Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates generally to computers and communications,
and more specifically, to a method and system for providing convergent network
services.
Background of the Invention
At the present time, Users employ multiple devices and methods to access
content from different mass media communications outlets, and to access
content
made available by Providers in a number of different formats.
A news outlet; for example, may cover a single event with a simultaneous
combination of television broadcast, radio broadcast, in-depth text/hypertext
reports
over the Internet and streaming video footage on a private Internet-Protocol
(IP)
"Fourth Network". The "Fourth Network" is defined as the radio, TV, telephone
Web mechanisms, other than the "traditional networks", through which society
communicates, exchanges information or consumes entertainment. For example,
people buy CDs and DVDs to watch movies, listen to music and play games; they
subscribe to newspapers and magazines, buy books or borrow them from the
library
and rent videotapes. These archived media assets are examples of non-linear
content types that have one to one relationships with Users and exhibit
characteristics such as "On-Demand" and "Always C)n". Their format also
provides
Users with VCR-like control which allow them to start, stop, rewind and fast-
forward
content at any time.
In order for a User to access all of the content available from Content
Providers, he must use different devices, each of which operates in its own
unique
fashion. Hence, Content Providers are faced with the challenge of trying to
educate
their Users about the various media assets they haul=, their media types,
where to
find the assets and types, and what tools are required to access them.
If a User wishes to access a content Provider's TV broadcast signal, he has
to obtain a television receiver and remember the channel number or station
call sign.
To locate the content Provider's World Wide Web site, he has to obtain an
Internet
connected computer and remember the content Prov'ider's URL (uniform resource
locator) or use a search engine or portal to locate it. Similarly, if a User
wanted to
access a radio broadcast, he has to obtain a radio receiver and remember the
correct tuning frequency of the radio transmission. Thus, in order to access
all of a
content Provider's media assets, Users must use multiple appliances and learn
numerous navigation metaphors.
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There is currently no mechanism for Users to access such various media
types in a seamless and intuitive manner.
A number of attempts have been made to make the selection of television
channels corresponding to a particular theme easier to accomplish. Each of the
issued United States Patents No. 5,673,089; 5,886,746; 5,596,373 and
6,061,097,
for example, add a single "theme" layer to the traditional selection of
television
broadcast channels. Patent No. 5,673,089 describes a hand-held remote
controller
which can be programmed by the User to list certain television channels as
sports,
news or movie channels. 8y striking the "sports" key, the User can scroll
through
those channels which he has listed as "sports" charnels. Patent No. 5,596,373
is a
little more sophisticated in that it offers both "theme'° and "sub-
theme'° selection
screens.
In any case, however, the User's ability to organize and select television
channels has not been advanced a great deal. With digital and satellite
television
systems now available, Users can access hundreds of television channels. A
User
would have to review and categorize all of these channels, and update them
regularly; to have a comprehensive system.
As well, none of these patents suggest how i:he far greater complexity of
multiple media sources might be supported. While locally available television
channels number in the hundreds, the Internet offers global access to
thousands of
media sources. Clearly, User-managed organization systems are a completely
impractical solution.
A number of attempts have also been made to integrate or connect
telephony, data and television networks, as demonsi:rated in issued United
States
Patents No. 5,778,056; 5,946,322 and 5,999,612. Vllhile these patents describe
simple techniques for integrating various network services, they do not
integrate
these services in a seamless way. Typically, the End User receives telephone
signals in a telephone type format, via a telephone channel, and receives
television
signals in a television format, via a television channel.
United States Patent No. 5,999,612 presents an extreme case, where the
End User's personal computer receives separate signals which must be
integrated at
the End User's PC, requiring the User to have access to all of the disparate
networks
and to manage those interconnections himself. Clearly, it is impractical to
leave
responsibility for this complexity to the End User.
CA 02358407 2001-10-05 .... ,.a:~~#
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There is therefore a need for a system and method which makes the
selection of content Provider, content format (video/audio, Internet,
telephony, email,
and fourth network) and content theme easier to accomplish on connected or
integrated communications networks. This solution must be provided with
consideration for the problems outlined above.
Summary of the Invention
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method and system
which obviates or mitigates at least one of the disadvantages described above.
One aspect of the invention is broadly defined as a method of organizing
access to various multimedia services comprising ttie steps of: defining a
multiple
axis framework; locating each multimedia service within the framework; and
allowing
a User to select a desired one of the multimedia services by identifying
coordinates
with respect to one or more of the axes.
Another aspect of the invention is defined as a multi media system
comprising: an End User terminal; a Service Provider; and a communication
network
connecting the End User terminal and the Service Provider; the Service
Provider
being operable to: define a multiple axis framework; locate each multimedia
service
within the framework; and allow a User to select a desired one of the
multimedia
services by identifying coordinates with respect to one or more of the axes.
Brief Description of the Drawings
These and other features of the invention wilN become more apparent from
the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings
in
which:
Figure 1 presents a flow chart of a broad method of the invention;
Figure 2 presents a schematic diagram of a multimedia management strategy in
an
exemplary manner of the invention;
Figures 3A through 3H present a flow chart of a method of convergent network
system management in an exemplary embodiment of the invention;
Figures 4A through 4D present exemplary screen shots of menus in a convergent
network system in an embodiment of the invention;
Figure 5 presents a software block diagram of a convergent network system in
an
exemplary embodiment of the invention; and
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Figure 6 presents a hardware block diagram of a convergent network system in
an
exemplary embodiment of the invention.
Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments of the Invention
A methodology which addresses the objects outlined above, is presented as
a flow chart in Figure 1. This figure presents a method of organizing access
to
various multimedia services by performing the steps of:
1. defining a multiple axis framework which spans the multimedia services of
interest, at step 10;
2. locating each of the various multimedia services within this multiple axis
framework at step 12; and
3. allowing a User to select a desired one of these multimedia services at
step
14, by identifying coordinates with respect to~ one or mare of these multiple
axes.
The system of the invention is most easily dE;scribed with respect to the
exemplary schematic diagram of Figure 2. In this example, a three-axis
framework
is employed, the axes corresponding to Mode, Theme, and Provider. The "Mode"
refers to the physical medium carrying the content, such as a television
network,
radio broadcast or Internet. The "Theme" refers to the type of content such as
news,
sports or feature films. The "Provider" refers to the organization or company
providing the content, such as the BBC, CNN or Time Warner.
Clearly, other axes could be used including:
~ media format (such as jpg, mpg, streaming video, RealAudio or HTML),
~ language (such as English, French, or Spani:;h), or
cost model {such as free, pay per view, monthly subscription, or cost per
block of bits).
As well, more than three axes could be employed.
As noted above, once this framework has been established at step 10, the
various multimedia services available are located within this framework at
step 12.
In the exemplary framework of Figure 2, simply having three axes with four
options
for each axis, 64 different categories are available {43). Providing more
options per
axis quickly increases the number of categories available, for example, six
options
for each of three axes providing 216 categories (63). Similarly, increasing
the
number of axes available will also increase the number of categories: a system
employing four axes with six options per axis would provide 1296 different
categories
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(64). Thus, the thousands of media services available can be managed very
easily
with minimal complexity for the End User.
The various multimedia services may be supplied via many communication
networks as known in the art, and may consist of several different networks
working
together. These networks may include:
~ telephone networks, both analogue and digital, the public switched telephone
network (PSTN), and wireless telephone networks including cellular and point
to point systems;
~ broadcast, cable and satellite television (TV) and radio networks; and
~ computer networks including ATM, frame relay, local area networks (LANs),
wide area networks (WANs), metronets, Intranets, and the Internet.
An exemplary system is described hereinafter with respect to Figures 5 and 6,
which
presents one way of integrating such networks.
The invention is not limited by the type of device the End User employs.
Though there may be practical or technical limitations to today's networks or
devices
the invention could otherwise be applied to any manner of electronic devices
including computers, smart terminals, personal digital assistants, Internet-
ready
telephones, information kiosks or other similar interfaces. Such devices are
well
known in the art.
The software to implement the invention may reside entirely on the End
User's device, or entirely on a remote server or portal. It may also combine
both
local and remote software components, or employ local software which is
periodically
updated by a remote server. Having any client soffiniare provided and updated
by a
remote server relieves the End User of the burden of having to understand the
system, and manage and update it himself.
This invention provides numerous benefits to the Content Providers and the
End Users involved.
Benefits to Content Providers
Using this method, Content Providers can offer their audiences convenient
access to all of their media assets. The system of the invention works as both
a
promotional and educational tool, allowing Content Providers to advertise and
offer
new media assets to Users. The preferred embodiment of the system also:
1. enables broadcast/cable TV providers to extend their reach and scope
beyond their traditional approaches. A television broadcaster could now, for
~ 02358407 2001-10-05 . ,...., ".,.".,;~,.~t?
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example, direct a user to check a World Wide Web (WWW) site. With the
system of the invention, the CBC Web site (the Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation traditionally providing television and radio broadcast services)
for
example, could now provide a button for the End User to click on which would
directly access the WWW hyper text link opening it in the new window a split
screen or replacing the entire Web page;
2. allows Content Providers to reinforce their brands;
3. allows Content Providers to re-use assets they own or to which they have
rights;
4. offers Content Providers the potential for new revenue streams and business
models associated with existing content; and
5. allows Content Providers to continue use of their existing telephone or
television cable plant, without having to install a new Internet
infrastructure.
Benefits to Users
Users will have a convenient location to discover new media offerings from
well-known Content Providers, as the system of the invention aggregates all of
a
Content Provider's media assets into one location. 'The system of the
invention also
enables Users to access companion content to TV ~~nd other media assets. As
well:
1. Users have a single source for media and no longer have to use a different
appliance for every type of media asset they want to access (such as
television, personal computer, and radio);
2. these various media can include on-demand and realtime formats;
3. Users no longer have to remember channel lone-ups, complicated URLs,
radio frequencies or which media player to download;
4. Users can easily find content from a specific content provider;
5. Users can easily move between different forms of media as opposed to
switching between sources or physical appliances (i.e. seamlessly); and
6. the system has improved security, as the connection between the End User
and his portal may be a private connection (for example, a dial-up modem
over a telephone fine).
Detailed Description
An overview of the preferred embodiment of the invention will first be
presented, and then a detailed description given with respect to Figures 3
through 6.
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In the preferred embodiment, the system of the invention is implemented as a
software component of a World Wide Web portal that will provide Users with a
mechanism to access content of various media types, from multiple Content
Providers, including BroadcastlCable Television Providers as well as Lnternet-
focussed Content Providers. It provides an on-line directory of Content
Providers
who offer more than one media asset to Users and it enables Users to choose
content from multiple convergent sources: Broadcast TV, the World Wide Web and
streaming media (audio and video), video on demand (VOD) for example, within
one
navigation metaphor and one "Home" page.
The system of invention relates to the creation of a centralized access and
delivery point for Users and media Content Providers. It simplifies the
process of
finding and viewing media content. It allows Users i:o access various media
assets
from the appliance of their choice.
The system of invention employs software, which for the first time provides
Users with the opportunity to choose the media type they would like to view
using
their TV remote control or personal computer (PC). in the preferred
embodiment,
the media assets indexed will include broadcast channels (television or
radio), TV-
friendly Web sites, streaming video content, streaming audio content, text
content
and access to that Provider's location in an Interactive Program Guide (IPG).
Of course, the media assets available will depend on the specific content
Provider. For example, if a content Provider has a television broadcast
channel and
streaming video content but does not have a TV-friendly Web site or additional
assets, this content Provider may only offer the following options: TV, IPG
and video.
The system of invention could be provided by an existing service Provider
completely over the Internet, but they may not be able to provide certain
formats,
such as on-demand video, or television or radio broadcasts. The CNN Web site
for
example, could provide all of the functionality but would not allow navigation
to
another content Provider (especially seamlessly).
In the preferred embodiment, the navigation structure is flexible, with the
first
implementation allowing Users to choose by thematic categories such as Sports,
News & Information, Family, Music & Entertainment and Life & Learning. There
will
also be a category of "Web-only" Providers. These Content Providers offer
popular
Web sites that are TV-friendly and information rich but do not have-additional
media
assets. The "Web"category will be further broken down into thematic groupings
such as Cooking, Pets and Fashion, for example.
CA 02358407 2001-10-05 r, ..... . ,.:.:iu 3~y.,~to.c
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The User is presented with the Content Providers available under that
particular content category. The User selects a content Provider and is
presented
with information about that particular content Provider as well as the media
types
that he can access from that source {eg: TV, streaming radio, web, video
clips, audio
clips, etc.}:, The Content ProviderlService Provider determines the media
types and
assets to which it will offer Users access.
When the User selects a media type, he is presented with a list of assets to
view or access, for example:
1. a broadcast TV channel (or a list of avaiiablE: channels if the Content
Provider
has more than one);
2. a Web site; or
3. a list of short video clips available to view.
A "Web-only" category under the system of the invention promotes TV-
friendly, information-rich Web sites. The Content Providers under this
category
would be those that have a Web site only. This Web only category is broken
down
into thematic groupings such as Books, Entertainment, Music and Lifestyle.
The preferred embodiment of the invention is as presented in the attached
figures, but depending on the implementation, there may be advantages in
applying
the invention in the following manners:
1. all communications are IP (Internet Protocol} based but are not necessarily
carried over the Internet;
2. the main software is provided as a graphic U ser interface (GUI) (content
is
not Web content), as opposed to a Web site, that is, the system of the
invention is marketed not as a destination portal but software that will be
sold
to others which they load on their servers;
3. the STB (Set Top Box) is a standard device with a Web browser.
Customization is done by the portal downloading a customized HTM!_ page
(hypertext markup language) to the STB;
4. "notifications" identified in figure 6, refers to stripping the CLID
(calling line
identification) from an incoming telephone call and presenting it on the End
User's television screen or computer (i.e. displaying on the screen "you have
received a telephone call"). Otherwise the interaction of the system of the
invention with the PSTN (Public Switch Telephone Network) is generally as a
conduit;
CA 02358407 2001-10-05 ... "._.,.~~,,,~yyr;; ..
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5. the portal can make agreements to access network side services which
avoids the logistical problems of small bills;
6. the portal could store broadband content for redistribution on demand
basis;
7. use of an intermediate meta language as shown in Figure 5; and
8. persona! preferences could be stored on a server, providing a profile for
each
End User or account.
Other specific aspects of the system of the invention include:
1. Three - Axis Indexing:
As described above, access to content is preferably indexed with respect to
three axes: mode, Provider and theme. Typically, these three axes will be used
as
three different layers in the graphic User interface (GUI) though the ordering
of the
layers may be varied. Some portals, such as Gemstar, use a two axis approach,
for
example, allowing the User to select by Provider and theme but not mode. Other
methods and systems known in the art may use two axes in combination but not
three or more.
Some implementations, for example, may use separate pairing.of theme and
Provider but for different modes. Therefore, the User must switch from one
mode to
another, for example, going from personal computer to television to cellular
phone;
each device comprising a different mode. The problem with such a model is that
End Users have to constantly shift paradigms: they have to be aware of which
plane
they are on, where they want to go and understand how each different plane is
designed. The system of the invention provides a solution by integrating
access to
make the various planes transparent to the End User, so he can move quickly,
easily
and seamlessly from one content Provider or format to another.
The system of the invention preferably implernents the three axis
methodology by providing:
~ a way to access content;
~ a way to index content; and
~ a Aorta! at the service Provider which integrates the various contents.
Such a system is described in detail in Figures 3 through 6.
Content Providers may be under contract or licence, while some may be in
the public domain. Some may provide the same content in more than one form,
for
example, providing video programming via both Reai AudioT"" World Wide Web
(WWW) streaming, and also broadcast via television cable. Internet
transmissions
may provide the same content as the television broadcast, or enhanced content.
~ 02358407 2001-10-05 . _ ~.,~~3u:,
Having indexing that spans the networks, provides tremendous opportunities
for new business and media models. For example, a television broadcast could
direct a User to visit a WWW site. With the system of the invention, the
broadcaster's Web site could now include a button for the End User to click on
which
would directly access a hyper text link opening a new window, a split screen
or
replacing the entire Web page.
2. Content Conversion
The system of the invention may be implemented as shown in Figures 5 and
6, where a driver mechanism is provided for each input and output. The
selection
and conversion of formats may be implemented using a common API (Application
Programming Interface), or meta language.
Inputs may, for example, include Internet protocol (iP), SS7 (Signalling
System 7 - a telephony protocol), TV band transmissions, or radio band
transmissions. Outputs may, for example, include WAP (Wireless Access
Protocol),
IP/XML {Internet Protocol/Extensible Markup Language), IPIHTML {Internet
ProtocoI/Hyper Text Markup Language) or Digital T~J.
Other input and output formats could easily tie added to the system of the
invention. One skilled in the art could add the necessary interface hardware
and
software drivers to build on the invention.
3. Logistics of Coordinating Networks
The system of the invention provides a singles point of contact for handling
the
logistics of billing and monitoring usage of services. Integration of the
services at the
portal instead of at the End User's computer, as in the case of United States
Patent
No. 5,999,612, provides many such advantages.
The preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with respect
to Figures 3 through 6. Figure 3 presents a flow chart of the three-axis
management process, and Figure 4 presents exemplary screen captures that may
accompany such an implementation. Figures 5 and 6 present block diagrams of
the
preferred system of the invention; Figure 5 presenting the software layering
and
structure and Figure 6 presenting the hardware structure.
The process begins when the User accesses his electronic appliance at step
30 of Figure 3A. As noted above, this appliance will typically be a personal
computer with a set top box, but is not so limited.
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When the User wishes to access multimedia services supported by the
system of the invention, he wilt initiate the software at step 32. In
response, the
software will offer the User the choice of whether to take a thematic,
Provider or
format based approach to identifying a media selecaion, at step 34.
If the User selects a thematic approach at step 36, step 38 will route control
via link A, to step 44 of Figure 3B. Similarly, if a Provider based approach
is
selected, step 40 will route control via link B, to step 56 of Figure 3C, and
selecting
format-based approach at step 36 will route control via step 42 and link C, to
step 68
of Figure 3D.
If the User has selected the thematic approach at step 36 of Figure 3A,
control passes to step 44 of Figure 3B, where the User is presented with a
choice of
themes. The User selects the theme he desires at step 46, and in response; he
is
provided with a choice of whether to next identify the desired Provider or
format; at
step 48.
If the User selects a Provider approach at step 50, then control passes via
step 52 and link D, to step 80 of Figure 3E. Similarly, if the User selects a
format
approach at step 50, then control passes via step 54 and link E, to step 94 of
Figure
3 F.
Figures 3C and 3D are structured in a similar manner.
If the User has selected the Provider approach at step 36 of Figure 3A, then
control passes to step 56 of Figure 3C, where the User is presented with a
choice of
Providers. The User selects the Provider he desires at step 58, and in
response, he
is provided with a choice of whether to next identify the desired theme or
format, at
step 60.
If the User selects a thematic approach at step 62, then control passes via
step 64 and link F, to step 1 D2 of Figure 3F. Similarly, if the User selects
a format
approach at step 62, then control passes via step 66 and link G, to step 110
of
Figure 3G.
If the User has selected the format approach at step 36 of Figure 3A, control
passes to step 68 of Figure 3D, where the User is presented with a choice of
formats. The User selects the format he desires at si:ep 70, and in response,
he is
provided with a choice of whether to next identify the desired theme or
Provider, at
step 72.
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If the User selects a thematic approach at :step 74, then control passes via
step 76 and link H, to step 118 of Figure 3G. Similarly, if the User selects a
Provider
approach at step 74, then control passes via step i'8 and link J, to step 126
of
Figure 3H.
The algorithm has now been split up into six different paths which are
handled follows:
~ first selection by theme, second by Provider: the User is presented with a
list
of available service Providers at step 80 of ii=figure 3E. When the selection
is
made at step 82, the User is presented with a range of available formats at
step 84, from which he makes a selection ai: step S6;
first selection by theme, second by format: the User is presented with a list
of
available formats at step 94 of Figure 3F. UVhen the selection is made at
step 96, the User is presented with a range of available Providers at step 98,
from which he makes a selection at step 100;
~ first selection by Provider, second by theme: the User is presented with a
list
of available service themes at step 102 of Figure 3F. When the selection is
made at step 104, the User is presented with a range of available formats a.t
step 106, from which he makes a selection at step ~(~8;
~ first selection by Provider, second by format: the User is presented with a
list
of available formats at step 110 of Figure 3G. When the selection is made at
step 112, the User is presented with a range of available themes at step 114,
from which he makes a selection at step 116;
~ first selection by format, second by theme: the User is presented with a
list of
available themes at step 118 of Figure 3G. When the selection is made at
step 120, the User is presented with a range of available Providers at step
122, from which he .makes a selection at step 124; and
first selection by format, second by Provider: the User is presented with a
list
of available Providers at step 126 of Figure 3H. When the selection is made
at step 128, the User is presented with a range of available themes at step
130, from which he makes a selection at step 132.
In each case, the control flow then passes via link K to step 88 of Figure 3E,
where the User is presented with a list of available media asset choices. The
User
selects the desired media asset at step 90, and is provided with the media
asset at
step 92.
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Figures 4A through 4D present screen shots of an exemplary
implementation of the invention. In Figure 4A, for example, the User is
presented
with a view of the various themes that may be accessed, including news,
entertainment and family themes. Other themes are also shown, and of course,
the
number of themes that could be used is unlimited.
The User is also given the option of selecting on each screen:
y the "home" button 200, which will send the User to the home page of the
service Provider;
the "guide" button 202, which will return the User to the initial screen of
the
software of the invention (the "Media GuideT"~" software); or
the "help" button 204, which will provide instructions to the User.
if the User selects the "news" button 206 from the menu in Figure 4A, he will
be sent the "news" page which appears in Figure 4B. Note that the
'°selection" of
menu items can be done using any method known in the art, including: locating
a
cursor using a mouse and clicking a button on the mouse, using a Tab key to
cycle
through the various options available, using control keys, for example,
<CNTRL><N>
to represent "news". Many other input techniques acre known, particularly for
other
devices such as PDAs and cellular telephones. Such techniques would be known
to
one skilled in the art.
Figure 4B presents a list of available news service Providers, such as CBC
208, CBS 210 and CTV 212. If the User then selects the CBC entry 208, he will
be
sent to the screen appearing in Figure 4C which allows him to select the
format of
the CBC media presentation. As shown, this may include television (TV)
broadcasts
214, radio broadcasts 216, Web page 218 or an Interactive Program Guide (IPG)
service 220. Note that this screen also identifies the previous selections
made along
the top of the screen 222, and provides textual information about the selected
Provider 224.
If the User selects "radio" 216 in Figure 4C, he will then be provided with
the
list of radio assets in the left hand column of Figure 4.D which correspond to
the
selected theme (news), Provider (CBC), and format (radio). Like Figure 4C, the
User is also given a listing of his selections that brought him to this screen
226, as
well as textual information about the available selections 228.
Figure 5 presents the system of the invention in terms of layers. As
described above, the User 240 accesses the various mufti media services via
Web
CA 02358407 2001-10-05
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browsers 242 who communicate with the system of the invention using iP
(Internet
Protocol). A Web browser is a software application used to locate and display
Web
pages. The leading Web browsers currently available for personal computers are
graphical browsers, meaning that they can display graphics as well as text.
They
also support a variety of multimedia data, including sound and video, though
they
require software plug-ins for some formats. Browsers for cellular telephones
and the
like, with limited multimedia interfaces and downloading bandwidth, have more
limited functionality.
The Presentation Layer 244 coordinates the selection of services from the
Media Transformation Layer 246. The Media Transformation Layer 246 is
typically a
hardware component that receives content from the Media Provider Assets 248,
and
converts them into formats that can be communicated digitally.
In the preferred embodiment, the Media Transformation Layer 246 receives
content in various formats and, various electronic forms (such as the video,
audio,
text and picture formats identified in Figure 5). These various data are
converted
into a standard, intermediate "meta language". The data in the meta format
will then
be converted to a format appropriate for transmission in an IP format (such as
MPEG, markup, graphic standard or some proprietary format as shown).
The use of a meta language allows great flexibility in implementation. If a
new incoming format is to be supported, it is only necessary to develop an
appropriate input driver; the balance of the system remains unchanged.
Similarly, if
a new output format is to be provided, it is only necessary to develop a new
output
driver to support the new format.
Figure 6 presents a block diagram of the physical components which make
up the preferred embodiment of the invention.
At the heart of the design lies the "Full Motion Portal" 260 which
interconnects End Users with the broad range of communication media available.
These media may come from external sources including the PSTN (Public Switched
Telephone Network) 262, World Wide Web 264, and Broadband Content Providers
280 and their systems, and content may also be maintained in local or internal
storage devices 282.
This content is communicated with the User via his set top box 266 and
personal computer (PC) 268, using HTML (hypertext markup language) 270. HTML
is a system for organizing and tagging elements of a document, designed
especially
to determine how Web pages are formatted and displayed.
CA 02358407 2001-10-05
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The Full Motion Portal 260 also supervises a video server and storage facility
272 which provides streafning audio or video to the User using IP (lnternet
Protocol).
This content may be provided using a video on demand (VOD) model as shown 284,
but is not so limited.
A third source of media content to the User is real-time audio and video
content which may be multi-cast via the Broadcast Headend and digital
television
manager (DTVM) 274.
Note that multiple connections are shown to feed the STB 266 and PC 268,
but all of these communication channels may be carried in a single physical
connection, for example, via a television cable.
The Full Motion Portal 260 is built around t,rvo servers, though any number of
servers could be used to perform the same tasks. A server is simply a computer
or
device on a network that is optimised to perform a particular function,
generally for a
number of clients on the network. In the case of the Full Motion Portal 260,
two
servers were used: a database server designed to store large quantities of
digital
content and quickly retrieve it when required, and an application server
optimised to'
store and execute the system software described hereinafter. The telephony
server
276 and portal server 278 were implemented using a single application server
in the
. preferred embodiment of the invention.
The components and arrangement of the telephony server 276, portal server
278 and other elements of the Full Motion Portal 26t) such as the user profile
database 286 and Web small 288, are described in greater detail hereinafter
with
respect to the actual software and hardware used to implement them in the
preferred
embodiment. Briefly though, the User profile database 286 maintains records of
User preferences, passwords, billing and usage of services. This allows the
Full
Motion Portal 260 to integrate the billing and monitoring of diverse media
services at
a single location.
The operation of the PSTN 262 and telephony server 276 system was
described briefly above. In general, telephone calls may be received from the
PSTN
262, by the telephony server 276. The telephony server 276 forwards calling
line
identification (CLID) messages to the End User for presentation on their
television
screen or PC 268. The network cloud 290 presented in Figure 6 simply
recognizes
that the notification messages may pass through various routers or other
devices
before they arrive at the End User's equipment. As noted above, apart from the
CA 02358407 2001-10-05
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notification to the End User, the Full Motion Portal 260 and associated
components
of the system simply act as a conduit between the PSTN 262 and the End User.
In the preferred embodiment, Sun Enterprise-class servers (Sun 220R) were
used for the two servers of the Full Motion Portal 260. These servers offer
the
foilowing'advantages:
~ high degree of functionality;
reliability;
scalability; and
high degree of industry-wide acceptance.
The configuration required for this hardware' was basic set-up and
installation, which included software and network interface components.
The Full Motion Portal 260 requires a large number of software components
to provide the full functionality of the system of the invention. Unless noted
otherwise, the following software packages were used without any particular
installation and configuration requirements beyond those required for standard
installation in the immediate operating environment.
The foundation of the software system is the Sun Solaris operating system
(O/S) Version 2.6. This is a UNIXT"" based network operating system that
offers the
following:
features dedicated to "large files" (over 2 Gigabytes);
~ TCP/1P based networking;
~ multithreaded processor necessary for real-time or near real-time
applications; and
~ Java enabled features.
Java is a general purpose high level programming language with a number of
features that make the language well suited for use on the World Wide Web.
Java is
an object-oriented language similar to C++, but has been simplified to
eliminate
features that commonly cause programming errors. Compiled Java code can run on
most computers because Java interpreters and runtime environments, known as
Java Virtual Machines (VMs), exist for most operating systems, including UNIX,
the
Macintosh OS, and Windows.
Small Java applications are called Java applets and can be downloaded from
a Web server and run on your computer by a Java-compatible Web browser, such
as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer.
CA 02358407 2001-10-05
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The operating system chosen for an implementation must be loaded on each
server, so it must be compatible with, and supported by each server. An
operating
system is a software package that pertorms basic tasks, such as interfacing a
computer with hardware components such as keyboards and disk drives, manages
memory and CPU operation, and provides a software platform on which
application
programs can run.
The Solaris OIS software was also selected due to its acceptance in the
industry; and because of its capabilities and reliability. This version of the
O/S was
the current version in use when the software of the invention was created.
The configuration required for this software was that a certain patch level
for
the O/S was required for the O/S to support various software components, such
as
the Oracle database, iPlanet Web server and the Sun Java Development Kit.
The content database server was also supported by Oracle 8i Database
software Standard Edition V8.1.6. This is a relational database which is used
to
store content and associated meta data, as well as details regarding portal
Users
and User profile information, plus navigational details for the User
experience. A
relational database is a type of database that store s data in the form of
related
tables. Relational databases are powerful because they require few assumptions
about how data is related or how it wiH be extracted from the database. As a
result,
the same database can be viewed in many different ways.
This database software was chosen as it is considered to be an industry
standard and as such is widely deployed and supported. The configuration
required
for this software is that a database table schema must be constructed, plus
the
standard install process must be performed to configure it for use on the
specific
server.
The balance of the software on the Full Motion Portal 260 resides on the
application server:
1. Oracle 8i Database Client V8.1.6
This software is used to connect and manipulate data within the database.
This software was selected due to its compatibility with the database
software.
The configuration required for this software was that connection parameters
to access the database server must have been specified.
CA 02358407 2001-10-05 .
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2. iPlanet Web Server V4.1, Service Pack 7
This Web server software is used to deliver HTML content to customers.
This software was chosen since it offered full support for Java server
"servlets" and Java server pages. The existence of a Sun, iPlanet and Oracle
alliance makes for smooth inter-operability. Service Pack 7 of the software
was
chosen specifically since it offered the highest security and most stability
of the latest
version available.
There was a great deal of configuration required for this software to define
the necessary application and software components required, plus the required
customer access controls. Particulars of the configuration would vary with the
system being employed and would be within the ability of one skilled in the
art.
This software component resides on the application server of the Ful( Motion
Ports! 260:
3. Sun Java J2SE V1.2.2-05a
This software is a development kit and runtime environment for the Java
applications. As noted above, Java allows the delivery of dynamic content to
the
User.
This software was selected over other server-side technologies due to its
open standards, portability over competing technologies, performance, plus
interoperability with the Sun O/S environment.
For this software, the most important aspect of the configuration was the
class path information, which specifies where all Java libraries are located.
4. TCL and Expect Scripting Languages
These scripting languages were installed to execute script commands to
import content to the video server: These two packages were chosen due to the
developers' Familiarity with them, plus their capabilities. No configuration
was
required other than standard installation.
5. Java Cryptography Extensions V1.2.1
This software is a set of Java libraries allowing the encryption of e-mail
passwords for customers. The Java Cryptography Extension (JCE) 1.2.1 also
provides a framework and implementations for:
w symmetric bulk encryption, such as DES, Triple DES, RC2, and IDEA;
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Encryption is the process of taking data and a short string (a key), and
producing encoded data meaningless to a third-party who does not know the
key. Decryption is the inverse process: that of taking encoded data and a
short key string, and reproducing the original data;
~ symmetric stream encryption, such as RCS.;
~ asymmetric encryption, such as RSA; "Symmetric" encryption techniques use
the same key for both encryption and decryption. "Asymmetric" encryption
techniques use a pair of unlike keys, one for encryption and another for
decryption, making it more secure (even if the key used to encode a file is
obtained by an attacker, the encoded file cannot be decoded);
~ password-based encryption (PBE). PBE derives an encryption key from a
password. To make the task of getting from password to key more
time-consuming for an attacker, most PBE implementations will mix in a
random number, known as a salt, to create the key; and
~ Key Agreement. Key agreement is a protocol by which 2 or more parties can
establish the same cryptographic keys, without having to exchange any
secret information.
The JCE also includes key generation routines for these techniques, as
required.
This software was chosen as it is the standard industry cryptography
package for Java. Coni'iguration required for this software was none other
than
standard installation.
6. Apache Xalan XSL-T Engine V7Ø3
Xalan is an XSLT processor for transforming XML documents into HTML,
text, or other XML document types. It implements the W3C Recommendations for
XSL Transformations {XSLT) and the XML Path Language (XPath). It can be used
from the command line, in an applet or a Servlet, or as a module in other
program.
The system of the invention uses this third party software to transform XML
documents, which are returned from the content database, into a user
experience
format defined by style sheet (XSL) files. This allows the system to clearly
separate
presentation from content and to allow different teams with different
technical skill
levels to administer both sides of the user experience equation of format
(XSL) and
data (content administration).
02358407 2001-10-05 . , ..,. ...", . '
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This software was chosen mainly because it is open source, its API was
available in a Java format, it was designed by a reputable company and it
seems to
be becoming the defacto Internet standard.
The configuration required for this software was only basic installation.
7. Apache Xerces XML Parser V1.1.1
Xerces is an API available within Java for allowing Java programs to easily
read, write and otherwise manipulate XML data. Content assets stored within
the
database for the system were done in XML format and an APl was needed for
parsing this data for the purposes of manipulation and finally presenting
within a
browser environment.
The Xerces XML Parser goes hand in hand with the Xalan transformation
engine; they are both produced by the same company and are available as open
source. This software was chosen for the same reasons as the Xalan XSL-T
Engine.
The installation required for this software was only basic installation.
8. Endymion Sake Mail V1Ø36
Sake Mail is the server-side web site tool that provides full-featured email
capabilities to web users. Sake Mail is integrated into the system
architecture
through a Servlet mechanism
This product is customizable for a user interface and configuration file
perspective using XML and XSL technologies. This capability was the major
reason
for selecting this tool to be integrated within the system. Rather than coding
a client
e-mail application from the ground up it was decided to include a third party
tool for
this functionality. Sake Mail handles user logins to the mail server. Sake
Mail is
capable of communicating with both IMAP and POP3 mail servers, arid uses SMTP
to send messages.
With Sake Mail, system Users can:
~ send and receive email from a clean and well-designed interface that is
fully
customizable;
~ receive attachments of any kind, including in-line image a#tachments and
HTML-encoded messages;
~ send attachments of any kind;
~ organize messages into folders and sort messages arbitrarily; and
CA 02358407 2001-10-05 .. ._, .~,..... ..
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~ store address aliases and mailing lists.
The configuration required for this software related to its presentation to
the
customer and also, the activation of various features.
9. go.com TROVE Utilities Library V1Ø3
This JAVA utility class was obtained for the purposes of helping create a
Timed Cache class for performing basic caching functionality within the
system.
Rather than coding everything from scratch this cia ss helped provide the
basic
building block for a timed cache class thereby reducing development time.
This specific software was chosen because of the low price and since it
provided the required functionality. The configuration required for this
software was
only basic installation.
10. fooware.com FTP Client Library
This JAVA utility class was obtained for the purposes of perfiorming FTP (file
transfer protocol) operations on files throughout the system. Rather than
coding
everything from scratch this class helped provide the basic FTP interface
requirements thereby reducing development time. The FTP is-the protocol used
on
the Internet for copying files from one device to another.
This specific software was chosen because of the low price and since it
provided the required functionality. The configuration required for this
software was
only basic installation.
11. O'Reilly Servlet Utilities Library
This JAVA utility class was used within the DataHouse and the Command
Line Interface (CLI) portions of the system for helping obtain data in a multi-
part form
request. A multi-part form request is used within the system for allowing a
User to
download a locally stored XML or zip file for manual content entry into the
system
database from a browser based application. Rather khan coding everything from
scratch this class helped provide the multi-part form request HTTP interface,
thereby
reducing development time.
This specific software was chosen because of the low price and since it
provided the required functionality. The configuration required for this
software was
only basic installation.
. ~ 02358407 2001-10-05 ...... .A.".z<;";i'.
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12. Ronald Tschaier HTTP Client Library V0.3-2
This software emulates a Web browser to establish connections between
servlets. HTTP {HyperText Transfer Protocol) is the underlying protocol used
by the
World Wide Web, defining how messages are formatted and transmitted, and what
actions Web servers and browsers should take in response to various commands.
For example, when a URL address is entered into a Web browser, the Web browser
sends an HTTP command to the Web server directing it to fetch and transmit the
requested Web page.
This JAVA utility class was used within DataHouse and the Command Line
Interface {CLI) portions of the system for communicating and sending data
between
Servlets. This package provides a complete HTTP client library. It currently
implements most of the relevant parts of the HTTP/1.0 and HTTPI1.1 protocols,
including the request methods HEAD, GET, POST and PUT, and automatic handling
of authorization, redirection requests, and cookies. Furthermore, the included
Codecs class contains coders and decoders for the base64, quoted-printable,
URL-
encoding, chunked and the multipart/form-data encadings.
Rather than coding everything from scratch this class helped provide the
multi-part form request HTTP interface and other HTTP communication mechanisms
thereby reducing development time. This specific software was chosen because
of
the low price and since it provided the required functionality. The
configuration
required for this software was only basic installation.
The invention is currently being implemented with Oracle Video servers 272,
though more advanced video servers could be used. The hardware platform used
for the Oracle Video server 272 is a Digital Equipment Corporation {DEC) Alpha
4100 server. This server offers:
~ symmetric multi-processing (SMP) design;
~ capacity for up to four CPUs (Central Processing Units);
~ capacity for up to 8 Gbytes of ECC protected RAM {random access memory);
~ 64-bit RISC architecture;
~ a 144-bit data bus (128 bits for data and 1fi for ECC) and a separate 40-bit
command/address bus;
~ system bus bandwidth of 1.1 Gbytes per second with a meriiory latency of
120 nS; and
~ redundant power.
~w~;
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The configuration required for this hardware was basic set-up and
installation, which
included software and network interface components.
The video server 272 is supported by two pieces of software:
1. Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) operating system OSF1 Revision V4.0,
Version 878.
This software was selected due to the fact that it was intended for use on the
DEC Alpha 4100 server. The configuration required for this software was basic
installation on the server.
This software component is the foundation for the hardware component of
the Oracle Video Server 272, which is one of the components of the Full Motion
Portal 260.
2. Oracle Video Server V3.1
This software component is used to deliver the video content, such as video-
on-demand content to the viewer. This software was chosen due to its
capabilities at
the time of purchase, which are useful today in a limited sense for a small-
scale
deployment.
The configuration required for this software was basic installation, plus
selection of various options for the delivery of the video content:
This component resides on the Oracle Video Server 272 of the Fuil Motion
Portal 260.
The preferred system of the invention was also implemented using a set top
box {STB) 266. There are many different makes and 'models of STBs currently
available which could be used to implement the invention. The system of the
invention only requires a generic STB with a Web browser, which can support
customization by receiving HTML pages downloaded from the portal downloading.
In particular, the invention has been implemented with each of the following
STBs:
1. PACE acTIVe 2875;
2. PACE DSL 3875; and
3. PACE DSL 4000.
Each of these STBs includes the following features as a minimum:
1. a RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) processor. A RfSC processor is
a type of microprocessor that recognizes a relatively limited number of
instructions. This simplicity allows them to execute their instructions very
quickly, making them well suited for dedicated real-time applications.
~ 02358407 2001-10-05 ,.
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Because of the simplicity; they include fewer transistors than more complex
microprocessors, making them cheaper to design and produce;
2. MPEG 1 and MPEG 2 video decoder; MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group)
refers to a certain family of digital video compression standards and file
formats, which generally produces better-quality video than competing
formats. MPEG files can be decoded by special hardware or by software.
MPEG achieves a high compression rate by considering only the changes
from one frame to another, instead of each entire frame.
There are a number of MPEG standards currently available and others are
expected to become available over time;
3. Ethernet interface (lOBaseT); this provides 'the interface to the
transmission
network for broadband downstream video data and bi-direction control
information; Ethernet (10 base-T) is a local-area network (LAN) protocol that
uses a bus or star topology and supports data transfer rates of 10 Mbps.
Faster versions of Ethernet are now available including 100Base-T which
supports data transfer rates of 100 Mbps and Gigabit Ethernet which
supports data rates of 1 gigabit (1,000 megabits) per second. However, 10
base-T is sufficient for the implementation of the invention.
Other LAN architectures and protocols are also available, which could be
used to implement the invention. One skilled in the art could easily identify
and implement such alternatives in view of the teachings herein.
4. NCFresco Web browser; and
5. OC-9000 operating system.
The most advanced of these three set top boxes, the PACE DSL 4000, has a
56 MHz Cirrus Logic 7500FE RISC processor with 64 MHz memory. It also
includes:
1. Macrovision Anti-taping technology for Pay Per View applications;
2. near CD quality 32 bit (16 bits per channel) stereo output; which can be
directly connected to existing hi-fi equipment;
3. support for European and North American television standards;
4. support for a wide range of video and audio standards;
5. 4 K bytes of non-volatile random access memory for storing configuration
data, customer profile and short cuts; Ethernet MAC address arid a unique
identifier for traceability;
6. positions for a pair of 16 bit wide 32 M bit read only memory (ROM) chips
to
store boot and operating software;
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7. 16 M bytes of 60 US EDO (Extended Data Out) DRAM (Dynamic Random
Access Memory);
8. up to 32 K colour graphics on a 720 x 576 screen mode;
9. 38 button infra red (IR) wireless handset;
10. PS/2 ports for keyboard and mouse; and
11. serial and parallel interfaces for the connection of RS232 devices,
computer
printers, and other peripherals.
The preferred embodiment of the invention vvas implemented with a personal
computer 268, but as noted above, any computing device capable of running a
Web
browser could be employed. No other configuration was required.
Head-End Equipment
The invention may also be used to offer television and radio services to the
customer. The head-end equipment 274 that would be required to offer this
service,
called PCTV, is separate from the Full Motion Portal 26Q, but can be supported
using
the same software package. Note that this service is not generally available
to those
customer with PCs and STBs; PCS is required.
PCTV will function efficiently if it is the only program open and running on a
User's machine with the following set up. For the implementation of the system
described herein, the PC 268 should have at least the following hardware:
~ Intel PII 266MHz processor
~ 64 MB Ram
~ 8MB Video Card
~ 10 Mbps Ethernet Card
The PC should also have the following software:
~ For Win95 DirectX Software is required (Directx 8.x is required);
~ Microsoft Windows 95 or 98, Win NT, and Win 2000; and
iMagicTV PcVu 3.0 or similar soffinrare.
The preferred embodiment of the Head-End Infrastructure 274 to support
PCTV includes a Dell PowerEdge 2550 Server (for Microsoft Windows Media
Services 4.1 ) to distribute content. This server:
~ supports up to two microprocessors running ai: 1.26 GHz;
~ up to 4 GBytes of RAM;
~ up to five 73 GByte 8C81 hard drives; and
~ support for external memory storage and tape backup.
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The Head-End Infrastructure 274 also includes a Pinnacle StreamFactory X2
Encoder. This is a software and hardware system Intended to provide broadcast-
quality video on broadband networks. It will encode virtually any video or
audio input
into ReaIT"', Windows T"" or Quick Time formats.
The Head-End Infrastructure 274 is supported by the following software:
~ Microsoft Windows Media Services 4.1;
~ !TO client/agent installed;
~ Empire clfent/agent installed; and
~ Microsoft Windows 2000 SP2.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and
described, it is clear that changes and modifications may be made to such
embodiments without departing from the true scope and spirit of the invention.
For
example, although certain manufacturers and Content Providers may have been
referred to herein, the invention is not limited to any of these parties:
The method steps of the invention may be embodiment in sets of executable
machine code stored in a variety of formats such as object code or source
code.
Such code is described generically herein as programming code, or a computer
program for simplification. Clearly, the executable machine code may be
integrated
with the code of other programs, implemented as subroutines, by external
program
calls or by other techniques as known in the art.
The embodiments of the invention may be executed by a computer processor
or similar device programmed in the manner of method steps, or may be executed
by an electronic system which is provided with means for executing these
steps.
Similarly, an electronic memory medium such computer diskettes, CD-Roms,
Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM) or similar computer
software storage media known in the art, may be programmed to execute such
method steps. As well, electronic signals representing these method steps may
also
be transmitted via a communication network.
The invention could, for example, be applied to computers, smart terminals,
persona( digital assistants, Internet or two-way pagers, satellite telephones,
Internet-
ready telephones or other Internet, television or telephony appliances. Again,
such
implementations would be clear to one skilled in the ant, and do not takeaway
from
the invention.
