Methods and systems for delivering signals from cable networks to telecommunications networks

• US 20040154043A1
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roman, Gerald J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,369,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/119
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18578 Satellite systems for providing broadband data service to individual earth stations for selecting H04W; provisions for broadband connection, H04Q11/0478
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64707 for transferring content from a first network to a second network, e.g. between IP and wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for delivering electrical signals from a cable network to a telecommunications network. The electrical signals are received from a community antenna television network and communicated via the telecommunications network. The telecommunications network may then communicate those electrical signals to end-users and to customers. Because the electrical signals may include video, music, data, and other cable content, this cable content is communicated along the telecommunications network and, thus, distributed to an end user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving electrical signals from a community antenna television network, and communicating the electrical signals via a telecommunications network.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the electrical signals from the community antenna television network comprises receiving the electrical signals from a headend of the community antenna television network.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the electrical signals from the community antenna television network comprises receiving the electrical signals via a data connection, the data connection communicating the electrical signals between a headend of the community antenna television network and telecommunications switching equipment.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the step of communicating the electrical signals via the telecommunications network comprises wirelessly communicating the electrical signals via a base station, the telecommunications switching equipment communicating the electrical signals to the base station via a mobile telephone switching office.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of communicating the electrical signals via the telecommunications network comprises communicating the electrical signals via telecommunications switching equipment.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of communicating the electrical signals via the telecommunications network comprises communicating the electrical signals via a central office.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of communicating the electrical signals via the telecommunications network comprises wirelessly communicating the electrical signals via a mobile telephone switching office.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of communicating the electrical signals via the telecommunications network comprises communicating the electrical signals via a Public Switched Telephone Network.

9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising communicating the electrical signals from the telecommunications network to a data network.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising communicating the electrical signals to an Internet Protocol address in a data network.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising wirelessly communicating the electrical signals from the telecommunications network.

12. A method according to claim 1, further comprising wirelessly communicating the electrical signals from the telecommunications network to at least one of the following:

a wireless communications device,

a mobile phone,

a cellular phone,

a Wireless Applications Protocol (WAP) phone,

a satellite phone,

a pager,

a digital music device,

a personal digital assistant,

a digital signal processor, and

a Global Positioning System device.

13. A method according to claim 1, further comprising communicating the electrical signals from the telecommunications network to at least one of a vehicle, a watercraft, a locomotive, and an aircraft.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving electrical signals at a community antenna television network, and

communicating the electrical signals to a telecommunications network.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the step of receiving the electrical signals at the community antenna television network comprises receiving the electrical signals at a headend of the community antenna television network.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the step of communicating the electrical signals to the telecommunications network comprises communicating the electrical signals via a data connection, the data connection communicating the electrical signals between a headend of the community antenna television network and telecommunications switching equipment.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein the step of communicating the electrical signals to the telecommunications network comprises communicating the electrical signals to telecommunications switching equipment.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein the step of communicating the electrical signals to the telecommunications network comprises communicating the electrical signals to a central office.

19. A method according to claim 14, wherein the step of communicating the electrical signals to the telecommunications network comprises communicating the electrical signals to a Public Switched Telephone Network.

20. A method according to claim 14, wherein the step of communicating the electrical signals to the telecommunications network comprises wirelessly communicating the electrical signals to the telecommunications network.