Network Interface Devices

• US 20100023994A1
• Filed: 07/25/2008
• Published: 01/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: McDonald, Steven L., Jones, Alfonso, Taylor, Darrell
• Granted Patent: US 8,887,220 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/148
• 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 21/44231 Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

Network interface devices and methods are provided. A particular network interface device includes a first network interface adapted to terminate one or more communication lines and a second network interface to terminate at least one coaxial line. The network interface device also includes at least one interface connector adapted to receive a removable plug-in module. The removable plug-in module includes a video unit that is operable to receive video data from a network device via at least one of the one or more communication lines and to process the video data for communication via the at least one coaxial line or a twisted wire pair when the plug-in module is connected to the at least one interface connector. The removable plug-in module also includes a power coupling device to receive power via at least one of the one or more communication lines.

Claims

1. A network interface device, comprising:

a first network interface adapted to terminate one or more communication lines;

a second network interface to terminate at least one coaxial line; and

at least one interface connector coupled to the power coupling device and adapted to receive a removable plug-in module, wherein the removable plug-in module includes a video unit operable, when the plug-in module is connected to the at least one interface connector, to receive video data from a network device via at least one of the one or more communication lines and to process the video data for communication via the at least one coaxial line or a twisted wire pair, and wherein the removable plug-in module includes a power coupling device to receive power via at least one of the one or more communication lines.

2. The network interface device of claim 1, wherein the video unit includes an output driver to communicate the processed video data via the at one coaxial line or the twisted wire pair to a set top box device for display at a display device.

3. The network interface device of claim 2, wherein the output driver includes a signal amplifier.

4. The network interface device of claim 1, further comprising a test unit coupled to the power coupling device and adapted to perform loopback testing in response to a signal received via the one or more communication lines.

5. The network interface device of claim 1, wherein the one or more communication lines include at least one twisted wire pair.

6. The network interface device of claim 1, wherein the one or more communication lines include a T1 or an E1 line.

7. The network interface device of claim 1, further comprising a connection manager operable to manage a connection to a communication network coupled to the first network interface via the one or more communication lines.

8. The network interface device of claim 7, wherein the connection manager is operable, in cooperation with the network device, to condition the one or more communication lines for data communication.

9. The network interface device of claim 7, wherein the connection manager is operable to test one or more components of the network interface device and to communicate test results to a maintenance unit of the communication network.

10. The network interface device of claim 7, wherein the connection manager is operable to store performance data associated with one or more components of the network interface device, to analyze the performance data and to communicate results of the performance data analysis to a maintenance unit of the communication network.

11. The network interface device of claim 10, wherein analyzing the performance data comprises comparing the performance data to one or more operational criteria to identify one or more operational concerns before the one or more operational concerns are perceptible by a user.

12. The network interface device of claim 7, wherein the removable plug-in module includes the connection manager.

13. The network interface device of claim 1, wherein the video data comprises Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) data.

14. The network interface device of claim 1, further comprising a controller coupled to the power coupling device and operable to detect connection of the removable plug-in module to the at least one modular interface connector, wherein the controller includes logic to automatically initialize video data processing at the video unit.

15. The network interface device of claim 1, wherein the network device comprises a video line unit (VLU) operable to modulate the video data using a very high speed digital subscriber line (VDSL) protocol and to communicate the modulated video data via the one or more communication lines, and wherein the video unit is adapted to demodulate the modulated video data to generate a home phone line networking alliance (HPNA) protocol signal for communication via the at least one coaxial line or the twisted wire pair.

16. The network interface device of claim 1, further comprising a data router operable to receive communication data via the one or more communication lines and to route the communication data to one or more devices coupled to the second network interface.

17. The network interface device of claim 16, wherein the removable plug-in module includes the data router.

18. The network interface device of claim 1, further comprising a lightning protection unit coupled to the first network interface.

19. A method, comprising:

coupling a coaxial line interface of a network interface device (NID) to a coaxial wiring system at a customer premise;

connecting a line interface of the NID to at least one set of communication lines to couple the NID to a remote communication network; and

connecting a plug-in module to an interface connector of the NID, wherein the plug-in module receives power via the at least one set of communication lines and is operable to process video data received from the remote communication network for communication via the coaxial wiring system.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the coaxial wiring system includes at least one splitter.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the coaxial wiring system includes at least one amplifier.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising storing a provisioning record at a database, wherein the provisioning record links the plug-in module with a subscriber account associated with the customer premise.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising automatically enabling access to voice, video and data services provided by the remote communication network in response to connection of the plug-in module associated with the subscriber account to the interface connector.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising automatically disabling access to voice, video or data services provided by the remote communication network in response to removal of the plug-in module from the interface connector.

25. A device, comprising:

a housing;

a network interface device (NID) within the housing, the NID including at least one lightning protection device coupled to a remote network interface, wherein the remote network interface includes connectors to a remote communication network via at least one first set of twisted pair wires;

a local network interface within the housing, the local network interface including at least one coaxial connector;

a gateway within the housing, the gateway including a router to route data received from the remote communication network to one or more devices coupled to the local network interface;

a line conditioning unit within the housing, the line conditioning unit to condition the at least one first set of twisted pair wires for data communication;

a video unit within the housing, the video unit to receive video data from the remote communication network and to process the video data for communication via the at least one coaxial connector;

a diagnostic unit within the housing, the diagnostic unit to monitor performance of the video unit, the gateway, the line conditioning unit, and the at least one first set of twisted pair wires; and

a power coupling device coupled to the remote network interface to receive power via the one or more first sets of twisted pair wires and to provide operating power to the gateway, the line conditioning unit, the video unit and the diagnostic unit.