IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,158,924
Granted Patent B2
US 10,158,924 · App. 13/465,966 · Granted Dec 18, 2018

Method for the transmission and distribution of digital television signals

Inventors: Scott Beaudoin (O'Fallon, MO); Scott Jones (Tulsa, OK); Scott Brillhart (Broken Arrow, OK); Michael Brown (University City, MO); Ryan Korte (Highland, IL)
Assignee: Level 3 Communications, LLC
H04N21/64322H04N21/2343H04N21/2381H04N21/6405H04N21/64707
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,158,924
App. No.
13/465,966
Granted
Dec 18, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for the end-to-end delivery of digital television signals. In a preferred embodiment a digital television signal is: received from production equipment, typically in BD format at approximately 1.4 gigabits per second (Gbps); the received signal is transmitted to a venue point-of-presence; converted for transmission via a 270 Mbps local loop; transmitted to a fiber network point of presence/video service edge; packetized into TCP/IP packets in a video gateway; and routed to one or more destination addresses via the fiber network; received at one or more video service edge destinations; converted to a digital television format, typically SDI; and either transmitted via a second 270 Mbps local loop for delivery to a customer site and subsequent conversion to a 1.4 Gbps HD signal, or converted directly to a 1.4 Gbs HD signal at the receiving video service edge.

Claims (34)

1. A method for preparing an High Definition (HD) signal for transmission over a data network including the steps of:

(a) receiving an HD signal at a first data rate;

(b) converting said HD signal to a compressed HD signal at a second data rate, said second data rate being lower than said first data rate, and wherein said HD signal and said compressed HD signal are digital signals;

(c) transmitting, from a source location, said compressed HD signal via a 270 Mbps loop to a network point-of-presence that is remote from the source location;

(d) converting said compressed HD signal into TCP/IP packets in a video gateway for transmission over a data network; and

(e) delivering said TCP/IP packets to a router.

2. The method for preparing HD signals for transmission over a data network of claim 1 wherein said first data rate is 1.485 Gbps.

3. The method for preparing HD signals for transmission over a data network of claim 1 wherein said second data rate is 270 Mbps.

4. The method for preparing HD signals for transmission over said data network of claim 1 wherein said first HD signal conforms to SMPTE292.

5. The method for preparing HD signals for transmission over a data network of claim 1 wherein said data network is an MPLS network and said router is a label edge router.

6. A system for preparing an High Definition (HD) signal for transmission over a data network comprising:

an encoder for compressing an HD signal at an HD data rate to a compressed HD signal at an Standard Definition (SD) data rate, wherein said HD signal and said compressed HD signal are digital signals;

a video gateway, remote from the encoder and configured to communicate with said encoder via a local loop to receive said compressed HD signal, wherein said compressed HD signal is configured by said video gateway into packets output through a gateway network connection; and

a router configured to communicate with said gateway network connection to receive said packets and transmit said packets over a data network.

7. The system for preparing an HD signal for transmission over a data network of claim 6 wherein said encoder is remote from said video gateway, the system further comprising:

a first converter in communication with said encoder for converting said compressed HD signal stream to an optical signal;

a second converter in communication with said video gateway for converting said optical signal back to said compressed HD signal; and

an optical fiber connecting said first and second converters to carry said optical signal from said first converter to said second converter.

8. The system for preparing an HD signal for transmission over a data network of claim 6 wherein the local loop comprises a 270 Mbps loop.

9. The system for preparing an HD signal for transmission over a data network of claim 6 wherein said encoder is remote from said video gateway, the system further comprising:

a first converter in communication with said encoder for converting said compressed HD signal to an optical signal;

a second converter in communication with said video gateway for converting said optical signal back to said compressed HD signal;

an optical fiber connecting said first and second converters to carry said optical signal from said first converter to said second converter; and

wherein the local loop comprises a 270 Mbps loop.

10. A method for preparing an High Definition (HD) signal for transmission over a data network including the steps of:

(a) receiving an HD signal at a first data rate;

(b) converting said HD signal to a compressed HD signal at a second data rate, said second data rate being lower than said first data rate, and wherein said HD signal and said compressed HD signal are digital signals;

(c) transmitting, from a source location, said compressed HD signal via a local loop to a network point-of-presence that is remote from the source location;

(d) converting said compressed HD signal into TCP/IP packets in a video gateway for transmission over a data network; and

(e) delivering said TCP/IP packets to a router.

11. The method for preparing HD signals for transmission over a data network of claim 10 wherein said first data rate is 1.485 Gbps and the local loop is a 270 Mbps loop.

12. The method for preparing HD signals for transmission over a data network of claim 10 wherein said second data rate is 270 Mbps.

13. The method for preparing HD signals for transmission over said data network of claim 10 wherein said first HD signal conforms to SMPTE292.

14. The method for preparing HD signals for transmission over a data network of claim 10 wherein said data network is an MPLS network and said router is a label edge router.

Assignments (9)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2012
From: BEAUDOIN, SCOTT; JONES, SCOTT; BRILLHART, SCOTT; BROWN, MICHAEL; KORTE, RYAN
To: WILTEL COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 028317/0309 →
RELEASE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN CERTAIN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded May 29, 2012
From: CREDIT SUISSE, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT; CREDIT SUISSE, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS FIRST LIEN ADMINISTRATIVE; CREDIT SUISSE, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS SECOND LIEN ADMINISTRATIVE
To: WILTEL COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 028279/0870 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2012
From: WILTEL COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, LLC
To: LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 028249/0239 →
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 22, 2012
From: WILTEL COMMUNICATIONS, LLC; CG AUSTRIA, INC.; CRITICAL CONNECTIONS, INC.; VYVX, LLC; WCS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC.; WILTEL COMMUNICATIONS MANAGED SERVICES OF CALIFORNIA, INC.; WILTEL COMMUNICATIONS OF VIRGINIA, INC.; WILTEL COMMUNICATIONS PROCUREMENTS, LLC; WILTEL LOCAL NETWORK, LLC; WILTEL COMMUNICATIONS PROCUREMENTS, LP; WILTEL TECHNOLOGY CENTER, LLC; FTV COMMUNICATIONS LLC
To: CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON ACTING THROUGH ITS CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH AS FIRST LIEN ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 028252/0484 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2012
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON, ACTING THROUGH ITS CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 028248/0767 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 22, 2012
From: LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; ICG COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: MERRILL LYNCH CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 028252/0527 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 22, 2012
From: WILTEL COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, LLC
To: MERRILL LYNCH CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 028252/0575 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 22, 2012
From: WILTEL COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC.
To: WILTEL COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, LLC
Reel/Frame 028252/0507 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2012
From: WILTEL COMMUNICATIONS, LLC; WILTEL COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC., A CORP. OF NEVADA; CG AUSTRIA, INC., A CORP. OF DELAWARE; CRITICAL CONNECTIONS, INC., A CORP., OF DELAWARE; VYVX, LLC, A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY OF DELAWARE; WCS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, INC. A CORP. OF DELAWARE; WILTEL COMMUNICATIONS MANAGED SERVICES OF CALIFORNIA, INC. A CORP. OF DELAWARE; WILTEL COMMUNICATIONS OF VIRGINIA, INC., A CORP. OF VIRGINIA; WILTEL COMMUNICATIONS PROCUREMENT, LLC, A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY DELAWARE; WILTEL LOCAL NETWORK, LLC, A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY OF DELAWARE; WILTEL COMMUNICATIONS PROCUREMENT, LP, A LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF DELAWARE; WILTEL TECHNOLOGY CENTER, LLC, A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY OF DELAWAER; FTV COMMUNICATIONS LLC, A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY OF DELAWARE
To: CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON, ACTING THROUGH ITS CAYMAN ISLAND BRANCH AS SECOND LIEN ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 028248/0906 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 10769465 · Jan 30, 2004
Related Publication 20120219012A1 · Aug 30, 2012