Systems and methods for providing television signals using a network interface device

• US 20040163125A1
• Filed: 05/22/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Phillips, Bruce A., Casey, Steven M., Campbell, Kurt A., Brodigan, Donald
• Granted Patent: US 8,713,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/119
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/005 Interface circuits for subscriber lines current supply H04M19/00 and subgroups; supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements H04M3/22 and subgroups; in key telephone systems H04M9/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/108 the cable being constituted by a pair of wires
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085

Abstract

An isolation device is adapted to isolate a transport medium internal to a customer premises from a transport medium external to the customer premises such that operational changes to one of the internal and external transport media do not affect the other of the internal and external transport media. A first interface is coupled with the isolation device and adapted to communicate with the external transport medium, which is in communication with a distribution point. A second interface is coupled with the isolation device and adapted to communicate with the internal transport medium. An addressable set-top box is disposed external to the customer premises and coupled with the first and second interfaces. The set-top box is adapted to receive encoded telecommunication information from the external transport medium and to generate television signals from the encoded telecommunication information for transmission over the internal transport medium.

Claims

1. A network interface device comprising:

an isolation device adapted to isolate a transport medium internal to a customer premises from a transport medium external to the customer premises such that operational changes to one of the internal and external transport media do not affect the other of the internal and external transport media;

a first interface coupled with the isolation device and adapted to communicate with the external transport medium, wherein the external transport medium is in communication with a distribution point;

a second interface coupled with the isolation device and adapted to communicate with the internal transport medium; and

an addressable set-top box disposed external to the customer premises and coupled with the first and second interfaces, wherein the set-top box is adapted to receive encoded telecommunication information from the external transport medium and to generate television signals from the encoded telecommunication information for transmission over the internal transport medium.

2. The network interface device recited in claim 1 wherein the network interface device is disposed on an exterior wall of the customer premises.

3. The network interface device recited in claim 1 wherein the network interface device is disposed on an interior wall of the customer premises.

4. The network interface device recited in claim 1 further comprising an addressable application device coupled with the first and second interfaces and adapted to implement a supplementary application over the internal transport medium with telecommunication information received from the external transport medium.

5. The network interface device recited in claim 4 wherein the addressable set-top box and addressable application device are disposed within a common housing.

6. The network interface device recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a third interface coupled with the isolation device and adapted to communicate with a second transport medium external to the customer premises; and

an addressable application device coupled with the third and second interfaces and adapted to implement a supplementary application over the internal transport medium with telecommunication information received from the second external transport medium.

7. The network interface device recited in claim 6 wherein the addressable set-top box and addressable application device are disposed within a common housing.

8. The network interface device recited in claim 1 wherein:

the encoded telecommunication information comprises encoded digital telecommunication information; and

the addressable set-top box comprises a digital decoder adapted to decode the encoded digital telecommunication information.

9. The network interface device recited in claim 1 wherein:

the encoded telecommunication information comprises encoded IP telecommunication information; and

the addressable set-top box comprises an IP decoder adapted to decode the encoded IP telecommunication information.

10. The network interface device recited in claim 1 wherein the addressable set-top box comprises a buffer data store.

11. The network interface device recited in claim 1 wherein:

the internal transport medium comprises a plurality of transport media internal to a plurality of respective customer premises;

the second interface comprises a plurality of second interfaces coupled with the isolation device, each of the plurality of second interfaces being adapted to communicate with a respective one of the internal transport media; and

the addressable set-top box comprises a plurality of addressable set-top boxes, each of which is coupled with the first interface and with a respective one of the second interfaces, wherein each such addressable set-top box is adapted to receive encoded telecommunication information from the external transport medium and to generate television signals from the encoded telecommunication information for transmission over the respective one of the internal transport media.

12. The network interface device recited in claim 11 wherein the plurality of respective customer premises are located within a common physical structure.

13. The network interface device recited in claim 12 wherein the network interface device is disposed on an exterior wall of the common physical structure.

14. The network interface device recited in claim 12 wherein the network interface device is disposed within the common physical structure but external to each of the respective customer premises.

15. A method for providing television signals, the method comprising:

isolating a transport medium internal to a customer premises from a transport medium external to the customer premises such that operational changes to one of the internal and external transport media do not affect the other of the internal and external transport media;

receiving encoded telecommunication information from the external transport medium;

decoding the encoded telecommunication information with an addressable set-top box disposed external to the customer premises;

generating the television signals from the decoded telecommunication information; and

transmitting the television signals to the internal transport medium for display on a television within the customer premises.

16. The method recited in claim 15 further comprising:

receiving an instruction to change a state of the addressable set-top box; and

changing the state of the addressable set-top box in accordance with the received instruction.

17. The method recited in claim 15 further comprising implementing a supplementary application over the internal transport medium with telecommunication information received from the external transport medium.

18. The method recited in claim 15 further comprising:

receiving telecommunication information from a second transport medium external to the customer premises; and

implementing a supplementary application over the internal transport medium with the telecommunication information received from the second external transport medium.

19. The method recited in claim 15 wherein:

the encoded telecommunication information comprises encoded digital telecommunication information; and

decoding the encoded telecommunication information comprises decoding the encoded digital telecommunication information.

20. The method recited in claim 15 wherein:

the encoded telecommunication information comprises encoded IP telecommunication information; and

decoding the encoded telecommunication information comprises decoding the encoded IP telecommunication information.

21. The method recited in claim 15 further comprising storing the television signals with a buffer data store comprised by the set-top box.

22. The method recited in claim 21 wherein transmitting the television signals comprises transmitting the stored television signals in response to instructions received from the internal transport medium.

23. The method recited in claim 21 wherein transmitting the television signals comprises transmitting the stored television signals in response to instructions received from a remote-controlled transmitter.

24. The method recited in claim 23 wherein the instructions comprise an identification of one of a plurality of remote-controlled transmitters.

25. The method recited in claim 15 wherein:

decoding the encoded telecommunication information with the addressable set-top box comprises decoding the encoded telecommunication information with a plurality of addressable set-top boxes; and

transmitting the television signals to the internal transport medium comprises transmitting television signals generated from respective ones of the plurality of addressable set-top boxes to respective ones of a plurality of internal transport media for display on respective televisions within respective ones of a plurality of customer premises.

26. The method recited in claim 25 wherein the plurality of customer premises are located within a common physical structure.

27. A network interface device comprising:

means for isolating a transport medium internal to a customer premises from a transport medium external to the customer premises such that operational changes to one of the internal and external transport media do not affect the other of the internal and external transport media;

means for receiving encoded telecommunication information from the external transport medium;

means for decoding the encoded telecommunication information, wherein such means for decoding is disposed external to the customer premises;

means for generating television signals from the decoded telecommunication information; and

means for transmitting the television signals to the internal transport medium for display on a television within the customer premises.

28. The network interface device recited in claim 27 further comprising:

means for receiving telecommunication information from a second transport medium external to the customer premises; and

means for implementing a supplementary application over the internal transport medium with the telecommunication information received from the second external transport medium.

29. The network interface device recited in claim 27 further comprising means for storing the television signals.