Abstract:
A one-way broadcasting system comprises a headend system architecture adapted to receive data from the Internet and transmit the data through a digital TV network to receivers, a mapping function for mapping the Internet data to MPEG streams, a combining function for combining the Internet data streams with digital video streams, a broadcast function for broadcasting Web content to users throughout the one way network; a linking function for linking the Internet data with digital video channels; and a navigation function for navigating broadcast data in the one way network.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to World Wide Web (“WWW”) based broadcast data system. More particularly, this invention relates to systems and services for providing one-way Internet data delivery over digital broadcast TV network. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the next few years, digital television will become the overriding standard for broadcasting television and cable signals in the United States. This will require that all consumer households purchase new digital televisions or digital to analog converter systems which will allow the old fashioned analog televisions to convert the incoming digital signals to analog signals for viewing. Since cable signals are the ubiquitous providers of most television content today, consumers will also have to purchase or otherwise be provided with digital set top boxes which will be placed in the consumer&#39;s home and hooked up to the digital television. The digital set top box will be adapted to receive the incoming digital signals from the local or regional cable headend and convert or descramble them into signals carrying the desired content for broadcast by the digital television. The digital set top boxes will be built according to particular standards promulgated by the government and standards committees and will have varying degrees of computing power. 
     The Internet or WWW has also become a ubiquitous part of our lives in the last part of the twentieth century. One of the downside of the Internet today is that in order to have access to it, one must own a fairly expensive personal computer. Even though personal computers have reduced greatly in price today, many individuals have no desire to purchase one and learn their intricacies in order to have access to the WWW. Additionally, providing real time access to complicated video content is not possible with current personal computers since the transport media and modems which must bring Internet signals to personal computers are not fast enough and do not have enough bandwidth to make this possible. 
     Some prior art systems such as have attempted to transport Internet signals to current analog television systems by placing a limited, customized server at the consumer&#39;s premises and hooking up the server to the consumer&#39;s analog television. This server is much less expensive than personal computer, and concomitantly much powerful. The same problems of speed and bandwidth still exist, and these servers will not interface with digital televisions without the use of the digital set top box described above and which is on the near horizon. 
     However with the advent of digital television and the build out of the hybrid fiber-coax infrastructure rapidly occurring in many communities throughout the United States today, it will soon be possible to provide enough bandwidth to meaningfully provide high content video signals to a device which will be able to handle digital signals with massive content therein. What remains to make transport of the signals practical is the speed of delivery, which if digital, could be accomplished by cable modems and the like. 
     There is therefore a long felt need in the art for systems, methods and software which can integrate Internet services with the coming digital television regime which will take the content-rich digital signals from cable networks. It will be greatly desired to provide access to the WWW through the Internet and broadcast the Internet on digital televisions of the future. Additionally, there will be a strong need for seamless integration of Internet services and digital television signals so that the consumer of both can easily access the Internet and watch the desired content without interruption. These needs have not heretofore been fulfilled in the art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The aforementioned long felt needs are met and problems solved by one way broadcast systems provided in accordance with the present invention. The systems preferably comprise a headend cable system adapted to receive MPEG data, analog signals and signals from the Internet. Even more preferably the systems comprise means for converting the analog signals to MPEG signals and means for combining the MPEG data and converted MPEG signals. Still more preferably, the systems comprise means for transporting the combined signals to a digital signal. 
     Broadcast systems provided in accordance with the invention also accommodate the above described long felt needs. The broadcast systems preferably comprise means for combining Internet data streams and video data streams, means for transporting the combined data streams to a digital television, and means for integrating and converting the transported data streams for use by the digital television. 
     Still more preferably, methods of one way broadcasting accommodate these long felt needs. The preferably comprise the steps of combining Internet data streams and video data streams, transporting the combined data streams to a digital television, and integrating and converting the transported data streams for use by the digital television. 
     The systems and methods provided in accordance with the present invention thus provide seamless integration of Internet services and the coming digital television signals. The systems provide functionality in the headends of cable systems to multiplex MPEG video signals and Internet signals into MPEG channels which can be customized for each consumer&#39;s particular use and demands. One way interactivity is provided and customized software at the local digital set top boxes allows the system to be versatile and economical. Such results have not heretofore been achieved in the art. 
     MORECAST service is a one-way Webcasting service that is carried using digital TV transport streams. MORECAST SM  provides Webcasting service to digital set-top box in one way digital broadcast TV network such as Hybrid Fiber Coax (HFC) or DBS (Direct Broadcast Satellite) network or any other broadcast network. The service can generate additional revenue streams for network operators or content providers in majority of the one way digital video service coverage areas. By utilizing the high speed broadband network bandwidth, MORECAST SM  can provide broadcast news, sports, local weather, and stock quote information from the World Wide Web to TV viewers at home. The MORECOM system also allows to broadcast web content in context to the digital video program being broadcasted. Consumers can also receive program synchronous Webcasting information for each segment of the digital video programming. For example, one can access additional Web based information such as a Web page about a TV commercial currently showing on TV. Furthermore, a consumer can access the Webcasting information interactively just like surfing through the Web. In addition, a consumer can access customized Webcasting content to his or her preference such as personal stock quotes or favorite sport teams news. In one-way networks, MORECAST SM  enable users to have the real time interactive experience at very low cost. 
     There are three types of MORECAST services: MORECAST Broadcast Data: These are the HTML data broadcast universally throughout all the digital channels to all the clients associated with a headend. Examples include: Electronic Program Guide (EPG), MORECOM Home navigation page, general community information, breaking news, local weather information, local school information, etc. It is usually required that this information is on the broadcast data carousel for all the physical channels so that the user can always access these HTML data and watch any TV channel at the same time. MORECAST Simulcast Data: HTML based Webcasting content is associated with each digital broadcast TV channel. For each MPEG-2 program with a multiple program transport stream, there is a data carousel that carries HTML data coming from specific Web sites for different type of services. The carousel is synchronous with the digital broadcast program contents. Examples include: programming provider&#39;s key Web pages, advertisement related to the program, news related to the program, etc. The simulcast data is available to all the clients who are tuning to the TV program segment that the data is associated with. MORECAST Personalized Data: HTML based Webcasting content is customized based on each user&#39;s individual profile and viewing time. Statistically, many users may want to access a different subset of the real time information during specific viewing period. This information is also associated with each MPEG TV program but may not be synchronized with TV content. It should be available all the time from the data carousel upon each user&#39;s demand. 
     The MORECOM system contains server products and client products. In a one-way HFC network, or satellite based delivery system, one way Webcasting service can be enabled through MORECOM server at the local headend or satellite distribution center. The Web based content can be multicasted in conjunction with digital video over the satellite or through the local headend to provide personalized Internet-based content on the MORECOM client&#39;s TV set. (Also known as MORECAST). 
     Those with skill in the art will better understand the invention by reading the following detailed description of the invention in conjunction with the drawings which are first described briefly below. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a Web-casting system over a one-way digital broadcast TV network according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the server and client architecture for MORECAST services. 
     FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of the navigation layers of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a block diagram for mapping Internet data and over MPEG-2 streams. 
     FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the control map architecture of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of the consumer navigation through the system of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements, FIG. 1 is a diagram of the architecture of a one way digital cable network  10  of the present invention. The network  10  comprises a headend  20  which preferably interfaces to a hybrid fiber-coax (“HFC”) transport network. While HFC is desired, it will be recognized by those with skill in the art that other transport media may be utilized such as, without limitation, standard coax or wireless. All such embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the present invention. 
     Analog receivers  30  and digital receivers  40  interface with an MPEG-2 encoder  50  and an integrated electronic receiver  60  respectively to receive video signals for broadcast to the consumers. In the case of the analog signals, the MPEG-2 encoder  50  converts the analog signals to digital MPEG-2 format. If the signals are received in digital MPEG-2 format, the integrated receiver  60  conventionally receives them. The MPEG-2 signals are remultiplexed at  70  and bussed to a broadcast server  80  provided in accordance with the present invention. 
     Preferably, the broadcast server  80  is also interfaced to a LAN  90  which has dial up access through a server  100  to the Internet and WWW  110 . The broadcast server  80  transports the composite digital television and Internet signals to a modulator  120  which modulates the signals and upconverts them to the appropriate frequencies. A converter  130  outputs the modulated signals to an HFC network  140  which transports the signals to the digital set top boxes  150  at the consumer premises. The MPEG-2 transport streams are more preferably arranged into multiple data channels in each transport stream inside one 6 MHZ channel. The digital set top boxes  150  will preferably have contained thereon the appropriate software provided in accordance with the present invention to integrate the Internet and digital television signals, and to provide interactivity for the consumer. 
     In accordance with the invention, the system of FIG. 1 will broadcast data in hypertext markup language (HTML) to all consumers associated with the headend  20 . These include for example, Electronic Programming Guides, Navigation Pages, general community information, breaking news, weather, etc. These data will always be on the broadcast carousel for all the 6 MHZ channels so that the consumer can always have access to these HTML pages and watch television at the same time. To simulcast data, HTML content is associated with each digital or broadcast TV channel. For each MPEG-2 program with a multiple program transport stream, there is a data carousel that carries HTML data coming from the specific Web Site for different types of services. The carousel is synchronous with the digital broadcast program content. These include for example, provider&#39;s key Web pages, advertisement related to the program being watched, news related to the program being watched, etc. To send personalized data, HTML based Webcasting content may be customized based on each consumer&#39;s individual profile and viewing time. Statistically, many consumers may desire access to a different subset of the real time information during specific viewing periods. This information is also associated with each MPEG TV program but may not be synchronized with the TV content. It will be available all the time from the data carousel upon each consumer&#39;s demand. 
     The MORECAST (which is a trademark of the owner of the present invention and is used to denote the invention throughout) end-to-end system provides broadband Internet data broadcasting through an existing digital TV network and a set-top box. A typical system architecture in a one way HFC network that also provides digital TV broadcast is shown in FIG.  1 . 
     In a digital TV network configuration, the HFC headend  20  receives an analog TV broadcast channel from the satellite system  30  and a real time MPEG-2 encoder  50  encodes the signal into an MPEG-2 single program transport stream, typically at 3 Mbps to 8 Mbps. The compressed digital format will provide much more efficient transmission of programs into the local HFC network. If the headend  20  has a digital satellite downlink Integrated Receiver Transcoder (IRT)  60 , it should be able to receive the satellite signal that carries a digital MPEG-2 compressed stream. It performs demodulation, FEC (Forward Error Correction), and decryption. It then outputs the retrieved MPEG-2 multiple program transport stream to the MPEG-2 transport remultiplexer  70 . The MPEG-2 remultiplexer  70  can receive single program transport streams or multiple program transport streams through DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) ASI (Asynchronous Serial Interface) up to 270 Mbps. Since each 6 MHZ cable channel can only fit about 27 Mbps using 64 QAM modulation, a remultiplexer is required to remultiplex the programs in order to fit into these channels. The remultiplexer  70  can perform remultiplexing single or multiple program transport streams into multiple program transport streams at different bit rates, re-assign PID (packet ID), adjust PCR (Program Clock Reference), and modify PAT/PMT (Program Association Table/Program Map Table), and insert conditional access messages such as ECM and EMM. 
     At the physical layer, typically a 64 QAM modulator  120  is used for each 6 MHZ cable channel to provide 27 Mbps of digital capacity downstream. In addition, the modulator  120  will also provide Forward Error Correction (FEC). The in-band downstream channels typically occupy from 50 MHZ to 750 MHZ in a HFC spectrum shared between analog and digital programs. 
     The MOREGATE™ (also a trademark of the owner of the present invention) server  80  for one way Webcasting service (MORECAST SM ) is located in the headend  20  to serve as the Webcasting gateway from the LAN  90  or the World Wide Web  110  to the digital video network  10 . Webcasting content can be generated through the Internet from a remote location. They can be downloaded to the MOREGATE™ server  80  and “pushed” to the digital set-top box  150  through the digital network. Program synchronous Web content associated with a digital TV channel is mapped onto MPEG-2 transport streams on multiple data carousels. The system also allows interactive navigation through the Webcasting content by the digital set-top box  150 . 
     The MOREGATE broadcast™ server  80  preferably interfaces with an Internet proxy server through Ethernet to retrieve Web content. It has output of DVB ASI format that carries an MPEG-2 transport stream which feeds the MPEG-2 remultiplexer  70 . The broadcast server  80  is managed by MORECOM Resource Manager  155  (MOREMANAGE™) through Ethernet using SNMP for bandwidth and PID management. 
     MOREMANAGE is developed to manage the Webcasting services provided by MORECOM (the owner of the present invention). Three major functions of MOREMANAGE include: (1) Manage MPEG-2 resource assignment (PID, bandwidth, etc.) for services provided from MOREGATE servers; (2) Collect and maintain client profile and usage and interface with billing and OSS (Operation Support System) and subscriber management system; and (3) Connection management interface with the System Controller that manages the MPEG encoder  50 , the Integrated Receiver Transcoder  60 , the remultiplexer  70 , and the modulator  120 . 
     Referring to FIG. 2, a system diagram of the server environment to provide the above-referenced functionality is shown. On the server side  160 , a hypertext transport protocol(HTTP) proxy server  170  is provided which contains the particular applications  180  desired to transport. An application program interface (API)  190  is provided which interfaces to the HTML/MPEG gateway and library  200  which is implemented by server  80 . The content is output by a high speed MPEG input/output interface  210 . 
     On the client side  220 , the application  180  is input to a HTTP engine  230  where a control block  240  allows the consumer to navigate  250  according to particular protocols  260 , for example UDP, and/or IP  270 . An MPEG-2 transport driver  280  and decoder  290  handle the incoming digital signals. 
     In the broadcast server  80 , the MORECAST application module  180  is the main module that controls when the Web data will be broadcasted into the digital video network. It can perform HTML data fetching through the HTTP proxy module server  170 , translate the data into the format that digital set-top boxes can process, schedule the data event broadcasting, request the network resources required, and manage data and control interfaces. The HTTP proxy server  170  is responsible to for fetching the Web data from the Internet, based on the requests from the MORECAST application module  180 . HTML data will be mapped onto the MPEG-2 transport stream in the HTML/MPEG data protocol module  200 . A control map is preferably generated in the control protocol module  295  for navigation, channel linked for one-way broadcast services. Both data and control information will be sent through the MPEG high speed I/O interface  210  such as DVB ASI, to the digital video network. 
     In the Client side  220 , the MORECAST application module  180  has a user interface. It sends requests to a MORECAST client engine  230  that in turn interfaces with both MORECAST data protocol  260  and the MORECAST control protocol  270 . The MORECAST data protocol  260  will extract Web data through an MPEG transport private data section based on the navigation and channel information from the control map extracted by the MORECAST control protocol. The data and control information are extracted from the MPEG-2 transport driver  280  that controls the MPEG-2 transport hardware in the digital set-top box. 
     In order to navigate between and among the various options discussed above, a browser and navigation menu will preferably be provided. Referring to FIG. 3, the layers of navigation are preferably illustrated. A consumer can select a digital video channel and a user interface can be enabled on the television screen. A browser  300  will be enabled and a main menu  310  will show broadcast  320 , Web  330 , Video  340  and Mail  350 , which are some preferable options. Choosing broadcast  320  for example enables a broadcast submenu  360 . This enables broadcast  370 , simulcast  380  or personalized  390  options, for example. Choosing broadcast  370  enables a navigation page  400  for a common HTML stream  1 ,  2 ,  3  at  410 . Selecting simulcast  380  enables a navigation page  420  which will go to a series of data channels associated with one 6 MHZ channel which thus has multiple HTML events  1 , 2  at  430  for viewing. By selecting personalized  390 , the user will choose only that channel which matches the MAC or IP address associated with his or her set-top box. 
     After the user selects the particular service desired from the menu, the associated root channel navigation page from the data channel is provided. For example, if the Cable News Network (CNN) decides to support simulcast services, it will need to generate a CNN specific channel navigation page that has a URL  440  to all the start page associated with each cluster pages that constitutes the simulcast service. The user can go to the Web content associated with the selected stream, and within each stream the user can go to each URL linked to the pages as required. 
     Given the above services offered through MORECAST, a user can access any information from one of the above services at any given time. There can be many different navigation models. The design goal of the navigation model is to be user friendly and standard Web content based. 
     Menu: this is the navigation menu which is different from the browser itself. The menu system can identify the type of MORECAST service that user want to access: broadcast, simulcast, and personalized, since one can not access more than one service at each time. This can be completely HTML based and is common for all the users and channels. This can be changed via downloading once every month or so 
     Content: all the MORECAST content for the three services can be viewed through many data channels. Each data channel has a root page that indicates the list of data streams. Each data stream contains a group of hyperlinked Web pages. In the case of simulcast, the stream becomes the event that has a start time and a duration. All the content is standard HTML based. All the content can be generated by the content provider through standard Web authoring tools. 
     The layers of navigation can be explained in the following example: 
     1. The user can select one digital video channel, e.g. CNN. The MORECAST service user interface can be enabled on the screen. It will show the MORECOM Browser buttons such as “MORECAST”, “MOREWEB”, “MOREVIDEO”, “MOREMAIL”, etc. 
     2. The user can select the MORECAST service button on the TV. This will bring a local menu for MORECAST services. It will show the MORECAST service buttons such as “MORECAST Broadcast”, “MORECAST Simulcast”, and “MORECAST Personalized”. Selecting “MORECAST Simulcast” while watching CNN will go to the data channel associated with CNN. Only one data channel is associated with one video program. There are many simulcast data channels in one physical channel. And there can be only one broadcast channel shared for each 6 MHZ, which is not associated with the video program. There can be many personalized channels in one physical channel. 
     3. After the user selects the MORECAST service type on the local Menu, it will get the associated root channel navigation page from the data channel. For example, if CNN decides to support MORECAST Simulcast service, it will need to generate a CNN specific channel navigation page that has a URL to all of the start pages associated with each cluster of pages (data stream or event) that constitutes a service such as CNNfn, CNNevent (associated with each commercial), etc. 
     4. Now, the user can go to the Web content associated with the selected stream. The user can go back to the start of the stream or the channel navigation page easily at any point. 
     5. Within each stream, the user can go to each URL linked to the pages as required. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, both the data and control information can be carried over MPEG-2 transport streams in the format defined in this Figure. Basically, the HTML pages (URLs) and their control map information are either mapped directly onto the sections of the MPEG-2 transport stream or mapped through an intermediate layer such as UDP/IP and then encapsulated in the sections of the MPEG-2 transport stream. Multiple sections form a table. Each table can be separated and filtered by the set-top decoder through tableID and/or tableID_extension fields. The MPEG-2 table structure is segmented and carried over MPEG-2 transport packets, which can be filtered through the PID (packetID) by the decoder. 
     The hierarchy of HTML navigation of the MPEG network in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in FIG.  5 . HTML program association tables  450  are generated. These tables  450  identify the list of the data channels (programs) in the transport stream within the selected 6 MHZ. They also identify the type of data channel and video program linkage, if any, and give the location of the program map table  460 . The program map table  460  identifies the list of data streams inside each data channel and their type and properties, such as a URL to MPEG resource map, and gives the location of the channel navigation page. The descriptors give detail for each stream inside the program tables. Concurrently, HTML program map tables  460 , HTML event information tables  470 , and HTML session information tables  480  are all generated. For example, the program tables  460  support several HTML streams  490  and associated URLs  500 . The event information tables  470  support particular events  510  and associated URLs  520 . Similarly, the session information tables  480  support HTML streams  530  with associated URLs  540 . This Figure describes the control map hierarchy required for navigation and channel linkage in the one way data broadcast environments. 
     The control maps are generated by the server  80  in the headend  20  and transmitted periodically to the client  150  through the digital broadcast network  10 . The control maps are preferably partitioned into the following hierarchy: 
     HPAT: HTML Program Association Table. This table identifies the list of the data channels (programs) in this transport stream within the selected 6 MHZ. It also identifies the type of data channel and the video program linkage if there is any. It also gives the location of the other control maps listed below. 
     HPMT: HTML Program Map Table. This table identifies the list of data streams inside each of the broadcast data channels and their type and properties such as the URL to MPEG resource map. It also gives the location of the channel navigation page. 
     HEIT: HTML Event Information Table. This table identifies the list of data events inside the simulcast data channel that is associated with each of the video programs and their type and properties such as the URL to MPEG resource map. 
     HSIT: HTML Session Information Table. This table identifies the list of data streams inside the personalized data channels and their type and properties such as the URL to MPEG resource map. 
     Referring to FIG. 6, when a single 6 MHZ channel is tuned at  550  for example, the television is tuned to the program  560  and the server main menu is enabled  570 . The user selects with a local remote control device the particular service desired  580  such as, for example, broadcast with associated program association table  450 . The channel for the selection is then preferably enabled at  590  with its associated program association table  450 . The navigation page is then preferably displayed at  600 . In either case, navigation of the pages are accomplished at  610  and the URL&#39;s for the channel are then viewed. 
     Upon selection of a particular video channel by the user, a 6 MHz spectrum is selected and a digital video program inside this spectrum is also selected. The set-top box  150  will parse the HPAT  450  in the selected MPEG transport stream. This will give the location of the HPMT  460  HEIT  470  and HSIT  480  in the transport streams. In selecting the broadcast mode, the location of the HPMT  460  is identified and the retrieved from the transport stream. The set-top box  150  can use control information provided by HPMT  460  to navigate through the broadcast data in the data carousel. 
     In selecting the simulcast mode, the location of the HEIT  470  that is associated with the current video program is identified and retrieved from the transport stream. The set-top box  150  can use control information provided by HEIT  470  to synchronize and navigate through the simulcast data in the data carousel. 
     In selecting the personalized mode, the location of the HSIT  480  is identified and retrieved from the transport stream. The set-top box  150  can use control information provided by HSIT  480  to identify, update, and navigate through the personalized data in the data carousel. 
     The computer and software architecture which implements the present invention is structured in a modular way using object oriented design. This allows the modules to be changed and refined along with system design improvement. The system also satisfies real time proxy performance. The system is transportable to virtually any platform, and can be implemented on a PC WINDOWS NT platform for example, or in UNIX. The system is preferably programmed in C and VISUAL C++ 5.0 and uses the SQL 5.0 Database Server. The graphical user interface is either the Web Browser or programmed in VISUAL C++. Either the APACHE proxy server or MICROSOFT proxy server is utilized. 
     The systems and methods provided in accordance with the present invention thus provide seamless integration of Internet services and the coming digital television signals. The systems provide functionality in the headends of cable systems to multiplex MPEG video signals and Internet signals into MPEG channels which can be customized for each consumer&#39;s particular use and demands. One-way interactivity is provided and customized software at the local digital set top boxes allows the system to be versatile and economical. Such results have not heretofore been achieved in the art. 
     There have thus been described certain preferred embodiments of one-way broadcast systems provided in accordance with the present invention. While certain preferred embodiments have been described and disclosed, it will be recognized by those with skill in the art that modifications are within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. The appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications.