Patent ID: 6459427
Filing Date: 2002-10-01
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
In a one-way digital television broadcast system having a plurality of digital video channels, a simulcast method for substantially simultaneous delivery of digital data from Internet Web sites associated with respective ones of said digital video channels, said one-way digital television broadcast system including a headend transmitter, a digital broadcast network and a digital settop box coupled to said digital broadcast network, said simulcast method comprising:receiving one of said plurality of digital video channels; receiving said digital data in a standard World Wide Web page format over the Internet, said digital data being derived from a Web site associated with the digital video program being broadcast on said one of said plurality of digital video channels; dividing said digital data in said standard World Wide Web page data format into a plurality of digital data packets while preserving said standard World Wide Web page data format; mapping said plurality of digital data packets to the MPEG data packets of an MPEG data stream comprising said plurality of digital video channels; transmitting said MPEG data stream on said digital broadcast network; receiving said MPEG data stream at said digital settop box from said digital broadcast network; receiving said MPEG data packets at said digital settop box from said MPEG data stream containing said plurality of digital data packets to form said digital data in said standard World Wide Web page data format; and displaying said digital data at said digital settop box in conjunction with said one of said plurality of digital video channels, whereby said one-way digital television broadcasting system permits digital data in standard World Wide Web page data format from an Internet Web site associated with the digital video program being broadcasted on said one of said plurality of digital video channels to be transmitted by said MPEG data stream over said digital broadcast network to a digital settop box substantially simultaneously with said one of said plurality of digital video channels.