Enhanced security communications system

• US 20040163124A1
• Filed: 02/17/2004
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sms Property Group LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sms Property Group LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Basawapatna, Ganesh, Basawapatna, Varalakshmi
• Application Number:
  US10/781,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20040163124A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/117
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence

Abstract

A telecommunications system for providing telecommunication services to a plurality of users connected to a loop-through cable distribution architecture. The system includes a signal collection and transmission circuit or headend circuit for collecting and transmitting telecommunication signals to the user. In addition, the system comprises a signal distribution system or circuit operatively connected to the signal collection and transmission circuit for receiving and transmitting telecommunication signals therefrom and thereto. The system includes a user or customer interface device operatively connected to an associated signal distribution circuit for both receiving telecommunication signals from the associated signal distribution circuit and transmitting telecommunication signals to the associated signal distribution circuit. The signal distribution circuit is formed by a node having a plurality of output lines and a service module operatively connected to one of the node output lines. The service module further includes a signal splitter having a plurality of output lines, a user service module circuit operatively connected to one of the splitter output lines, and a processor control circuit operatively controlling the service module.

Claims

1. A telecommunication system for providing telecommunication services, including video, telephony and computer network services, to a group of end user sites connected to a loop-through cable distribution system, comprising:

a headend system which provides said telecommunication services in the form of telecommunication signals, said telecommunication signals comprising a video signal;

a service module in communication with said headend system and adapted to receive said telecommunication signals from said headend system and provide said telecommunication signals from said headend system to said group of end user sites, said service module comprising;

processing means for processing telecommunication service requests from said end user sites;

splitting means for receiving said video signal from said headend system and splitting said video signal into a plurality of video signals, one for each of said end user sites;

channel formatting means for each of said end user sites, said channel formatting means for receiving one of said plurality of video signals, extracting a video channel from said one of said plurality of video signals, said video channel being requested by one of said end user sites, demodulating said video channel from its modulated frequency to baseband, and creating an output video channel for said one of said end user sites by remodulating said video channel from baseband to a predetermined frequency, said predetermined frequency being different for each of said end user sites;

summing means for summing said output video channel from each of said channel formatting means into a composite video signal comprising each of said output video channels modulated to different frequencies;

a loop-through cable communication connection which communicates said composite video signal from said summing means to each of said end user sites;

coupling means for coupling said communication connection to an end user site;

filter means for filtering said output video channel for said end user site from said composite video signal, creating an end user video signal; and

a customer interface device which receives said end user video signal and transmits said end user video signal to a video signal viewing apparatus.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said telecommunication signals from said headend system carries analog signals, digital signals, digitally compressed signals, or any combination of analog, digital, and digitally compressed signals.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein channel formatting means further comprises decoder means for extracting said requested video channel from said video signal and demodulating said video channel from its modulated frequency to baseband.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein after said decoder means demodulates said requested video channel to baseband, said decoder means then remodulates said requested video channel to said predetermined frequency.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein said predetermined frequency comprises a frequency associated with a single television channel.

6. The system as recited in claim 1 comprising N end user sites and N channel formatting means, and wherein X=1 to N, such that channel formatting means X modulates said output video signal for end user site X to a frequency associated associated with channel M, wherein M=X+1.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein end user site 1 is furthest from said service module and end user site N is closest to said service module.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said filter means comprises a band pass filter.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said filtering means is configured with said coupling means.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said filtering means is configured in said customer interface device.

11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said telecommunication signals comprise telephony signals, and said service module further comprises telephony interface means for connecting telephone calls between a telephony service provider and a telephone connected to a customer interface device at an end user site, wherein when a service request from an end user site comprises a request to connect a telephone call from said end user site to another party having telephone services, said processing means checks to determine if said end user site is authorized for telephony services, and if said end user site is authorized for said telephony services, said telephony interface means of said service module connects said user telephone call to said telephony service provider, which in turn, connects said telephone call to said another party.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, wherein said telephony interface means of said service module connects said end user site telephone call to said headend system, which in turn, connects said end user site telephone call to said telephony service provider, which in turn, connects said telephone call to said another party.

13. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said telecommunication signals comprise computer data signals, and said service module further comprises computer network interface means for connecting a computer connected to a customer interface device at an end user site to a computer network, wherein when a service request from an end user site comprises a request to connect said computer at said end user site to said computer network, said processing means checks to determine if said end user site is authorized for computer network interface services, and if said end user site is authorized for said services, said computer network interface means of said service module provides a data connection between said network and said computer connected to said customer interface box at said end user site.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein said computer network interface means of said service module connects said computer connected to said customer interface device to said headend system, which in turn, connects said computer to said computer network.

15. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said telecommunication signals comprise forward path data signals, which may include one or more of telephony signals, computer data signals, and information messaging signal, and wherein said forward path data signals are transmitted from said service module to a customer interface device at an end user site at baseband.

16. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said telecommunication signals comprise forward path data signals, which may include one or more of telephony signals, computer data signals, and information messaging signal, and wherein said forward path data signals are transmitted from said service module to a customer interface device at an end user site by modulating said forward path data signals to one or more frequencies corresponding to one or more channel frequencies and transmitting said forward path data signals to said customer interface device at said one or more channel frequencies.

17. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein return path data signals from said customer interface device may include one or more of telecommunication service request signals, telephony signals, computer data signals, said information messaging signals, and wherein said return path data signals are transmitted from said customer interface device to said service module by modulating said return path data signals to one or more frequencies corresponding to one or more channel frequencies and transmitting said return path data signals to said service module at said one or more channel frequencies.

18. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein return path data signals from said customer interface device may include one or more of telecommunication service request signals, telephony signals, computer data signals, said information messaging signals, and wherein said return path data signals are transmitted from said customer interface device to said service module by modulating said return path data signals to one or more frequencies between about 4 MHz and about 40 MHz and transmitting said return path data signals to said service module at said one or more frequencies.

19. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein return path data signals from said customer interface device may include one or more of telecommunication service request signals, telephony signals, computer data signals, said information messaging signals, and wherein said return path data signals are transmitted from said customer interface device to said service module by transmitting said return path data signals over a communication path which is separate from the communication path in which signals are transmitted from said service module to said customer interface device.

20. A method for providing telecommunication services, including video, telephony and computer network services, to a group of end user sites connected to a loop-through cable distribution system, comprising the steps of:

a service module receiving telecommunication services in the form of telecommunication signals, including a video signal, from a headend system;

said service module receiving a telecommunication service request from one or more end user sites, said service request being a request for a video channel;

splitting said video signal into a plurality of video signal, one for each of said end user sites;

for each end user site requesting a video channel, demodulating said video channel from its modulated frequency in said video signal to baseband;

creating an output video channel for each end user site requesting a video channel by remodulating said video signal from baseband to a predetermined frequency, said predetermined frequency being different for each of said end user sites;

summing said output video channels into a composite video signal comprising each of said output video channels modulated to different frequencies;

communicating said composite video signal to each of said end user sites;

at each of said end user sites requesting a video channel, creating an end user video signal by extracting said output video channel for said end user site from said composite video signal; and

communicating said end user video signal to a customer interface box and then to a video signal viewing apparatus.