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`program package to the cable headend 208 and/or set top
`terminal 220.
`The program control
`information signal
`
`contains a description of
`
`the contents of the program
`
`package. commands to be sent to the cable headend 208
`
`5
`
`and/or set top terminal 220. and other information relevant
`
`to the signal transmission.
`
`In addition to packaging the signal.
`
`the operations
`
`center 202 employs digital compression techniques to
`
`increase existing satellite transponder capacity by at least a
`4:1 ratio. resulting in a four-fold increase in program delivery
`capability. A number of digital compression algorithms
`currently exist which can achieve the resultant increase in
`
`capacity and improved signal quality desired for the system.
`The algorithms generally use one or more of three basic
`
`digital compression techniques: {1} within—frame (intraframe)
`compression.
`(2) frame-to-frame (interframe) compression,
`and (3) within carrier compression.
`Specifically.
`in the
`preferred embodiment. the MPEG 2 compression method is
`
`the signals are combined
`used. After digital compression.
`The combined signal
`is
`(multiplexed) and encoded.
`subsequently transmitted to various uplink sites 204.
`There may be a single uplink site 204 or multiple
`uplink sites (represented by 204'. shown in phantom in
`Figure 1) for each operation center 202. The uplink sites
`204 may either be located in the same geographical place or
`may be located remotely from the operations center 202.
`
`Once the composite signal is transmitted to the uplink sites
`204.
`the signal may be multiplexed with other signals.
`modulated. upconverted and amplified for transmission over
`satellite. Multiple cable headends 208 may receive such
`transmissions.
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`program package to the cable headend 208 and/or set top
`terminal 220.
`The program control
`information signal
`
`contains a description of
`
`the contents of the program
`
`package. commands to be sent to the cable headend 208
`
`5
`
`and/or set top terminal 220. and other information relevant
`
`to the signal transmission.
`
`In addition to packaging the signal.
`
`the operations
`
`center 202 employs digital compression techniques to
`
`increase existing satellite transponder capacity by at least a
`4:1 ratio. resulting in a four-fold increase in program delivery
`capability. A number of digital compression algorithms
`currently exist which can achieve the resultant increase in
`
`capacity and improved signal quality desired for the system.
`The algorithms generally use one or more of three basic
`
`digital compression techniques: {1} within—frame (intraframe)
`compression.
`(2) frame-to-frame (interframe) compression,
`and (3) within carrier compression.
`Specifically.
`in the
`preferred embodiment. the MPEG 2 compression method is
`
`the signals are combined
`used. After digital compression.
`The combined signal
`is
`(multiplexed) and encoded.
`subsequently transmitted to various uplink sites 204.
`There may be a single uplink site 204 or multiple
`uplink sites (represented by 204'. shown in phantom in
`Figure 1) for each operation center 202. The uplink sites
`204 may either be located in the same geographical place or
`may be located remotely from the operations center 202.
`
`Once the composite signal is transmitted to the uplink sites
`204.
`the signal may be multiplexed with other signals.
`modulated. upconverted and amplified for transmission over
`satellite. Multiple cable headends 208 may receive such
`transmissions.
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`In addition to multiple uplinks. the delivery system 200
`may also contain multiple operations centers. The preferred
`
`method for using multiple operations centers is to designate
`one of the operations centers as a master operations center
`
`5
`
`and to designate the remaining operations centers as slave
`
`operations centers.
`
`ln this configuration.
`
`the master
`
`operations center coordinates various functions among the
`slave operations centers
`such as synchronization of
`
`simultaneous transmissions and distributes the operations
`workload efficiently.
`
`4.
`
`gable Heagleng
`
`After the operations center 202 has compressed and
`
`encoded the program signals and transmitted the signals to
`the satellite.
`the cable headend 208 receives and further
`
`processes the signals before they are relayed to each set top
`terminal 220. Each cable headend site is generally equipped
`with multiple satellite receiver dishes. Each dish is capable
`of handling multiple transponder signals from a single
`satellite and sometimes from multiple satellites.
`With reference to Figure 3. as an intermediary between
`
`the set top terminals 220 and the operations center 202 and
`
`master control uplink site 211 (or other remote site).
`
`the
`
`cable headend 208 performs two primary functions. First.
`
`the cable headend 208 acts as a distribution center. or signal
`processor. by relaying the program signal
`to the set top
`terminal 220 in each subscriber's home.
`In addition. the
`
`cable headend 208 acts as a network controller 214 by
`receiving information from each set top terminal 220 and
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`passing such information on to an information gathering site
`such as the operations center 202.
`
`Figure 3 shows an embodiment where the cable
`
`headend 208 and the subscriber's home are linked by certain
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`communications media 216.
`
`In this particular embodiment.
`
`analog signals. digitally compressed signals. other digital
`
`signals and up-stream/interactivity signals are sent and
`
`received over
`
`the media 216.
`
`The cable headend 208
`
`5
`
`provides such signaling capabilities in its dual roles as a signal
`
`processor 209 and network controller 214.
`
`As a signal processor 209.
`
`the cable headend 208
`
`prepares the program signals that are received by the cable
`
`headend 208 for transmission to each set top terminal 220.
`
`10
`
`In the preferred system. the signal processor 209 re-routes
`
`or demultiplexes and recombines the signals and digital
`
`information received from the operations center 202 and
`
`allocates different portions of
`
`the signal
`
`to different
`
`frequency ranges. Cable headends 208 which offer different
`
`15
`
`subscribers different program offerings may allocate the
`
`program signals from the operations center 202 in various
`
`manners to accommodate different viewers.
`
`The signal
`
`processor 209 may also incorporate local programming
`
`and/or local advertisements into the program signal and
`
`20
`
`forward the revised signal to the set top terminals 220. To
`
`accommodate this local programming availability, the signal
`
`processor 209 must combine the local signal in digital or
`
`analog form with the operations center program signals.
`
`If
`
`the local cable system uses a compression standard that is
`
`25
`
`different than the one used by the operations center 202. the
`
`signal processor 209 must also decompress and recompress
`
`incoming signals so they may be properly formatted for
`
`transmission to the set top terminals 220. This process
`
`becomes less important as standards develop (i.e.. MPEG 2).
`
`30
`
`in addition. the signal processor 209 performs any necessary
`
`signal decryption and / or encryption.
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`As a network controller 214. the cable headend 208
`
`performs the system control functions for the system. The
`primary function of the network controller 214 is to manage
`the configuration of the set top terminals 220 and process
`signals received from the set top terminals 220.
`In the
`preferred embodiment.
`the network controller 214
`
`monitors. among other things. automatic poll-back responses
`from the set top terminals 220 remotely located at each
`subscribers‘ home. The polling and automatic report—back
`cycle occurs frequently enough to. allow the network
`
`controller 214 to maintain accurate account and billing
`information as well as monitor authorized channel access.
`In
`
`the simplest embodiment.
`
`information to be sent
`
`to the
`
`network controller 214 will be stored in RAM within each
`
`subscriber's set top terminal 220 and wfll be retrieved only
`upon polling by the network controller 214. Retrieval may.
`for example. occur on a daily. weekly or monthly basis. The
`network controller 214 allows the system to maintain
`
`5
`
`10
`
`15
`
`20
`
`complete information on all programs watched using a
`particular set top terminal 220.
`
`The network controller 214 is also able to respond to
`the immediate needs of a set top terminal 220 by modifying a
`program control
`information signal
`received from the
`
`operations center 202. Therefore.
`
`the network controller
`
`25
`
`214 enables the delivery system to adapt to the specific
`requirements of individual set top terminals 220 when the
`
`requirements cannot be provided to the operations center
`
`202 in advance.
`
`In other words. the network controller 214
`
`30
`
`is able to perform “on the fly programming’ changes. With
`this capability.
`the network controller 214 can handle
`
`sophisticated local programming needs such as. for example.
`
`interactive television services.
`
`split screen video. and
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`selection of different foreign languages for the same video.
`
`In
`
`addition. the network controller 214 controls and monitors
`
`all compressors and decompressors in the system.
`
`The delivery system 200 and digital compression of the
`
`5
`
`preferred embodiment provides a one-way path from the
`
`operations center 202 to the cable headend 208. Status and
`
`billing information is sent from the set top terminal 220 to
`the network controller 214 at the cable headend 208 and not
`
`directly to the operations center 202.
`
`Thus. program
`
`10
`
`monitoring and selection control will take place only at the
`
`cable headend 208 by the local cable company and its
`decentralized network controllers 214 (i.e.. decentralized
`
`relative to the operations center 202. which is central to the
`
`program delivery system 200]. The local cable company will
`
`15
`
`in turn be in communication with the operations center 202
`
`or a regional control center (not shown) which accumulates
`
`return data from the set top terminal 220 for statistical or
`
`billing purposes.
`
`In alternative system embodiments.
`
`the
`
`operations center 202 and the statistical and billing sites are
`
`20
`
`collocated. Further. telephone lines with modems are used
`
`to transfer information from the set top terminal 220 to the
`
`statistical and billing sites.
`
`5.
`
`Set Top Terminal
`
`The set top terminal 220 is the portion of the delivery
`
`25
`
`system 200 that resides in the home of a subscriber. The set
`
`top terminal 220 is usually located above or below the
`
`subscriber's television. but it may be placed anywhere in or
`
`near the subscriber's home as long as it is within the range of
`
`the subscriber's remote control device 900.
`
`In some aspects.
`
`30
`
`the set
`
`top terminal 220 may resemble converter boxes
`
`already used by many cable systems. For instance. each set
`
`top terminal 220 may include a variety of error detection.
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`decryption. and coding techniques such as anti-taping
`encoding. However.
`it will become apparent
`from the
`
`discussion below that the set top terminal 220 is able to
`
`perform many functions that an ordinary converter box
`
`5
`
`cannot perform.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`The set top terminal 220 has a plurality of input and
`
`output ports to enable it to communicate with other local and
`
`remote devices. The set top terminal 220 has an input port
`that receives information from the cable headend 208.
`In
`
`addition, the unit has at least two output ports which provide
`communications from the set top terminal 220 to a television
`
`and a VCR. Certain menu selections may cause the set top
`terminal 220 to send control signals directly to the VCR to
`automatically program or operate the VCR. Also. the set top
`terminal 220 contains a phone jack which can be used for
`
`reprogramming and
`shooting,
`trouble
`maintenance.
`additional customer features. The set top terminal 220 may
`also contain stereo/ audio output terminals and a satellite dish
`
`input port.
`
`20
`
`Functionally.
`
`the set
`
`top terminal 220 is the last
`
`top
`The set
`in the delivery system chain.
`component
`terminal 220 receives compressed program and control
`
`signals from the cable headend 208 (or.
`
`in some cases.
`
`directly from the operations center 202). After the set top
`terminal 220 receives the individually compressed program
`and control
`signals.
`the signals are demultiplexed.
`decompressed. converted to analog signals (if necessary) and
`either placed in local storage (from which the menu template
`may be created). executed immediately. or sent directly to
`the television screen.
`
`After processing certain signals received from the cable
`
`headend 208. the set top terminal 220 is able to store menu
`
`25
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`30
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`
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`templates for creating menus that are displayed on a
`
`subscriber's television by using an array of menu templates.
`
`Before a menu can be constructed. menu templates must be
`
`created and sent to the set top terminal 220 for storage. A
`
`5
`
`microprocessor uses the control signals received from the
`
`operations center 202 or cable headend 208 to generate the
`
`menu templates for storage. Each menu template may be
`
`stored in volatile memory in t.he set top terminal 220. Vvhen
`
`the set
`
`top terminal
`
`receives template information it
`
`10
`
`demultiplexes the program control signals received from the
`
`cable headend 208 into four primary parts: video. graphics.
`
`program logic and text. Each menu template represents a
`
`different portion of a whole menu. such as a menu
`
`background. television logo. cursor highlight overlay. or other
`
`15
`
`miscellaneous components needed to build a menu. The
`
`menu templates may be deleted or altered using control
`
`signals received from the operations center 202 or cable
`headend 208.
`
`20
`
`Once the menu templates have been stored in memory.
`the set top terminal 220 can generate the appropriate menus.
`In the preferred embodiment.
`the basic menu format
`
`information is stored in memory located within the set top
`terminal 220 so that the microprocessor may locally access
`the information from the set top terminal instead of from an
`
`25
`
`incoming signal. The microprocessor next generates the
`
`appropriate menus from the menu templates and the other
`
`menu information stored in memory. The set top terminal
`220 then displays specific menus on the subscriber's
`
`30
`
`television screen that correspond to the inputs the subscriber
`selects.
`
`If the subscriber selects a specific program from a
`
`menu. the set top terminal 220 determines on which channel
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`the program is being shown. demultiplexes and extracts the
`
`single chaxmel transmitted from the cable headend 208. The
`
`set top terminal 220 then decompresses the channel and. if
`
`necessary. converts the program signal to an analog NTSC
`
`5
`
`signal to enable the subscriber to view the selected program.
`The set top terminal 220 can be equipped to decompress
`
`more than one program signal. but this would unnecessarily
`add to the cost of the unit since a subscriber will generally
`
`only view one program at a time. However.
`
`two or three
`
`10
`
`decompressors may be desirable to provide picture-on-
`
`picture capability. control signal decompression. enhanced
`
`channel switching or like features.
`
`In addition to menu information. the set top terminal
`220 may also store text transmitted from the cable headend
`
`15
`
`208 or the operations center 202. The text may inform the
`
`subscriber about upcoming events. billing and account status.
`
`new subscriptions. or other relevant information. The text
`
`will be stored in an appropriate memory location depending
`on the frequency and the duration of the use of the textual
`
`20
`
`message.
`
`Also. optional upgrades are available to enhance the
`
`performance of a subscriber's set top terminal 220. These
`
`upgrades may consist of a cartridge or computer card (not
`
`shown) that is inserted into an expansion slot in the set top
`
`25
`
`terminal 220 or may consist of a feature offered by the cable
`
`headend 208 or operations center 202 to which the user may
`
`subscribe. Available upgrades may include on line data base
`
`services, interactive multi-media services. access to digital
`radio channels. and other services.
`
`30
`
`In the simplest embodiment. available converter boxes
`
`such as those manufactured by General Instruments or
`
`Scientific Atlanta. may be modified and upgraded to perform
`
`..........t.......~.........u.t.....,.... hfiflOfiViII41-.w!l‘A\((nv
`
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`
`.
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`,
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`
`the functions of a set
`
`top terminal 220.
`
`The preferred
`
`upgrade is a circuit card with a microprocessor which is
`
`electronically connected to or inserted into the converter
`box.
`
`5
`
`6. £
`
`The primary conduit for communication between the
`
`subscriber and the set
`
`top terminal 220 is through the
`
`subscriber interface. preferably a remote control device 900.
`
`Through this interface.
`
`the subscriber may select desired
`
`10
`
`programming through the system's menu-driven scheme or
`
`by directly accessing a specific channel by entering the actual
`
`channel number. Using the interface. the subscriber can
`
`navigate through a series of informative program selection
`
`menus. By using menu—driven.
`
`iconic or alpha-character
`
`1 5
`
`access. the subscriber can access desired programs by simply
`
`pressing a single button rather than recalling from memory
`
`and pressing the actual channel number to make a selection.
`
`The subscriber can access regular broadcast and basic cable
`
`television stations by using either the numeric keys on the
`
`20
`
`remote control 900 (pressing the corresponding channel
`
`number). or one of the menu icon selection options.
`
`In addition to enabling the subscriber to easily interact
`
`with the cable system 200. the physical characteristics of the
`
`subscriber interface 900 should also add to the user
`
`25
`
`friendliness of the system. The remote control 900 should
`
`easily fit in the palm of the user's hand. The buttons of the
`
`preferred remote control 900 contain pictorial symbols that
`
`are easily identifiable by the subscriber. Also. buttons that
`
`perform similar functions may be color coordinated and
`
`30
`
`consist of distinguishing textures to increase the user
`
`friendliness of the system.
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`7- a
`
`The menu-driven scheme provides the subscriber with
`
`one-step access to all major menus. ranging from hit movies
`
`to sport specials to specialty programs. From any of the
`
`5
`
`major menus. the subscriber can in turn access submenus and
`
`minor menus by cursor or alpha-character access.
`
`There are two different types of menus utilized by the
`
`preferred embodiment.
`
`the Program Selection menus and
`
`the During Program menus.
`
`The first series of menus.
`
`10
`
`Program Selection menus. consists of an Introductory. a
`
`Home. Major menus. and Submenus. The second series of
`
`menus. During Program menus, consists of two primary
`
`types. Hidden menus and the Program Overlay menus.
`
`Immediately after the subscriber turns on the set top
`
`15
`
`terminal 220.
`
`the Introductory menu welcomes
`
`the
`
`subscriber to the system. The Introductory menu may display
`
`important announcements from the local cable franchise.
`
`advertisements from the cable provider. or other types of
`
`messages.
`
`In addition. the Introductory menu can inform the
`
`20
`
`subscriber if the cable headend 208 has sent a personal
`
`message to the subscriber's particular set top terminal 220.
`
`After the Introductory menu has been displayed the
`
`subscriber may advance to the next level of menus. namely
`
`the Home menu.
`
`In the preferred embodiment. after a
`
`25
`
`certain period of time.
`
`the cable system will advance the
`
`subscriber by default to the Home menu. From the Home
`
`menu. the subscriber is able to access all of the programming
`
`options. The subscriber may either select a program directly
`
`by entering the appropriate channel number from the remote
`
`30
`
`control 900. or
`
`the subscriber may sequence through
`
`incremental levels of menu options starting from the Home
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`menu. The Home menu lists categories that correspond to
`the first level of menusxchallied Major menus,
`If
`the subscriber chooses
`to sequence through
`
`subsequent menus. the subscriber will be forwarded to the
`
`5
`
`Major menu that corresponds to the chosen category from
`
`the Home menu.
`
`The Major menus further refine a
`
`subscriber's search and help guide the subscriber to the
`
`selection of his choice.
`
`From the Major menus.
`
`the subscriber may access
`
`10
`
`several submenus. From each submenu. the subscriber may
`
`access other submenus until the subscriber finds a desired
`
`television program.
`
`Similar to the Major menu. each
`
`successive level of Submenus further refines the subscriber's
`
`search. The system also enables the subscriber to skip
`
`15
`
`certain menus or submenus and directly access a specific
`
`menu or television program by entering the appropriate
`
`commands on the remote control 900.
`
`The During program menus (including Hidden Menus
`
`and Program Overlay Menus) are displayed by the set top
`
`20
`
`terminal 220 only after the subscriber has selected a
`
`television program.
`
`In order to avoid disturbing the
`
`subscriber.
`
`the set top terminal 220 does not display the
`
`Hidden Menus until the subscriber selects the appropriate
`
`option to display a Hidden Menu. The Hidden Menus contain
`
`25
`
`options that are relevant
`
`to the program selected by the
`
`viewer. For example. a Hidden Menu may contain options
`
`that enable a subscriber to enter an interactive mode or
`
`escape from the selected program.
`
`Program Overlay Menus are similar to Hidden Menus
`
`30
`
`because they occur during a program and are related to the
`
`program being viewed. However. the Program Overlay Menus
`
`are displayed concurrently with the program selected by the
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`subscriber. Most Program Overlay Menus are small enough on
`
`the screen to allow the subscriber to continue viewing the
`
`selected program comfortably.
`
`13
`
`S.!s.t§_m
`
`Figure 4 broadly shows the configuration for the
`
`computer assisted packaging system (CAP) 260 of the
`
`Operations Center 202. The primary components of the CAP
`
`260 consist of multiple packager workstations 262. a central
`
`processing unit 264. video/audio editing equipment 266. and
`
`one or more databases 268 and 269. Additional remotely
`
`located databases. such as local video storage database 267.
`
`and buffers 271 and controllers 272 for external program
`
`feeds make up the peripherals of the CAP system 260.
`
`The heart of the CAP 260 is a central processing unit
`
`264 which communicates with all the component parts of the
`
`CAP 260 . The central processing unit 264 can be a powerful
`
`PC. a mini-computer. a mainframe or a combination of
`
`computing equipment running in parallel.
`
`The central
`
`processing unit
`
`264
`
`includes
`
`all
`
`the
`
`necessary
`
`interconnections to control peripheral equipment such as the
`
`external video controls 272. The central processing unit 264
`
`has sufficient memory 274 to store the program instructions
`
`of the subroutines which operate the CAP 260.
`
`The CAP 260 receives data from one or more databases.
`
`such as the Operations Center Database 268 and the Cable
`
`Franchise Information Database 269 shown in Figure 4.
`
`in
`
`addition. separate databases are maintained of viewer
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`information. such as demographics and programs viewed.
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`The CAP 260 can control the reception of external sources by
`
`enabling and disenabling the external video controls 272.
`
`The external video controls 272 include buffers to delay as
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`necessary external programs received by the Operations
`Center 202.
`
`The functions of the video/audio equipment 266
`include digitizing analog programs.
`digitizing and
`compressing analog programs (in a single step, e.g.. MPEG).
`and compressing digital program signals as requested by the
`central processing unit 264.
`
`The CAP 260 receives video and audio from two
`
`internally from a local video storage 267 and
`sources:
`externally from external sources through external video
`
`controls 272. When necessary. video is manipulated.
`formatted and/ or digitized using video/ audio equipment 266
`which is controlled by CAP 264.
`
`Referring back to Figure 2. an overview of an operating
`cable television menu driven program delivery system 200
`highlighting various extemal programming signal sources 212
`is depicted. The Operations Center 202 is shown receiving
`external programming signals which correspond to particular
`programming categories that are available for a subscriber's
`viewing. These extemal signals may be in analog or digital
`form and may be
`received via landline. microwave
`
`transmission. or satellite. Some of these external signals may
`be transmitted from the program source 212 to the
`Operations Center 202 in compressed digital format or other
`nonstandard digital formats. These external signals are
`received and packaged with programming that is stored at
`
`the Operations Center 202.
`
`Examples of external program sources 212 shown in
`
`Sporting events, children's programs.
`Figure 2 are:
`documentaries. high definition TV sources,
`specialty
`channels.
`interactive services. weather. news. and other
`nonfiction or entertainment. Any source that can provide
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`either audio or video or both may be utilized to provide
`programming to the Operations Center 202.
`
`In order to achieve the required throughput of video
`and audio information for the system. digital compression
`techniques are employed. A television signal is first digitized.
`The object of digitization is two—fold: First. in the case of an
`
`analog signal. like a television picture. digitization allows the
`
`signal to be converted from a waveform into a digital binary
`format.
`Secondly.
`through the use of digital compression
`techniques. standard digital formats are designed to have the
`
`resulting pictures or video stills take up less space on their
`respective storage mediums. Essentially. as described below.
`
`a standard digital
`
`format will define the method of
`
`compression used.
`
`There are three basic digital compression techniques:
`within-frame (intraframe).
`frame-to—frame linterframe). and
`
`Intrafrarne compression processes each
`within-carrier.
`frame in a television picture to contain fewer visual details
`
`the picture contains fewer digital bits.
`therefore.
`and.
`Interframe compression transmits only changes between
`frames.
`thus omitting elements repeated in successive
`frames. Within-carrier compression allows the compression
`ratio to dynamically vary depending upon the amount of
`changes between frames.
`If a large number of changes occur
`between frames.
`the compression ratio drops from,
`for
`example. sixteen-to-one to eight-to—one.
`If action is intense.
`
`the compression ratio may dip to four to one.
`
`Several standard digital formats representing both
`
`digitizing standards and compression standards have been
`
`developed. For example. JPEG (joint photographic experts
`group) is a standard for single picture digitization. Motion
`
`picture digitization may be represented by standards such as
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`MPEG or MPEG2 (motion picture engineering group
`
`specifications). Other proprietary standards have been
`
`developed in addition to these. The preferred embodiment
`
`uses the MPEG-2 standard of coding and those of ordinary
`
`5
`
`skill in the art are presumed to be familiar with the MPEG-2
`
`standard. The MPEG-2 Systems Working Draft Proposal from
`
`the Systems Committee of the international Organization For
`
`Standardization. document ISO] IE JTI/SC29/WG1l “NO531'
`
`MPEG93 dated September 10, 1993. is hereby incorporated
`
`10
`
`by reference. Although MPEG and MPEG2
`
`for motion
`
`pictures are preferred in the present invention, any reliable
`
`digital format with compression may be used with the
`
`present invention.
`
`Various hybrids of the above compression techniques
`
`15
`
`have been developed by several companies including AT&T.
`
`Compression Labs.
`
`Inc.. General Instrument. Scientific-
`
`Atlanta. Phillips. and Zenith. As is known by those skilled in
`
`the art. any of the compression techniques developed by
`
`these companies. and other known techniques. may be used
`
`20
`
`with the present invention.
`
`With reference to Figure 4. the human intervention in
`
`this system is conducted by a programmer or program
`
`packager operating from the one or more work stations 262
`
`connected to the system. These work stations 262 are
`
`25
`
`preferably intelligent work stations with large CRT screens.
`
`In the preferred embodiment. a suitable keyboard. mouse and
`
`color monitor are used with the workstation. From these
`
`work stations.
`
`the packager can create program lineups.
`
`prioritize programs. initiate dynamic menu allocation, initiate
`
`30
`
`dynamic bandwidth allocation, design menus. place program
`
`names and descriptions onto menus. create menus with still
`
`and live video. move text on menus. change the colors of
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`objects on menus and perform various other tasks for the
`
`program delivery system 200.
`
`Almost any Operations Center 202 function that
`
`normally requires human intervention can be conducted at
`
`5
`
`the packager workstation 262. Although data entry for the
`
`databases can be performed manually at the workstations
`262, it is preferred that the data entry be completed through
`
`electronic transfers of information. Alternatively.
`
`the data
`
`can be loaded from customary portable storage media such as
`
`10
`
`magnetic disks or tape.
`
`An integral part of the Computer Assisting Packaging
`
`system is the retrieval of viewer data. and the assimilation of
`
`that data into the program packaging method (especially the
`
`menu configuration) as discussed in reference to Figure 8 M11
`
`1 5
`
`402. This involves two main steps. First. retrieval of raw data
`
`from the set top terminals, and then filtering and presenting
`
`that data. Each headend 208 compiles the viewer data. and
`
`then sends it verbatim to the Operations Center 202. This
`
`raw data is necessary because different responsibilities of the
`
`20
`
`Operations Center 202 require different parts of the raw
`
`information. Also a record must be kept of overall data. Once
`
`the data is assembled at the Operations Center 202. the data
`
`is filtered for each application.
`
`25
`
`The raw data gathered includes but is not limited to:
`
`0
`
`0
`
`What programs a viewer purchased and
`
`when it was purchased
`
`What channel a specific viewer watched and
`
`for how long.
`
`This information can then be used to calculate the
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`
`following:
`
`-
`
`How many viewers watched a particular
`
`program.
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`Peak viewing times for different categories
`of shows.
`
`Buy rates for particular menu positions.
`
`Menu creation. both automatically and manually. is one
`of the major CAP functions that involves the incorporation of
`the raw data. An automated software procedure (such as the
`
`EIS) analyzes the data and. using certain heuristics. creates
`the menus.
`
`One heuristic. for example. is that when a show is not
`ordered frequently. it is moved closer to the top of the menu
`for greater visibility. The filtering of the data allows it to be
`
`sorted and indexed for display to the user. The program data
`can be filtered into a new database containing program names
`and indexed by the number of times each program was
`purchased. The data can also be indexed by buy times and
`program categories.
`
`Certain metrics are established to help in evaluating the
`data. Using the 1515 or similar software. sales by menu
`placement, cost. category and lifespan can be pulled up for
`viewing in graphic presentation. The graphic presentation.
`in the form of line or bar graphs. help the packager recognize
`any trends in the data. For example. the first movie on a
`
`movie menu might not have sold as well as a second movie
`
`listed. A chart can be pulled up to reveal that the first movie
`has been at the top of the menu for two weeks and buy rates
`are naturally falling off. Steps can then be taken to move
`
`items in the menus to correct this. though many of these
`steps are automated in the menu creation system. Suggested
`changes can be displayed to help the user in this task.
`The automated procedures create menus that are
`
`distinct between headends 208 because of demographic
`differences in the viewing audience. To help with this. a
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`separate database of viewer demographics exists and is
`
`frequently updated. The headends 208 are able to alter the
`
`menu positions in order to further tailor the presentation, or
`
`to add local shows. Any changes to the menus are sent back
`
`to the Operations Center 202 at the same time as the viewer
`
`data.
`
`in order to prevent erroneous data analysis. Menu
`
`changes at the cable headend are described in detail in co-
`
`pending patent application Ser. No. PCT/US93/11616.
`entitled Network Controller for a Cable Television System.
`
`filed by the same assignee.
`Another use for
`the indexed data is creation of
`
`marketing reports.
`
`Programming changes are helped by
`Also viewer
`
`accurate information on viewer preference.
`
`purchasing trends. and regional interests can be tracked.
`
`In
`
`the preferred embodiment,
`
`an Executive
`
`Information System (EIS) is used to give high level access to
`
`both “buy” (what
`
`the customer purchases) and “access”
`
`(when the product was viewed. how often and duration] data.
`
`The EIS represents information in both a graphical and
`
`summary report format.
`
`“Drill down” functions in the EIS
`
`help the packager derive the appropriate product (product
`
`refers to programs, events or services) mix.
`
`The purpose of the EIS is to provide an on-line
`software tool that will allow for real-time evaluation of current
`
`product positioning. The design of the system consists of
`user friendly icons to guide the user through available
`
`functions. The functionality in the system provides general
`
`information on current programming sales status. By Worki
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