IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,181,759
Granted Patent B2
US 7,181,759 · App. 09/903,980 · Granted Feb 20, 2007

System and method for providing interactivity for end-users over digital broadcast channels

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,181,759
App. No.
09/903,980
Granted
Feb 20, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method for allowing an end-user to interact with a system in order to execute an application. Multiple application packets are broadcast to a plurality of end-users, such that the upstream transmission of data from end-users is greatly reduced. Each end-ser further receives media packets, whereas visual objects relating to the application can be displayed on an end-user display unit with visual objects originating from the media packets.

Claims (37)

1. System for provision of media packets and application packets to at least one group of end-users, each end-user has a display unit and a control unit for controlling the display unit, the system comprising:

a router, coupled to the control unit of the end-users, the router operative to receive application packets and media packets, and to provide group-associated application packets and media packets to control units of a group of end-users;

a session manager, coupled to the router, the session manager providing routing instructions to said router, for dynamically selecting group-associated application packets and media packets out of the received application packets and media packets;

wherein the control unit of each end-user is configured to process the application packets and accordingly (i) display at least a portion of a visual object on the display unit, or (ii) react to events that are related to the display of the at least portion of the visual object on the display unit; and,

wherein some of the application packets and some of the media packets are non-addressable packets, wherein some media packets are addressable packets, wherein the router comprising:

a plurality of input ports, including at least one non-addressable stream input port;

a plurality of non-addressable stream output ports;

a multiple port switch, connected between said non-addressable stream input ports and said non-addressable stream output ports;

said multiple port switch directing a non-addressable application packets and media packets, received from a selected one of said at least one non-addressable stream input ports, to at least a selected one of said at least one non-addressable stream output ports,

said multiple port switch selecting said selected non-addressable stream output port according to the type and identity of said selected non-addressable stream input port and the identity information embedded in said non-addressable application packet.

2. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one addressable stream communication port, connected to said multiple port switch, said multiple port switch directing an addressable media packet, received from a selected one of said at least one addressable stream communication ports, to at least a selected one of said at least one non-addressable stream output ports.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the selected non-addressable stream output port encapsulates an addressable media packet in a non-addressable stream packet, when the addressable packet is received from one of said at least one addressable stream input ports.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein MPEG transport packets are encapsulated into communication packets respective of the communication protocol of said multiple port switch.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one non-addressable stream input port comprises a multiple program transport interface and wherein said at least one non-addressable stream output port comprises a multiple program transport interface.

6. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of stream processors, each said stream processor being connected between said multiple port switch and a respective one of said non-addressable stream output ports.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the control unit is a digital set-top-box.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein application packets are arranged in at least one application packet group; wherein each application packet group comprises application packets allowing for executing an application.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein application packets comprise an identification IID field.

10. The system according to claim 1 wherein at least some of the application packets comprise a display period field.

11. The system according to claim 1 wherein at least some of the application packets comprise a bit map of a portion of a visual object.

12. The system according to claim 1 wherein at least some of the application packets further comprise a location field indicative of a location of the portion of the visual object on the display unit.

13. The system according to claim 1 wherein at least one application packet embeds a portion of a code for displaying an advertisement.

14. A method for providing application packets to at least one group of end-users, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving application packets and media packets;

dynamically selecting, for each group of end-users, group-associated media packets and application packets;

providing to each group of end-users, out of the at least one group of end-users, the corresponding group-associated media packets and application packets;

wherein application packets allow either for displaying at least a portion of a visual object on a display unit, or for reacting to events that are related to the display of the at least portions of the visual objects on the display unit;

wherein at least some of the media packets and the application packets are non-addressable packets; and wherein the method further comprising the steps of:

receiving non-addressable packets from an input port selected from at least one non-addressable stream input port;

dynamically selecting packets out of the received packets to be provided to at least one of a plurality of non-addressable stream output ports; whereas at least one non-addressable stream output port is coupled to at least one group of end-users; and

directing said non-addressable packets to said selected non-addressable stream output port.

15. The method according to claim 14 wherein the selection is responsive to the type and identity of said selected input port and the identity information embedded in said received packet.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said input port is further selected from at least one addressable stream input port.

17. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising the step of prioritizing the directing of the session associate with said received packet.

18. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising the step of encapsulating said packet in a non-addressable stream packet, when said packet is received from one of said at least one addressable stream input ports.

19. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising the step of encapsulating said packet in a addressable stream packet, when said packet is received from one of said at least one non-addressable stream input ports.

20. The method according to claim 1 wherein at least one application packet embeds a portion of a code for displaying an advertisement.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 049905/0504 Recorded Dec 19, 2024
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC (F/K/A ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.); ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; RUCKUS WIRELESS, LLC (F/K/A RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.)
Reel/Frame 071477/0255 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST
Reel/Frame 060752/0001 →
TERM LOAN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049905/0504 →
ABL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049892/0396 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049820/0495 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Apr 8, 2019
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ARRIS GROUP, INC.; ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; ARRIS KOREA, INC.; ARRIS HOLDINGS CORP. OF ILLINOIS, INC.; BIG BAND NETWORKS, INC.; TEXSCAN CORPORATION; POWER GUARD, INC.; 4HOME, INC.; ACADIA AIC, INC.; AEROCAST, INC.; BROADBUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; GENERAL INSTRUMENT CORPORATION; GENERAL INSTRUMENT AUTHORIZATION SERVICES, INC.; GENERAL INSTRUMENT INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; IMEDIA CORPORATION; JERROLD DC RADIO, INC.; LEAPSTONE SYSTEMS, INC.; MODULUS VIDEO, INC.; MOTOROLA WIRELINE NETWORKS, INC.; NETOPIA, INC.; NEXTLEVEL SYSTEMS (PUERTO RICO), INC.; QUANTUM BRIDGE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; SETJAM, INC.; SUNUP DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.; UCENTRIC SYSTEMS, INC.; GIC INTERNATIONAL HOLDCO LLC; GIC INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL LLC; CCE SOFTWARE LLC; THE GI REALTY TRUST 1996
Reel/Frame 048825/0294 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 14, 2017
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES INC
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC
Reel/Frame 041995/0031 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2015
From: ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.
Reel/Frame 036601/0162 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 28, 2013
From: ARRIS GROUP, INC.; ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; ARRIS KOREA, INC.; ARRIS HOLDINGS CORP. OF ILLINOIS; BIGBAND NETWORKS, INC.; TEXSCAN CORPORATION; POWER GUARD, INC.; 4HOME, INC.; ACADIA AIC, INC.; AEROCAST, INC.; BROADBUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; GENERAL INSTRUMENT CORPORATION; GENERAL INSTRUMENT AUTHORIZATION SERVICES, INC.; GENERAL INSTRUMENT INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; IMEDIA CORPORATION; JERROLD DC RADIO, INC.; LEAPSTONE SYSTEMS, INC.; MODULUS VIDEO, INC.; MOTOROLA WIRELINE NETWORKS, INC.; NETOPIA, INC.; NEXTLEVEL SYSTEMS (PUERTO RICO), INC.; QUANTUM BRIDGE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; SETJAM, INC.; SUNUP DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.; UCENTRIC SYSTEMS, INC.; GIC INTERNATIONAL HOLDCO LLC; GIC INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL LLC; CCE SOFTWARE LLC; THE GI REALTY TRUST 1996
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 030498/0023 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRET THE ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 027422 FRAME 0633. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE MERGER. Recorded Mar 7, 2012
From: BIGBAND NETWORKS, INC.
To: ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 028226/0273 →
MERGER Recorded Dec 20, 2011
From: BIGBAND NETWORKS, INC.
To: ARRIS GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 027422/0633 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 11, 2011
From: OZ, RAN M.; STRASMAN, NERY; BASSAN-ESKENAZI, AMIR; YRUSKI, ANDREY; GOLAN, ODED
To: BIGBAND NETWORKS INC.
Reel/Frame 027039/0682 →