Digital domain content processing and distribution apparatus and methods
AssigneeTime Warner Cable Enterprises LLC
InventorGlen Hardin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for distributing content using a spectrum generation device. In one embodiment, digital content is received via a time-multiplexed network transport (such as Gigabit Ethernet), and converted to frequency channels suitable for transmission over a content distribution (e.g., Hybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC)) network. In one variant, the conversion is performed using digital domain processing performed by a full spectrum generation device. Additionally, methods and apparatus for selectively adding, removing, and/or changing digital content from the full spectrum device are also disclosed. Various aspects of the present invention enable physical (infrastructure) consolidation, and software-implemented remote management of content distribution.
Claims20
A computerized method for delivering digitally rendered content originated from a digital content source to at least one computerized client device associated with a content delivery network, the digital content source in data communication with the content delivery network, the computerized method comprising:
- accessing the digital content source to obtain a digital content element;
- executing computerized logic to process the accessed digital content element into a plurality of data packets, the execution of the computerized logic effecting one or more data flow control policies relating to dropping of ones of the plurality of data packets;
- causing a reprogrammable transformation device to:
- receive the processed digital content element distributed within the content delivery network;
- and
- transform the processed digital content element from a first domain to a second domain via digital domain processing;
- and
- causing transmission of the transformed digital content element over at least one radio frequency (RF) carrier.
Computerized network apparatus configured to deliver digital content to a plurality of computerized client devices associated with a content delivery network, the computerized network apparatus comprising:
- network interface apparatus configured to support data communication with at least a content source;
- processor apparatus in data communication with the network interface apparatus;
- and
- storage apparatus in data communication with the processor apparatus, the storage apparatus comprising at least one computer program configured to, when executed on the processor apparatus, cause the computerized network apparatus to:
- receive, via the network interface apparatus, a digital content element associated with the digital content;
- determine a priority level associated with the delivery of the digital content to at least one of the plurality of computerized client devices;
- based at least on the priority level associated with the delivery of the digital content, process the digital content element so as to effect at least one data flow control policy for the delivery of the digital content;
- cause a reprogrammable digital domain processing device to transform the digital content element from a first domain to a second domain via digital domain processing;
- and
- cause transmission of the transformed digital content element over at least one radio frequency (RF) carrier.
Computer readable apparatus comprising a non-transitory storage medium, the non-transitory storage medium comprising at least one computer program having a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions configured to, when executed on a processing apparatus, cause a computerized network apparatus to:
- receive, from a digital content source in data communication with the computerized network apparatus, data associated with digitally rendered content;
- receive data relating to at least one Quality of Service (QoS) parameter associated with delivery of the digitally rendered content to a computerized client device, the at least one QoS parameter related to a data flow control policy associated with a delay of delivery of the digitally rendered content to the computerized client device;
- cause a domain conversion device to process the data associated with the digitally rendered content;
- and
- based at least in part on the data flow control policy, cause transmission of only a prescribed portion of the data associated with the digitally rendered content to the computerized client device so as to observe the data flow control policy associated with the delay, the transmission being over at least one radio frequency (RF) carrier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.