US 2003/0189666 A1Published application

Multi-channel digital video broadcast to composite analog video converter

OwnerSteven Dabell, Thomas Troksainventors

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for receiving a digital cable or digital satellite video signal which contains a composite of several digital video channels and converting a plurality of selected channels to analog CATV formatted channels, producing a single composite analog CATV compliant output signal is described. The composite analog CATV output signal is distributed throughout a users premises to one or m ore standard analog televisions, which enables each television to receive digital video content without the need for a dedicated set top box for each television. The apparatus also includes several novel and unique features which enhance the convenience for the user which include selectable re-mapping of specific digital television channels to analog CATV channels, user and service provider conditional access means, television guide means, symbology overlay means, multiple picture in picture means and S-video output means.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An apparatus for demodulating a plurality of received digital video broadcast channels, where in each said plurality of digital video broadcast channels is comprised of video and audio information, and converting and re-modulating said plurality of received digital video broadcast channels to a multi-channel frequency division multiplexed composite analog video signal comprising:

a quantizer means for converting said plurality of received digital video broadcast channels into a composite received sampled signal;
a demodulator means for converting said composite received sampled signal into a plurality of composite symbol streams;
a forward error correction function which corrects bit errors in said plurality of composite symbol streams;
a de-packetizing means for separating said plurality of composite symbol streams into multiple individual digital video channels;
first gating means which qualifies each said individual digital video channels for further processing and produces a plurality of access qualified digital video channels;
second gating means which further qualifies each said access qualified digital video channel and produces a plurality of conditional access qualified digital video channels;
a plurality of source decoding means which decompress said plurality of conditional access qualified digital video channels to produce a plurality of source decoded digital video channels;
a plurality of converter means for transforming the said plurality of source decoded digital video channels to said plurality of composite analog video channels;
a plurality of re-modulator means for frequency translating and combining said plurality of composite analog video channels to form a multi-channel frequency division multiplexed composite analog video signal.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/116,911Filed 8 Apr 2002
Published: 9 Oct 2003
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

H04N 21/4385
Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. retrieving encoded video stream packets from an IP…
H04N 5/455
Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards: demodulation-circuits
H04N 7/106
Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable: for domestic distribution
H04N 7/17354
Control of the passage of the selected programme: in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals