초록 ▼

An IP multicast aware switched digital method and apparatus are provided in a settop unit wherein packet streams containing reference information are multicast while a select set of program information is routed to the settop units so that multicast streams can be identified and full content can be

An IP multicast aware switched digital method and apparatus are provided in a settop unit wherein packet streams containing reference information are multicast while a select set of program information is routed to the settop units so that multicast streams can be identified and full content can be routed individually to the settop unit for decoding. Specific or preferred embodiment applications include simultaneous output and interactive communication with a television (true video on demand), computer (Internet access), videophone and telephone.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method in a computer system for distributing lists of available channels to subscriber units, each channel being assigned an IP multicast group, the method comprising: receiving from a subscriber unit a request for a list of available channels, the request including informa

What is claimed is: 1. A method in a computer system for distributing lists of available channels to subscriber units, each channel being assigned an IP multicast group, the method comprising: receiving from a subscriber unit a request for a list of available channels, the request including information identifying a subscriber and being sent using HTTP protocol; and upon receiving the request, identifying one or more available channels that the identified subscriber is permitted to access; and sending to the subscriber unit a response to the received request with an indication of the identified channels, the response being sent using HTTP protocol and identifying the IP multicast group assigned to each identified channel. 2. The method of claim 1 whereby when the subscriber selects to access a channel indicated in the response, the subscriber unit sends to an IP router a request to join the IP multicast group assigned to the channel selected to be accessed and whereby the IP router routes data of the selected channel to the subscriber unit, the request to join the IP multicast group being an Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) request. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying of one or more available channels identifies less than all available channels. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the response is sent via unicast to the subscriber unit. 5. The method of claim 1 wherein available channels are provided to the computer system by receiving from a plurality of content providers indications of channels that are made available by each content provider. 6. The method of claim 5 wherein an indication that a channel is made available by a content provider is sent using a session announcement protocol. 7. The method of claim 5 wherein each available channel has a channel source address that is provided by a content provider of the plurality of content providers. 8. The method of claim 7 wherein the channel source address is an IP address. 9. The method of claim 7 wherein the channel source address is an ATM channel. 10. The method of claim 7 wherein the channel source address is an ATM virtual path and transmission circuit. 11. The method of claim 1 wherein when the subscriber selects to receive an available channel indicated in response, the subscriber unit sends a request to join the IP multicast group associated with the selected channel, the subscriber unit adapted to leave the IP multicast group via a sent Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) request to leave the multicast group. 12. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer system is located at a central office. 13. The method of claim 12 wherein the subscriber unit is connected to the computer system via a DSL connection. 14. The method of claim 1 wherein an available channel is a channel whose data is currently being multicasted. 15. The method of claim 1 wherein the subscriber is identified using a media access control address, the media access control address obtained from an Internet Protocol address via an Address Resolution Protocol. 16. The method of claim 1 wherein the subscriber is identified using an IP address. 17. The method of claim 1 including providing a subscribed channel list for the subscriber that indicates channels which the subscriber is permitted to access. 18. The method of claim 1 wherein data for a channel is received at the computer system and forwarded to the subscriber unit. 19. The method of claim 18 wherein data received at the computer system is sent via a switched virtual circuit. 20. The method of claim 1 wherein a multicast group is identified by an IP address. 21. The method of claim 1 wherein the request is sent in response to the subscriber requesting to view the list. 22. A method in a computer system for distributing lists of available channels to subscriber units, the method comprising: receiving from a subscriber unit a request for a list of available channels, the request including information identifying a subscriber and being sent using HTTP protocol; and upon receiving the request, identifying one or more channels that the identified subscriber is authorized to access; and sending to the subscriber unit a response with an indication of the identified channels, the response being sent using HTTP protocol and identifying a IP multicast group assigned to each identified channel, the response managed via IP multicast capable TCP/IP software. 23. The method of claim 22 wherein the identifying of one or more available channels identifies less than all available channels. 24. The method of claim 22 wherein the response is sent via unicast to the subscriber unit. 25. The method of claim 22 wherein available channels are provided to the computer system by receiving from a plurality of content providers indications of channels that are made available by that content provider. 26. The method of claim 22 wherein the computer system is located at a central office. 27. The method of claim 26 wherein the subscriber unit is connected to the computer system via a DSL connection. 28. The method of claim 22 wherein the subscriber is identified using a media access control address, the media access control address translated to an Internet Protocol address via a Reverse Address Resolution Protocol. 29. The method of claim 22 wherein the subscriber is identified using an IP address. 30. The method of claim 22 including providing a subscribed channel list for the subscriber that indicates channels which the subscriber is permitted to access. 31. The method of claim 22 wherein data for a channel is received at the computer system and forwarded to the subscriber unit. 32. The method of claim 31 wherein data received at the computer system is sent via a switched virtual circuit. 33. The method of claim 22 wherein the request is sent in response to the subscriber requesting to view the list. 34. A method in a computer system for distributing lists of available channels to subscriber units, each channel being assigned an IP multicast group, the method comprising: receiving from a subscriber unit a request for a listing of available channels, the request being sent in response to a subscriber indicating to view the listing, the request being sent using HTTP protocol; and upon receiving the request, identifying channels that are available to be accessed; and via a channel server, sending to the subscriber unit a response with an indication of the identified channels, the response being sent using HTTP protocol and identifying the IP multicast group assigned to each identified channel, the response managed via IP multicast capable TCP/IP software. 35. The method of claim 34 whereby when the subscriber selects to access a channel indicated in the response, the subscriber unit sends to an IP router a request to join the multicast group assigned to the channel selected to be accessed and whereby the IP router routes data of the selected channel to the subscriber unit. 36. The method of claim 34 wherein the response is sent via unicast to the subscriber unit. 37. The method of claim 34 wherein available channels are provided to the computer system by receiving from a plurality of content providers indications of channels that are made available by each content provider. 38. The method of claim 37 wherein an indication that a channel is made available by a content provider is sent using a session announcement protocol. 39. The method of claim 37 wherein each available channel has a channel source address that is provided by a content provider of the plurality of content providers. 40. The method of claim 39 wherein the channel source address is an IP address. 41. The method of claim 39 wherein the channel source address is an ATM channel. 42. The method of claim 39 wherein the channel source address is an ATM virtual path and transmission circuit. 43. The method of claim 34 wherein when the subscriber selects to receive an available channel indicated in a response, the subscriber unit sends a request to join the multicast group associated with the selected channel. 44. The method of claim 34 wherein the computer system is located at a central office. 45. The method of claim 34 wherein the subscriber unit is connected to the computer system via a DSL connection. 46. The method of claim 34 wherein an available channel is a channel whose data is currently being multicasted. 47. The method of claim 34 wherein data for a channel is received at the computer system and forwarded to the subscriber unit. 48. The method of claim 47 wherein data received at the computer system is sent via a switched virtual circuit. 49. The method of claim 34 wherein the multicast group is identified by an IP address. 50. The method of claim 34 wherein the request is sent in response to the subscriber requesting to view the listing. 51. A method in a computer system for distributing lists of available channels to subscriber units, each channel being assigned an IP address, the method comprising: receiving from a subscriber unit a request for a list of available channels, the request being sent using HTTP protocol and in response to a subscriber requesting to view the list; and upon receiving the request, identifying one or more channels; and sending to the subscriber unit a response with an indication of the identified channels, the response being sent using HTTP protocol and identifying the IP multicast group assigned to each identified channel, the response managed via IP multicast capable TCP/IP software. 52. The method of claim 51 wherein the response is sent via unicast to the subscriber unit. 53. The method of claim 51 wherein available channels are provided to the computer system by receiving from a plurality of content providers indications of channels that are made available by each content provider. 54. The method of claim 51 wherein the computer system is located at a central office. 55. The method of claim 54 wherein the subscriber unit is connected to the computer system via a DSL connection. 56. The method of claim 51 wherein data for a channel is received at the computer system and forwarded to the subscriber unit. 57. The method of claim 56 wherein the response is sent via unicast to the subscriber unit. 58. The method of claim 57 wherein an indication that a channel is made available by a content provider is sent using the session announcement protocol. 59. The method of claim 57 wherein each available channel has a channel source address that is provided by a content provider of the plurality of content providers. 60. The method of claim 58 wherein the channel source address is an IP address. 61. The method of claim 58 wherein the channel source address is an ATM channel. 62. The method of claim 58 wherein the channel source address is an ATM virtual path and transmission circuit. 63. The method of claim 56 wherein available channels are provided to the computer system by receiving from a plurality of content providers indications of channels that are made available by each content provider. 64. The method of claim 56 wherein when the subscriber selects to receive an available channel indicated in a response, the subscriber unit sends a request to join a multicast group associated with the selected channel. 65. The method of claim 64 wherein the subscriber unit is connected to the computer system via a DSL connection. 66. The method of claim 56 wherein the computer system is located at a central office. 67. The method of claim 56 wherein an available channel is a channel whose data is currently being multicasted. 68. The method of claim 56 wherein the subscriber is identified using a media access control address. 69. The method of claim 56 wherein the subscriber is identified using an IP address. 70. The method of claim 56 including providing a subscribed channel list for the subscriber that indicates channels which the subscriber is permitted to access. 71. The method of claim 70 wherein data received at the computer system is sent via a switched virtual circuit. 72. The method of claim 56 wherein data for a channel is received at the computer system and forwarded to the subscriber unit. 73. The method of claim 56 wherein a multicast group is identified by an IP address. 74. The method of claim 56 wherein the request is sent in response to the subscriber requesting to view the listing. 75. A method in a computer system for distributing lists of available channels to subscriber units, data of the channels being transmitted via multicasting, the method comprising: receiving from a subscriber unit a request for a listing of available channels, the request including information identifying a subscriber; and upon receiving the request, identifying one or more channels that the identified subscriber is permitted to access; and via a channel server, sending to the subscriber unit a response via session announcement protocol with an indication of the identified channels, the response identifying an IP multicast group assigned to each identified channel sent using HTTP protocol and identifying the IP multicast group assigned to each identified channel, the response managed via IP multicast capable TCP/IP software. 76. The method of claim 56 whereby when the subscriber selects to access a channel indicated in the response, the subscriber unit sends to an IP router a request to join a multicast group assigned to the channel selected to be accessed and whereby the IP router routes data of the selected channel to the subscriber unit. 77. The method of claim 75, further comprising: from a session announcement protocol server, announcing a conference session, via a periodic multicasted announcement packet, the announcement packet having a same group address range field as the conference session, the conference session available via the subscriber unit.