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AssigneeTime Warner Cable Inc.
InventorsChris Cholas, Charles A. Hasek
Estimating the term…
Methods and apparatus for utilizing bitrate or other data associated with statistically multiplexed video (e.g., programs) or other content within a network to ensure quality of service (QoS) at a subscriber premises or local network. In one embodiment, the present invention provides improved multiplexing apparatus and methods that allow a consumer premises device to obtain QoS data and employ that data to enforce and maintain one or more QoS policies. In another embodiment of the present invention, an improved consumer premises device is provided which is adapted to receive a multiplexed program stream and subsequently demultiplex and time stamp the resulting single program streams. The time stamps are then utilized to generate QoS data which is utilized to enforce and maintain a QoS policy. Business methods associated with the various features described above are also disclosed.
Consumer premises equipment (CPE), comprising:
A method of operating a consumer device in a content delivery network, comprising:
A method of operating a consumer premises equipment (CPE), comprising:
A consumer device for use in a content delivery network, said consumer device comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Management at additional data server, e.g. shopping server, rights management server: rights Management
Characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]: broadband local area networks
Multiplexing of several video streams: statistical multiplexing, e.g. by controlling the encoder to alter its bitrate to optimize the bandwidth…
Synchronising the rendering of multiple content streams or additional data on devices, e.g. synchronisation of audio on a mobile phone with the…:…
About 2 years 10 months of term left · ends 5 Sep 2029 (estimated)
This application is related to co-owned and co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/048,334 entitled “APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR MULTI-STAGE MULTIPLEXING IN A NETWORK” filed Feb. 1, 2005, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
1. Field of the Invention
The above and other features and advantages of the present invention are hereinafter described in the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and figures, wherein like reference numerals are used to identify the same or similar system parts and/or method steps, and in which:
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating an exemplary HFC cable network configuration useful with the present invention;
FIG. 1a is a functional block diagram illustrating one exemplary HFC cable network headend configuration useful with the present invention;
Reference is now made to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.
As used herein, the term “application” refers generally to a unit of executable software that implements a certain functionality or theme. The themes of applications vary broadly across any number of disciplines and functions (such as on-demand content management, e-commerce transactions, brokerage transactions, home entertainment, calculator etc.), and one application may have more than one theme. The unit of executable software generally runs in a predetermined environment; for example, the unit could comprise a downloadable Java Xlet™ that runs within the JavaTV™ environment.
As used herein, the term “capacity” refers to, without limitation, the ability of a network, portion of a network, or component thereof (whether individually or in concert) to provide a requested or needed service, act, or level of performance. One commonly used metric of capacity is so-called “bandwidth”, roughly akin to the size of the channel or “pipe” capable of carrying content or other information. However, capacity limitations may be imposed by any number of factors, such as the unavailability of the content from a provider (e.g., studio or television network), delays imposed by transmission, filtering, transcoding, encryption/decryption, conditional access establishment and/or download (e.g., according to a “DCAS” or downloadable conditional access system paradigm), and so forth.