Digital headend and full service network for distribution video and audio programming
View Patent ↗A digital headend architecture and full service network are provided to selectively demodulate and decode a variety of digital and analog feeds into baseband signals or pass digital programming through the headend. In accordance with one embodiment, the head end is provided with digital-turn-around capability to allow precompressed signals to passed through the head end with out any decompress or decoding into baseband signals. The head end includes at least one receiver for receiving signals sent by satellite, at least one antenna for receiving over-the-air signals as baseband composite video and audio signals, and a decoder connected to the at least one receiver for converting received satellite signals into baseband video and audio signals. At least one MPEG encoder is provided for encoding the baseband video and audio composite signals into multiplexed Single Program Transport Streams (SPTS). A remultiplexer is arranged to ATM encapsulate the SPTS, while an ATM switch outputs the ATM encapsulated SPTS for distribution over a fiber optic network.
1. A full service distribution network for distributing combined national and local video and audio programming to customer locations comprising:
a head end comprising:
a plurality of receivers, at least one of the plurality of receivers receiving digital signals sent by satellite transmission;
at least one antenna for receiving over-the-air analog signals as baseband composite video and audio signals;
a digital router for receiving the digital signals;
a digital splitter for receiving the digital signals from the digital router;
a plurality of decoders coupled to the digital splitter for converting the digital signals into baseband video and audio signals, the digital splitter automatically routing each of the digital signals to the appropriate decoder based on the encoding scheme of the digital signals;
an analog audio and video router for receiving audio and video from the plurality of decoders and the at least one antenna;
an analog switch configured to receive an output from the analog router;
a decoder connected to the at least one receiver for converting received satellite signals into baseband video and audio signals;
at least one MPEG encoder coupled to the analog switch for encoding the baseband video and audio composite signals into multiplexed Single Program Transport Streams (SPTS);
a remultiplexer arranged to ATM encapsulate the SPTS; and
an ATM switch for outputting the ATM encapsulated SPTS; and
a central office connected to the head end via a fiber optic network for receiving the ATM encapsulated SPTS output by the ATM switch, the central office including a broadband access system for selectively distributing received ATM encapsulated SPTS to at least one optical network unit or DSLAM connected to a customer location.
2. The full service distribution network of claim 1 wherein the head end further comprises at least one digital compression receiver arranged to receive and output digitally compressed signals from a satellite, the at least one digital compression receiver connected to provide an output signal to the remultiplexer without performing any decoding and decompressing of the signals to analog.
3. The full service distribution network of claim 2 further comprising a second router and a rate controller/groomer connected between the at least one digital compression receiver and the remultiplexer for processing the non-decoded and non-decompressed signal before output from the head end.
4. The full service distribution network of claim 1 wherein the head end further comprises a system controller arranged to configure the MPEG encoder input and output and set an audio and video data rate, as well as configure an outgoing and incoming connection from the remultiplexer to the ATM switch.
5. The full service distribution network of claim 4 wherein the system controller comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) based control program, the system controller communicating with the encoder and remultiplexer via an Ethernet network and communicating with an audio/video switch via an RS-232 connection.
6. The full service distribution network of claim 1 wherein the customer location comprises a residential gateway connected to the optical network unit or DSLAM.
7. The full service distribution network of claim 1 wherein the customer location comprises an Ethernet hub connected to the optical network unit or DSLAM.
8. The full service distribution network of claim 1 wherein the head end further comprises a SONET multiplexer connecting the ATM switch to the fiber optic cable.
9. The full service distribution network of claim 1 wherein the head end is arranged to insert into the SPTS at least one type of content selected from a set consisting of VOD (Video-On-Demand), NVOD (Near Video-On-Demand), digital advertisement, and web browser content.
10. A digital head end for use with a full service distribution network to distribute combined national and local video and audio programming to customer locations comprising:
at least one receiver for receiving signals sent by satellite;
at least one antenna for receiving over-the-air signals as baseband composite video and audio signals;
a decoder connected to the at least one receiver for converting received satellite signals into baseband video and audio signals;
at least one MPEG encoder for encoding the baseband video and audio composite signals into multiplexed Single Program Transport Streams (SPTS);
a remultiplexer arranged to ATM encapsulate the SPTS;
an ATM switch for outputting the ATM encapsulated SPTS; and
a system controller coupled between an analog switch and the ATM switch, the system controller arranged to configure the MPEG encoder input and output and to set an audio and video data rate based on properties of the audio and video data, the system controller communicating with the analog switch via a serial communications channel.
11. The head end of claim 10 further comprising at least one receiver arranged to receive and output digitally compressed signals from a satellite, wherein the at least one digital compression receiver is connected to provide an output signal to the remultiplexer without performing any decoding and decompressing of the signals to analog.
12. The head end of claim 11 further comprising a router and a rate controller/groomer connected between the at least one digital compression receiver and the remultiplexer for processing the non-decoded and non-decompressed signal before output from the head end.
13. The head end of claim 10 wherein the system controller comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) based control program, and communicates with the encoder and remultiplexer via an Ethernet network.
14. The head end of claim 10 further comprising a SONET multiplexer connection the ATM switch to the fiber optic cable.
15. The head end of claim 10 wherein the head end is arranged to insert into the SPTS content having at least one content type including VOD (Video-On-Demand), NVOD (Near Video-On-Demand), digital advertisement, and web browser content.