Personal base station system with wireless video capability

• US 20050130586A1
• Filed: 11/15/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, David K., White, Christopher A., Holmes, David W., Gnuschke, Jerald J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,850,470 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.60
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/14 Arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1106 Call signalling protocols; H.323 and related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/4182 for identification purposes, e.g. storing user identification data, preferences, personal settings or data restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code in combination with an additional device, e.g. dongle or smart card G06F21/123
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4402 involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

A personal base station (PBS) having wireless video capability. The PBS authenticates a mobile device within range for cellular services, and authenticates the user for a level of service for cable television. The PBS operates in accordance with a dual-purpose subscriber identity system (SIS) includes a subscriber mobile identity component (SMIC) and a video security component (VSC) such that the cellular and television services can be authenticated. Mobile devices incorporating the disclosed innovations, as well as the PBS, can access video content from a cable television provider through any available broadband link, regardless of the mobile device'"'"'s physical location.

Claims

1. A telephone base station, comprising:

a communications component that facilitates at least one of wired and wireless communications;

a voice component that interfaces to the communications component and processes voice signals; and

a video component that interfaces to the communications component and processes video signals.

2. The base station of claim 1, the voice signals are communicated over at least one of a public switched telephone network (PSTN) and a cellular network.

3. The base station of claim 1, at least one of the voice signals and the video signals are communicated over a broadband network.

4. The base station of claim 1, the communications component facilitates communication of the video signals over at least one of a wired network and a wireless network.

5. The base station of claim 1, further comprising a modem that facilitates communications over a broadband network.

6. The base station of claim 1, further comprising a converter that processes the video signals.

7. The base station of claim 1, further comprising a subscriber identity component that at least one of associates the base station with a subscriber and defines a level of telephony service for the subscriber.

8. The base station of claim 1, further comprising a processor that processes the video signals.

9. The base station of claim 1, further comprising a display that presents video content of the video signals.

10. The base station of claim 1, further comprising an audio component that presents the voice signals and audio content associated with the video signals.

11. The base station of claim 1, further comprising a video security component that includes video subscription information associated with subscription of television content.

12. The base station of claim 11, the television content is received over a digital broadband network that includes at least one of a cable network and a satellite network.

13. The base station of claim 1, further comprising digital rights information that prevents unauthorized access to video content.

14. The base station of claim 1, further comprising a slot interface that accommodates at least one of subscriber identity information and video security information that is stored in a memory card that is compatible with the slot interface.

15. The base station of claim 14, the card is a UUIC-type card.

16. The base station of claim 1, the video signals comprise multimedia content.

17. The base station of claim 1, further comprising a memory that stores at least one of subscriber identity information and video security information, which subscriber identity information and video security information is updateable by downloading updates thereof to the memory via the communications component.

18. The base station of claim 1, further comprising a subscriber identity component that facilitates authentication of a mobile communications device via the communications component.

19. A telephone base station, comprising:

a communications component that facilitates at least one of wired and wireless communications over a digital network;

a voice component that interfaces to the communications component and processes voice signals;

a video component that interfaces to the communications component and processes video signals; and

a subscriber identity component that associates at least one of the voice signals and the video signals with a subscriber.

20. The base station of claim 19, the digital network includes at least one of a local network and a broadband network.

21. The base station of claim 19, the subscriber identity component facilitates authentication of a mobile communications device to a service provider.

22. The base station of claim 19, further comprising a video security component that includes video subscription information associated with subscription of video content carried in the video signals.

23. The base station of claim 22, the security component includes subscriber information related to access to the level of video service related to cable and/or satellite television content.

24. The base station of claim 19, the subscriber identity component includes at least one of subscriber authentication data and privacy data related to mobile communications.

25. The base station of claim 19, further comprising a memory that stores at least one of subscriber identity information and video security information, which subscriber identity information and video security information is updateable by downloading updates thereof to the memory via the communications component.

26. The base station of claim 19, the subscriber identity component is related to a GSM mobile telephone.

27. A personal base station, comprising:

means for communicating with a digital network;

means for authenticating to the digital network;

means for communicating with a portable communications device;

means for authenticating the portable communications device;

means for receiving multimedia content via the digital network; and

means for communicating the multimedia content to the portable communications device.

28. The base station of claim 27, further comprising means for storing subscriber identity information.

29. The base station of claim 27, further comprising means for storing subscriber video subscription information, which video subscription information is used to authenticate the base station to the digital network.

30. The base station of claim 27, further comprising means for presenting the multimedia content.

31. The base station of claim 27, further comprising means for decoding the multimedia content.

32. The base station of claim 27, further comprising means for storing the multimedia content.

33. The base station of claim 27, further comprising means for signaling a content provider disposed on the digital network to transmit the multimedia content.

34. A system that facilitates accessing multimedia content via a mobile device, comprising:

a video receiving system that receives and processes the multimedia content; and

a base station that communicates with at least one of the mobile device and the video receiving system, which base station signals the video receiving system to transmit the multimedia content to the mobile device.

35. The system of claim 34, the multimedia content is transmitted to the mobile device via the base station.

36. The system of claim 34, the further comprising a subscriber identity system that facilitates transmission of the multimedia content to the mobile device.

37. The system of claim 36, the subscriber identity system is included in at least one of the base station, the mobile device, and the video receiving system.

38. The system of claim 34, further comprising a modem that routes IP data packets to and from the base station, which IP data packets include the multimedia content.

39. The system of claim 34, at least one of the video receiving system, base station, and the mobile device decode the multimedia content for presentation via the mobile device.

40. The system of claim 34, further comprising at least one of:

a subscriber mobile identity component that defines a level of telephony service associated with the mobile device; and

a security component that facilitates access to the multimedia content based on a level of video service.

41. The system of claim 40, the subscriber mobile identity component passes a key to the security component to facilitate download of the multimedia content to the video receiving system.

42. The system of claim 40, the subscriber mobile identity component and the security component are manufactured into the video receiving system.

43. The system of claim 34, the mobile device is a cellular telephone, the base station is a personal base station that interfaces to the cellular telephone, and the video receiving device is a television.

44. The system of claim 34, further comprising a modem that interfaces to the base station to facilitate communication of the multimedia content to the mobile device.

45. The system of claim 44, the modem interfaces to a digital communications network to facilitate the communication of VoIP data to the mobile device.

46. The system of claim 34, the base station is at least one of a computer and a wireless access point that facilitates wireless communications of at least one of the video information and VoIP data with the mobile device.

47. The system of claim 34, the multimedia content is communicated via the base station to at least one of a portable computer, a non-portable computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, and a personal data assistant.

48. A system that facilitates the access of multimedia data, comprising:

a video receiving system that receives audio/video signals via a digital network;

a modem disposed on the digital network to communicate the multimedia data transmitted via the digital network;

a base station that interfaces to the modem to provide at least one of wired and wireless communications of the multimedia data; and

a mobile communications device that receives and processes the multimedia data.

49. The system of claim 48, the multimedia data is presented at the base station.

50. The system of claim 48, the mobile communications device communicates VoIP data over the digital network.

51. The system of claim 48, further comprising at least one of:

a subscriber mobile identity component that defines a level of telephony service associated with the mobile communications device; and

a security component that facilitates access to the multimedia data based on a level of video service.

52. The system of claim 51, the subscriber mobile identity component is communicated over the digital network to facilitate reception of the multimedia data by the mobile communications device.

53. The system of claim 51, the subscriber mobile identity component is communicated to at least one of the base station, the video receiving device, a cellular service provider, and a cable television service provider to facilitate reception of the multimedia data by the mobile communications device.

54. The system of claim 48, further comprising a subscriber identity system employed by a home user to download selected channels of the audio/video signals to the mobile communications device when at home, the selected channels associated with a subscribed level of service associated with a television service provider.