MULTIROOM POINT OF DEPLOYMENT MODULE

• US 20060010481A1
• Filed: 09/02/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tech 5 SAS
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wall, William E., Russ, Samuel H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,046,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/151
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/418 External card to be used in combination with the client device, e.g. for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43622 Interfacing an external recording device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4367 Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4382 Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4385 Multiplex stream processing, e.g. multiplex stream decrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4623 Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for providing downstream signals to a plurality of receiver networks. A receiver network (i.e., a networked multimedia system) includes a splitter/isolation module (SIM), a primary set-top terminal (STT), and at least one point of deployment module. The point of deployment module communicates with the primary STT via the SIM over coaxial cable. Accordingly, the point of deployment module and connected television utilize some or all of the features including hardware and software that are included in the primary STT via the networked multimedia system.

Claims

1. A network system, comprising:

a primary set-top terminal (STT) for receiving downstream signals from a communications network and for selectively storing presentations included in the downstream signals, the primary STT comprising;

a tuner system for providing tuned signals;

a modulator for modulating the tuned signals to a predetermined frequency and for providing modulated signals; and

a point of deployment (POD) module inserted into a cable-ready television, the cable-ready television coupled to the primary STT, the POD module for receiving the downstream signals in a first encryption scheme, and for requesting and receiving a tuned modulated signal in a second encryption scheme from the primary STT via the cable-ready television.

2. The network system of claim 1, wherein the primary STT further includes a storage device for storing the presentations, and wherein the tuned modulated signal includes a stored presentation.

3. The network system of claim 1, wherein the modulator is one of a QAM modulator, a QPSK modulator, a 8VSB modulator, and a COFDM modulator.

4. The network system of claim 1, further comprising a splitter/isolation module (SIM) for receiving the downstream signals and for providing the downstream signals to at least one of the primary STT and the point of deployment module, and for receiving upstream signals from at least one of the primary STT and the point of deployment module and providing the upstream signals to the communications network.

5. The network system of claim 4, wherein the SIM receives the tuned modulated signal and provides the tuned modulated signal to the point of deployment module, and wherein the SIM receives at least one reverse command signal provided by the point of deployment module and provides the at least one reverse command signal to the primary STT.

6. The network system of claim 5, wherein the upstream signals are transmitted in a plurality of upstream frequencies, and wherein a reverse frequency of the at least one reverse command signal is excluded from the plurality of upstream frequencies.

7. The network system of claim 1, wherein the point of deployment module communicates with the primary STT by transmitting at least one reverse command signal via coaxial cable connected between the SIM and the cable-ready television.

8. The network system of claim 7, wherein the at least one reverse command signal is transmitted in an OOK format.

9. The network system of claim 7, wherein the at least one reverse command signal is transmitted in an FSK format.

10. The network system of claim 7, wherein the POD module receives a signal indicative of the at least one reverse command signal from the cable-ready television, wherein a user initiates the signal.

11. The network system of claim 1, wherein the downstream signals are transmitted in a plurality of downstream frequencies, and wherein the predetermined frequency of the tuned modulated signal is excluded from the plurality of downstream frequencies.

12. The network system of claim 1, wherein the tuned modulated signal is one of a stored presentation, a VOD presentation, an IPG application, an NMS application, and a television channel.

13. The network system of claim 1, further comprising at least one remote device coupled to the primary set-top terminal for receiving the downstream signals and for requesting and receiving the tuned modulated signal from the primary STT.

14. A network system for transmitting downstream presentations and for receiving upstream control signals, the network system comprising:

a primary set-top terminal (STT) for storing received downstream presentations from a service provider; and

a point of deployment (POD) module coupled to a television, the POD module comprising;

a first decryptor for decrypting a first encyrpted downstream presentation from the network system;

a second decryptor for decrypting a second encrypted stored presentation from the primary STT, wherein a user initiates a reverse command signal, the reverse command signal processed by the television and provided to the POD module for transmitting to the primary STT.

15. The network system of claim 14, wherein the POD module further comprises:

a processor for processing the reverse command signal and for transmitting an FSK reverse command signal; and

a modulator for modulating the FSK reverse command signal to a frequency that is unused by the downstream presentations and the upstream control signals.

16. The network system of claim 15, further comprising a splitter/isolation module (SIM) for receiving the downstream presentations and for providing the downstream presentations to at least one of the primary STT and the POD module, and for receiving upstream control signals from at least one of the primary STT and the POD module and providing the upstream control signals to the service provider.

17. The network system of claim 16, wherein the SIM receives the second encrypted stored presentation from the primary STT, and wherein the SIM receives at least one reverse command signal provided by the POD module and transmits the at least one reverse command signal to the primary STT.

18. The network system of claim 16, wherein the POD module communicates with the primary STT by transmitting the at least one reverse command signal via coaxial cable connected between the SIM and the television.

19. The network system of claim 15, wherein the POD module receives a signal indicative of the at least one reverse command signal from the television, wherein a user initiates the signal.

20. The network system of claim 19, wherein the at least one reverse command signal is transmitted in an FSK format.