850.
  • a content selection module 840 will determine whether to retrieve the content through a broadcast channel or directly from the content database 850.
  • the home media server 110 and/or the content provider 830 will monitor the preferences of each user in the media server 110 household to determine the content which will be requested during certain times of the day, and/or days of the week. For example, if a user watches "the Simpsons®" at 6:00 PM, the home media server 110 and/or content provider 830 will record this behavior. The content provider 830 may then transmit the latest Simpsons episode to the home media server 110 over the Internet 120 before its scheduled broadcast at 6:00 PM (e.g., during periods of the day or evening when traffic on the Internet 120 is low).
  • pre-recorded broadcast programs may be transmitted to the home media server 110 over the Internet rather than over a dedicated broadcast channel, thereby freeing up a substantial amount of inefficiently used broadcast network bandwidth (pre-recorded content currently represents the vast majority of all broadcast content).
  • this embodiment of the home media server 100 will provide a seamless mechanism for transitioning from standard digital broadcast channels (e.g., MPEG-2 channels) and analog broadcast channels to packet switched isochronous channels (for live broadcasts) and asynchronous channels (for pre-recorded broadcasts).
  • standard digital broadcast channels e.g., MPEG-2 channels
  • analog broadcast channels e.g., packet switched isochronous channels (for live broadcasts) and asynchronous channels (for pre-recorded broadcasts).
  • broadcast and packet switched channels e.g., TCP/IP
  • analog broadcast 803 taking up approximately half of the available bandwidth
  • packet switched channels 800 the other half split between digital broadcast 802 and packet switched channels 800.
  • bandwidth allocation 805 the bandwidth allocation for packet-switched channels
  • packet-switched channels taking up approximately half of the available bandwidth and the remainder split between analog broadcast 812 and digital broadcast 811.
  • packet switched protocols support both asynchronous and isochronous data transmissions. Accordingly, several isochronous channels may be provided to support live, real time events (e.g., sports events, the evening news, . . . etc) and the remainder of the bandwidth may be allocated to pre-recorded events (e.g., sitcoms, game shown, talk shows, . . . etc). These pre-recorded events/shown may be asynchronously downloaded to the home media server 110 at any time of the day or evening (e.g., during periods of low network activity), resulting in a much more efficient allocation of available transmission bandwidth.
  • pre-recorded events/shown may be asynchronously downloaded to the home media server 110 at any time of the day or evening (e.g., during periods of low network activity), resulting in a much more efficient allocation of available transmission bandwidth.
  • embodiments of the home media server 110 described above are capable of receiving, storing and coordinating content transmitted from both packet switched channels (e.g., TCP/IP) and standard broadcast channels, the transition illustrated in Figure 8b may be accomplished seamlessly, while at the same time improving the overall quality of service to the end user.
  • several concurrent, real-time multimedia streams are supported by the home media server 110 through buffering and/or disk storage techniques as illustrated in Figure 8c. More specifically, incoming multimedia content 860-862 from several different channels (e.g., standard broadcast channels 860, 861 and packet switched channels 862, 863) may be buffered in a set of input buffers 870-873 and output buffers 890-893 on the home media server 110.
  • the input buffers and output buffers 870-873 and 890-893, respectively, may be portions of memory allocated within the main memory 201 (see Figure 2).
  • the input/output buffers may be configured on the communication modules 240-245, within the system ASIC 210, and/or as separate modules on the home media server 110 motherboard.
  • the mass storage device 230 reads the multimedia data from each of the input buffers 870-873 and writes the data to a set of multimedia tracks 880-883.
  • the multimedia data is subsequently read from each of the multimedia tracks 880-883 to a set of output buffers 890-893, from which it is transmitted to one or more of the destination multimedia devices 150, 151, 163.
  • Buffering data streams on the home media server 110 in this manner provides significant cost efficiencies for the entire system. Specifically, because the multimedia data is buffered at a single distribution point within the home media network 140 (i.e., the home media server 110), no buffering is required at each of the individual multimedia devices 150, 151 and 160-166, thereby significantly reducing the cost and complexity of these devices.
  • the mass storage device 230 of this embodiment has enough bandwidth in its read/write operations to support several multimedia streams at once.
  • the seek time of the mass storage device 230 i.e., the time required to jump from one track to another
  • the seek time of the mass storage device 230 may be relatively low (i.e., relative to its read/write bandwidth)
  • buffering of the multimedia data in input and output buffers as described ensures that the various streams will be provided to their respective multimedia devices 150, 151 and 160-166 without interruption.
  • each of the multimedia streams 860-863 operate independently of one another. For example, if playback of a particular multimedia stream is paused, e.g., from multimedia device 150, the home media server 110 will interrupt transmission of multimedia content from the output buffer 893 associated with that device 150, and will begin storing subsequent, incoming multimedia content on the mass storage device 230 (e.g., within the media track 883). However, this will not affect playback at any of the other multimedia devices on the network 140. When playback is resumed, the content will be streamed from the output buffer 893 (and media track 883) from the same point at which is was paused (thereby providing real time, time-shifting functionality for live, real-time broadcasts).
  • an indexing module (not shown) will generate a content index for users of the home media server 110 which will provide users with a comprehensive, seamless listing of multimedia content from the Internet (e.g., streaming media content), broadcast channels (including live and pre-recorded broadcast channels), asynchronous/isochronous multimedia channels, and/or various other media sources/channels. Accordingly, this embodiment will provide users with the ability to navigate through and select content from a virtually unlimited number of different multimedia sources and channels having any knowledge of the underlying protocols and communication infrastructure supporting the sources/channels.
  • Virtually all communication channels are bandwidth-limited in some manner, due to the physical limitations of the underlying transmission medium and or the signaling limitations of the channel (e.g., the channel's allocated frequency spectrum).
  • a 100 Base-T Ethernet network is capable of providing a total data throughput of 100 Mbps, which is shared by all nodes (e.g., computers) on the network.
  • multimedia devices 150, 151; 160-166 communicating on the home media network 140 described above all share some maximum network signaling rate (e.g., if a standard IEEE 802.11b network is employed the signaling rate is 11 Mbps).
  • FIG. 9a illustrates a histogram of normalized bitrate data for a particular multimedia stream (e.g., a DVD) over a period of 120 seconds.
  • Curve 902 shows the bitrate averaged at one second intervals whereas curve 904 shows the bitrate averaged at 10 second intervals.
  • the average bitrate over the entire 120 second interval is represented by curve 906 (approximately 4.7 Mbps). Accordingly, based on the histogram data, the effective bitrate required to properly render the video stream at multimedia node 150 fluctuates significantly - from a maximum throughput of 7.143 Mbps to a minimum throughput of 1.657 Mbps.
  • One embodiment of the home media server 110 uses this type of bitrate data to allocate bandwidth and buffering levels for multimedia playback. Accordingly, when a user selects audio or video content (e.g., a DVD) to be transmitted to a multimedia node (e.g., video node 151), the home media server 110 initially retrieves a bitrate template 930 (e.g., a histogram of bitrate data) associated with the requested content from a bitrate database 935.
  • the database 935 may be maintained locally on the home media server 110 and/or, as illustrated, may be maintained on a remote database server 940 (e.g., maintained at the NOC 180). In either case, the database 935 may be continually updated as new multimedia content becomes available.
  • bitrate template 930 may be transmitted along with the underlying multimedia signal (e.g., embedded within the MPEG-2 stream read from a DVD or broadcast over a cable channel), rather than maintained in a separate database 935. If the bitrate template 930 is maintained in a database 935, various types of identification data 925 may be used to identify the correct template for the multimedia content being played including, but not limited to, those set forth in co-pending application entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SCALING A VIDEO SIGNAL, Serial No. 09/632,458 (incorporated by reference above).
  • a checksum may be calculated for a known unique portion of the multimedia content and compared with checksums stored in the database 935.
  • the CD/DVD serial number (or other embedded identification code) may be used to perform a database 935 query.
  • Various other identification techniques may be used to identify the multimedia content while still complying with the underlying principles of the invention.
  • an allocation module 950 running on the home media server 110 analyzes the bitrate template 930 to establish an efficient bandwidth allocation and/or buffering policy for transmitting the multimedia stream(s).
  • the allocation module 950 acts as a data "throttle," increasing or decreasing the data throughput from the home media server 110 to the multimedia nodes 150-151 as necessary to meet the bitrate requirements of each multimedia stream (e.g., through control of the home media server output buffers 910- 912 and/or RF transceiver 915).
  • the goals of one embodiment of the system are (1) to ensure that the underlying multimedia content is reproduced at the multimedia node 151 without interruption jitter; (2) to minimize the memory requirements at the multimedia node 151; (3) to minimize the playback delay experienced by the end user; and or (4) to minimize the bandwidth required to accurately reproduce the multimedia content at the node 151. Any of these goals, alone or in combination, may be factored into the allocation module's 150' s bandwidth buffering allocation policy.
  • the allocation module 950 analyzes the bitrate template 930 to ensure that the amount of multimedia content in each multimedia node buffer - e.g., buffer 920 of multimedia node 151 - is sufficient to handle upcoming spikes. For example, given the bitrate template data set forth in Figure 9c, the multimedia node buffer 920 must have sufficient multimedia data (i.e., an adequate number of bits) to handle the bitrate spike between 3 seconds and 4 seconds (i.e., 6.2 Mbps). As such, by analyzing the bitrate template 930 as a whole, the allocation module 950 may increase the allocated data throughput between 1 second and 3 seconds to sufficiently fill the buffer 920 by the time the bitrate spike arrives (i.e., at 3 seconds).
  • the number of bits consumed during the spike (6.2 Meg) must be less than or equal to the number of bits in the buffer at start of spike period (3 seconds) minus the bits added to buffer during spike period (i.e., the per-second bitrate). Otherwise, playback of the multimedia stream will stall due to an underrun condition (i.e., a lack of multimedia data at the multimedia node 151).
  • the allocation module 950 may also factor in bitrate templates 930 of other multimedia streams when making allocation decisions for a given stream. For example, when making allocation decisions for the DVD stream in Figure 9b (which passes through buffers 910 and 920), the allocation module 950 may evaluate the bitrate requirements of the other two streams (i.e., the MP3 stream and Cable stream passing through buffers 911, 921 and 912, 922, respectively). As such, if one particular stream requires a significant amount of throughput at a given point in time, the allocation module will take anticipatory steps to ensure that sufficient multimedia data will be available. For example, in Figure 9d, the bitrate data illustrated in timeline 960 indicates a severe bitrate spike between 40 and 60 seconds.
  • the allocation module 960 may need to fill the multimedia node buffer by the time the spike arrives (i.e., at 40 seconds) and also divert a significant amount of the system bandwidth to the stream to avoid an underrun condition. As such, in anticipation of the spike, the allocation module 950 may attempt to fill all the buffers on the system including the buffers of the other two streams (associated with the bitrate data shown in timelines 961 and 962) so that by the time the spike arrives, it can divert bandwidth from these streams to the stream with the bitrate spike. It should be noted that the foregoing bandwidth/buffer allocation example was for the purpose of illustration only and should not be read to limit the scope of the invention.
  • the allocation module 950 when a new playback stream is requested at a multimedia node 151, the allocation module 950 will initially allocate all system bandwidth available at that time to the stream. It will subsequently decrease the bandwidth (i.e., the "throttle") only when other multimedia nodes require additional bandwidth and/or when the buffer at the multimedia node 151 fills up. Accordingly, one goal of this embodiment is to keep the buffer at the multimedia node 151 filled to its limit at all times (e.g., so that it will be ready for upcoming spikes). Playback of the multimedia data from the multimedia node buffer 920 may start at different times, depending on the histogram data associated with the content.
  • the bitrate for certain high definition television broadcasts or DVDs such as the one illustrated in Figure 9e (which shows bitrate data for the movie "South Park”) may start off at a relatively high value (i.e., approximately 8.6 Mbps). As such, it may be necessary to accumulate a certain amount of multimedia data in the multimedia node buffer 920 before initiating playback.
  • the table 970 illustrated in Figure 9e shows the amount of data that must be buffered before playback (column 972), given a particular multimedia stream bifrate (column 971).
  • the table 970 also indicates the amount of time which a user must wait before playback begins (column 973). As indicated in the bottom row of the table 970, at a bitrate of 9Mbps, no buffering of the multimedia signal is required.
  • playback is initiated by the allocation module 950 (as indicated by the control signal 952 in Figure 9b).
  • the multimedia stream described by the histogram illustrated in Figure 9f requires significantly less buffering before playback. More particularly, as indicated in table 975, no pre-playback buffering is required at a bitrate of 5 Mbps. As such, if 5Mbps or more system bandwidth is available, playback may begin as soon as the stream reaches the multimedia node 151.
  • the allocation module 950 may initially allocate more bandwidth than required to fill the multimedia node buffer 920 during playback (e.g., so that more system bandwidth may be allocated elsewhere once the buffer is full).
  • the allocation module 950 may initially allocate just enough system bandwidth to meet some minimum playback delay threshold. Thus, if this minimum delay threshold is set at 4.5 seconds, the allocation module 650 must allocate at least 7 Mbps to reproduce the multimedia content represented by the histogram of Figure 9e (see Table 970, 5 th row). By contrast, to meet the minimum delay threshold for the multimedia content represented by the histogram of Figure 9f, the allocation module 950 may allocate a bitrate of less than 5 Mbps (see Table 975). After the initial bandwidth allocation, the allocation module may use the histogram data to ensure that the amount of multimedia content in the multimedia node buffer 920 is sufficient to handle upcoming spikes in bitrate (as described above).
  • a cable broadcast module for receiving one or more broadcast channels is illusfrated in Figure 10.
  • This embodiment includes two tuners 1010, 1011 for concurrently tuning to two separate broadcast channels (e.g., to be viewed at two separate multimedia nodes on the home media network 140). Additional tuners may be included within the cable broadcast module as necessary (i.e., for receiving additional broadcast channels).
  • a smartcard 330 (see also Figures 3) inserted into one or more of the media modules 320-325 may be programmed with a specific set of access rights defining the particular channels to which users are permitted access.
  • the smartcard 330 may work in conjunction with a conditional access module 1030, which will prevent certain channels/content from being transmitted on the system which the user does not have the right to receive.
  • different members of a family may be assigned smartcards 330 with different access privileges. For example, children may be assigned smartcards 330 which limit the channels and/or Internet sites which they are permitted to access.
  • the signal outputs from each of the tuners 1010, 1011 are fed into separate audio and video analog-to-digital decoder modules 1024, 1026 (audio) and 1023, 1025 (video), respectively.
  • the signals are then re-encoded with a compression codec.
  • MPEG-2 encoder modules 1031, 1033 encode the audio/video signals into MPEG-2 format (i.e., which may subsequently be decoded by any multimedia devices 150, 151 on the home media network 140).
  • various other digital compression codecs may be used (e.g., AC-3, MPEG-1, . . . etc) while still complying with the underlying principles of the invention.
  • the encoded multimedia signals before being transmitted onto the system bus 220, are encrypted by an encryption module 1060 using a unique encryption key 1061.
  • all multimedia data stored on the home media server 110 i.e., on the mass storage device 230
  • transmitted across the home media network 140 are encrypted, thereby preventing copying and playback by any unauthorized devices listening in one the network 140 or on the system bus 220.
  • authorized multimedia devices 150, 151, 160-166 i.e., those certified by the NOC 180 communicating on the home media network 140 are configured with the same unique encryption key 1061, thereby allowing them to properly decode the multimedia data transmitted from the home media server 110.
  • the encryption key 1061 is transmitted securely to the home media server 110 and media devices 150, 151; 160-166 through the conditional access system.
  • the key 1061 may be transmitted using conventional secure communication techniques such as Secure Sockets Layer (“SSL”) or Data Encryption Standard (“DES").
  • SSL Secure Sockets Layer
  • DES Data Encryption Standard
  • FIG. 11 One embodiment of a satellite module for connecting the home media server 110 over a satellite channel is illustrated in Figure 11, including multiple tuners 1110, lll l; forward error correction modules 1130, 1140; a smartcard 1120 and associated conditional access module 1150; and an encryption module 960 for encrypting content transmitted onto the system bus 220 (and across the home media network 140).
  • the different decoding, encryption, and authentication features described above with respect to the cable broadcast module illustrated in Figure 9 are also configured into one embodiment of the satellite module.
  • the cable modem includes a modulator unit 910, a Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification ("DOCSIS") module 920, and a data pump/PCI interface unit 930.
  • DOCSIS Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification
  • Various different types of cable modems may be coupled to the home media server 110 while still complying with the underlying principles of the invention.
  • tags may be set to a variety of copy/playback levels, including, for example, a tag 1311 indicating no restrictions on copying for audio file 1310; a tag 1321 allowing only a single serial copy (e.g., to a CD-RW disk) with no copying to personal computers for audio file 1320; a tag 1331 permitting playback to local TVs (i.e., within the home media network 140) for video file 1330; and a tag 1341 allowing 24-hour playback to local TVs only (e.g., similar to a pay-per-view feature) for video file 1340.
  • this embodiment provides an additional mechanism for providing secure storage and transmission of copyrightable material.
  • content providers e.g., cable and satellite providers
  • Embodiments of the present invention include various steps, which have been described above.
  • the steps may be embodied in machine-executable instructions which may be used to cause a general-purpose or special-purpose processor to perform the steps.
  • these steps may be performed by specific hardware components that contain hardwired logic for performing the steps, or by any combination of programmed computer components and custom hardware components.
  • Elements of the present invention may also be provided as a computer program product which may include a machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which may be used to program a computer (or other electronic device) to perform a process.
  • the machine-readable medium may include, but is not limited to, floppy diskettes, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and magneto-optical disks, ROMs, RAMs, EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnet or optical cards, propagation media or other type of media/machine-readable medium suitable for storing electronic instructions.
  • the present invention may be downloaded as a computer program product, wherein the program may be transferred from a remote computer (e.g., a server) to a requesting computer (e.g., a client) by way of data signals embodied in a carrier wave or other propagation medium via a communication link (e.g., a modem or network connection).
  • a remote computer e.g., a server
  • a requesting computer e.g., a client
  • a communication link e.g., a modem or network connection

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
  • Computing Systems (AREA)
  • Software Systems (AREA)
  • Two-Way Televisions, Distribution Of Moving Picture Or The Like (AREA)

Abstract

Cette invention a trait à un serveur local média (110) comprenant des moyens de réception de contenus multimédia (130) diffusés, des moyens de réception de contenus multimédia (120) à commutation par paquet, des moyens de conversion sous un format normalisé de contenus multimédia des contenus multimédia diffusés et des contenus multimédia à commutation par paquet ainsi que des moyens de distribution des contenus multimédia sous format normalisé à plusieurs noeuds de multimédia (164, 165, 166, 151, 160, 161, 162, 163, 150).
PCT/US2001/022002 2000-09-01 2001-07-11 Multimedia et systeme informatique WO2002021841A1 (fr)

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AU2002238153A AU2002238153A1 (en) 2000-09-01 2001-07-11 Multimedia and computing system

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US09/653,964 2000-09-01

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