Patent Publication Number: US-9843765-B2

Title: Integrated devices for multimedia content delivery and video conferencing

Description:
The present patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/932,514, filed Oct. 31, 2007, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates to multimedia communication networks. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Conventional videophone technology involves a stand-alone transceiver, a display device, and a camera. Because each of these units occupy space and may be relatively expensive, conventional video conferencing implementations are not ideally suited, especially in the consumer market. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram of an implementation of a multimedia content distribution network according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of selected elements of a set top box suitable for use in the network of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an embodiment of the set top box of  FIG. 2  emphasizing video conferencing functionality; and 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of an embodiment of a remote control/handset device emphasizing video conferencing functionality. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S) 
     In one aspect, a receiver device for use in conjunction with a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN) is disclosed. The receiver device includes a computer readable storage resource, a controller to execute stored instructions, a network interface coupling the device to the MCDN, and a decoder to decode streaming multimedia content received via the network interface. The receiver includes a remote control interface to detect a remote control command from a remote control device and a handset interface to communicate audio data with a handset device. The remote control device and the handset device may be integrated within a single physical device. A local video interface receives video data from a camera or other local video resource. The stored instructions include, a remote control application to execute remote control commands, a handset module to communicate audio data with the handset device, and a session initiation module to establish a video conferencing session. A video conferencing module integrates the audio data and the video data and communicates the integrated data via the video conferencing session. The handset module may be operable to communicate digital audio data with the handset device. For example, the handset module may be operable to support a digital enhanced cordless telecommunication (DECT) compliant communication with the handset device. The session initiation module may be implemented with a session initiation protocol (SIP) compliant client. The receiver device may be implemented as a set top box (STB). In these embodiments, the STB is operable to communicate with a residential gateway via a local area network connection. The remote control interface comprises an infrared interface operable to detect infrared signals from the remote control device. 
     In another aspect, a portable communication device suitable for use in conjunction with an STB is disclosed, where the STB is operably coupled to the MCDN. The communication device includes a set of one or more remote control buttons, a button interface to generate remote control commands responsive to assertion of remote control buttons, a remote control interface to transmit remote control commands to the STB, and a handset interface to communicate audio data with the STB. The portable communication device further includes a microphone operable to convert sound to audio data and to provide the audio data to the handset interface and a speaker operable to convert audio data from the handset interface to sound. The handset interface may be operable to support a DECT compliant connection, or another digital and/or wireless connection with the STB. The portable device may include a small display to display, for example, CallerID information. 
     In another aspect, a disclosed multimedia service includes providing a subscriber with a STB to receive multimedia content and providing the subscriber with a remote control operable to transmit remote control commands to the STB. The remote control includes a speaker to generate sound and a microphone to receive sound. The STB and the remote control are operable to communicate audio data with each other. The STB is operable to establish a multimedia conferencing session and further operable to transmit and receive video conferencing content via the established session. 
     In the following description, details are set forth by way of example to facilitate discussion of the disclosed subject matter. It should be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the field, however, that the disclosed embodiments are exemplary and not exhaustive of all possible embodiments. Throughout this disclosure, a hyphenated form of a reference numeral refers to a specific instance of an element and the un-hyphenated form of the reference numeral refers to the element generically or collectively. Thus, for example, widget  102 - 1  refers to an instance of a widget class, which may be referred to collectively as widgets  102  and any one of which may be referred to generically as a widget  102 . 
     Before describing details of applications, disclosed herein, for use in conjunction with a multimedia content distribution network, selected aspects of one embodiment of the network and selected devices used to implement the network are described to provide context. 
     Referring now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  illustrates selected aspects of an embodiment of a multimedia content distribution network (MCDN)  100 . MCDN  100  is operable for distributing television programs, video on demand content including movies, radio programs including music content, and a variety of other types of multimedia content to multiple subscribers. MCDN  100  as shown includes a client side  101  and a service provider side  102 , sometimes referred to herein simply as server side  102 . Client side  101  and server side  102  are linked by an access network  130 . 
     Access network  130  connects client side  101  and server side  102 . In embodiments of MCDN  100  that leverage telephony hardware and infrastructure, access network  130  may include a “local loop” or “last mile,” which refers to the physical connection between a subscriber&#39;s home or business and a local exchange. In these embodiments, the physical layer of access network  130  may include twisted pair copper cables, fiber optics cables employed either as fiber to the curb (FTTC) or fiber to the home (FTTH), or another suitable broadband capable medium. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , client side  101  depicts two of a potentially large number of client(s)  120 , each of which may represent a subscriber or subscriber household. Each client  120  as shown in  FIG. 1  includes a display  124 , a client-side receiver operable to receive and process a multimedia signal, a remote control device  126  operable to communicate with the client-side receiver, and a residential gateway (RG)  122  for interfacing the receiver to access network  130 . 
     In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 1 , the client-side receiver is implemented as an STB  121 , which is described in greater detail below. In some embodiments, RG  122  may include elements of a broadband modem such as a DSL modem as well as elements of a router and/or access point for a local area network (LAN)  127 . In some embodiments, LAN  127  is a wired or wireless Ethernet LAN. 
     In some embodiments, display  124  is an NTSC and/or PAL compliant display device. STB  121 , display  124 , or both may include a frequency tuner for use in systems where one or more channels of multimedia content are modulated onto an RF carrier signal and delivered to RG  122 . In other embodiments where, for example, multimedia content is delivered to client side  101  as a packet-based stream, frequency tuners may not be required. In these embodiments, clients  120  may support or comply with various network protocols including, as examples, streaming protocols such as RDP (reliable datagram protocol) over UDP/IP (user datagram protocol/internet protocol) as well as more conventional web protocols such as HTTP (hypertext transport protocol) over TCP/IP (transport control protocol). 
     The elements of server side  102  as depicted in  FIG. 1  emphasize various broad categories or “tiers” of devices and/or services desirable for acquiring and delivering multimedia content to a networked base of subscribers. As depicted in  FIG. 1 , for example, server side  102  includes a multimedia content acquisition tier  106 , a multimedia content delivery tier  107 , an application tier  105 , a database tier  109 , and an operations system support (OSS) and business systems support (BSS) tier  108 . In the depicted embodiment, each tier  105  through  109  is demarcated by a corresponding routing and switching device  115  through  119 , respectively. Routing and switching devices  115  through  119  are referred to herein simply as a switches  115  through  119 . 
     In addition to providing routing and switching functions, switches  115  through  119  may implement hardware and/or software firewalls and/or other security functions (not depicted explicitly) that define at least some of the boundaries of a private network  110 . Private network  110  may support any of various existing or future protocols for providing reliable real-time streaming multimedia content including, as examples, real-time transport protocol (RTP), real-time control protocol (RTCP), file transfer protocol (FTP), and real-time streaming protocol (RTSP). In addition, the depicted implementation of MCDN  100  includes switches that connect some of the server-side tiers to a public network  112 . As suggested by their names, private network  110  is a restricted access network while public network  112  is a freely accessible network. In some embodiments, public network  112  represents or includes an IP-based network, e.g., the Internet, and private network  110  is another IP-based network. In other embodiments, private network  110  may be any network suitable for transmitting digital video content including, for example, a digital cable-based network, a digital satellite network, and or another suitable network. 
     Acquisition tier  106  encompasses various devices and/or services to acquire multimedia content, reformat it when necessary, and process it for delivery to subscribers over private network  110  and access network  130 . Acquisition tier  106  may include, for example, systems for capturing analog and/or digital content feeds, either directly from a content provider or from a content aggregation facility. Content feeds transmitted via VHF/UHF broadcast signals may be captured by an antenna  141  and delivered to live acquisition server  140 . Similarly, live acquisition server  140  may capture down linked signals transmitted by a satellite  142  and received by a parabolic dish  144 . In addition, live acquisition server  140  may acquire programming feeds transmitted via high-speed fiber feeds or other suitable transmission means. VoD acquisition server  150  receives content from one or more VoD sources that may be external to the MCDN  100  including, as examples, discs represented by a DVD player  151 , or transmitted feeds (not shown). Acquisition resources  106  may further include signal conditioning systems and content preparation systems for encoding content. 
     After acquiring multimedia content, acquisition tier  106  may transmit acquired content over private network  110 , for example, to one or more servers in content delivery tier  107  via content delivery switch  117 . The content may be compressed and/or encrypted prior to transmission. In the depicted implementation, content delivery tier  107  includes a content delivery server  155  in communication with a live or real-time content server  156  and a VoD delivery server  158 . For purposes of this disclosure, the use of the term “live” or “real-time” in connection with content server  156  is intended primarily to distinguish the applicable content from the content provided by VoD delivery server  158 . The content provided by a VoD server is sometimes referred to as time-shifted content to emphasize the ability to obtain and view VoD content substantially without regard to the time of day or day of week. 
     Content delivery tier  107  includes devices and/or services that are, in some embodiments, responsible for creating video streams, e.g., MPEG-2 video streams, suitable for transmission over private network  110  and/or access network  130  to clients  120 . The video streams may be “packetized” video streams comprised of multiple network data packets. Content delivery server  155  may employ unicast and broadcast techniques when making content available to a subscriber. 
     Client-facing switch  113  as shown is further coupled to a client gateway  153  and a terminal server  154  that is operable to provide terminal devices with a connection point to the private network  110 . Client gateway  153  may provide subscriber access to private network  110  and the resources coupled thereto. Client gateway  153  may also prevent unauthorized devices, such as hacker computers or stolen set-top boxes, from accessing the private network  110 . Accordingly, in some embodiments, when an STB  121  accesses MCDN  100 , client gateway  153  verifies subscriber information by communicating with user store  172  via the private network  110 . 
     MCDN  100  as depicted includes application resources  105 , which communicate with private network  110  via application switch  115 . Application resources  105  as shown include an application server  160  operable to host or otherwise facilitate one or more subscriber applications  165  that may be made available to system subscribers. For example, subscriber applications  165  as shown include an electronic programming guide (EPG) application  163 . 
     Application server  160  as shown also hosts an application referred to generically as user application  164 . User application  164  represents or encompasses an application that may deliver a value added feature to subscribers. User application  164  is included in  FIG. 1  to emphasize the ability to extend the network&#39;s functionality via network hosted applications. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a database switch  119  connects database tier  109  to private network  110  and to public network  112 . Database tier  109  as shown includes a database server  170  that manages a system storage resource  172 , also referred to herein as user store  172 . User store  172  as shown includes one or more user profiles  174 . In some embodiments, user profiles  174  include account information and subscriber preference information pertaining to a corresponding subscriber. User profiles  174  may be accessed by applications executing on application server  160  and/or applications executing locally on a client  120 , e.g., executing on STB  121 . 
     MCDN  100  as shown includes OSS/BSS tier  108  connected to public network  112  via OSS/BSS switch  118 . OSS/BSS tier  108  as shown includes an OSS/BSS server  181  that hosts operations support services including remote management via a management server  182 . OSS/BSS resources  108  may include a monitoring server (not depicted) that monitors network devices within or coupled to MCDN  100  via, for example, a simple network management protocol (SNMP). 
     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , selected components of one embodiment of the STB  121  depicted in  FIG. 1  are illustrated. Some embodiments of STB  121  include hardware and/or software functionality to receive streaming multimedia data from an IP-based network and process the data to produce video and audio signals suitable for delivery to an NTSC, PAL, or other type of display  124 . In addition, some embodiments of STB  121  may include resources to store multimedia content locally and resources to play back locally stored multimedia content when requested. 
     In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 2 , STB  121  includes a general purpose processing core represented as controller  260  in communication with various special purpose multimedia modules. These modules may include a transport/de-multiplexer module  205 , an A/V decoder  210 , a video encoder  220 , an audio DAC  230 , and an RF modulator  235 . Although  FIG. 2  depicts each of these modules discretely, STB  121  may be implemented with a system on chip (SoC) device that integrates controller  260  and each of these multimedia modules. In still other embodiments, STB  121  may include an embedded processor serving as controller  260  and at least some of the multimedia modules may be implemented with a general purpose digital signal processor (DSP) and supporting software. 
     Regardless of the implementation details of the multimedia processing hardware, STB  121  as shown in  FIG. 2  includes a network interface  202  that enables STB  121  to communicate with an external network such as LAN  127 . Network interface  202  may share many characteristics with conventional network interface cards (NICs) used in personal computer platforms. For embodiments in which LAN  127  is an Ethernet LAN, for example, network interface  202  implements level 1 (physical) and level 2 (data link) layers of a standard communication protocol stack by enabling access to twisted pair, fiber, or other form of physical network medium and by supporting low level addressing using MAC addressing. In these embodiments, every network interface  202  includes a globally unique 48-bit MAC address  203  stored in a ROM or other persistent storage element of network interface  202 . Similarly, at the other end of the LAN connection  127 , RG  122  has a network interface (not depicted) with its own globally unique MAC address. 
     Network interface  202  may further include or support software or firmware providing one or more complete network communication protocol stacks. Where network interface  202  is tasked with receiving streaming multimedia communications, for example, network interface  202  may include a streaming video protocol stack such as an RTP/UDP stack. In these embodiments, network interface  202  is operable to receive a series of streaming multimedia packets and process them to generate a digital multimedia stream  204  that is provided to transport/demux  205 . 
     The digital multimedia stream  204  is a sequence of digital information that may include video data streams interlaced with audio data streams. The video and audio data contained in digital multimedia stream  204  may be referred to as “in-band” data. Multimedia stream  204  may also include “out-of-band” data, which might include, for example, billing data, decryption data, and data enabling the IPTV service provider to manage IPTV client  120  remotely. 
     Transport/demux  205  as shown is operable to segregate and, if needed, decrypt the audio, video, and any out-of-band data in digital multimedia stream  204 . Transport/demux  205  outputs a digital audio stream  206 , a digital video stream  207 , and an out-of-band digital stream  208  to A/V decoder  210 . Transport/demux  205  may also, in some embodiments, support or communicate with various peripheral interfaces of STB  121  including an IR interface  250  suitable for use with an IR remote control unit (not shown) and a front panel interface (not shown). 
     A/V decoder  210  processes digital audio, video, and out-of-band streams  206 ,  207 , and  208  to produce a native format digital audio stream  211  and a native format digital video stream  212 . A/V decoder  210  processing may include decompression of digital audio stream  206  and/or digital video stream  207 , which are generally delivered to STB  121  as compressed data streams. In some embodiments, digital audio stream  206  and digital video stream  207  are MPEG compliant streams and, in these embodiments, A/V decoder  210  is an MPEG decoder. 
     The native format digital audio stream  211  as shown in  FIG. 2  is routed to an audio DAC  230  to produce an audio output signal  231 . The native format digital video stream  212  is routed to an NTSC/PAL or other suitable video encoder  220 , which generates digital video output signals suitable for presentation to an NTSC or PAL compliant display device  204 . In the depicted embodiment, for example, video encoder  220  generates a composite video output signal  221  and an S video output signal  222 . An RF modulator  235  receives the audio and composite video outputs signals  231  and  221  respectively and generates an RF output signal  221  suitable for providing to an analog input of display  204 . 
     In addition to the multimedia modules described, STB  121  as shown includes various peripheral interfaces. STB  121  as shown includes, for example, a USB interface  240 , an interface  255  for communicating with a telephony handset, and a local video interface  256  for receiving video data from a camera  258  or another source of local video data. The illustrated embodiment of STB  121  includes storage resources  270  that are accessible to controller  260  and possibly one or more of the multimedia modules. Storage  270  may include DRAM or another type of volatile storage identified as memory  275  as well as various forms of persistent or nonvolatile storage including flash memory  280  and/or other suitable types of persistent memory devices including ROMs, EPROMs, and EEPROMs. In addition, the depicted embodiment of STB  121  includes a mass storage device in the form of one or more magnetic hard disks  295  supported by an IDE compliant or other type of disk drive  290 . Embodiments of STB  121  employing mass storage devices may be operable to store content locally and play back stored content when desired. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 3 , selected elements of an embodiment of STB  121  are depicted to emphasize video conferencing functionality. As depicted in  FIG. 3 , STB  121  includes various software modules  302  through  310  to support video conferencing functionality. The software modules represent computer executable instructions embedded in one or more of the storage components of storage  270 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the software modules include a remote control application  302 , a SIP client application  304 , a handset module  306 , a video conferencing module  308 , and a camera module  310 . 
     Remote control application  302  represents code operable to execute a remote control initiated function in response to a subscriber or other user asserting a remote control button on the remote control device  126 . Remote control application  126  may include or have access to a table indicating procedures to execute in response to assertion of applicable remote control buttons. In some embodiments, remote control commands are received by STB  121  via its RC interface  250 , which may be an infrared or other form of wireless communication interface. 
     In the depicted embodiment, STB  121  is operable, not only to participate in a multimedia conferencing session, but also to establish the session for itself and one or more external devices. STB  121  as depicted in  FIG. 3 , for example, includes a SIP client application  304 . SIP is a protocol for establishing a multimedia session and SIP client application  304  is compliant with the SIP protocol. Integrating the SIP client application  304  into STB  121  beneficially simplifies the implementation of hardware needed to support video conferencing. 
     Handset module  306  enables STB  121  to communicate video conferencing audio data with a handset device. In some embodiments, the handset device is integrated within the remote control device  126  so that the STB  121  and remote control device  126  are operable to communicated audio data with each other. In some embodiments, the audio data is communicate wirelessly and/or digitally between STB  121  and remote control device  126 . Camera module  310  is executed by controller  260  to process video information received from local video input interface  256 . Video conferencing module  308  supports video conferencing functionality by being operable to integrate audio data from remote control device  126  and video data from camera  258  into multimedia data and being further operable to transmit and received multimedia data via the established video conferencing session. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , selected elements of an embodiment of remote control  126  are depicted to emphasize the dual functionality of remote control device  126  as a remote and a video conferencing handset. In the depicted embodiment, remote control device  126  includes a remote control interface  323 , a handset interface  322 , a speaker  324 , an LCD  326 , a controller  328 , button interface  330 , a set of buttons  331 , which are shown with dashed lines and transposed relative to remote control device  126  for the sake of clarity, a cordless module  332 , and a microphone  334 . Microphone  334  converts sound to audio data for transmission while speaker  324  converts received audio data to sound. Button I/F  330  and RC interface  323  enable remote control device  126  to transmit remote control commands wirelessly to STB  121  via an infrared or other wireless signal. 
     Handset interface  322 , in conjunction with cordless module  332 , is operable to communicate audio data with STB  121 . In one embodiment, cordless module  332  is a DECT compliant module that enables remote control device  126  to communicate audio data using DECT compliant connections with STB  121  serving as the DECT base station. LCD  326  may be used in conjunction with this embodiment to display DECT information including, for example, CallerID information. 
     In one particular implementation, STB  121  is operable as a DECT base station and remote control  126  is operable as a DECT handset. DECT functionality enables the implementation of beneficial features. For example, multiple DECT handsets can register with a single DECT base station and thereby communicate audio data to a designated base station. A subscriber with multiple STBs could designate one of the STBs as the video conferencing STB, establish that STB as the DECT base station, and register all of his or her remote controls with the designated STB for telecommunications purposes. In addition, DECT supports the transmission of information including CallerID information between a base station and a handset. If remote control device  126  is implemented within a display device such as a liquid crystal display, it could display CallerID information when an incoming call is received. 
     The above disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments which fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.