System and method for providing digital network access and digital broadcast services using combined channels on a single physical medium to the customer premises

• US 20060077921A1
• Filed: 10/07/2004
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Radpour, Assad
• Granted Patent: US 8,086,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/316
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/92 for local area

Abstract

The disclosure is directed to customer premises equipment including a network access port configured to receive broadband digital network data from broadband wireless network access equipment, a broadcast access port configured to receive digital satellite broadcast data, and a unified access port configured to provide the broadband digital network data and the digital broadcast data via a coaxial cable.

Claims

1. A customer premises equipment comprising:

a network access port configured to receive broadband digital network data from broadband wireless network access equipment;

a broadcast access port configured to receive digital satellite broadcast data; and

a unified access port configured to provide the broadband digital network data and the digital broadcast data via a coaxial cable.

2. The customer premises equipment of claim 1, further comprising the broadband wireless network access equipment connected to the network access port.

3. The customer premises equipment of claim 2, wherein the broadband wireless network access equipment includes fixed wireless access equipment.

4. The customer premises equipment of claim 1, further comprising a low noise block converter (LNB) receiver connected to the broadcast access port.

5. The customer premises equipment of claim 4, wherein the LNB receiver is configured to connect to a satellite dish.

6. The customer premises equipment of claim 1, wherein the broadband digital network data includes voice-over-IP (VoIP) data.

7. The customer premises equipment of claim 1, wherein the broadband digital network data includes an Internet protocol (IP)-based data.

8. A customer premises system comprising:

digital broadcast access equipment located at a customer premises and configured to receive digital broadcast data;

data network access equipment located at the customer premises and configured to receive digital network data; and

a combination unit located at the customer premises and including;

a network access port configured to receive the digital network data from the network access equipment;

a broadcast access port configured to receive the digital broadcast data from the digital broadcast equipment; and

a unified access port configured to provide the digital network data and the digital broadcast data over a unified link to customer premises equipment.

9. The customer premises system of claim 8, wherein the network access equipment includes fixed wireless access equipment.

10. The customer premises system of claim 8, wherein the digital broadcast access equipment includes satellite receiver equipment.

11. The customer premises system of claim 8, further comprising a digital modem connected to the unified access port.

12. The customer premises system of claim 11, wherein the digital modem includes a data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS) modem.

13. The customer premises system of claim 11, further comprising a voice over IP (VoIP) telephone coupled to the digital modem.

14. The customer premises system of claim 11, further comprising a computer coupled to the digital modem, wherein the digital modem is configured to provide Internet access to the computer.

15. The customer premises system of claim 11, further comprising wireless network equipment coupled to the digital modem.

16. The customer premises system of claim 11, further comprising a converter coupled to the digital modem, the converter configured to access a plain old telephone service (POTS) telephone and to convert signals between the POTS telephone and the digital network modem.

17. The customer premises system of claim 8, further comprising a set top box coupled to the unified access port.

18. The customer premises system of claim 17, wherein the set top box is configured to be connected to television equipment.

19. The customer premises system of claim 8, wherein the combination unit is located at a customer premises.

20. A method of providing network-based service and digital broadcast service, the method comprising:

receiving digital network data at a customer premises combiner unit via a network access port of the customer premises combiner unit;

receiving digital broadcast data at the customer premises combiner unit via a broadcast access port of the customer premises combiner unit; and

providing the digital network data and the digital broadcast data via a unified access port of the customer premises combiner unit.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving second digital network data via the unified access port of the customer premises combiner unit; and

providing the second digital network data via the network access port of the customer premises combiner unit.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the digital network data includes Internet protocol (IP)-based network data.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the network access port has an interface to an Ethernet cable.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the broadcast access port has an interface to a coaxial cable.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the unified access port has an interface to a coaxial cable.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the digital network data includes voice-over-IP (VoIP) data.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein receiving digital broadcast data includes receiving digital broadcast data from satellite equipment.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein receiving digital network data includes receiving digital network data from fixed wireless access equipment.

29. A method of providing network-based service and digital broadcast service, the method comprising:

providing a combination unit to be located at a customer premises;

providing digital broadcast service via a data line coupled to the combination unit; and

providing network access service via the data line coupled to the combination unit.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein providing network access service includes providing broadband internet access service.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein providing network access service includes providing Internet protocol (IP)-based telephone service.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein providing digital broadcast service includes providing satellite television service.

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising providing network access equipment to be located at the customer premises and configured to be coupled to the combination unit.

34. The method of claim 29, further comprising providing broadcast access equipment configured to be coupled to the combination unit.

35. A method of providing data network access and digital broadcast services, the method comprising:

coupling satellite dish equipment to a broadcast access port of a combination unit located at a customer premises;

coupling data network access equipment to a network access port of the combination unit located at a customer premises; and

coupling a receiving device to a combined access port of the combination unit located at a customer premises.