System and Method for Mapping Internet Protocol Television Interference

• US 20110103231A1
• Filed: 11/02/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2009
• 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: MacKenzie, Scott T., Forbes, Eric S., Greer, William H., Griesmer, Stephen J., Beattie, James G. JR., Mallya, Arvind R., Olson, Gregory D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,144,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/241
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/12 Arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/004 for digital television systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2402 Monitoring of the downstream path of the transmission network, e.g. bandwidth available traffic monitoring in data switching networks H04L43/00; monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25841 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method in a server for monitoring an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) service for a customer premises is disclosed. A first geographical location of a customer premises is retrieved, and a second geographical location of an amplitude modulation broadcasting facility within a threshold distance from the customer premises is retrieved. A first signal transmission power rating for the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility during daytime hours is retrieved, as is second signal transmission power rating for the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility during nighttime hours. A time of day that the IPTV service failure occurs is determined based on the first signal transmission power rating for the daytime hours and the second signal transmission power rating for the nighttime hours.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a processor configured to;

retrieve a plurality of first geographical locations associated with a respective one of a first plurality of customer premises in an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) system;

retrieve a second geographical location of an amplitude modulation broadcasting facility;

determine a first plurality of distances between the second geographical location and a respective one of the first geographical locations;

retrieve a first signal transmission power rating for the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility during daytime hours;

compare each of the first plurality of distances to a first threshold distance based on the signal transmission power rating for the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility during the daytime hours; and

identify a second plurality of customer premises that have interference with reception of an IPTV signal when a respective one of the first distances for each of the second plurality of customer premises is less than the first threshold distance.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to:

plot each of the plurality of first geographical locations of the customer premises and the second geographical location of the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility on a graphical user interface.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a first mitigation strategy to limit a first interference of the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility on the IPTV signal provided to the second plurality of customer premises when the first plurality of distances is less than the first threshold distance.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to:

submit a first trouble ticket for each of the second plurality of customer premises.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein the first mitigation strategy is to apply filters for a frequency associated with a signal of the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility, wherein the filters are installed at the customer premises.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to:

retrieve a second signal transmission power rating for the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility during nighttime hours;

compare each of the first plurality of distances to a second threshold distance based on the signal transmission power rating for the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility during the nighttime hours; and

identify a third plurality of customer premises that have interference with the reception of the IPTV signal when the respective one of the first distances for each of the third plurality of customer premises is less than the second threshold distance.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to:

retrieve a plurality of third geographical locations associated with a respective one of a first plurality of video ready access devices;

determine a second plurality of distances between the second geographical location and a respective one of the third geographical locations;

compare the second plurality of distances to a second threshold distance based on the first signal transmission power rating for the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility during daytime hours; and

identify a second plurality of video ready access devices that have interference with transmission of the IPTV signal when a respective one of the second distances for each of the second plurality of video ready access devices is less than the second threshold distance.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the first interference of the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility causes a loss of the IPTV signal.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the first interference of the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility causes pixelization of an output of the IPTV signal.

10. A method in a server for monitoring an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) service for a customer premises, the method comprising:

identifying the customer premises having an IPTV service failure;

retrieving a first geographical location of the customer premises;

retrieving a second geographical location of an amplitude modulation broadcasting facility within a threshold distance from the customer premises;

retrieving a first signal transmission power rating for the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility during daytime hours;

retrieving a second signal transmission power rating for the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility during nighttime hours; and

determining a time of day that the IPTV service failure occurs based on the first signal transmission power rating for the daytime hours and the second signal transmission power rating for the nighttime hours.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

plotting the first geographical location of the customer premises and the second geographical location of the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

submitting a trouble ticket for the customer premises.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining a first mitigation strategy to limit an interference of the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility on an IPTV signal provided to the customer premises based on the first signal transmission power rating for the daytime hours and the second signal transmission power rating for the nighttime hours.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first mitigation strategy is to apply filters for a frequency associated with a signal of the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility, wherein the filters are installed at the customer premises.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

correlating a change in power levels for the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility from daytime to nighttime with the IPTV system failure for the customer premises.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the IPTV service failure causes pixelization of an output of an IPTV signal.

17. A method in a server for monitoring an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) service for a plurality of customer premises, the method comprising:

receiving an alarm signal indicating that the plurality of customer premises have IPTV service characteristics below a threshold level;

identifying an amplitude modulation broadcasting facility within a threshold distance from the plurality of customer premises;

retrieving a first signal transmission power rating for the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility during daytime hours;

identifying a frequency band associated with the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility; and

determining a first mitigation strategy to limit interference caused by the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility during daytime hours on an IPTV signal provided to the plurality of customer premises based on the first signal transmission power rating and the frequency band associated with the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

retrieving a plurality of first geographical locations each associated with a respective one of the plurality of customer premises;

retrieving a second geographical location of the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility; and

plotting the plurality of first geographical locations each associated the respective one of the plurality of customer premises and the second geographical location of the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the interference with the IPTV signal causes a loss of the IPTV signal.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

retrieving a second signal transmission power rating for the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility during nighttime hours; and

determining a second mitigation strategy to limit the interference caused by the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility during nighttime hours on the IPTV signal provided to the plurality of customer premises based on the second signal transmission power rating and the frequency band associated with the amplitude modulation broadcasting facility.