Virtual Gateway Digital Transport Adapter
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need to provide users with access to various programming options, such as local television channels, without requiring a subscription and without using expensive gateway devices like set-top boxes or digital transport adapters, which are costly to manufacture and often only offered to subscribers.
Innovation Solution
A computing device, such as a gateway or digital media server, is configured to identify and communicate links to desired content within a multi-content data transmission, filtering out unnecessary content to create a single program data stream compliant with communication standards, allowing access to specific programs using a modified program association table and program mapping table.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a gateway device or digital transport adapter is used to allow non-subscribers to access encrypted programming, then access to programming options is enabled, but the device becomes expensive to purchase and manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses software-based virtualization to create a virtual gateway function that copies the capabilities of expensive hardware gateways. Instead of requiring physical gateway devices, the system creates software instances that can be deployed on standard computing platforms, dramatically reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining access functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/hardware-based gateway device with a software-based system running on virtualized infrastructure. This substitution eliminates the need for specialized hardware manufacturing, reducing costs while preserving the core functionality of decrypting and distributing programming content to non-subscribers.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a gateway device is provided to access encrypted content, then content access is enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The virtualized gateway system is designed to perform multiple functions within a single software platform. It can handle content decryption, virtual machine management, network protocol conversion, and user authentication all through software modules, eliminating the need for separate specialized hardware components and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtual machine as an intermediary layer between the physical infrastructure and the gateway functionality. This virtualization layer abstracts the complex hardware operations into manageable software processes, simplifying the system architecture while enabling sophisticated content access capabilities.
3Reliability
If subscription services are required for content access, then content protection is maintained, but user accessibility to local channels and free content is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments content access into different virtual environments where non-subscriber content (such as local channels and free content) can be decrypted and accessed without requiring full subscription credentials. This segmentation allows selective access to different content types based on encryption requirements, maintaining protection for premium content while enabling free access to other content.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes authentication parameters based on content type. For non-encrypted or publicly available content, the system uses relaxed authentication parameters that allow access without subscription. For encrypted premium content, stricter authentication parameters are applied, ensuring content protection while maintaining ease of access for authorized users.
Data Source
AI summary
One or more computing devices may be configured to identify information corresponding to a program change request associated with a multi-program data transmission. The information may comprise at least a link to a desired program within the multi-program data transmission. The one or more computing devices may communicate the link to the desired program to a client device over a specified time period. After the time period, the one or more computing devices may communicate the desired program to the client device using a single program data transmission. The single program data transmission may be derived from the multi-program data transmission.