Apparatus and Method for Prioritizing Communications Between Devices

• US 20100329263A1
• Filed: 09/02/2010
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Starr, Robert J., Tischer, Steven, Zellner, Samuel N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,526,466 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

An apparatus and method for prioritizing communications between devices are provided. According to one aspect, an interface device for providing communications between at least one source device and at least one destination device comprises an input, logic, and an output. The input of the interface device receives data in a first format from the source device. The logic identifies the destination device for receiving the data. The logic then identifies a second format compatible with the destination device and translates the data from the first format to the second format. Transmission of the translated data is then prioritized by the logic based on characteristics of the translated data, which may include the format of the translated data or a service plan associated with the destination device or source device. The translated data is then transmitted to the identified destination device via the output.

Claims

1. An interface device for providing communications between at least one source device and at least one destination device, comprising:

an input for receiving data in at least a first format from the at least one source device;

a logic configured for

identifying the at least one destination device for receiving the data,

identifying a second format compatible with the at least one destination device,

translating the data to the second format, and

assigning a priority to the data indicating an order of transmitting the data to the at least one destination device during a time of data congestion, wherein the priority is based on characteristics of the data comprising at least one of the at least one source device, a first service plan associated with the at least one source device, or a second service plan associated with the at least one destination device; and

an output for transmitting the data to the at least one destination device based on the priority.

2. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the characteristics of the data comprise the format of the data.

3. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the characteristics of the data are stored on headers associated with the data.

4. The interface device of claim 3, wherein the characteristics of the data are stored on Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tags in the headers.

5. The interface device of claim 1, further comprising a logic configured for performing at least one of enhancing the data, applying equalizer settings to the data, or improving a signal carrying the data based on known characteristics of the at least one source device.

6. The interface device of claim 1, further comprising a logic configured for performing at least one of degrading the signal carrying the data or adding a digital watermark to the data.

7. The interface device of claim 1, wherein translation of the data is prioritized based on characteristics of the data.

8. An interface device for providing communications between at least one source device and a destination device, comprising:

an input for receiving data in at least a first format from the at least one source device;

a logic configured for

identifying the destination device for receiving the data,

identifying at least a second format and a third format compatible with the destination device,

translating the data from the first format to the second format and from the first format to the third format, and

assigning a priority to the data indicating an order of transmitting the data to the destination device during a time of data congestion, wherein the priority is based on characteristics of the data comprising at least one of the at least one source device, a first service plan associated with the at least one source device, or a second service plan associated with the at least one destination device; and

at least one output for transmitting the data translated in the second format and the data translated in the third format to the destination device based on the priority.

9. The interface device of claim 8, wherein the characteristics of the data include the format of the data.

10. The interface device of claim 8, wherein the characteristics of the data are stored on headers associated with the data.

11. The interface device of claim 10, wherein the characteristics of the data are stored on Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tags in the headers.

12. The interface device of claim 8, wherein translation of the data is prioritized based on characteristics of the data.

13. A method for providing communications between at least one source device and at least one destination device, comprising:

receiving data in at least a first format from the at least one source device;

identifying a destination device from the at least one destination device for receiving the data;

identifying a second format compatible with the destination device;

translating the data to the second format; and

assigning a priority to the data indicating an order of transmitting the data to the destination device during a time of data congestion, wherein the priority is based on characteristics of the data comprising at least one of the at least one source device, a first service plan associated with the at least one source device, or a second service plan associated with the at least one destination device.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising transmitting the data in the second format to the destination device based on the priority.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the characteristics of the data comprise the format of the data.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the characteristics of the data are stored on Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tags in headers associated with the data.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising prioritizing translation of the data based on characteristics of the data.