DK177447B1 - System and method for distribution of electronic media - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a telecommunication system (I) for distribution of electronic media, which system (1) comprises a first device (CMTS) adapted to transmit an out put signal (2), which output signal (2) is a combination of at least two input signals, and a second device (3) adapted to receive said transmitted output signal (2) through a COAXNET cable (4,5,6). Said input signals respectively bear Internet (TP) data pack ets and Internet TV (TPTV data packets, wherein said first device (CMTS) marks IP data packets with a first label and TPTV data packets with a second label, so as to en able said second device (3) to retrieve each of said input signals. The present invention also relates to a method for distribution ofelectronic media according to a telecommu nication system as disclosed above.

Description

i DK 177447 B1

System and method for distribution of electronic media Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a telecommunication system for distribution of electronic media, which system comprises a first device adapted to transmit an output sig-5 nal, which output signal is a combination of at least two input signals, and a second device adapted to receive said transmitted output signal through a COAXNET cable.

The present invention also relates to a method for distribution of electronic media through a telecommunication system as disclosed above, which method comprises: 10 (i) providing a first device adapted to transmit an output signal, whidh output signal is a combination of at least two input signals; and (ii) providing a second device adapted to receive said transmitted output signal through a COAXNET cable.

Background of the Invention TV operators around the world wish to distribute their content as Internet TV 15 (IPTV) to their end users. IPTV is normally sent out via fibre or telephone cables.

Until now it has in fact not been possible to transmit IPTV via coax cables in antenna systems. Hence, there is a need in the technical field of systems and methods for distribution of electronic media overcoming this drawback of the state-of-the-art solutions.

20 Object of the Invention

Generally the object of the invention is to provide a system and a method for distribution of various electronic media (e.g. browsing data and TV) simultaneously through the same COAXNET cable in a packet-switched (IP) network. Specifically the invention aims at distributing each of said electronic media to corresponding end user 25 equipment (e.g. a computer and a television set). Finally, this invention allows transmitting IPTV directly through the normal coax cables and to the end users in antenna systems.

2 DK 177447 B1

Description of the Invention

The aforementioned objects of the invention are achieved by a telecommunication system for distribution of electronic media as described in the preamble of claim 1, wherein said input signals respectively bear Internet (IP) data packets and Internet TV 5 (IPTV) data packets, wherein said first device marks IP data packets with a first label and IPTV data packets with a second label, so as to enable said second device to retrieve each of said input signals. Hence, the advantage of the invention is to provide a system for distribution of various electronic media (e.g. browsing data and TV) simultaneously through the same COAXNET cable in a packet-switched (IP) network.

10

In an embodiment of the invention said first device is a transceiver, which transceiver receives said IP data packets via fibre or wireless communication. An advantage of this embodiment is that said first device may receive multimedia content from an external provider, which may use any kind of telecommunication technology available, 15 such as fibre or wireless communication (including satellite communications).

In an embodiment of the invention said second device is a splitter. An advantage of this embodiment is that said splitter may discriminate between said two or more received signals, thus retrieving the original signals and then forwarding each of them to 20 a corresponding next unit (e.g. a modem).

In an embodiment of the invention said retrieved input signals are respectively transmitted from said splitter to a first modem and a second modem, wherein said IP data packets are forwarded from said first modem to a computer, and said IPTV data pack-25 ets are forwarded from said second modem to a television set (e.g. via WiFi). An advantage of this embodiment is that each of said electronic media (e.g., browsing data and TV) may be distributed to corresponding end user equipment (e.g. a computer and a television set).

30 In an embodiment of the invention an adapter, e.g. an IP-box, is interposed between said second modem and said television set. An advantage of this embodiment is that said IPTV data packets may be converted into an input signal, which is utilizable by a 3 DK 177447 B1 non-IP television set. In case of encrypted broadcast signals the adapter may also perform decoding.

In an embodiment of the invention communication between said first device and said 5 computer and/or between said first device and said television set is two-way communication. An advantage of this embodiment is that the end user may interact with the service provider such as in case of video on demand television.

In an embodiment of the invention a TV/radio outlet is interposed between said 10 COAXNET cable and said second device. An advantage of this embodiment is that said COAXNET cable ends in said TV/radio outlet, such as is the case with home use.

The aforementioned objects of the invention are also achieved by a method for distribution of electronic media as described in the preamble of claim 9, wherein said method 15 further comprises: (i) said input signals respectively bearing Internet data packets and Internet TV data packets; and (ii) said first device marking IP data packets with a first label and IPTV data packets with a second label, so as to enable said second device to retrieve each of said input signals.

20 In the following the invention is described by means of a drawing illustrating nonlimiting examples of a system and a method for distribution of electronic media.

Description of the Drawings FIG.l illustrates an example of a system for distribution of electronic media according to the invention.

25 Detailed Description of the Invention FIG.l illustrates a telecommunication system 1 for distribution of electronic media. Such a system comprises at the HEADEND side a transceiver (also referred to as a Cable Modem Termination System CMTS - e.g. CASA C220) adapted to transmit an output signal 2 which is a combination of two input signals (not shown) and a split-30 ter 3 (e.g. COMEGA LLS02) adapted to receive the transmitted output signal 2 through a COAXNET cable 4,5,6 at the DISTRIBUTION NETWORK side. A TV/radio outlet 12 such as TD272, COMEGA, FREJA MM 4-65 or DVU4 is inter- 4 DK 177447 B1 posed between the COAXNET cable 4,5,6 and the splitter 3 at the HOUSE INSTALLATION side.

The input signals respectively bear Internet IP data packets, which are received by 5 the CMTS via fibre or wireless communication, and Internet TV/Video on Demand IPTV/VoD data packets, which are received by the CMTS via fibre or supplied onsite. The CMTS marks IP data packets with a first label and IPTV data packets with a second label, so as to enable the splitter to retrieve each of the input signals. For example the two types of traffic (IP and IPTV) may be differentiated and guaranteed 10 Quality of Service (QoS) by using separate IP ranges and source routing at the CMTS and then sent through a separate Virtual Local .Area Network (VLAN) to the service provider.

The retrieved input signals are respectively transmitted from the splitter to a first cable 15 modem 7 (e.g., CISCO EPC 3925) and a second cable modem 8 (e.g., CISCO EPC 3925) - the latter is registered to a separate Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) CMTS (i.e., a virtual CMTS) -, wherein the IP data packets are forwarded from the first cable modem 7 to a computer 9, and the IPTV data packets are then forwarded from the second cable modem 8 to a television set 10.

20 An adapter 11 (e.g., an IP-box from WAOO, TDC or VIASAT) is interposed between the second cable modem 8 and the television set 10. Communication between the CMTS and the computer 9 and/or between the CMTS and the television set 10 is two-way communication.

25 Note that the design of embodiments alternative to the abovementioned one with two cable modems very much depends on the traffic load (i.e., the number of channels) required by the multicast streams. For example digital channels may be transported through a coax network by Digital Video Broadcasting-Cable (DVB-C) or -Terrestrial (DVB-T) technologies, whereas IPTV may be provided with a combo Set-Top-Box 30 (STB) with a DVB-C interface for broadcast channels and an IP interface for VoD.

Claims (8)

A telecommunication system (1) for distributing electronic media, said system (1) comprising a first device (CMTS) arranged to transmit an output signal 5 (2), said output signal (2) being a combination of at least two input signals, and a a second device (3) arranged to receive the transmitted output signals (2) through a COAXNET cable (4, 5, 6), characterized in that the input signals carry Internet (IP) data packets and Intemet-TV (IPTV) data packets, respectively, in which it first device (CMTS) labels the IP data packets with a first label and the IPTV data packets with a second label such that the second device (3) is capable of retrieving each of these input signals. Telecommunication system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first device (CMTS) is a transceiver which receives the IP data packets via fiber or wireless communication. Telecommunication system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second device (3) is a distributor. Telecommunication system (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the retrieved input signals are sent respectively from the distributor to a first modem (7) and a second> modem (8), wherein the IP data packets are forwarded from the first modem (7) to a computer (9) and the IPTV data packets are forwarded from the second modem (8) to a television (10). 25 Telecommunication system (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that an adapter (11) is located between the second modem (8) and the binoculars (10). 5 DK 177447 B1 Telecommunication system (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that communication 30 between the first device (CMTS) and the computer (9) and / or between the first device (CMTS) and the television (10) is two-way communication. 6 DK 177447 B1 Telecommunication system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a TV / radio output (12) is located between the COAXNET cable (4, 5, 6) and the other device (3). A method for distributing electronic media according to a telecommunications system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising: - providing a first device (CMTS) adapted to transmit an output signal (2) which is a combination of at least two input signals, - providing a second device (3) arranged to receive the transmitted output signals (2) through a COAXNET cable (4, 5, 6), characterized in that the method further comprises: - the input signals respectively; carries Internet (IP) data packets and Intemet-TV (IPTV) data packets; - the first device (CMTS) labels IP data packets with a first label and IPTV 15 data packets with a second label such that the second device (3) is capable of to retrieve each of these input signals.