SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DYNAMIC APPLICATION SIGNALING IN BROADBAND INTERNET TELEVISION (IPTV) SERVICE NETWORKS

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[1001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/808,685, filed May 25, 2006, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

[1002] This invention relates to Internet Protocol television (IPTV) systems. More particularly, the invention relates to systems and methods for dynamically deploying applications in an IPTV system.

Description of the Related Art

[1003] Internet Protocol television (IPTV) systems, which typically implement MPEG-2 for the video transport stream, are often concerned with the distribution of application files to clients.

[1004] In what is known as a "thick client" approach, in typical IPTV deployments, applications are built into the client device middleware and deployed onto client terminal devices at installation time. Upgrades, to provide client terminal devices with the latest versions of applications, which are transmitted in-band with the video-audio streams, adversely affect service. All client devices receive all applications and typically use an authorization mechanism to enable/disable applications to which a subscriber is/is not entitled.

[1005] While having resident applications on a client terminal device is a desirable approach it has the major disadvantage of consuming more memory than is strictly required, since all applications are present. Moreover, each time an operator desires to update applications, a service-affecting outage is required, which decreases customer satisfaction and increases operational

overhead because upgrades to client must be monitored and controlled in the event the upgrade is unsuccessful.

[1006] In "thin client" approaches, applications and application logic are hosted on a service provider's server. A web-browser type interface is used to provide the display output to the subscriber. While this approach has advantages in memory usage over the thick client approach, these are outweighed by disadvantages resulting from the constant dependency on the client-server interaction. In particular, network latency caused by client to server communication, other factors, the quality of experience and lack of fault tolerance outweigh the memory advantage.

[1007] In traditional cable/satellite media approaches, a client application management function detects the presence of a deployed application on the network via signaling; the application may then be downloaded and executed. As specified in the Multimedia Home Platform (MHP), the European standard for digital television, signaling of service-bound applications (those that function only in conjunction with a particular service) comes from an Application Information Table (AIT), which is included as MPEG private section data within a service transport stream.

[1008] In the North American OpenCable Application Platform (OCAP), bound applications employ an AIT; unbound applications (those that function independently of services) are signaled via an Extended Application Information Table (XAIT), which is also included as MPEG private section data but as part of an out-of-band MPEG transport stream not associated with any service.

[1009] Both the MHP and OCAP approaches suffer from a dependency on their infrastructure, which requires application data to be embedded within the transport stream that carriers video programming. This severely restricts the ability of operators to inject new applications into video programs that are owned and managed by the upstream broadcasters. This type of carriage also constrains the data rate at which applications can be transported, since

the vast majority of bandwidth available is consumed by video and audio content.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[1010] These and other disadvantages in the prior art are overcome in large part by systems and methods according to embodiments of the present invention.

[1011] A system and method according to embodiments of the present invention provides a network-based, on-demand access to applications, which install themselves dynamically to become resident on client terminal devices. Memory is conserved on the client terminal devices since resident applications are only made up of those that have been entitled. Embodiments of the present invention improve upon the signaling used in cable and satellite systems by providing an out-of-band distribution mechanism that relies on data distribution protocols and is not constrained by bandwidth in the way that cable is. Moreover, a mechanism is provided that allows operators to deploy applications independently of the video programming.

[1012] A method according to embodiments of the present invention includes publishing application binaries and data to a back office repository; retrieving the application binaries and data to an application repository; multicasting availability of the application binaries and data to a multicast group including a plurality of client terminals; downloading the application binaries and data to a client terminal associated with a subscriber to a service that implements the application binaries and data and who is entitled to receive the application binaries and data; and wherein said downloading occurs out-of-band at the client terminal with reception of one or more video streams.

[1013] A method according to embodiments of the present invention includes subscribing, at a client device, to one or more services associated with one or more video streams; receiving one or more video streams at the client device; and receiving one or more data signals at the client device

associated with the one or more services after determining the client device has subscribed to the associated one or more services; wherein said receiving is out-of-band with the one or more video streams.

[1014] A system according to embodiments of the present invention includes one or more client devices configured to receive one or more video streams; a first repository associated with a back office configured to receive one or more binaries; a messaging framework including a second repository for receiving the one or more binaries from the first repository and configured to signal availability of the one or more binaries to the one or more client devices and transmit the one or more binaries to the one or more client devices out of band with the one or more video streams..

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[1015] The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features, and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items.

[1016] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system according to an embodiment of the present invention.,

[1017] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary user interface for use with a system in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

[1018] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating operation of an embodiment of the present invention.

[1019] FIG. 4A-FIG. 4B illustrate an exemplary media distribution system that may be used in with a personal video recorder system according to embodiments of the present invention.

[1020] FIG. 5A- FIG. 5B is a diagrammatic representation of a user station and system that may be used to implement methods according to embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[1021] Turning now to the drawings and, with particular attention to FIG. 1 , a diagram of a system in accordance with embodiments of the present invention and generally identified with the reference numeral 100 is shown.

[1022] The system 100 includes a "back office" service 102, which may be embodied as a server operated at or by an IPTV operator or service provider. The back office service 102 may implement, for example, various administrative functions related to system operations. The back office service 102 may be coupled to or in communication with a back office repository 103, which may be implemented as one or more memory devices for storing system and application content and/or data.

[1023] One or more content or data files 104 may be published to the back office service 102, as will be explained in greater detail below. In some embodiments, content files 104 may include one or more application binaries 118 and application metadata 120. The back office service 102 may include one or more web service APIs 114 for receiving the content files 104. The back office service 102 may also or alternatively include a graphical user interface (GUI) front end 116 for receiving the files 104.

[1024] The system 100 also includes a messaging framework 106 in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. The messaging framework 106 may include one or more APIs 122 for handling communication with the back office service 102; an application signaling unit 126 for signaling availability of content onto a network 108; and an application transmission unit 124 for transmitting content on the network 108 to one or more user or client devices or terminals 110.

[1025] The network 108 may be embodied, for example, as a packet switched Internet Protocol (IP) network. The client devices 110 may be implemented as one or more set top boxes that may be coupled to or in communication with one or more televisions (not shown) for viewing or receiving the content. Thus, the client devices 110 may each include a user

interface component (not shown) that can provide or modify content being provided to the television associated with the client device (e.g., to display a menu of services or to select one or multiple channels from content provided by a third party).

[1026] In addition, in some embodiments, the user device 110 may be connected to or in communication with one or more switched telephone network central offices (not shown) via, e.g., one or more DSL (digital subscriber line) lines. In such embodiments, packet-switched IP data routing is used to provide information about viewer interactions (e.g., content selection and other content viewing interactions), such as for viewers that are subscribers of a service providing various types of content and content-related services.

[1027] In addition, the user devices 110 may receive one or more media streams 112. In some embodiments, the media streams provided to the client devices 110 are implemented using the MPEG-2 standard. Such media streams 112 can include, for example, video broadcasts such as single- channel or multi-channel television programming, single-channel or multichannel audio broadcasts, audio-on-demand, video-on-demand, Internet- based content, voice over IP, etc. A media distribution system that may be used in association with a system in accordance with embodiments of the present invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to FIG. 4A-4B and FIG. 5A-5B.

[1028] In operation, as will be explained in greater detail below, content 104 can be published to the back office service 102, i.e., loaded to the back office repository 103. Publishing can occur through the API 114 or directly using the GUI front end 116. Once this is done, the back office service 102 notifies the messaging framework 106 that the content 104 is available. The messaging framework 106 then retrieves the content 104 and stores it in the application repository 128. The messaging framework 106 then signals onto the network 108 that the content is available. As will be explained in greater detail below, this may be accomplished using an IP multicast, which transmits

a file periodically to a multicast group to which every client device 110 is a member. For example, the session announcement protocol may be employed.

[1029] If a subscriber associated with a client device 110 has subscribed to a service requiring the application, it will receive a notification that it is entitled to download it. The client device 110 will then communicate over the network 108 to receive the content from the messaging framework 106. The content is sent to the client device 106 out-of-band with the video programming 112. That is, in some embodiments, the content is sent outside, e.g., an MPEG-2 video stream. In particular, in some embodiments, the content is transmitted using Session Announcement Protocol and an IP multicast, with client device subscribers being group members for receiving the content. In other embodiments, unicast may be used for delivery.

[1030] In some embodiments, the content 104 can be embodied not only as application binaries and metadata, but also or alternatively, as multimedia content. For example, the principles of the present invention could be applied to a distributed video on demand server cluster that needs common content propagated among various video server nodes. Video server nodes which are not entitled to receive the content (due, e.g., to franchise rights or other issues) would not download the content.

[1031] Turning now to FIG. 2, a flowchart 200 illustrating operation of embodiment of the present invention is shown. The particular arrangement of elements in the flowchart 200 is not meant to imply a fixed order to the elements; embodiments can be practiced in any order that is practicable.

[1032] Initially, in a process step 202, a user of a client device 110 can subscribe to receive a service. For example, a user may communicate with the back office service 102 using a web browser or other type interface. In a step 204, the subscriber may receive an entitlement message from the back office service 102 indicating that it is entitled to receive programs, signaling, and other data related to the subscribed-to service. Such entitlement would typically identify the service and in some embodiments a subscription level.

[1033] In a step 206, a subscriber application manager (not shown) at the client device 110 receives the message. This subscription application manager will then be able to "listen" for signaling of messages and identify which applications/content it is allowed to download. At a step 208, the subscription application manager receives signaling from the messaging framework 106 indicating that content is available for downloading. As discussed above, this may be done through an IP multicasting format. Finally, in a step 210, the content, related to service to which a user has subscribed, may be downloaded to the client device 110, again, for example, using an IP multicast.

[1034] Turning now to FIG. 3, a flowchart 300 illustrating operation of embodiment of the present invention is shown. The particular arrangement of elements in the flowchart 300 is not meant to imply a fixed order to the elements; embodiments can be practiced in any order that is practicable.

[1035] In a process step 302, data such as application binaries and metadata (or other content) is published to the back office service 102 (See A in FIG. 1). As discussed above, this can include either direct submission via a front end GUI 116 or via a suitable API 114. The content is stored in a repository 103. In a process step 304, the back office service 102 notifies the messaging framework 106 that suitable application binaries and metadata are available (B).

[1036] In a process step 306, the messaging framework 106 retrieves the binaries and metadata (C) from the back office repository and stores them in an application repository 128 (D). In a process step 308, the application is signaled onto the network 108 (E). As noted above, this can include an IP multicast to all user devices. In a step 310, the client device 110 receives an entitlement message (F), indicating it is entitled to receive a particular application.

[1037] In a step 312, if the client 110 is entitled, then in a step 316, it can download the content (G). Again, this may be done through a multicast or unicast. Otherwise, in a step 314, it will ignore the multicast of the content.

[1038] As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention are suited to an internet protocol media distribution system. FIG. 4A depicts a representative environment according to the invention. Central to FIG. 4A is a network with ATM network backbone 400. This ATM network is capable of fiber data rates of OC3, OC12, OC48, OC192 or as is available in the art. A plurality of content providers place information onto ATM network 400. Typical sources of content served include broadcast information 402, Internet information 404, telenetwork 406, broadcast content 408, and video 410.

[1039] In a representative central plant, a plurality of ATM switches 412 interface with network 400 to receive and distribute data from the various content sources. A messaging framework 106 and back office 102, including associated repositories, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may be located upnetwork from the end user. Information flows from ATM switches 412 via a plurality of paths 413 to a plurality of DSL modems 414. DSL modems 414 connect via DSL twisted pair lines 618 to a plurality of modems 416 in various subscribers residences or establishments. From a representative modem 416, there can be attached a telephone 620 and/or a television set 422 which may include an associated set top box, and/or a computer 424. The system of embodiments of the present invention may thus be operable on or in association with devices such as telephone 420, television with set top box 422, and/or computer 424.

[1040] FIG. 4B depicts an overview of a digital programming content distribution system according to a particular embodiment of the present invention. One or more central channel server(s) 450, which may implement the back office and messaging framework described herein, collect(s) information about available programming services distributed from a multiplicity of content providers 460. In a preferable embodiment, this information is multicast by the content providers. Channel server 450 maintains a channel list database 470 which tracks available content channel offerings and a subscriber database 480, which contains subscriber identifications and permitted channels for each subscriber. Subscribers

interact with central channel server 450 to obtain programming content information, and with content providers 460 to obtain programs. The messaging framework 104 and back office 102 may be implemented as part of or in conjunction with the central channel servers 450. Alternatively, these may be implemented in conjunction with the central office 490. In related embodiments, the channel server 480 and content providers 460 may be co- located on the same machine, or may reside on separate machines.

[1041] In a representative embodiment, the invention may be practiced using a control system with the basic subsystems and functions depicted in FIG. 5A. In particular, the control unit of FIG. 5A represents, for example, a set top box or a server.

[1042] In the representative system of FIG. 5A, a control unit 10 includes bus 12, which is shown schematically as a single bus, but can also be a number of buses such as a local bus and one or more expansion buses (e.g., ADB, SCSI, ISA, EISA, MCA, NuBus, or PCI), which interconnect subsystems such as a central processor 14, which may be an 80x89, 98xxx, RISC, Pentium family, or other suitable microprocessor family, system memory 19, which may be RAM, ROM, or a combination thereof, input/output (I/O) controller 18, an external device such as a serial port 28, such as a USB port, and parallel port 32, detachable keyboard 30, mouse 29, fixed disk drive 32, which may be a hard disk drive or an optical drive or a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive or other suitable medium; and a floppy disk drive 33 operative to receive a floppy disk.

[1043] Network connections are usually established through one or more network adapters 44 attached to one of the buses or a modem on a serial port. Network adapters may include 10 Base T, 100 Base T, optical, ATM, DSL, or other network formats.

[1044] MPEG decoder 39 and audio subsystem 42 coupled via bus 12 provide multimedia capability. Many other devices can be connected such as

fax 38 connected via serial port 28, touch screen 40 connected directly, infrared peripheral support 34 or printer 20, connected through parallel port 22. Other devices or subsystems (not shown) may be connected in a similar manner. Also, it is not necessary for all of the devices shown in FIG. 5A to be present to practice the invention. The devices and subsystems may be interconnected in different ways from that shown in FIG. 5A without impairing the operation of the system. Source code to implement processing functions in accordance with the present invention may be operably disposed in system memory 16 or stored on storage media such as fixed disk 32 or floppy disk 33.

[1045] Video interface 33 may be any standard video format, such as S- video. Various forms of user input devices may be used with the set top box and/or server. For example, a touch screen allows a user to point to objects on the screen to select the object and to move the selected object by pointing to a second position on the screen. Alternatively, an infrared or other coupled handheld control unit may be interfaced with the STB or server allowing the user to interact with the unit, make changes, and indicate preferences. Various buttons and controls may be displayed on the screen for activation by using the mouse, touch screen, or a remote control via infrared IF 34.

[1046] Operatively disposed in memory 19, or resident on fixed disk 32, operating system software may be PSOS, DOS, UNIX, WINDOWS95, WINDOWS CE, WINDOWS XP, or other operating systems known in the art. Executing concurrently and cooperatively with operating system software 510 (FIG. 5B), IP Multicast capable TCP/IP software 512 manages the flow of information into and out of the control unit over the network interface 44. A JAVA enabled Internet browser 514, such as Netscape Navigator Microsoft Explorer or their equivalent in the art provide a web-browser user interface to networked resources through TCP/IP software 512.

[1047] Client control code 519 implements functions specific to the set top box or server operation, such as the processes depicted herein. Output is

provided by user interface 518 in conjunction with Video Interface Code 520. Other clients 522 such as email, facsimile, video conferencing applications or voice mail may also be supported. In a related embodiment, the functions of the set top unit are integrated into a television, forming an Internet capable, interactive "Smart Television." In a related embodiment, the functions of the set top unit are integrated into a personal computer, forming an Internet- capable, interactive "Workstation Television."

[1048] As used herein, whether in the above description or the following claims, the terms "comprising," "including," "carrying," "having," "containing," "involving," and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, that is, to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of," respectively, shall be considered exclusionary transitional phrases, as set forth, with respect to claims, in the United States Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures (Eighth Edition, August 2001 as revised October 2005), Section 2111.03.

[1049] Any use of ordinal terms such as "first," "second," "third," etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another, or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed. Rather, unless specifically stated otherwise, such ordinal terms are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term).

[1050] The above described preferred embodiments are intended to illustrate the principles of the invention, but not to limit the scope of the invention. Various other embodiments and modifications to these preferred embodiments may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.