Abstract:
A multimedia on demand system includes a multimedia server configured to connect to an internet-based network and to transmit audio/video programs on demand via said internet-based network. A plurality of customer premises units connected to the internet-based network via a network interface are configured to receive the audio/video programs via the internet-based network. A remote control unit in communication with each customer premises unit provides user input to the unit. An audio video system is connected to each customer premises unit for reproduction of the audio/video programs. The system can be used to provide multimedia on demand services over the internet, including but not limited to movies, TV shows, audio and video programs, product catalogs, tourist guides, and video games. In one embodiment the system includes an “instant watch” mode and “wait and watch” mode, thereby allowing users to enjoy multimedia services instantly as the audio video program is being downloaded or after the download is substantially complete.

Description:
[0001]     This is a non-provisional application which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/696,491 filed Jul. 5, 2005, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to the field of multimedia delivery on customer demand over an internet based network, and in particular to a system and method for providing multiple audio video services with true on-demand delivery to customer premises.  
         [0004]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0005]     Broadcasts of programming via direct satellite, cable television (CATV) networks, and other conventional video delivery networks typically deliver predetermined audio video programs at predetermined times. However, the consumer has always desired the freedom of watching the programs of his or her own choosing at the times of his or her own choosing.  
         [0006]     As an alternative, consumers will often elect to use a video rental store or delivery service to obtain and view programs of their choice at a convenient time. The former requires the consumer to go to a video rental store to rent a DVD or VHS cassette. The latter requires the delivery service to mail the DVD to the customer, and this process usually takes 2-4 days to get the desired video in hand. During this time, the viewer might loose interest in the particular video. After receiving and viewing the video, the consumer must mail back the DVD to the video retailer or others, which presents an inconvenience to the user.  
         [0007]     Other methods of delivering video programming on demand to a consumer include Pay-Per-View (PPV). In a PPV system, the cable operator or satellite service company provides a stream of various scrambled programs at predetermined times. If the customer desires to watch a particular program, the cable operator or satellite service company send an authorization key to customer&#39;s set top box to descramble the broadcasted program on customer&#39;s request. In this manner the user can watch the program of his/her choice by paying for the particular program. However in PPV systems, a user&#39;s choice is limited to the titles and programs made available for Pay-Per-View by the cable operator or satellite service company, which typically includes only a relatively small number of selections.  
         [0008]     Customer demand for full video on demand service to customer premises, such as to the delivery of any demanded video to customer premises at any time, with full recording functionalities, has been increasing. In the past few years, various video on demand services have been proposed to address this need, but each has very limited features. Such services not only require a huge infrastructure, but also require very high bandwidth connectivity to end user premises.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     The present invention provides a new system and method of providing full video on demand, wherein the user is able to receive virtually any video program at virtually any moment of time using relatively simple system architecture.  
         [0010]     In one embodiment, the invention provides a multimedia on demand system that includes a multimedia server configured to connect to an internet-based network and to transmit audio/video programs on demand via said internet-based network. A plurality of customer premises units connected to the internet-based network via a network interface are configured to receive the audio/video programs via the internet-based network. A remote control unit in communication with each customer premises unit provides user input to the unit. An audio video system is connected to each customer premises unit for reproduction of the audio/video programs. The system can be used to provide multimedia on demand services over the internet, including but not limited to movies, TV shows, audio and video programs, product catalogs, tourist guides, and video games. In one embodiment the system includes an “instant watch” mode and “wait and watch” mode, thereby allowing users to enjoy multimedia services instantly as the audio video program is being downloaded or after the download is substantially complete. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing a network architecture and placement of equipment at home customer premises in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a flow diagram illustrating a flow of video programs in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a functional block diagram illustrating the customer premises equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     The invention in one embodiment provides a system capable of providing virtually any video program to customer premises at the customer&#39;s desired time without being dependent on very high bandwidth at or before the customer end. The invention provides a new compact integrated system for video on demand services with full VCR functionality to end customers. The system can be transparent to current network architecture and can be used in combination with very common internet based networks. In this respect, the invention in one embodiment does not require a very high bandwidth of internet connectivity at or before the customer end. The system can also provide audio (e.g., MP3) song transmission upon customer demand, the audio being directly played on their audio systems. The system of present invention in one embodiment provides the following multimedia on demand (MoD) services over internet: Video programs (Movies, TV shows, music videos, recorded events) on demand; MP3 songs on demand; Product catalog; Tourist guide; and Video games on demand.  
         [0015]     These services are preferably provided using a single Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) device with accompanying remote control at the customer premises. The CPE may be, e.g., a set-top box, a unit provided in proximity to the user&#39;s audio video system (Audio player, Television, Amplifier etc.), a unit provided at a network interface on the customer&#39;s premises, a unit provided at a central location which has connectivity to multiple audio video systems in the premises, or any combination thereof. The system is preferably standalone and feeds directly into any audio video system at customer premises. It can be compatible with a range of analog and digital audio video interfaces. The customer can request any of the services via the equipment using a remote control or a front panel keypad and visual user interface on their television screen. The present invention does not interfere with existing audio/video broadcast systems, and preferably provides the connectivity to integrate with such systems.  
         [0016]     Video programs which are provided on-demand typically require a very high bandwidth (&gt;1.5 Mbps for MPEG1 video) network connectivity up to end customer equipment. The multimedia on demand (MoD) system in accordance with the present invention in one embodiment further provides two modes of video delivery which are customizable according to network connectivity. The modes of video delivery are 1) Instant Watch mode 2) Wait &amp; Watch mode. If the internet connectivity up to customer premises is sufficient to get a continuous video stream, then the customer can get video in instant watching mode and begin watching the movie at the time he has requested. However, if the internet connectivity is not sufficient to get a continuous video stream, the system may operate in Wait &amp; Watch mode, wherein the video stream is first downloaded substantially completely before the user can start watching the movie. The time taken by the system to download the video program depends on bandwidth of internet connectivity at customer premises. The end user can also choose display size from among 3-4 sizes according to his requirement and his internet connectivity. A similar choice may be given for picture quality.  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  shows the system architecture for the MoD system in accordance with the present invention in one embodiment. The system consists of six major sections: 1) a Multimedia server  101  with an extremely large audio/video archive placed at service provider&#39;s premises; 2) The internet-based network  102  consisting of various routers, bridges, gateways and cables running to customer premises  103 ; 3) Cable/DSL Modem  104  (as per customer&#39;s internet connection) at customer premises; 4) CPE  105  in accordance with the present invention; 5) Remote control (not shown in figure) for the CPE and 6) Audio  106 /Video  107  system at customer premises. Multimedia server  101  of  FIG. 1  has a database management system software running, which keeps all the audio/video archive well maintained. This helps customer to search for their desired program very easily. Quick and advanced search options utilizing various fields are also provided over audio/video archive database. Network manager running on the same server manages all the channels for transferring IP (internet protocol) packets to the customer premises. For customers demanding for common popular programs, video/audio programs are multicast on same channel. The data from multimedia server is transferred to customer premises via internet based network  102 . The IP packets reach customer premises through various network elements like Gateways, Routers, Bridges, Switches and various cables. The internet based network  102  interfaces with the modem  103  at customer premises. The modem can be cable modem, DSL modem, or other appropriate network interface as per customer&#39;s internet connectivity. The modem  103  connects to personal computer or work station  108  for internet connectivity. The CPE  105  in accordance with present invention is connected to the network  102  via the modem  103  through Ethernet RJ 45 port. On the other side, CPE  105  is connected to audio system  106  through a stereo audio output. CPE  105  is also connected to various video systems  107  like television, projection television, digital television etc. through various types of connections. For all VCR type of functions, the CPE is provided with a front panel keypad for functions like pause, play, forward, fast forward, rewind, menu etc. The same functions are also provided over a remote control. Visual user interface for video programs is provided over television screen and user entry can be done either by the remote control or by front panel keypad of the CPE.  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  shows the data flow diagram of MoD system. Audio video programs flowing from multimedia server  201  to CPE  202  is scrambled to ensure only authentic usage of delivered data. The data on network flows is also compressed to ensure maximum utilization of channel capacity over internet based network. The CPE  202  at customer premises ensures proper descrambling of scrambled data if the IP packet is authentic for the CPE. The CPE also ensures uncompressed audio delivery to audio system  203  and audio-video delivery to television  204 . This data flow diagram,  FIG. 2 , ensures secure data delivery over internet based network.  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of CPE  300  showing functional blocks of the embodiment. With reference to  FIG. 3 , CPE  300  has interface with internet based network via modem  301  and various audio video interfaces  302  to a series of audio video systems.  
         [0020]     In CPE  300 , connection to internet  301  is made through Ethernet physical layer interface  303  via modem and then the IP packets are received by the Ethernet media access controller (MAC)  304 . Media access controller is for proper channel allocation over the shared LAN. It also ensures error free packets from the network with proper interface with Ethernet physical layer. In accordance with present invention, the desired audio/video program is divided into various sections and each section flows over different IP packets with their serial number along with. All such packets received through Ethernet MAC  304  are stored in temporary location in memory  305  under control of microprocessor  306 . Microprocessor  306  keeps an eye on all received packets and remaining ones. It also requests for the remaining packets at a regular interval of time. As soon as all packets are received, microprocessor  306  rearranges them into a single stream of audio and video programs and keeps it as an archive at CPE memory  305 .  
         [0021]     A small LCD  307  screen is also provided in the CPE  300  to display current updates like currently running program title, duration of the program, passed time, download mode (ON/OFF) etc. Microprocessor  306  controls the LCD display  307  through the LCD display driver.  
         [0022]     CPE  300  is provided with front panel keypad  308  to take user input to select audio/video programs, play, fast forward, rewind etc. Microprocessor  306  takes input from the keypad and understands user&#39;s input and perform accordingly. Along with this, the user can also give his input by a remote control, not shown in the FIG., provided with the CPE  300 . The CPE receives input from the remote control via IR (infrared) receiver  309  and microprocessor  306  and, after interpreting the command as per a predetermined protocol, performs the desired function.  
         [0023]     Once downloaded and stored into memory  305 , the user can play the particular audio/video program. As soon as CPE  300  receives user input commanding it to play, desired program from memory  305  is sent to audio/video decoder  310 . Audio video decoder  310  decodes incoming audio video programs in MPEG2 format as per standards. Audio video decoder  310  is preferably backward compatible to MPEG1, MP3 and other standard formats. Audio signals decoded from MPEG/MP3 programs are provided to audio digital signal processing (DSP) section  311 . Audio DSP section  311  can perform echo cancellation and various audio effects. Digital audio output from audio DSP section  311  is delivered to an audio digital-to-analog converter (DAC)  312 . Audio DAC  312  converts the digital audio signal to an analog stereo audio signal. After amplification by audio amplifier  313 , this analog stereo audio output can be fed to stereophonic audio input jacks of audio video systems.  
         [0024]     For video programs, audio video decoder  310  decodes MPEG and other backward-compatible signals and generates RGB digital video output. The video may be in another digital video format according to the particular package used for the application. This RGB digital video output from audio video decoder  310  is fed to video encoder  314  which converts RGB output to single stream video out and that onwards is fed to DAC  315 . DAC  315  generates composite analog video from its output. After amplification by video amplifier  316 , the composite analog video signal can be fed to a composite video input of a video system.  
         [0025]     If the audio/video input of the Audio Visual system (Television etc.) is busy with any other equipment like DVD player, then the video programs from CPE  300  can be fed to the television through RF input. CPE  300  converts analog stereo audio and composite video signal to RF signals using the RF modulator  317 , inside the same embodiment. This RF input can be either directly fed to RF input of television or via a video switcher in parallel to CATV/satellite input.  
         [0026]     Along with these analog/RF outputs, CPE  300  also facilitates digital audio video output for digital television (DTV)/High definition television (HDTV). The output of audio video decoder  310  is provided to a DVI (digital video interface) transmitter  318 , which in turn outputs a video signal in DVI format to a DTV/HDTV. Similarly HDMI (high definition multimedia interface) output is achieved from audio video decoder via a HDMI source  319 .  
         [0027]     All these analog and digital connections make CPE  300  compatible with a huge range of present and future consumer electronics products. DC power supply to CPE  300  is achieved from a dedicated power supply unit  320 , which generates regulated DC output from AC mains supply.  
         [0028]     Thus, the present invention provides a system for multimedia on demand over an internet-based network to provide on-demand audio video programs via internet to customer premises at any time. The invention in various embodiments as disclosed herein is further capable of providing other value added services through the same system.  
         [0029]     While the invention has been particularly explained with reference to one or more preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.