Simulcasting digital video programs for broadcast and interactive services

A communication system comprising:

• a headend system producing a signal containing multiplexed channels, each channel carrying a transport stream comprising multiplexed streams of digitized broadband information;
• at least one broadband wireless transmitter for broadcasting the signal into a service area;
• and
• a plurality of receiver systems within the service area, each receiver system comprising:
• (i) an antenna for receiving a wireless transmission of the signal,
• (ii) an interface module processing the received signal to select one of the channels and acquire a transport stream from the selected channel,
• (iii) a digital signal processing section for processing digitized data from a selected stream of digitized broadband information contained in the acquired transport stream to present selected broadband information,
• (iv) a modem, and
• (v) a wireless telephone transceiver, the modem and transceiver providing two-way communication of signaling messages to and from the receiver system via a wireless telephone network, and further comprising:
• a control for supplying user input information to the receiver system, and
• a programmed central processing unit, wherein the programmed central processing unit controls selection by the interface module and the digital signal processing section in response to certain of the user input information and transmits messages through the modem in response to other user input information.

A communication system comprising:

• a headend system producing a signal containing multiplexed channels, each channel carrying a transport stream comprising multiplexed streams of digitized broadband information;
• at least one broadband wireless transmitter for broadcasting the signal into a service area;
• and
• a plurality of receiver systems within the service area, each receiver system comprising:
• (i) an antenna for receiving a wireless transmission of the signal,
• (ii) an interface module processing the received signal to select one of the channels and acquire a transport stream from the selected channel,
• (iii) a digital signal processing section for processing digitized data from a selected stream of digitized broadband information contained in the acquired transport stream to present selected broadband information,
• (iv) a modem, and
• (v) a wireless telephone transceiver, the modem and transceiver providing two-way communication of signaling messages to and from the receiver system via a wireless telephone network, and
• further comprising an interactive headend system generating one of the transport streams in response to signaling messages from the wireless telephone transceiver, wherein the interactive headend system comprises:
• a server outputting selected frames of video information;
• a packet data multiplexer for packetizing and multiplexing the selected frames of video information into the one transport stream;
• and
• a gateway processor responsive to signaling messages received via the wireless telephone network for controlling the server and the packet data multiplexer.

A digital entertainment terminal comprising:

• a channel selector for coupling to a broadband receiving antenna and selecting one of a plurality of channels from a signal from the broadband receiving antenna;
• a channel signal processor for processing the one channel to acquire a digital transport stream carried on the one channel, said digital transport stream comprising multiplexed streams of compressed, digitized audio and video information;
• an audio/video processor responsive to selected compressed, broadband digitized audio and video information from said digital transport stream to produce signals for driving an audio/video display device;
• means for receiving inputs from a user;
• a wireless telephone transceiver;
• a modem coupled to the wireless telephone transceiver for two-way communication of signaling messages via a wireless telephone network;
• and
• a control processor controlling operations of the channel selector and the audio/video processor in response to at least some of the received inputs from the user, sending data messages through the modem and the wireless telephone transceiver, and processing data messages received via the modem and the wireless telephone transceiver, wherein the audio/video processor comprises:
• an audio/video decoder for decompressing the selected compressed, digital information from the transport stream to produce a decompressed video signal and a decompressed audio signal;
• a graphics overlay controller, controlled by said control processor, for generating graphic display information;
• and
• means for combining the graphic display information with the decompressed video signal.

A digital entertainment terminal comprising:

• a channel selector for coupling to a broadband receiving antenna and selecting one of a plurality of channels from a signal from the broadband receiving antenna;
• a channel signal processor for processing the one channel to acquire a digital transport stream carried on the one channel, said digital transport stream comprising multiplexed streams of compressed, digitized audio and video information;
• an audio/video processor responsive to selected compressed, broadband digitized audio and video information from said digital transport stream to produce signals for driving an audio/video display device;
• means for receiving inputs from a user;
• a wireless telephone transceiver;
• a modem coupled to the wireless telephone transceiver for two-way communication of signaling messages via a wireless telephone network;
• and
• a control processor controlling operations of the channel selector and the audio/video processor in response to at least some of the received inputs from the user, sending data messages through the modem and the wireless telephone transceiver, and processing data messages received via the modem and the wireless telephone transceiver, wherein the channel signal processor comprises a demodulator, and
• wherein the channel signal processor further comprises a delay equalizer coupled between the demodulator and the audio/video processor.

A digital entertainment terminal comprising:

• a channel selector for coupling to a broadband receiving antenna and selecting one of a plurality of channels from a signal from the broadband receiving antenna;
• a channel signal processor for processing the one channel to acquire a digital transport stream carried on the one channel, said digital transport stream comprising multiplexed streams of compressed, digitized video information;
• a digital processor capable of selectively providing both a full motion video presentation in response to compressed, digitized video information selected from a digital transport stream output by the channel signal processor and a still frame presentation in response to individual frames of compressed, digitized video information selected from a digital transport stream output by the channel signal processor;
• means for receiving inputs from a user;
• a wireless telephone transceiver;
• a modem coupled to the transceiver for two-way wireless communication of signaling data messages via a wireless telephone network;
• and
• a control processor controlling operations of the channel selector and the digital processor in response to at least some of the received inputs from the user, sending messages through the modem and the transceiver, and processing messages received via the modem and the transceiver, and further comprising:
• program memory for storing software executable by the control processor, wherein:
• in response to a command code received via the modem, the control processor causes data selected from a transport stream output by the channel signal processor to be stored in the program memory, and
• the control processor executes the software received and stored in the memory to control subsequent operations of the digital entertainment terminal.

A digital entertainment terminal comprising:

• a channel selector for coupling to a broadband receiving antenna and selecting one of a plurality of channels from a signal from the broadband receiving antenna;
• a channel signal processor for processing the one channel to acquire a digital transport stream carried on the one channel, said digital transport stream comprising multiplexed streams of compressed, digitized video information;
• a digital processor capable of selectively providing both a full motion video presentation in response to compressed, digitized video information selected from a digital transport stream output by the channel signal processor and a still frame presentation in response to individual frames of compressed, digitized video information selected from a digital transport stream output by the channel signal processor;
• means for receiving inputs from a user;
• a wireless telephone transceiver;
• a modem coupled to the transceiver for two-way wireless communication of signaling data messages via a wireless telephone network;
• and
• a control processor controlling operations of the channel selector and the digital processor in response to at least some of the received inputs from the user, sending messages through the modem and the transceiver, and processing messages received via the modem and the transceiver, wherein the digital processor comprises:
• (a) an audio/video decoder for decompressing compressed, digitized audio and video information received over the broadband channel to produce a decompressed video signal and a decompressed audio signal;
• and
• (b) a memory for storing at least one frame of compressed, digitized information,
• wherein the audio/video decoder is responsive to instructions from the control processor to selectively:
• (1) decode a series of frames of compressed, digital information to produce decompressed video and audio signals corresponding to the full motion presentation, and
• (2) repetitively decode the at least one frame stored in the memory to produce decompressed video and audio signals corresponding to the still frame presentation.

A communication system comprising:

• a headend system producing a signal containing multiplexed channels, each channel carrying a transport stream comprising multiplexed streams of digitized video information;
• a plurality of broadband wireless transmitters located at spaced apart sites broadcasting said signal so that areas of propagation from respective ones of the transmitters substantially overlap over each other in at least a major portion of a service area;
• a wireless telephone network;
• and
• a plurality of receiver systems within the service area, each receiver system comprising:
• (i) a directional antenna for receiving a wireless transmission of said signal from one of the transmitters,
• (ii) a channel selector coupled to the directional antenna for selecting one of the multiplexed channels,
• (iii) a channel signal processor for processing the one channel to acquire the digital transport stream carried on the one channel,
• (iv) a digital processor responsive to selected compressed, broadband digitized audio and video information from the acquired digital transport stream to produce signals for driving a video display device,
• (v) means for receiving inputs from a user,
• (vi) a wireless transceiver for two-way communication via the wireless telephone network,
• (vii) a data modem for two-way communication of signaling messages via the wireless transceiver, and
• (vii) a control processor controlling operations of the channel selector and the digital processor in response to at least some of the received inputs from the user, sending messages through the modem and processing messages received via the modem.

A communication system comprising:

• a headend system producing a signal containing multiplexed channels, each channel carrying a transport stream comprising multiplexed streams of digitized video information;
• a plurality of broadband wireless transmitters located at spaced apart sites broadcasting said signal so that areas of propagation from respective ones of the transmitters substantially overlap over each other in at least a major portion of a service area;
• a wireless telephone network;
• and
• a plurality of receiver systems within the service area, each receiver system comprising:
• (i) a directional antenna for receiving a wireless transmission of said signal from one of the transmitters,
• (ii) a channel selector coupled to the directional antenna for selecting one of the multiplexed channels,
• (iii) a channel signal processor for processing the one channel to acquire the digital transport stream carried on the one channel,
• (iv) a digital processor responsive to selected compressed, broadband digitized audio and video information from the acquired digital transport stream to produce signals for driving a video display device,
• (v) means for receiving inputs from a user,
• (vi) a wireless transceiver for two-way communication via the wireless telephone network,
• (vii) a data modem for two-way communication of signaling messages via the wireless transceiver, and
• (vii) a control processor controlling operations of the channel selector and the digital processor in response to at least some of the received inputs from the user, sending messages through the modem and processing messages received via the modem, wherein the headend system comprises:
• (1) a source of a first transport stream containing a plurality of digitally multiplexed packet streams, each packet stream carrying digitized data representing one of a first group of video programs;
• (2) a source of a second transport stream containing a plurality of digitally multiplexed packet streams, each packet stream carrying digitized data representing one of a second group of video programs;
• (3) a modulation system modulating the first digital multiplexed data stream and the second digital multiplexed data stream into first and second channels, respectively;
• (4) and a combiner for combining the first and second channels from the modulating system into said signal containing multiplexed channels.

A communication system comprising:

• a headend system producing a signal containing multiplexed channels, each channel carrying a transport stream comprising multiplexed streams of digitized broadband information;
• an Internet interface coupled to the headend system for supplying at least some data to the headend system for inclusion in one of the transport streams;
• at least one broadband wireless transmitter for broadcasting the signal into a service area;
• and
• a plurality of receiver systems within the service area, each receiver system comprising:
• (i) an antenna for receiving a wireless transmission of the signal,
• (ii) an interface module processing the received signal to select one of the channels and acquire a transport stream from the selected channel,
• (iii) a digital signal processing section for processing digitized data from a selected stream of digitized broadband information contained in the acquired transport stream to present selected broadband information,
• (iv) a modem, and
• (v) a wireless telephone transceiver, the modem and wireless telephone transceiver providing upstream communication of signaling messages from the receiver system to the Internet interface via a wireless telephone network.

A communication method comprising:

• broadcasting multiplexed channels carrying digitally encoded video information over the air to a plurality of customer premises digital entertainment terminals capable of decoding said encoded video information;
• communicating signaling messages relating to interactive services from a first one of the plurality of customer premises digital entertainment terminals via a first selective call through a wireless telephone network;
• and
• providing telephone service from a telephone device through a second one of a plurality of customer premises digital entertainment terminals via a second selective call through the wireless telephone network.

A communication method comprising:

• broadcasting multiplexed channels carrying digitally encoded video information over the air to a plurality of customer premises digital entertainment terminals capable of decoding said encoded video information;
• communicating signaling messages relating to interactive services from one of the plurality of customer premises digital entertainment terminals via a first selective call through a wireless telephone network;
• and
• providing telephone service from a telephone device through the one of the plurality of customer premises digital entertainment terminals via a second selective call through the wireless telephone network.