Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1
Broadcasting System with Return Channel
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to broadcasting including satellite broadcasting
(DVB-S) 'or terrestrial broadcasting (DVB-T) with a return channel and, more
particularly, but not exclusively to a method and apparatus for providing
broadband
services, interactive TV and gaming, broadband Internet access and Internet
telephony, full duplex, three-way communication and like services requiring at
least a
return channel to television customers of satellite or terrestrial
broadcasting which do
1o not have natural return or adaptable channels. Currently, cable operators
are able to
provide their customers with interactive television, Internet telephony and
broadband
Internet services. Satellite and terrestrial broadcast operators however are
limited in
that it is impractical to provide a return channel via satellite link or via a
terrestrial
link. Nevertheless, if satellite providers wish to attract customers then they
have to be
able to compete with the packages offered by the cable companies.
A number of prior art systems have been proposed to overcome the above
problem and provide at least a return channel for the satellite customer. One
proposal
currently being adopted by satellite providers is to incorporate a telephone
modem
into the customer's decoder box. When the customer attempts to use interactive
TV
2o then the modem dials a service number and establishes a telephone
connection. The
system has a number of disadvantages. For example it cannot be used whilst the
user's telephone line is engaged and additionally there is a call charge to be
made to
the telephone provider. Furthermore such a service cannot provide broadband
Internet.
Another solution is disclosed in US Patent Application No. 09/811,593 which
describes two-way data communication via satellite, using data communication
in a
first direction via satellites in geostationary orbit, and data communication
in a second
direction via satellites in a below geostationary orbit, either MEO or LEO.
The
transceiver is described as being particularly useful for providing Internet
connections
3o although the application of Interactive TV is not specifically mentioned.
Preferably, a
LEO forward link is used for control signaling, urgent data traffic and the
like. The
disadvantage of this solution however is that LEO satellites require
directional
antennas and even for IVIEO the user's satellite dish has to be modified
considerably
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2
or replaced in order to provide the necessary transmission power. Furthermore
the
satellite provider has to make sure that transmission capacity is continuously
available
from MEO satellites. The solution is not economical, both the bandwidth and
the
necessary customer units are expensive.
Additional patents and applications relate to the application of providing a
return channel to DVB-S, manly over PSTN line or two-way satellite connection.
See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 20020004369; System and method for managing
return channel bandwidth in a two-way satellite system; U.S. Pat. No.
20010043575
System and method for providing a two-way satellite system or U.S. Pat. No.
to 6 473,903: Method and system for implementing interactive broadcast
programs and
commercials or U.S. Pat. No. 6,515,680 Set top terminal for television
delivery
system. See also U.S. Pat. No. 20020049038 Wireless and wired cable modem
applications of universal frequency translation.
Despite its popularity, there is slow deployment of broadband access (less
than
20% coverage in the USA), mainly due to the limited coverage of xDSL
capability
and cable.
At the same time the demand for wireless access is growing and there are
currently over 2400 wireless ISPs in the USA.
The success of WiFi (Wireless LAN) proves the demand of wireless access,
but is limited to the short range so-called SOHO market. Existing long-range
wireless
solutions, for example LMDS, MMDS, and the 3G (third generation cellular) are
limited in functionality. That is to say they currently suffer from the
disadvantages of
being asymmetric, and providing relatively low-speed data transfer.
Consequently
they provide poor support for low-latency applications, although they are
optimal for
voice. The services are relatively expensive to deploy and therefore currently
almost
non-existent.
There is thus a demand for a standardized and cost effective Metro Wireless
Network to complement the WiFi solution.
To do so there is a need to move from today's fixed, line-of site, voice
centric
3o technology to new mobile, non-line-of site and data centric wireless
standards such as
IEEE 802.16 and IEEE 802.20.
The Satellite TV or DVB-S market presents a huge customer base. In 2003
there are over 100 million satellite digital set top decoder boxes (STB)
providing
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Conditional Access (CA) in circulation and over 100 million satellite free to
air
STB's. By 2006 the market is expected to grow to over 350M CA digital STB's.
In
addition, DVB T penetration is growing with over seven hundred thousand STB's
in
the UK only.
The DVB-S market and technology for DVB-S is the focus of the present
disclosure.
DVB-S providers have to compete with terrestrial networks and particularly
with the cable networks who are able to provide broadband Internet,
interactive TV,
video on demand, games on demand and the like over their infrastructure.
to The lack of an effective return channel and unicast support for DVB-S are a
serious limitation on the growth and provisioning of new services -causing
loss of
market share and potential revenues from existing customers.
A return channel of some kind is required to support interactive television
and
a unicast channel is required to support revenue-generating services such as
VOD,
15 VoIP, and Internet access. The difficulty that needs to be overcome is
finding an
effective way to provide such a return channel and unicast support in
association with
satellite broadcasting.
The lack of a natural return channel force DVB-S providers to cooperate with
telephony providers to solve the problem using a modem and telephone link as
2o explained above. However the telephone return channel is paid for
separately, is
costly if used extensively and restricts availability of the user's telephone
line.
Other solutions for return channel or unicast services support include
satellite
return (e.g. VSAT, ARTES) but the options are limited and the solutions are
not
economical.
25 Customers are looking for one-provider-one bill, just as they currently
receive
from the cable providers. DVB-S providers are under pressure to become a full
MSP
(multi-Service Provider) and support the full range of services that customers
are able
to obtain from competitors. Table 1 shows various schemes for broadband data
transmission and tabulates their usability for various types of media.
Table 1. Broadband Network Status for MSP support
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4
Cable XDSL 3G FTTH DVB T Satellite
Voice Yes Yes ~'es ~' es No No
Data ~'es 'Ye.?s ~~rus'No 5.'c;s i'~To No
Video "~ es No No Yes ~'~es ~' ea
VOD l~es ~'~~a No Ye;s No No
RC 1'?8lcl~ 128kb ~Olcb .., No No
Cost $ $ $ $$$
It is clear from table 1 that satellite as such is currently unable to
io provide any service that requires interactivity and/or a return channel.
Furthermore
triple play is limited to multi -channel television.
The 2002 Military Communications Conference Proceedings Vol. 1
2002 PP 178-183 - Satellite Terrestrial Broadcast System for Deployed
Communications -Nato Consultation Command ~ Control Agency, The Hague
Netherlands, discusses the use of satellite digital video broadcasting as a
feeder source
for a WAN network to provide video signals for mobile deployed units. A small
capacity return channel is also available via the WAN. The paper is aimed at
mobile
users and the application of the system to satellite TV subscribers is not
immediately
apparent since the subscribers receive the satellite signal directly.
2o There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly
advantageous to have, a vehicle inspection system devoid of the above
limitations.
ShTMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a satellite
(DVB-S) or terrestrial (DVB-T) TV broadcasting system comprising:
an outward broadcast link to reach each of a plurality of user receiver
installations via satellite, and
a return link from each of the plurality of users, the return channel being a
wireless terrestrial channel via a wide area network (WAN) of which WAN the
user
3o receiver installations form a node .
Preferably, the WAN further supports a second forward link to each of the
plurality of user receiver installations.
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In embodiments, the WAN is operative substantially in accordance with IEEE
standard 802.16 or IEEE standard 802.20.
Preferably one or more of the nodes comprise support for a communications
hotspot.
Preferably, the communications hotspot is substantially in accordance with
IEEE Standard 802.11.
The system typically comprises a plurality of WANs, distributed over different
urban areas as convenient.
Preferably, each WAN comprises a central base station for broadcasting to
to other nodes thereof using a mesh algorithm.
The system may additionally make use of IP core infrastructure to transmit
data between a head end unit and the various central base stations. of the
WAN. It is
also possible to use satellite capacity to transmit to the individual WANs if
desired.
The system may comprise a head end unit to direct TV channel content over
15 the outward broadcast link and to manage interactive services for
respective users
using data received from respective users over the return link.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a TV
receiver installation comprising:
a satellite receiver for receiving a broadcast data link from a satellite
relay, and
2o a terrestrial antenna, associated with the satellite receiver, for handling
a return
link over a WAN.
Preferably, the terrestrial antenna is further operable to handle a forward
link
over the WAN.
In an embodiment, the satellite and the terrestrial receivers are connected to
a
25 single connecting cable via a splitter combiner unit which is operable to
combine
satellite and WAN signals for sending together through the cable and to split
signals
coming out of the cable.
The terrestrial antenna and the return and forward links may be adapted for
the
IEEE 802.16 standard or the IEEE 802.20 standard.
3o The TV receiver installation may further be adapted to comprise a node of
the
WAN.
The installation may further be adapted to be a micro base station for a local
hot spot.
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Preferably, the local hot spot conforms substantially to the IEEE 802.11
standard.
According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a user
installation for interfacing a television or like device with a satellite TV
signal, the
device comprising:
a connector for connection to a satellite TV receiver installation, and
a splitter combiner attached to the connector for splitting incoming signals
from the connector into a TV signal and a WAN signal, and for directing
outgoing
WAN signals to the connector,
to the WAN signal providing a return link to allow interactive viewing at the
television.
The installation is preferably operable to provide WAN support so that the
connected satellite TV installation, when supplied with a terrestrial antenna,
can serve
as a WAN node.
15 Preferably the WAN support substantially fulfils the requirements of IEEE
standard 802.16 or the requirements of IEEE standard 802.20.
The installation is preferably further operable to provide Iiotspot support so
that the connected satellite TV installation, when supplied with a terrestrial
antenna,
can provide a local hotspot. As mentioned above, the hotspot support
substantially
2o fulfils the requirements of IEEE standard 802.11.
The user installation comprises at least set top box (STB) functionality, WAN
functionality, and splitter combiner functionality. These may be provided as
discrete
devices, an integrated device or as any combination thereof.
The installation may include a residential gateway comprising interface
25 functionality for at least one of a LAN, an Internet enabled device, and a
voice over IP
enabled device.
Preferably, the residential gateway and the set top box functionality are
integrated within a single housing.
The installation may comprise hotspot management functionality.
3o According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a
head
end installation for satellite TV broadcasting to a plurality of user TV
receiver
installations, comprising:
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a transmitter for transmitting streaming channel content via satellite to the
user
installations, and
a muter for receiving a return link from a core IP network and regional
WANs, the user TV receiver installations forming nodes of the WANs, the return
link
allowing interactive services to be provided by the installation, and the WAN
may
additionally provide a further forward channel to provide afull-duplex
broadband
service.
The head end may comprise an interactive server for managing interactive
services to a given user.
1o Preferably, the router is further adapted for sending a forward link via
the core
IP network and regional WANs.
The installation may comprise an interactive server for managing interactive
services to a given user, wherein the router is associated with the
interactive server to
modify data sent to an individual user in accordance with data received from
the
15 individual user via the return link.
The installation may comprise an interactive server for managing interactive
services to a given user, wherein the router is associated with the
interactive server to
modify data sent in the forward link to an individual user in accordance with
data
received from the individual user via the return link.
2o According to a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided a
method
of modifying an existing user satellite TV receiver installation including a
satellite
receiver dish and a single cable connection for reaching a set top box at a
user's
premises, the method comprising:
affixing a terrestrial antenna suitable for broadcasting terrestrial wireless
25 WAN signals,
connecting a splitter combiner unit to the satellite receiver dish, the
terrestrial
antenna and the single cable connection, to combine incoming signals from the
satellite receiver dish and the terrestrial antenna onto the single antenna
and to split
outgoing signals and direct them to the terrestrial antenna.
3o The method may comprise connecting WAN support electronics at a far end of
the single cable connection for allowing the terrestrial antenna to function
as a WAN
node.
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Preferably, the WAN support electronics is sufficient for supporting one of
the
IEEE 802.16 standard and the IEEE 802.20 standard and DVB-T.
The method may comprise connecting hotspot support electronics at a far end
of the single cable for allowing the terrestrial antenna to function as a
micro base
station for a wireless hotspot.
Preferably, the hotspot support electronics is sufficient for supporting the
IEEE 802.11 standard.
The method may comprise connecting a residential gateway at a far end of the
single cable, the residential gateway comprising interfaces for at least one
of a set top
to box, a voice over IP device, an Internet device and a local area network,
thereby to
allow devices connected to the interfaces or the LAN to be able to receive and
send
signals via the modified receiver.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have
the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to
15 'which this invention belongs. The materials, methods, and examples
provided herein
are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.
Implementation of the method and system of the present invention involves
performing or completing certain selected tasks or steps automatically.
Moreover,
according to actual instrumentation and equipment of preferred embodiments of
the
20 method and system of the present invention, several selected steps could be
implemented by hardware or by software on any operating system of any firmware
or
a combination thereof. For example, as hardware, selected steps of the
invention
could be implemented as a chip or a circuit. As software, selected steps of
the
invention could be implemented as a plurality of software instructions being
executed
25 by a computer, or by a CPU placed within a set top box or like device using
any
suitable operating system. In any case, selected steps of the method and
system of the
invention could be described as being performed by a data processor, such as a
'computing platform for executing a plurality of instructions.
3o BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to
the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in
detail, it
is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes
of
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illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention
only, and
are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful
and
readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the
invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of
the
invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of
the
invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those
skilled in
the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram showing a general concept of the present
l0 embodiments, namely of a user satellite receiver installation for receiving
a satellite
feed and also forming a node of a terrestrial WAN;
FIG. 2 is a simplified diagram showing how an existing installed cable at the
user satellite receiver installation is sufficient for a receiver installation
augmented
according to the present embodiments to incorporate WAN functionality;
15 FIG. 3 is a simplified diagram showing a modification of the embodiment of
FIG. 2 in which WAN customer premise equipment is integrated with a splitter
combiner in a single housing;
FIG. 4 is a simplified diagram illustrating a modification of the installation
of
FIG. 2 for use in a mufti-occupancy building;
2o FIG. 5 is a simplified diagram illustrating a filter-only connection for a
user in
a mufti-occupancy building who does not require a return channel;
FIG. 6 is a simplified diagram illustrating alternative connections to a
central
feed for users in a mufti-occupancy building who require a return channel;
FIG. 7 is a simplified diagram illustrating a system using one TV frequency
25 band and two WAN frequency bands;
FIG. 8 is a simplified diagram illustrating a system using one TV frequency
band, two WAN frequency bands and two WiFi or hotspot frequency bands;
FIG. 9 is a simplified schematic diagram of a rooftop satellite receiver
installation showing two options for mounting a modification to equip the
antenna for
3o WAN and if required for hotspot use;
FIG. 10 is simplified diagram showing in more detail the modification options
illustrated schematically in FIG. 9;
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FIG. 11 is a simplified diagram showing the modifications of FIG. 9 viewed
from the front of the antenna;
FIG. 12 is a simplified diagram illustrating the modifications of FIG. 9
viewed
from the side of the antenna;
5 FIG. 13 is a simplified schematic diagram illustrating a system for
integrated
broadcasting and service management of a satellite link and a WAN two-way
interactive channel;
FIG. 14A is a simplified diagram of a user installation for supporting
satellite
broadcasting according to the various embodiments of the present invention;
to FIG. 14B is a simplified diagram of an example user installation that
supports
Ethernet as a distribution medium from the roof unit to the home and from the
home
gateway to the STBs;
FIG. 15A is a simplified diagram illustrating in schematic form the system of
FIG. 13;
FIG. 15B is a block diagram illustrating in greater detail a configuration
that
retains compatibility with existing the Telco or telephone line solution;
FIG. 16A illustrates a residential gateway device supporting a set top box
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 16B illustrates a configuration in which the set top box and residential
2o gateway are combined as a single device;
FIG. 16C illustrates a configuration in which a residential gateway supports a
number of devices including a set top box;
FIG. 16D illustrates a configuration in which a combined set top box and
residential gateway supports a television and other household communication
enabled
devices;
FIG. 16E illustrates a configuration in which a combined set top box and
residential gateway supports a number of standard set top boxes;
FIG. 17A illustrates a WAN formed from a plurality of satellite receiver
installations and in which meshwise connections are available making several
paths
3o available to reach groups or individual users;
FIG. 17B illustrates use of a backhaul channel between two WAN base
stations;
FIG. 17C illustrates use of a repeater to support a backhaul channel;
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FIG. 17D illustrates use of a local center and multiple repeaters to feed
individual base stations;
FIG. 18 illustrates the WAN of FIG. 17 in which the individual satellite
installations of the WAN support local hotspots;
FIG. 19 is a system diagram illustrating a WAN and hotspot supporting
equipment arrangement from a system point of view;
FIG. 20 is a system diagram illustrating a residential gateway according to a
preferred embodiment of the present invention from a system point of view;
FIG. 21 illustrates the residential gateway of FIG. 20 connected to a set top
1o box also shown from a system point of view;
FIG. 22 illustrates a residential gateway integrated with a set top box
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 23 is a system diagram showing the DVB-S head end of FIG. 13 shown.
from a system point of view.
FIG. 24 is a simplified diagram showing a cable-based distribution system
adapted in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;
FIG. 25 is a simplified diagram illustrating a terrestrial broadcast system
adapted in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, and
FIG. 26 is a simplified diagram illustrating a hybrid cable and terrestrial
2o broadcast distribution system adapted in accordance with embodiments of the
present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present embodiments comprise a satellite (DVB-S) or terrestrial (DVB-T)
based broadcasting system in which a digital TV feed is provided over a feed
connection to a user's receiver and wherein a 2-way preferably relatively high
data
rate channel is provided over a WAN which uses each satellite receiver as a
micro-
base station for the WAN network. The WAN network may be mesh configured so
3o that multiple paths exist for transmitting to each user, hence making it
more robust.
This may be best achieved simply by using the DVB-S install base. The WAN
provides at least a return channel to enable interactive television and like
services but
may also provide an outward channel of high capacity allowing unicast
services.
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Thus services such as Internet, Internet telephony and video/gaming on demand
can.
be made available.
It will be appreciated that whilst the present embodiments concentrated on
DVB-S, or more precisely DVB-S (digital video broadcast via satellite) the
invention
is as much applicable to DVB-T (digital video broadcast - terrestrial), in
which return
and interactive channels can be applied in the same way to the existing
broadcast
channel.
The WAN is preferably based on the WiMax ( IEEE 802.16) standard, or
alternatively on the IEEE 802.20 standard and/or on the DVB-T standard.
to The IEEE 802.16 addresses the "first-mile/last-mile" connection in wireless
metropolitan area networks. The 802.16 standard creates a platform on which
the
present embodiments are able to build a cost-effective broadband wireless
solution
which is high-speed and which uses the existing satellite receivers as an
infrastructure
so that it can be installed rapidly and cheaply.
The IEEE 802.16 or WiMax standard was approved on April 2002, after a
two-year, open-consensus process that involved the world's leading operators
and
vendors. IEE 802.16 enables interoperability among devices from multiple
manufacturers.
The standard is purely packet based and thus is eminently suitable for data-
2o based services. It includes a medium access control layer (MAC) that
supports
multiple physical layer specifications. The physical layer supports a wide-
range band
coverage (licensed and unlicensed) including band 10 to 66 GHz (802.16c) and
band
2 to 11 GHz (802.16a). IEEE 802.16e is the mobile version. Although the
standard
covers a very large spectrum it specifically targets the 2.4Ghz, 3.SGhz, and
5.8Ghz
bands and also targes operation of the 6-20Mhz bands. There is also interest
in the
use of KU bands 12.2-12.7Ghz, currently reserved for southbound sky use. This
is a
SOOMhz band and may be considered for WAN and mobile use.
The IEEE 802.16 standard provides up to 50 Kilometers of linear service area
range and enables connectivity without a direct line of sight to a base
station. The
3o technology also provides shared data rates of up to 70Mbps, which,
according to
WiMax, is enough bandwidth to simultaneously support more than 60 businesses
with
T1-type connectivity and hundreds of homes.
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In addition, it is possible to transmit WiMax over cable, and this can for
example be used as a distribution method for reaching base stations. WiMax can
then
be used to extend Cable networks HFC (Hybrid Fiber Coax) to remote locations.
The
extension involves using WiMax over the cable part of the connection and then
using
wireless Wimax. Thus, from the HFC edge, wireless can connect to a Wimax base
station and the HFC network can thus be extended to a remote rural area at a
fraction
of the cost of having to lay cable in the conventional manner.
It is fiuther possible to extend Wimax back over the cable networks to the
transmission source or headend.
io Coax construction may apply from the cable modem to the roof over
coax/DSL or another - for the purpose of delivering a WiMAx service using the
coax
infrastructure, or from a Wimax supporting Cable STB - for supporting home
devices,
or from any means of delivering wimax over cable coax in addition to existing
signals. The coax construction may be alternatively a totally separate
delivery
network from the headend, or from a fiber node , or from a coax node (such as
the
home units). Wimax support can be integrated in the cable STBs or be a
separate
residential gateway connecting to the Cable coax network. The WiMax support
can be
local, say an NLOS embedded antenna, or via an external antenna.
Furthermore there are provided composite WiMax cable networks which are
2o able to combine the advantages of both coax and fiber.
Returning to WiMax itself and the 802.16 standard makes highly efficient use
of bandwidth and supports voice, video and data applications with enhanced
support
of quality of service.
The standard is used in setting up the WAN and provides the physical and
access layers needed to provide a two channel link that is powerful enough to
support
interactive television and supply Internet at broadband levels.
The preferred embodiments provide systems and a method to implement
return channel functions and unicast services to multi-channel TV DVB-S/DVB
users
and service providers using metro wireless packet radio, typically the above
described
3o IEEE 802.16 but also 802.20. It will be appreciated that the standards are
not
mandatory, and in certain jurisdictions may be modified by local regulations:
The
standards are also subject to amendment during the life of the patent. The
skilled
person will appreciate that in certain cases he is obliged to use the
standards as given
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and in certain cases he may modify the standards or use them merely as
guidelines for
the kind of service to be provided.
The present embodiments allow satellite TV (DVB-S) providers that are
limited today to mufti-channel TV services to turn into mufti-service
providers
(MSPs), and the present disclosure explains concepts, methods, technology,
systems,
and tools for a DVB-S service provider to cost-effectively turn into a MSP.
The
resulting system is preferably triple play and mobile ready
The presently preferred embodiments between them comprise the following
features and aspects of the invention:
~ A satellite-based channel feed operated together with a return channel
and preferably with a full-duplex terrestrial broadband channel. Preferably
the
terrestrial return channel is a WAN and may be based on one or more of the
wireless
standards discussed herein. The WAN may additionally provide a forward
channel.
~ The use of a satellite dish infrastructure as available from existing
satellite users, as WAN nodes. The nodes may be WAN base-stations or WAN
repeaters or simply receiver stations. In addition the satellite receivers may
be used as
micro base stations for hotspots, particularly using the IEEE 802.11 standard.
~ A set top box (or satellite decoder box) that has a single antenna outlet
is adapted with a splitter/combiner (often termed dyplexer) to send and
receive WAN
traffic and to receive satellite traffic over the single outlet (3-way). The
receiver may
additionally manage local hotspot traffic (5-way).
~ A satellite dish has a WAN antenna, a splitter and combiner and a
single outlet. The splitter combiner modulates the WAN and satellite signals
so that
they can be sent through the single cable and so that WAN signals can be
received
from the cable for broadcasting. The WAN infrastructure preferably also allows
the
WAN antenna to serve as a relay for traffic not intended for the local user so
that the
WAN forms a mesh giving multiple communication pathways to individual users,
and
enables the WAN to span higher distances yet transmit at lower power. The
modified
antenna may also provide a micro-base station for a local hotspot.
~ A head end or broadcast station supports a one-way data streaming
channel which is broadcast via satellite or terrestrial feed type broadcasting
say
(DVB-S) or (DVB-T), and a two-way terrestrial channel for a return link to
support
interactive services. An outward terrestrial channel can also be provided. The
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combination allows for unicast signals to be sent to individual users, and
allows
interactive TV, Internet, telephony via voice over IP (VoIP) and like
services. - As
will be explained below the system may further accommodate mobile services
according to the IEEE 802.16e or 802.20 standards.
~ A method of adaptation of an existing satellite dish by adding a
splitter/combiner and a terrestrial antenna. The adaptation allows the dish to
support
both the satellite and terrestrial channels without making any changes to the
connection between the satellite dish and the user's internal devices.
~ A household communication hub has a bidirectional output to a
satellite dish, and bidirectional outputs to household appliances or a
household LAN.
The hub includes or is connected to a sputter combiner unit for modulating the
WAN
and satellite signals as above.
The principles and operation of a satellite system with return channel
according to the present invention may be better understood with reference to
the
drawings and accompanying description.
Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to
be
5 understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the
details of
construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following
description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other
embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is
to be
understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the
purpose
io of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
Reference is now made to Fig. 1, which is a simplified diagram illustrating a
satellite broadcast system with terrestrial WAN support according to a first
preferred
embodiment of the present invention. A satellite customer has a satellite dish
10 on
the roof of his house 12. The satellite dish is linked to a set top decoder or
set top box
15 (STB) in the house 12 by a single cable, typically a co-ax cable 14 in the
usual way
(Typically RG6, RGl 1 or RG59 coax cables). Indeed it is a preferred feature
of the
present embodiment that the cable is not modified when upgrading satellite TV
receivers as this makes the upgrading process simpler and therefore cheaper.
The
satellite dish is modified with a splitter combiner unit 16, miscellaneous
supporting
2o electronics as needed, and a terrestrial antenna 18. The unit on the roof
may be in the
same housing as the WAN antenna or may be separate.
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16
The splitter combiner function can transmit the WAN signal over different
bands either as RF, IF or Ethernet over the coax cable 14, and these
variations should
be borne in mind in the following drawings.
The satellite dish itself receives a multi-channel video feed 20 from
satellite
relay 22 which is typically in geosynchronous orbit. The terrestrial antenna
18 sends
and receives radio signals 24 of a bidirectional wireless WAN using any of the
standards mentioned above or based on modifications or variations thereof.
Thus the
satellite dish typically serves as a receive-only device just as with a prior
art satellite
.TV receiver, whereas the terrestrial antenna provides a high capacity two-way
to channel. Indeed, as will be described below, the terrestrial antenna and
supporting
electronics in fact not only send and receive signals of the local satellite
customer. As
will be explained in greater detail below, they also serve as a relay station
for passing
signals between other satellite customers so that in effect a mesh is set up
using the
satellite infrastructure as a series of relays permitting higher transmission
distances
for lower transmitted power the green effect. In addition the individual
antennas may
serve as micro base stations to support local hotspots under IEEE 802.11.
The splitter combiner 16 combines the incoming signals from the terrestrial
and satellite antennas to send down the cable 14 and directs outgoing signals
from the
cable 14 to the terrestrial antenna.
2o Reference is now made to Fig. 2, which is a simplified diagram illustrating
the pathway from the set top box to the antenna according to a preferred
embodiment
of the present invention. Parts that are the same are given the same reference
numerals and are not described again except as needed for an understanding of
the
present drawing. Again the satellite dish 10 and the terrestrial antenna 18
are located
together on the outside of the building followed by splitter /combiner 16. The
dish and
antenna can also be separate if desired. A combined signal is transmitted
through
cable 14 and at the inside end of the cable is a further splitter combiner 30
which
splits the incoming signals and combines the outgoing signals for transmission
down
the cable. The splitter combiner 30 is connected to a customer premises
equipment
(CPE) unit 32 which contains electronics for managing the wireless technology
of the
terrestrial network and for using it, both for sending and receiving data and
preferably
also for relaying data not intended for the local recipient. The local unit is
also
connected to the standard STB 34 which is in turn connected to television set
36. The
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17
set top box is a conventional satellite TV STB and carries out functions such
as D/A
conversion of digital channels and decoding of the incoming channels in the
standard
manner.
Reference is now made to Fig. 3, which is a modification of the embodiment
of Fig. 2 in which the indoor-end splitter combiner and the CPE are combined
into a
single unit 38. The modification is simply an integration of the two within a
single'
housing. Parts that are the same as in previous figures are given the same
reference
numerals and are not referred to again except as necessary for understanding
the
present drawing. The use of a single unit is aesthetically important as it
reduces
to clutter at the indoor end.
A further possibility is to split the signal from the roof top unit to the
home
units via wireless technology (e.g. using a WLAN based on IEEE standards
802.11,
16, 15. This is useful if there is no installed coax cable or the coax cable
cannot be
used for any reason.
Reference is now made to Fig. 4, which is a simplified diagram illustrating a
modification of the connection between the antenna and the STB for a rnulti-
tenant
building. Parts that are the same as in previous figures are given the same
reference
numerals and are not referred to again except as necessary for understanding
the
present embodiment. The skilled person will be aware that it is common to have
a
2o single receiver for all users in a mufti-occupancy building. The skilled
person will
also be aware that in such a building, not all the users will require the
maximum
offered levels of service. Fig. 4 shows a scheme for distributing the signal
from the
antenna to all the users in the building and providing interactive channel
functionality
to those who require it. User 1 does not want interactive services and simply
requires
a satellite TV signal. User 1 is therefore supplied with filter 40 which
filters out any
signals to do with the WAN system and allows through the TV signal. Users 2
and 3
however require the interactive services and therefore are supplied with
splitter
combiners 42 which are connected to the common supply cable 14. All of the
connections of the cable are supplied with terminations that enable them to
take either
3o the filter or the splitter combiner.
Reference is now made to Fig. 5, which is a simplified diagram illustrating in
greater detail the filter connection to user 1 who does not require
interactive services.
The filter operates to filter out the WAN signals as described above so that
the user
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does not receive them. It is noted that the filter may be located at the
branch of the
co-ax cable, in which case only a single filter is required. Alternatively the
filter may
be placed after the branch, in which case a second filter may be required.
Reference is now made to Fig. 6, which is a simplified diagram illustrating in
greater detail the filter connection to users 2 and 3. Again the splitter
combiner may
be located at the co-ax branch or may be located subsequent to the branch, in
which
latter case two may be required. The figure shows connections both for
discrete and
combined versions of the CPE and splitter combiner.
Reference is now made to Fig. 7, which shows the different frequency bands
to that appear at various points along the connecting wires between the
antennas and the
set top box. A first frequency band 1 is reserved for the incoming television
signal
from the satellite. The band is not changed and simply is picked up at the
satellite
dish and transferred to the set top box. A second frequency band, band 2 is
used as an
up band for outward broadcasting over the terrestrial antenna. The band is
modified
at the upper splitter combiner 16 to form band 2.1 in which band it is
transmitted.
Incoming signals are received at a band 3.1 and modified at upper sputter
combiner
16 to form a band 3. Band 3 is transferred down the co-ax cable 14 and
provides the
incoming signals to the CPE.
The lower sputter combiner 30 is preferably transparent to band 1 but
2o presents a high pass (or low pass) filter towards the STB and a band pass
filter
towards the CPE to ensure that each component receives the correct signal. The
upper splitter combiner 16 is preferably also transparent to band 1 and
includes an IF
to RF converter for converting between bands 2 and 3 and bands 2.1 and 3.1. It
includes an antenna termination for the antenna and a cable termination for
the co-ax
cable.
It is noted that it is possible to send an RF signal directly over the coax
cable
14. In addition any combination of low/high/band pass is possible, and, as
mentioned
above an Ethernet over coax interface can be provided for the roof top unit
and the
CPE unit to allow Ethernet for the cable connection.
3o Reference is now made to Fig. 8, which is a simplified diagram
illustrating a variation of the embodiment of Fig. 7 for additionally
supporting WiFi
hotspot functionality. The system is modified by adding two more bands, bands
4 and
5, received/transmitted as bands 4.1 and 5.1, over the terrestrial antenna.
The new.
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bands allow the accommodation of third party signals which are not intended
for the
user but instead allow his receiver to be used as a micro base station for
relaying hot
spot signals to nearby mobile communication devices. The third parties may be
any
users with communications equipment who are in range and are able to log in to
the
system, allowing the WAN to provide wireless hotspots in the local vicinity.
Reference is now made to Fig. 9, which is a schematic diagram
illustrating two possibilities for attaching the WAN hardware to a satellite
dish 50.
The satellite dish has a stem 52 to which it is connected to the roof or wall
of a
building. The dish also has a peripheral end 54. The WAN hardware including
the
to terrestrial antenna is preferably attached either to the stem 52 or the
peripheral end 54.
Whichever of the two options is used the antenna is mounted using an
appropriate
type of clip. The skilled person will appreciate that it is possible to place
the antenna
anywhere else on the roof or house wall if the line-of site transmission
requires higher
distances. Alternatively the splitter/coupler may always be mounted on the
stem, and
the antenna may then be placed either together with the sputter coupler on the
stem or
the antenna may be separately mounted on the periphery of the dish. Fig. 10 is
a rear
view of the antenna showing both options in greater detail. Figs 1 l and 12
are front
and side views respectively of the options for mounting the antenna on the
periphery
of the dish with the splitter coupler on the stem. The splitter coupler is
connected via
2o a cable to the terrestrial antenna.
Reference is now made to Fig. 13, which is a simplified schematic
diagram showing a broadcast system for supporting a one-way channel feed via
satellite together with a two-way channel system via a WAN. Parts that are the
same
as in previous figures are given the same reference numerals and are not
referred to
again except as necessary for understanding the present embodiment. A
transmission
station or DVB-S head end 60 is connected to the Internet 62 and transmits a
multi-
channel TV feed via satellite to the users. In addition the head end receives
the
WAN-based return channel and also transmits an outward channel over the WAN to
provide unicast signals to individual users. The head end comprises a series
of
3o servers such as a streaming server 64 which provides the TV channels and a
video on
demand (VOD) server 66 which provides individual video streams to individual
customers who request- it. Other servers (not shown) provide other services
such as
Internet, voice over IP and Interactive TV and the like that it is desired to
provide to
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users. The TV channels are encoded for digital video broadcast (DVB) at DVB
encoder 68 and sent via satellite antenna 70 and satellite relay 22 to all the
users.
Signals intended for the WAN are sent via router 72 and any suitable
connection,
typically some kind of core IP infrastructure 74, to WAN antennas 76 of which
there
5 is preferably one for each WAN. Return signals from the WAN are received at
WAN
antennas 76, sent back by the core IP infrastructure, received at router 72
and sent to
the server providing the relevant service. The WAN signals are preferably sent
on
from user to user until arriving at the antenna 10 of the intended user, using
point to
multipoint and mesh type routing, as will be explained below in reference to
FIG. 17.
to Internet connections can also be local at a city concentrator and not only
at the
headend. Thus it is possible to provide a connection to a local ISP rather
than a
national ISP or to connect the VoIP to a local supplier rather then
backhauling the
entire data stream to the head end.
Units may thus be added at either or both of the city concentrator or the
15 headend that can interface to existing infrastructure. For example it is
possible to
interface between the existing telco-return system and the WAN at the headend
as
shown in Fig. 15B. The user has filter combiners and a CPE as well as an STB
as
described above. In one embodiment the user has a residential gateway 78 which
is a
unit that acts as a household communications hub and is able to manage data
routing
2o to different communication devices in the house such as a voice over IP
(VoIP)
telephone 80 and a computer 82. In one preferred embodiment the residential
gateway 78 supports a household LAN through which it is able to direct data to
the
different devices.
Reference is now made to Fig. 14A, which is a simplified diagram
illustrating how the set top box 34 is connected up to an integrated splitter
combiner
and CPE unit 38 so that the TV receives the satellite signals for display and
also has a
return channel and a full-duplex .unicast broadband connection via the WAN. In
addition the TV is able to receive any video on demand or interactive TV
signals that
may be sent via the WAN. As shown in the figure the STB has an RF connection
to
3o the splitter combiner part of the unit 38 and a separate connection to the
CPE part of
the unit. The separate connection is preferably a V90 modem connection, but
can also
be a lower speed modem working say at 2400b/s without V90 support. A separate
connection is provided which can be any one of a range of connection types
including
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21
a USB port, an RS232 port, an Ethernet port, a WiFi connection or any other
suitable
connection.
Reference is now made to Fig. 14B which is a simplified diagram
illustrating a solution in which Ethernet is used as the distribution medium
over the
coax cable from the roof unit to the home and from the home gateway to the
STBs. In
Fig. 14B an outdoor unit 43 is connected to the satellite dish and WAN
antenna. A
coax cable connection links the indoor and outdoor units via bandpass filters
45. Both
units have an Ethernet /VDSL unit 46, a VDSL bandpass filter 47, and suitable
power
supplies 48. The arrangement allows Ethernet distribution to be used between
the
outdoor and indoor units over the existing installed coax cable. A similar
arrangement can be used to allow Ethernet distribution over existing in-house
coax
installation between the home gateway and the home STBs. With the same
approach
it is possible to distribute over an existing twisted pair installation as
well. It will be
appreciated that the use of Ethernet is merely an example, and the
installation could
also be designed to use IF and RF as the distribution medium.
Reference is now made to Fig. 15A, which shows in greater detail the
DVB-S head end 60 and the WAN structure. Parts that are the same as in
previous
figures are given the same reference numerals and are not referred to again
except as
necessary for understanding the present embodiment. The DVB-S head end 60 is
2o connected to one or more Internet service providers (ISP) through which
users obtain
their Internet services also can be mid-way at city concentrators. The DVB-S
head
end comprises router 72 and satellite antenna 70 as two separate routes for
reaching
users, as explained above with respect to Fig. 13. Server farm 80 provides
data for
the television and other services, although Interactive services may be
provided by a
separate bank of servers 82. A Telco (telephone based) return server 84 may be
provided to retain compatibility with any persisting Telco return channel
infrastructure. The telco infrastructure may or may not be provided with WAN-
telco
conversion units, which are a multi-card version of the CPE units to provide
compatibility.
3o Router 72 leads over IP core 74, which is preferably an existing IP
backbone
type infrastructure to the WAN base stations 76. As illustrated a single WAN
base
station serves a group of users. In Fig. 15 a single WAN base station
broadcasts
directly to all users in the group, however this is not necessarily the case.
As will be
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explained below, not all users need be in range of the main WAN base station
and
individual user installations may serve as relays or micro base stations to
provide
what is in effect a cellular network.
Fig. 15B shows in greater detail a configuration that retains existing telco
functionality. In Fig. 15B the DVB-S IP network is connected to. the Telco
system 84
which in turn is directly connected to the WiNet 1000 shelf 86 which houses
much of
the system hardware for the WAN based channels.
Reference is now made to Figs. 16A - 16E which are different
configurations for the customer premises. In each of the figures a television
is
to connected to the WAN/satellite infrastructure, and in some of the figures
other
devices are connected as well. In Fig. 16A a residential gateway unit 90
includes the
electronics of the CPE discussed above and may be connected directly to STB
92. In
Fig. 16B, STB 94 includes the CPE electronics and may be connected directly to
the
television. In Fig. 16C the residential gateway unit 96 is the same as in Fig.
16A and
.is connected to set top box 98 and additionally to other household devices
such as
computers 100. In Fig. 16D the combined set top box and residential gateway of
Fig.
16B is connected directly to television 102 and other devices such as a
telephone or a
computer. In Fig. 16E a user having multiple television sets at his premises
is
accommodated by providing a single master STB 110 which includes the
residential
2o gateway and preferably the CPE electronics. The master STB is connected by
existing cables to the user's additional television sets and standard STBs
112. In fact,
communication between the master and additional STBs may use the 802.11
wireless
standard, or the 802.16 standard or may use coaxial cable as the distribution
medium.
Furthermore the distribution from the rooftop installation to the master'
STB may use the same range of distribution media.
The master STB's distribution function can be separated from the STB itself
and a unit may be provided that serves as a distributor to all the home STBs
via home
networking (over WiFi, coax, , or other Home PNA technique, or the like,
depending
on existing installed wiring such as coax and twisted pair).
3o Reference is now made to Fig. 17A, which is a simplified schematic
diagram illustrating operation of the WAN. A number of satellite dishes are
available
in a given locality. The satellite dishes each act as relay stations providing
a WAN
network in which each node is able to communicate with any other node that is
in
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23
range, hence providing mesh connectivity. Consequently the network can provide
numerous alternative routes to any given user, making the WAN very robust and
improving the available capacity. As discussed above, this involves enabling
broadcasting over higher distances, at lower power.
Reference is now made to Fig. 17B which is a simplified diagram
illustrating a configuration in which a first base station 113 feeds its own
user stations
114, but also operates a backhaul link to a further base station 115. The
configuration
is particularly useful when core IP connections are not locally available or
are not cost
effective.
to Reference is now made to Fig. 17C which is a simplified diagram
illustrating an alternative configuration in which a backhaul connection is
needed
between a base station 116 and a base station 118 but there is not sufficient
reach.'
The user station 117 is equipped with a repeater and acts as a relay for the
backhaul
channel, thus allowing an extended connection.
15. Fig. 17D is a simplified diagram illustrating a configuration in which
core IP is used to supply a local center. The local center broadcasts via
first and
second repeaters to a base station. In this way minimal core IP connection is
used and
a local center feeds a number of base stations irrespective of the range,
provided that a
sufficient number of relays are available.
20 Reference is now made to Fig. 18, which is a simplified diagram
showing how the network of Fig. 17 can be used to provide hotspot coverage. In
the
figure, the IEEE 802.16 standard provides the WAN, whilst the IEEE 802.11
standard, which defines hot spots, provides short range but high capacity
coverage
around each separate micro-base station. Thus high capacity Internet can be
provided
25 within the hotspots to anyone with a device that is able to log in
successfully. The
WAN is thus able to supplement local cellular networks with a data capacity
level
which the cellular networks are simply unable to provide. Furthermore, if the
density
of micro-base stations is high enough then the WAN can replace the cellular
networks
altogether. Thus there is provided the ability for the DVB-S operator to
operate a
30 mobile network over its DISH infrastructure, using 802.16e or 802.20.
The conversion of the satellite antenna as described herein enables a
transformation of the current installed location into a 802.11 WiFi hotspot.
The
802.16 WAN cloud thus serves as a backdrop to a series of WiFi hotspots.
Transition
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between 802.1 l and 802.16 operation is part of the 802.16 standard and is
preferably
carried out in accordance with the standard.
The use of the topologies described in Figs 17 and 18 create a highly dense
mesh network, enabling a lowering of the cost of base station installation,
transmission at lower power in every location, optional routing paths that can
increase
the utilization of infrastructure, and furthermore, the addition of hotspot
technology
may serve as the base structure for a future mobile network.
Reference is now made to Fig. 19, which is a simplified block diagram
illustrating the components of combined CPE and splitter combiner 32 as
illustrated in
Io FIG. 3. As will be recalled, the combined unit 32 combines the functions of
the
splitter combiner and the CPE. As shown in Fig. 19, the gateway 96 includes
splitter
combiner unit 120 and CPE unit 122, the latter providing management for the
WAN
standard and if relevant the hotspot standard. The residential gateway is
provided
with interfaces for a LAN and direct interfaces for STBs and different kinds
of ports.
is The sputter combiner unit 120 is connected to the co-ax cable that leads to
the
satellite antenna installation.
Fig. 20 is a system diagram showing the various components of the
residential gateway 96 from a system point of view. An 802.16 transceiver unit
130
provides an interface to the WAN for the incoming, outgoing and relay WAN
traffic.
2o A set top box interface 132 provides an interface for one or more STBs. A
voice over
IP gateway 134 provides an Interface for telephones. An 802.11 interface 136
allows
a connection for any 802.11 compatible device so as to set up a local hotspot.
A
101100 switch 138 provides connectivity for 10 and 100Mb/s ports. The
residential
gateway can be connected directly to a LAN if desired.
25 Reference is now made to Fig. 21, which is a simplified diagram
showing the residential gateway 96 connected to STB 140. STB 140 is also
shown'
from a system point of view. The STB has a direct receiver 142 for the
incoming
satellite signal which does not need to be relayed through the gateway. An
encryption
unit 144 deals with any encryption issues of the signal and an MPEG unit 146
carries
30 out MPEG decoding. RC unit 148 is an interface for a remote control and a
tuner 150
carries out standard interface functions for the TV set. Return channel unit
152 is. an
interface to the gateway 96 and provides the TV set with a return channel and
a
connection in general to the WAN part of the system. The system mimics the
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operation of the telco return channel to the installed STB, and thus provides
seamless
integration between the new and legacy systems.
Returning to encryption unit 144, streaming and other content is
currently protected by encryption. The present embodiments are integrated to
the
5 existing satellite TV solutions for encryption. Thus the user requests the
protected
content in the usual way, via his remote control used interactively with the
screen.
The request from the user arrives from the Remote control to the STB, where it
is
analyzed. After this first analysis the request is sent by the Return channel
to an
Authentication sub-system at the Head end. After a second analysis, possibly
io including a check on billing policy for the current user, an encryption key
is produced
and sent to the user via a downstream channel which may be either Satellite or
WAN
to the STB and partially to the Residential Gateway, this part by WAN. The
encrypted content is then sent by the WAN to the Residential Gateway where it
may
be stored, if storage is available, or streamed directly. The encrypted
content is then
15 opened by the STB. User commands for playing the content, such as Pause,
Fast
Forward , etc, may be sent to the RG or to the head-end VOD server. The
content if
stored, may be saved or erased from the RG according to system policy. The
data
storage can thus provide a PVR function for a legacy STB.
It is noted that simple routing functions (dynamic host configuration protocol
20 (DHCP), NAT) and VoIP functions are also embedded.
Reference is now made to Fig. 22, which is a simplified system
diagram of the combined STB and residential gateway unit 94 of Figures 16B and
D.
Parts that are the same as in previous figures are given the same reference
numerals
and are not referred to again except as necessary for understanding the
present
25 embodiment. The device is a combination of the devices of Figs 20 and 21,
except
that the interfaces between the STB and the residential gateway are no longer
required. Instead a CPU 160 is provided for overall control. A hard disk drive
139 is
provided for data storage. The hard disk drive may in fact be provided in any
of the
embodiments and allows for content to be downloaded and then stored at a later
time.
3o Reference is now made to Fig. 23, which is a system diagram of a
WAN base station suitable for supporting antennas 76 at each WAN. The base
station
comprises a connection to the core IP infrastructure through which data is
transferred
to and from the transmission center. The infrastructure is here denoted as
"internet
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telecom cloud" to indicate that any available infrastructure may be used that
can
support the kind of data and the quantity of data that needs to be
transferred. The base
station includes a subscriber management system 162 that carries out
subscriber
management tasks such as determining whether a particular service is available
to the
given subscriber and the like. An authentication server 164 and an application
server
166 are also provided, as is a mesh algorithm unit 168 which deals with issues
such as
routing over the network. As will be recalled, the base station operates as a
point to
multipoint transmitter to reach users in the WAN, but as shown in Fig. 17 mesh
type
relaying of data is also supported and the mesh algorithm unit provides the
support for
to such a function.
An air interface unit 170 transforms the incoming data into a signal
that can be transmitted. DHCP 172 allows for automatic assignment of IP
addresses
for a LAN. Finally a transmission arrangement 174 of amplifiers, duplexers and
antenna physically allows the signal to be transmitted.
An alternative design of the base station is a construction of roof top units
connected with an integral or external IP switch, thus serving as a flat and
low cost
base station structure.
With the present embodiment a satellite operator is able to use
terrestrial broadcast technology over a WAN, such as a network based on the
IEEE
802.16 or 802.20 standards, in order to support return channel and unicast
functionality and services and to become a full multiple service provider to
compete
with the cable companies.
More specifically the present embodiments enable the DVB-S operator to
provide such broadcast services as a return channel via unlicensed or licensed
wireless
networks for interactive applications. Also the embodiments can provide
unicast
services such as lP telephony, video on demand (VOD), Internet access, games
on
demand, rnulti-user gaming and more.
The infrastructure described herein can be expanded to mobile voice and data
services if, as described above in respect of Fig. 18, each WAN unit and
antenna is
3o also used to provide a 802.16e or 802.20 mobile user access or
alternatively can
support a local hotspot service, for example using the IEEE 802.11 standard.
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The WAN or Wimax network is an add-on to the existing satellite based
digital broadcasting network to close the loop from the end-user to the DVB-S
headend.
The Wimax network section is constructed using a base-station and DVB-S/
CPEs as described above.
The return and unicast link between the end-user and the headend is packet-
.based and is transmitted firstly over existing core IP infrastructure to a
WAN base
station and then by wireless over the WAN, as discussed above in respect of
FIG. 13.
The Wimax network is seamlessly connected to the existing DVB-S network
l0 through router 72 at head end 60.
Existing STBs do not have to be adapted, and instead can be connected to a
separate residential gateway using such interfacing as a V90 I/F with seamless
interface to the CPE or Wimax unit. For those existing set top boxes which
include a
modem for a telephone return channel the CPE can be configured to support of
rings
and analog levels, thereby mimicking the telephone link. The gateway
preferably
includes a DART interface - RS232, a USB interface, or an Ethernet/Fast
Ethernet
interface, as described above.
As explained, it is also possible to provide an integrated STB with full
residential gateway capabilities and Wimax capabilities.
For customers who require, it is possible to provide a Residential Gateway
Minimal application, which is nothing more than an uplink for the set top box.
The
uplinle, or return channel, enables the STB to support interactive commands,
gaming,
interactive TV/games but does not allow for any services that require unicast.
A return channel only application has minimal bandwidth usage, and enables a
satellite provider to start with a bare minimal base-station infrastructure
and relatively
large cell sizes. The provider may then add more base stations only as more
services
and more users are added and more revenues are generated. .
A more sophisticated version of the residential gateway includes a downlink
via the WAN which enables the STB to directly support dedicated traffic such
as
video on demand, gaming on demand and the like.
As described above in respect of Fig. 16B it is possible to expanding the STB
capabilities to include the Residential Gateway. Such a combined device
supports
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28
high speed Internet access by the satellite TV provider, hot-spot support with
integrated WiFi, video on demand, interactive games, etc, as well as
interactive 'TV.
Extending the Residential Gateway capabilities as shown in Fig 16C provides
the additional services of a full Residential Gateway including a VoIP
Telephone
service provided by the satellite provider. An extended Residential Gateway
may
contain additional functions such as Personalized Video Recording - PVR
(virtual or.
included disk) voice mail and the like.
End user unit antennae for the WAN has been described up till now as being
located with the satellite dish. However this is not essential and in certain
to embodiments the WAN antenna may be located internally by the end-user
device
although this results in short reach. For cases in which there is a high
density of
satellite users such short reach may be sufficient. An external window antenna
may
be provided for improved or extended reach, and a roof antenna may be located
over
the existing satellite antenna mount, as described above, to give maximum
possible
reach. In such a case, as described above, the existing connection
infrastructure at the
user premises is used wherever possible, and the connection from the antenna
to the
end-unit is over the existing coax cable.
The electronics to provide Wimax-TV inter-signal interference suppression are
provided. The Wimax base-station supports point-to-multi-point and MESH-type
2o routing over the WAN. In a preferred embodiment there is also support for
mobile
telephony devices. The use of Mesh topology allows more bandwidth and better
coverage.
The MESH topology and the use of the satellite receiver infrastructure enables
the satellite TV provider to maximize his infrastructure and right of way.
In such a mesh transmission mode, some of the users become relays or micro
base stations and improve network coverage. There are more pathways over the
network and there is better usage of the installed satellite receiver
infrastructure.
By adding mobile support over the created wireless data infrastructure the
satellite TV provider is able to enhance his services and offer services to
nomadic or
3o mobile users.
As shown in Fig. 18, every roofaop antenna may become a hot-spot for
nomadic users if desired.
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29
The satellite TV provider may thus compete with cellular operators and offer
mobile VoIP voice services. The satellite TV provider also becomes a provider
of
multiple services and the customers benefit by having a single bill for all of
these
services.
Reference is now made to Fig. 24, which illustrates the construction of a coax
based network over which WiMax may be applied. The figure illustrates a number
of
different regions between the user 2400 and the head end 2402, any or all of
which
may use coax.
The regions are as follows:
l0 1. From the cable modem to the roof, for the purpose of delivering a WiMAx
service using the coax infrastructure
2. From a Wimax supporting Cable STB to the supported home devices 2408
3. Local distribution delivering wimax over cable coax in addition to existing
signals 2410, and
i5 4. As a totally separate delivery network from the headend 2412.
In addition, coax may be used for any part of the route from the headend to
the
user, such as from a fiber or hybrid node 2414, or from a coax node (such as
the home
units). WiMax support can be integrated in the cable STBs or may be a sepaxate
residential gateway connecting to the Cable coax network. Wiamx support can be
20 local (an NLOS embedded antenna) or via an external antenna.
Reference is now made to Fig. 25, which is a simplified schematic diagram
illustrating the general outline for providing an interactive system according
to the
present embodiments when the outward broadcast channel is provided using
conventional terrestrial broadcasting (DVB-T). As shown in Fig. 25, an outward
25 broadcast leg 2500 is sent via terrestrial transmitters from a head end
2502 to users
2504. The return/interactivelunicast leg is sent via a WAN 2506 and undefined
media
2508.
Reference is now made to Fig. 26, which shows a hybrid wireless digital
video broadcast network in which an outward broadcast leg 2600 uses
terrestrial
3o broadcasting (DVB-T) and a return channel, interactive and unicast services
are
supported via a WAN 2602 between a head end 2604 and user 2606.
It is expected that during the life of this patent many relevant satellite TV
and
WAN devices and systems will be developed and the scopes of the terms herein,
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particularly of the terms "WAN", "hot spot", "and "satellite broadcast", are
intended
to include all such new technologies a priori.
It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for
clarity,
described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in
combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the
invention,
which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may
also be
5 provided separately or in any suitable subcombination.
Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific
embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and
variations
will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to
embrace all
such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit
and broad
to scope of the appended claims.
All publications, patents and patent applications mentioned in this
specification are herein incorporated in their entirety by reference into the
specification, to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or
patent
application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated
herein by
15 reference. In addition, citation or identification of any reference in this
application
shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as
prior art to
the present invention.
