# US 9,967,601 B2 · Universal services multiplexer and time-based interleaving of multiple streams > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,967,601 B2 - Document ID: US9967601B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/276,966 - Filed: 2014-05-13 - Published: 2015-01-15 - Granted: 2018-05-08 - Earliest claimed: 2013-05-13 - Assignees: Aurora Networks, Inc. - Applicants: Aurora Networks, Inc. - Inventors: Michael Field; Javier A Solis; Rei Chen Brockett; Dave Baran - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9967601B2 ## CPC - H04N 21/2365: Multiplexing of several video streams - H04H 20/69: Optical systems - H04L 12/2838: {Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths (adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24)} - H04N 7/22: Adaptations for optical transmission - H04N 21/2315: using interleaving - H04N 21/2381: Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network {(transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601)} - H04N 21/6118: {involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem} - H04N 21/6125: {involving transmission via Internet (transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82)} - H04L 27/34: Amplitude- and phase-modulated carrier systems, e.g. quadrature-amplitude modulated carrier systems - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H04H: BROADCAST COMMUNICATION (multiplex communication H04J; pictorial communication aspects of broadcast systems H04N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Interleaving multiple streams of data using a universal services multiplexer is followed by conveying a time interleaved multiplexer stream to a remote QAM module. A universal services multiplexer interleaves multiple streams of data into a time interleaved multiplexer stream. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of video distribution processing, comprising: interleaving multiple streams of SPTSs and MPTSs using a universal services multiplexer to form a time interleaved multiplexer stream (TIMS) of MPTSs; and conveying the time interleaved multiplexer stream in a dedicated transmission from the universal services multiplexer to a TIMS conversion unit not collocated with the universal services multiplexer, having an input buffer that accepts data from the universal services multiplexer, wherein the universal services multiplexer produces an MPEG output format is digitally transported to the TIMS conversion unit, wherein modulation of the time interleaved MPTSs into a multichannel RF signal is carried out in the TIMS conversion unit, and wherein all timing and rate management is conducted at the universal services multiplexer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the time interleaved multiplexer stream at the TIMS conversion unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising conveying a single RF output to a customer premises RF signal equipment from the TIMS conversion unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising conveying another time interleaved multiplexer stream to another TIMS conversion unit; and receiving the another time interleaved multiplexer stream at the another TIMS conversion unit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising conveying another single RF output to another customer premises RF signal equipment from the another TIMS conversion unit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the universal services multiplexer breaks the time interleaved multiplexer stream into segments where each segment fits within an Ethernet frame. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein each segment includes at least one time interleaved multiplexer chunk that includes bytes destined for a particular output modulator located in the TIMS conversion unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein each packet of each stream of data is broken down to fragments, where a fragment length is a size of a time interleaved multiplexer chunk. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein each of packet of each stream of data is broken down into packets with IP headers added. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A process of operating a hybrid fiber coax network including the method of claim 1. ### Claim 11 A system for distributing data, comprising: a universal services multiplexer that interleaves multiple streams of data into a time interleaved multiplexer stream (TIMS); and a TIMS conversion unit coupled to the universal services multiplexer but not collocated with the universal services multiplexer, the TIMS conversion unit having an input buffer that accepts data from the universal services multiplexer, wherein the universal services multiplexer produces an MPEG output format that is digitally transported in a dedicated transmission to the TIMS conversion unit, wherein modulation of digital data into a multichannel RF signal is carried out in the TIMS conversion unit, wherein the TIMS conversion unit produces a multichannel RF output, and wherein all timing and rate management is conducted at the universal services multiplexer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising a customer premises equipment coupled to the TIMS conversion unit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising another TIMS conversion unit coupled to the universal services multiplexer, but remote from the universal service multiplexer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, further comprising another customer premises equipment coupled to the another TIMS conversion unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the universal services multiplexer breaks the time interleaved multiplexer stream into segments where each segment fits within an Ethernet frame. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein each segment includes at least one time interleaved multiplexer chunk that includes bytes destined for a particular output modulator located in the TIMS conversion unit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising an allocator coupled to the input buffer and a plurality of modulators coupled to the allocator. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the TIMS conversion unit is coupled to the universal services multiplexer with a packet switched network. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) A hybrid fiber coax network comprising the system of claim 11.