VWGoA - Ex. 1019
`Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. - Petitioner
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`1
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Aug. 21, 2008 Sheet 1 of 14
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`FIG. 1
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Aug. 21, 2008 Sheet 5 of 14
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`Fig. 2b
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`codec, bitrate, and/or video
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Patent Application Publication
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`Patent Application Publication
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`US 2008/0201748 A1
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`Aug. 21, 2008
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`METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DEVICE
`CAPABILITIES DISCOVERY AND
`UTILIZATION WITHIN A CONTENT-BASED
`NETWORK
`
`PRIORITY AND RELATED APPLICATIONS
`
`[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) of
`co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/363,577
`entitled “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SELECT-
`ING DIGITAL CODING/DECODING TECHNOLOGY
`FOR PROGRAMMING AND DATA DELIVERY” filed Feb.
`
`27, 2006, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This
`application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application
`Ser. No. 11/726,095 entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS
`FOR CONTENT DELIVERY AND REPLACEMENT INA
`
`NETWORK” filed Mar. 20, 2007, and incorporated by refer-
`ence herein in its entirety. This application is also related to
`U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/363,578 entitled “METH-
`ODS AND APPARATUS FOR SELECTING DIGITAL
`ACCESS TECHNOLOGY FOR PROGRAMMING AND
`
`DATA DELIVER ”, and U.S. patent application Ser. No.
`11/364,147 entitled “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR
`SELECTING DIGITAL INTERFACE TECHNOLOGY
`FOR PROGRAMMING AND DATA DELIVER ”, both
`filed Feb. 27, 2006, and both incorporated herein by reference
`in their entirety.
`
`COPYRIGHT
`
`[0002] 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 reproduc-
`tion by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclo-
`sure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent
`files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights
`whatsoever.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Field of Invention
`[0003]
`[0004] The present invention relates generally to the field of
`information distribution across a network. More particularly,
`the present invention is related in one exemplary aspect to the
`distribution of information across a content-based and data
`
`network having a set of electronic devices with at least some
`heterogeneous capabilities.
`[0005]
`2. Description of Related Technology
`
`Digital Television
`
`[0006] Digital TV (DTV) is a technology which utilizes
`digitized and compressed data formats (e.g., MPEG) for con-
`tent transmission, as compared to earlier analog “uncom-
`pressed” approaches (e.g., NTSC). The DTV content may be
`distributed across any number of different types of bearer
`media or networks with sufiicient bandwidth, including HFC,
`satellite, wireless, or terrestrial.
`[0007] DTV broadcasts are generally more efiicient and
`more flexible than analog methods. For example, the band-
`width required to transmit video programming using DTV is
`less than the bandwidth required using analog methods,
`assuming similar quality of video (and audio). Thus, more
`video programming can generally be transmitted with a given
`bandwidth when DTV methods are employed.
`[0008] DTV standards such as the OpenCableTM Applica-
`tion Platform (OCAP) middleware specification (e.g., Ver-
`
`sion 1.0, and Version 2.0) require that applications be down-
`loaded to host devices from the bearer or broadcast network in
`
`real-time. The OCAP specification is a middleware software
`layer specification intended to enable the developers of inter-
`active television services and applications to design such
`products so that they will run successfully on any cable tele-
`vision system in North America, independent of set-top or
`television receiver hardware or operating system software
`choices.
`
`[0009] The aforementioned OpenCable standard also sets
`forth a Host Core Functional Requirements specification
`which defines optional circuitry for digital video recorders
`(DVRs), and digital video interfaces (DVIs); see, e.g., the
`OpenCable Host Device Core Functional Requirements
`OC-SP-HOST-CFR-l l3-030707 specification (now OC-SP-
`HOST-CFR-114-030905 dated Sep. 5, 2003).
`[0010] DVR technology provides selective recording, play-
`back, and manipulation (e.g., storage, processing, editing,
`etc.) of digital format content. For example, the services
`offered by the As signee hereofin conjunction with exemplary
`Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8000 Digital Video Recorder set
`top box equipment (and associated high capacity mass stor-
`age device) are representative of this technology.
`[0011]
`Personal video recording (PVR) functionality is
`essentially a subset of DVR technology, wherein individual
`users, e.g., family members within the same household, can
`selectively record digital content particular to their choosing
`while not inhibiting other individuals from doing the same.
`This provides significant flexibility and enhances the user
`experience, since each individual can tailor their viewing as
`desired.
`
`[0012] DVI technology allows, inter alia, for the seamless
`integration of digital TV and digital-based devices with ana-
`log devices, such as analog televisions. Accordingly, if the
`user possesses an analog monitor, the DVI selectively con-
`verts the otherwise digital signal to the analog domain.
`Accordingly, the user (and manufacturer) need not selectively
`tailor their equipment to a particular domain.
`[0013] This equipment may be leased from the content/
`network operator, or alternatively purchased “retail” from a
`third party manufacturer. Clearly, it is desired to have pro-
`gramming and software applications distributed by the net-
`work operator (or third-party content provider) be compatible
`with the hardware/software environments of these CPE,
`thereby avoiding situations where a downloaded content or
`application does not function properly, which can greatly add
`to user frustration.
`
`Video-On-Demand (VOD)
`
`Providing “on-demand” (OD) services, such as
`[0014]
`video on-demand or VOD, is also well known in the prior art.
`In a typical configuration, the VOD service makes available to
`its users a selection of multiple video programs that they can
`choose from and watch over a network connection with mini-
`
`mum setup delay. At a high level, a VOD system consists of
`one or more VOD servers that store the relevant content; one
`or more network connections that are used for program selec-
`tion and program delivery; and customer premises equipment
`(CPE) to receive, decode and present the video on a display
`unit. In a cable network, the content is typically distributed
`over a Hybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC) network.
`[0015] Depending on the type of content made available
`and rate structure for viewing, a particularVOD service could
`be called “subscription video-on-demand (SVOD)” that gives
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`customers on-demand access to the content for a flat monthly
`fee, “free video-on-demand (FVOD)” that gives customers
`free on-demand access to some content, “movies on-demand”
`where VOD content consists of movies only, and so forth.
`Many of these services, although referred to by names differ-
`ent than VOD, still share many of the same basic attributes
`including storage, network and decoder technologies.
`[0016]
`Just as different varieties of VOD service offerings
`have evolved over time, several different network architec-
`tures have also evolved for deploying these services. These
`architectures range from fully centralized (e.g., VOD servers
`at a central location) to fully distributed (e.g., multiple copies
`of content distributed on VOD servers very close to customer
`premises), as well as various other network architectures
`there between. Since most cable television networks today
`consist of optical fiber towards the “core” of the network
`which are connected to coaxial cable networks towards the
`
`“edge”, VOD transmission network architectures also consist
`of a mixture of optical fiber and coaxial cable portions.
`[0017] The CPE for VOD often consists of a digital cable
`set-top box (DSTB) that provides the functions of receiving
`cable signals by tuning to the appropriate RF channel, pro-
`cessing the received signal and outputting VOD signals for
`viewing on a display unit. Such a digital set-top box also
`typically hosts a VOD application that enables user interac-
`tion for navigation and selection ofVOD menu.
`[0018] While the architectural details ofhow video is trans-
`ported in the core HFC network canbe different for eachVOD
`deployment, each generally will have a transition point where
`the video signals are modulated, upconverted to the appropri-
`ate RF channel and sent over the coaxial segment(s) of the
`network. Depending on the topology of the individual cable
`plant, this could be performed at a node, hub or a headend.
`The coaxial cable portion ofthe network is variously referred
`to as the “access network” or “edge network” or “last mile
`network.”
`
`In U.S. cable systems for example, downstream RF
`[0019]
`channels used for transmission of television programs are 6
`MHZ wide, and occupy a 6 MHZ spectral slot between 54
`MHZ and 860 MHZ. Deployments of VOD services have to
`share this spectrum with already established analog and digi-
`tal cable television services. For this reason, the exact RF
`channel used for VOD service may differ from plant to plant.
`However, within a given cable plant, all homes that are elec-
`trically connected to the same cable feed running through a
`neighborhood will receive the same downstream signal. For
`the purpose of managing VOD services, these homes are
`grouped into logical groups typically called Service Groups.
`Homes belonging to the same Service Group receive their
`VOD service on the same set of RF channels.
`
`Emerging Technologies and Challenges
`
`[0020] A broad variety of electronic devices have recently
`been developed to utiliZe and leverage emerging information
`delivery capabilities. Increasingly, these devices are being
`equipped with DVI (and DVR/PVR) technology. The devices
`often have very different capabilities, and may include e.g.,
`digital set-top boxes (DSTBs), personal computers (PCs),
`personal digital assistants (PDAs), hand-held computers,
`“smartphones”, personal media devices (PMDs), etc.
`[0021] These devices can be operatively coupled to, and
`placed in communication with, other devices (whether of the
`same or different configuration), or other network entities
`such as a central information source or server via various
`
`channels. The different capabilities of these electronic
`devices may result from different purposes, designs, different
`user configuration, being mobile versus fixed in nature, cost/
`features, etc., and may include differing encryption support
`capabilities, conditional access profiles, memory and/or pro-
`cessing capability, video or audio codecs, network interfaces,
`and so forth. Many of these features, including notably the
`conditional access (CA), codec, and network interface capa-
`bilities, are critical to the proper selection, delivery, and play-
`ing of content at the end-user device.
`[0022] The traditional method of digital compression is the
`well-known MPEG-2 format. More advanced codecs include
`
`H.264 (also known as MPEG-4) and VC-l. H.264 is a high
`compression digital video codec standard written by the
`ITU-T Video Coding Experts Group (VCEG) together with
`the ISO/IEC Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) as the
`product of a collective partnership effort known as the Joint
`Video Team (JVT). The ITU-T H.264 standard and the ISO/
`IEC MPEG-4 Part-10 standard (formally, ISO/IEC 14496-
`10) are highly similar, and the technology is also known as
`AVC, forAdvanced Video Coding. DTV methods ofprogram
`distribution are also generally more flexible than analog
`methods. For example, the type ofcompression may be modi-
`fied or updated. The compression can be improved when new
`techniques become available, or they may be customiZed or
`optimiZed for certain applications and attributes such as pic-
`ture quality, data integrity or transmission delay.
`[0023] Conditional access (CA) technologies may also be
`incorporated into the digital encoding ofvarious types of data
`including audio and video programming. Conditional access
`can generally be defined as the control ofwhen and how a user
`may view and use the associated programming or informa-
`tion. Different types of conditional access may be desirable in
`a network delivery system in order to, e.g., accommodate
`improvements in the technology as well as different condi-
`tional access attributes such as security and category of pro-
`gramming or user access level.
`[0024] A traditional method of conditional access is known
`as “Powerkey”. Newer methods of conditional access include
`Powerkey Book 2, Powerkey Book 3, NDS, ANSI/SCTE 52
`2003 (DVS-042), and DigiCipher. These can be implemented
`using, for example, the so-called “CableCard” plug-in secu-
`rity module access technology. See, e.g., the CableCard-Host
`interface specification, which defines the interface between a
`digital cable receiver or STB (Ho st device) and the CableCard
`device provided by the MSO/cable operator.
`[0025] More recently, emerging technologies have focused
`on downloadable conditional access system (DCAS), which
`is intended to be implemented in next-generation two-way,
`cable-ready digital TV sets, set-top boxes and/or other TV-
`related deVices. This “download” approach would enable
`cable operators to download conditional access software
`directly to TV sets, set-top boxes and other digital entertain-
`ment devices in the subscribers’ premises, and would be
`especially suited to interactive services such as VOD, PVR,
`etc. This would also obviate the physical CableCard form
`factor.
`
`[0026] End-user devices may also include a variety of inter-
`faces. For example, a set-top box might have an RF tuner in
`order to receive QAM signals over the cable. A cable modem
`similarly receives DOCSIS QAM signals over the cable, but
`on different charmels, and hence requires a separate tuning
`mechanism. Other types of potential interfaces include Eth-
`ernet (LAN, WAN, etc.), and even wireless technologies such
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`as satellite, millimeter wave, WiFi (IEEE-802.11), WiMax
`(IEEE-802.16), and PAN (IEEE-802.15).
`[0027] As client devices with different codec/compression,
`conditional access, and/or network interface capabilities are
`added to a network, the distribution of programming and
`other information over the network becomes more complex.
`For example, a video server system within a cable or satellite
`content network must take into account the compression and
`conditional access technology available at the receiving sys-
`tem before delivering that programming.
`[0028] The capabilities ofthe receiving system must also be
`taken into account when providing directories of available
`programming. It is important that only compatible program-
`ming is displayed in a programming directory so that users
`don’t attempt to watch programs that are only available in
`formats that are incompatible with their equipment. This can
`lead to significant user frustration and loss of satisfaction.
`[0029] Within the network, content may also be delivered
`to many devices outside of traditional STBs as well as being
`delivered to the STBs directly. Each such device may support
`different encryption and decode abilities.
`[0030]
`In some cases, the preferred delivery method may
`also have to be determined before delivery of the program-
`ming. That is, the programming might be delivered by normal
`“in-band” RF charmels, or by packet-based networks such as
`the Internet (e.g., via a cable modem).
`[0031] Without the ability to determine the capabilities and
`network environment of each of the client devices on the
`
`network, many of the benefits that arise from the use of DTV,
`including advanced compression techniques, enhanced con-
`ditional access capabilities, and flexibility in choice of deliv-
`ery charmel or mode, will not be fully realized.
`[0032] A variety of different technologies generally relat-
`ing to conditional access, codec operation, and network inter-
`face capabilities, are evidenced in the prior art. For example,
`U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,134 to Pinder, et al. issued on Aug. 15,
`2000 and entitled “Verification of the source of program
`information in a conditional access system” discloses a cable
`television system which provides conditional access to ser-
`vices. The cable television system includes a headend from
`which service “instances”, or programs, are broadcast and a
`plurality of set top units for receiving the instances and selec-
`tively decrypting the instances for display to system subscrib-
`ers. The service instances are encrypted using public and/or
`private keys provided by service providers or central autho-
`rization agents. Keys used by the set tops for selective decryp-
`tion may also be public or private in nature, and such keys
`may be reassigned at different times to provide a cable tele-
`vision system in which piracy concerns are minimized.
`[0033] U.S. Pat. No. 6,175,856 to Riddle, issued Jan. 16,
`2001 and entitled “Method and apparatus for dynamic selec-
`tion of compression processing during teleconference call
`initiation” describes a digital processing system and method
`which controls selection of a compressor in a communication
`system. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving
`at the digital processing system information from a commu-
`nication port, which information identifies decompression
`processing capabilities at a remote processor, and selecting in
`response to the information a particular compression process
`for use in compressing data for transmission to the remote
`processor.
`[0034] U.S. Pat. No. 6,216,152 to Wong, et al. issued Apr.
`10, 2001 and entitled “Method and apparatus for providing
`plug in media decoders” discloses a method and apparatus for
`
`providing plug-in media decoders. Embodiments provide a
`“plug-in” decoder architecture that allows software decoders
`to be transparently downloaded, along with media data. User
`applications are able to support new media types as long as
`the corresponding plug-in decoder is available with the media
`data. Persistent storage requirements are decreased because
`the downloaded decoder is transient, existing in application
`memory for the duration of execution of the user application.
`The architecture also supports use of plug-in decoders
`already installed in the user computer. One embodiment is
`implemented with object-based class files executed in a vir-
`tual machine to form a media application. A media data type
`is determined from incoming media data, and used to gener-
`ate a class name for a corresponding codec (coder-decoder)
`object. A class path vector is searched, including the source
`location ofthe incoming media data, to determine the location
`of the codec class file for the given class name. When the
`desired codec class file is located, the virtual machine’s class
`loader loads the class file for integration into the media appli-
`cation. If the codec class file is located across the network at
`the source location of the media data, the class loader down-
`loads the codec class file from the network. Once the class file
`is loaded into the virtual machine, an instance of the codec
`class is created within the media application to decode/de-
`compress the media data as appropriate for the media data
`type.
`[0035] U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,393 to Safadi, et al. issued on
`Jul. 3, 2001 and entitled “Authorization and access control of
`software object residing in set-top terminals” discloses a
`method for providing authentication, authorization and
`access control of software object residing in digital set-top
`terminals creates a fingerprint (“signature”) for each software
`obj ect, associates each fingerprint with a service tier, encodes
`each association and creates an association table containing
`the information and downloads the association table to the
`
`digital set-top terminal. In addition, the method utilizes an
`entitlement management message, sent to each set-top termi-
`nal, indicating what software objects the set-top terminal may
`utilize, and provides a system routine at the digital set-top
`terminal that is invoked whenever software object is about to
`be utilized. The entitlement management message contains
`the access rights given to a particular set-top terminal, which
`must match the software obj ect’s access requirements for the
`software object to be utilized. The entitlement management
`message may also contain set-top terminal resource control
`access rights that a given software object may utilize. When
`the software object requires the utilization of a set-top
`resource, a second conditional access routine may be invoked
`to determine the authorization rights for using the resource.
`Measures to protect such means are also described. As such
`the method provides multiple system cable operators
`(MSO’s) with additional capabilities to maintain secure con-
`trol of features and applications running on their networks
`and within the associated set-top terminals.
`[0036] U.S. Pat. No. 6,745,245 to Carpenter issued on Jun.
`1, 2004 and entitled “Managing access to set-top box objects
`using television conditional access system” discloses meth-
`ods for using a conditional access system to modify access
`control information maintained at a set-top box or another
`client system. The access control information regulates the
`availability of information or entertainment services at the
`client or controls the ability of scripts executed at the client to
`access objects defined at the client. The conditional access
`system can be a conventional conditional access, such as
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`that has been
`those used by cable television providers,
`adapted to modify the access control information. The access
`control information includes multiple entries, each being ref-
`erenced by a token identifier. The conditional access system
`transmits a command and an accompanying token to the
`client to instruct the client how to modify the access control
`information. The entry that is to be modified is identified by
`comparing the token with the token identifiers. By modifying
`access control information in this manner, the entity that
`operates the conditional access system is capable of regulat-
`ing the availability of resources or services at the client. For
`example, a selected level of a tiered information service can
`be made available to the client.
`
`[0037] U.S. Pat. No. 6,799,196 to Smith, issued Sep. 28,
`2004 and entitled “On-demand data streaming parceling”
`describes a method where a client device, or information
`appliance such as a personal digital assistant, is capable of
`receiving multimedia data streams from a server. However,
`due to processing and display capabilities, the client device
`may not be able to present the complete data stream, or a user
`may elect to configure the client device not to process data
`that will unduly reduce the client device’s performance.
`Accordingly, the invention provides a method and apparatus
`for allowing a server to determine the native, or user selected,
`capabilities of a client device, such that the server can filter
`and parse the data into meaningfully presentable data and
`non-meaningfully presentable data, and then transmit only
`the meaningfully presentable data to the client device for
`processing and display. In an alternative embodiment, the
`server sends the complete data stream to the client device, and
`the client device filters and parses the data, and then processes
`only the meaningfully presentable data for display on the
`client device.
`
`[0038] U.S. Pat. No. 6,985,934 to Armstrong. et al. issued
`Jan. 10, 2006 and entitled “Method and system for providing
`rich media content over a computer r1etwor ” describes a
`method and system for providing rich media content over a
`computer network. In accordance with the invention, a server
`on a physical or wireless computer network polls the soft-
`ware, hardware, or appliance of an end user on the network,
`for the availability of software and/or hardware necessary for
`the display of rich media content. This polling is transparent
`to the end user and requires no action on the part of the end
`user. Based on the client’s response, the server sends an
`appropriately formatted version of the rich media file. The
`user is not necessarily aware that this transfer is taking place,
`as it is taking place in the background, while the user is
`performing other tasks or viewing content other than that
`which is being transferred. Once the rich media has been
`transferred in its entirety and stored, or cached, in the local
`memory of the client, the rich media content is displayed
`automatically in a designated display area. The user may then
`be able to manipulate the rich media content without affecting
`the other content or tasks that were being displayed prior to
`the display of the rich media content.
`[0039] United States Patent Publication No. 20020032754
`to Logston, et al. published Mar. 14, 2002 entitled “Method
`and apparatus for profiling in a distributed application envi-
`ronment” and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety,
`discloses a method and apparatus for deriving and character-
`izing the resource capabilities of client devices in a distrib-
`uted application (DA) network environment. In a first aspect
`of the invention, a method and associated architecture for
`obtaining client device configuration and resource informa-
`
`tion are disclosed which incorporate a distributed profiling
`entity having a server portion and client portion, the client
`portion being used to facilitate query of the client device, and
`transfer of device resource and configuration information
`back to the server portion. This information is later used by
`the profiling entity to alter and update the distribution of
`entity components between the server and client device. The
`client device configuration may also be altered if required. In
`a second aspect of the invention, a method of scaling the
`aforementioned distributed profiling entity during both initial
`download and after initiation is disclosed.
`
`[0040] United States Patent Publication No. 20020196939
`to Unger, et al. published on Dec. 26, 2002 and entitled
`“Decoding and decryption of partially encrypted informa-
`tion” discloses an encryption arrangement for multiple
`encryption of television programs. A system according to
`embodiments of the present invention multiple encrypts only
`a portion of the data required for full presentation of a tele-
`vision program to permit coexistence of multiple conditional
`access encryption systems associated with multiple manufac-
`turer’s set-top boxes within a single system. By only encrypt-
`ing a portion ofthe program, less bandwidth is consumed than
`the alternative ofmultiple encryption ofall program data, thus
`permitting a larger number of programs to be carried over the
`same bandwidth while permitting coexistence of multiple
`conditional access systems in a single cable television sys-
`tem.
`
`[0041] United States Patent Publication No. 20030021412
`to Candelore, et al. published on Jan. 30, 2003 and entitled
`“Partial encryption and PID mapping” discloses an encryp-
`tion arrangement for multiple encryption of television pro-
`grams. A system according to embodiments of the present
`invention multiple encrypts only a portion ofthe data required
`for full presentation of a television program to permit coex-
`istence of multiple conditional access encryption systems
`associated with multiple manufacturer’s set-top boxes within
`a single system. PID mapping techniques are used to distin-
`guish between multiple encryptions. By only encrypting a
`portion of the program, less bandwidth is consumed than the
`alternative of multiple encryption of all program data, thus
`permitting a larger number of programs to be carried over the
`same bandwidth while permitting coexistence of multiple
`conditional access systems in a single cable television sys-
`tem.
`
`[0042] United States Patent Publication No. 20040123313
`to Koo, et al. published on Jun. 24, 2004 and entitled “Method
`for updating key in DCATV conditional access system” dis-
`closes an invention which properly updates a key in various
`situations in order to secure liability of a service in a condi-
`tional access system for a digital cable television service. A
`method for updating a key in a conditional access system of a
`digital cable television service includes the step of receiving
`a request of changing service from a point of deployment
`(POD) module of subscriber having bidirectional or simplex
`receiver, changing a service at the head/end and sending an
`entitlement management message (EMM) having a changed
`key from the head/end to the point of deployment (POD)
`module.
`
`Video Resolution and Bitrates
`
`[0043] More and more U.S. and international households
`are beginning to purchase High Definition (HD) televisions
`(HDTV). To keep up with the trend, multiple systems opera-
`tors (MSOs) have begun offering a greater variety of HD
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`television programs to cable customers, thereby allowing for
`greater subscriber utilization of the HD capability of their
`televisions, and ostensibly greater subscriber satisfaction.
`[0044] Entertainment-quality transmission of HD signals
`requires about four times as much bandwidth as SD transmis-
`sion. Although revenues from HD service may not be four
`times the revenue from SD service, the ability to offer HD
`service is often critical to cable operators’ strategy to being a
`leader in digital television service offerings, and maintaining
`a high level of subscriber satisfaction (and low turnover).
`[0045]
`In addition to HD signals, various forms or formats
`of content encoding are also becoming more prevalent within
`both content-delivery networks (and associated IP networks),
`and user devices associated therewith. For example, certain
`types of lossy encoding may be suffi