Method and apparatus for delivering consumer entertainment services accessed over an IP network

Abstract

The present invention provides IP-centric, multi-channel, time-shifted and real-time telecommunications services to a plurality of system users. The system can capture both digital and analog multi-channel feeds and, through a cross-connect layer, can convert the signals to a digital format and subsequently send them to an encoder to be compressed. The encoding process can use a firmware upgradeable software developed to decrease data bitrates while retaining quality of the information at a desired level. The encoded, compressed signals may either be stored on a data-on-demand server for later viewing services, such as television / video-on-demand or audio-on-demand, or may be streamed directly to system users using a Media Streaming Subsystem (MSS). The M'SS can be responsive to a system user request and operative to forward a selected stream of compressed digital data to the system user via a gateway means. The system can include a System Controller that can provide management and control of the system components and services provided by the system. The gateway means is able to receive compressed digital data from the Media Streaming Subsystem and transmit that data to a system user sending a request over a communication network. A cable modem, DSL modem or other appropriate interface can be located at each system user's location, thereby providing a means for sending multiple signal sources to a system user's Local Area Network (LAN) to which the User Computing Device(s) (UCD) of a system user are connected. The UCD receives the compressed data from the gateway means, subsequently decodes this compressed data and presents this decompressed information to the system user via a presentation system which may or may not be integrated into the UCD, thereby providing the requested entertainment services to the system user.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to a system for providing user entertainment services, in particular to a system and method for providing video and audio data through a broadband wide area network. Background technique [0002] Consumer entertainment services, including video on demand (VOD) and personal video recorder (PVR) services, can be delivered using conventional communication system architectures. In conventional digital cable systems, channels are dedicated to users who require continuous video. The VOD service, which attempts to emulate digital versatile / video disc (DVD) playback, is delivered from a central video server, which is a large, supercomputer-type processor. These machines are typically located in a metro service delivery center supported on a cable multi-service operator's (MSO) metro network. The user selects a video from the menu, which is streamed from the video server. The video server encodes the video on the fly and streams the con...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0010] IP-centric, multichannel, time-shifted, and real-time telecommunications services designed to receive programming or service requests from users, such as high-speed access to the Internet or access to other broadband services, are not yet fully developed

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