Audio and video transmission and receiving system
AssigneeAcacia Media Technologies Corporation
InventorsPaul Yurt, H. Lee Browne
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system of distributing video and/or audio information employs digital signal processing to achieve high rates of data compression. The compressed and encoded audio and/or video information is sent over standard telephone, cable or satellite broadcast channels to a receiver specified by a subscriber of the service, preferably in less than real time, for later playback and optional recording on standard audio and/or video tape.
Claims32
A transmission system for providing information to remote locations, the transmission system comprising:
- library means for storing items;
- identification encoding means for retrieving the information for the items from the library means and for assigning a unique identification code to the retrieved information;
- conversion means, coupled to the identification encoding means, for placing the retrieved information into a predetermined format as formatted data;
- ordering means, coupled to the conversion means, for placing the formatted data into a sequence of addressable data blocks;
- compression means, coupled to the ordering means, for compressing the formatted and sequenced data;
- compressed data storing means, coupled to the data compression means, for storing as a file the compressed, sequenced data received from the data compression means with the unique identification code assigned by the identification encoding means;
- and
- transmitter means, coupled to the compressed data storing means, for sending at least a portion of a file to one of the remote locations.
A distribution method responsive to requests identifying information to be sent from a transmission system to remote locations, the method comprising the steps of:
- storing audio and video information in a compressed data form;
- requesting transmission, by a user, of at least a part of the stored compressed data to a remote location selected by the user;
- sending at least a portion of the stored compressed information to the remote location;
- receiving the sent information at the remote location;
- buffering the received information at the remote location;
- and
- playing back the buffered information in real time at a time requested by the user.
A receiving system responsive to a user input identifying a choice of an item stored in a source material library to be played back to the subscriber at a location remote from the source material library, the item containing information to be sent from a transmitter to the receiving system, the receiving system comprising:
- transceiver means, for automatically receiving the requested information from the transmitter as compressed formatted data blocks;
- receiver format conversion means, coupled to the transceiver means, for converting the compressed formatted data blocks into a format suitable for storage and processing for playback in real time;
- storage means, coupled to the receiver format conversion means, for storing the compressed formatted data;
- decompressing means, coupled to the receiver format conversion means, for decompressing the compressed formatted information;
- and
- output data conversion means, coupled to the decompressing means, for playing back the decompressed information in real time at a time specified by the user.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.