System and Method for Providing Wireless Security Surveillance Services Accessible via a Telecommunications Device

• US 20130002867A1
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tucker, Curtis
• Granted Patent: US 9,451,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19656 Network used to communicate with a camera, e.g. WAN, LAN, Internet
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/085 using central distribution transmission lines
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A system and method for providing video surveillance may include providing digital television services to a customer via middleware. The middleware may include digital rights management services. Digital surveillance services may be provided to the customer via the middleware. In providing digital surveillance services to the customer, the customer may be enabled to access surveillance equipment via the middleware from a remote location using a telecommunications device, where the telecommunications device is authorized to access the surveillance equipment by the digital rights management services.

Claims

1. A method for providing video surveillance, said method comprising:

providing digital television services to a customer via middleware, the middleware including digital rights management services;

providing digital surveillance services to the customer via the middleware; and

in providing digital surveillance services to the customer, enabling the customer to access surveillance equipment via the middleware from a remote location using a telecommunications device, the telecommunications device being authorized to access the surveillance equipment by the digital rights management services.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising enabling the customer to control the surveillance equipment via the telecommunications device.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising billing the customer for the digital television services and digital surveillance services on a single bill.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising establishing the telecommunications device of the customer as an authorized device to access the surveillance equipment of the customer.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising establishing a communications link between digital television equipment and the surveillance equipment of the customer, the surveillance equipment communicating surveillance signals via the digital television equipment to the telecommunications device of the customer.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

providing high-speed data communications services to the customer; and

providing telecommunications services to the customer, wherein each of the services are provided via the middleware.

7. A system for providing surveillance services, said system comprising:

middleware in communications with a communications network, said middleware configured to provide communications services to customers of a communications service provider;

a digital rights management server in communications with said middleware, said digital rights management server configured to authorize access to digital content;

a set-top box configured to communicate with said middleware to provide digital television services to a customer of a communications service provider;

digital surveillance equipment configured to communicate with said set-top box to provide surveillance signals to the customer;

a digital rights management database in communication with said digital rights management server, said digital rights management server configured to;

receive an identifier of a telecommunications device of the customer, the telecommunications device being remotely located from premises of the customer at which said digital surveillance equipment is located; and

determine whether the telecommunications device has access rights to the surveillance signals; and

said middleware further configured to communicate with said set-top box and said digital rights management server and, if the telecommunications device has access rights to the surveillance signals as determined by said digital rights management server, enable the telecommunications device to communicate with said set-top box.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said middleware is further configured to enable the telecommunications device to control operation of said digital surveillance equipment.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the identifier of the telecommunications device is a MAC ID.

10. The system according to claim 7, further comprising an application configured to be executed by said telecommunications device to communicate control instructions to said middleware to control said surveillance equipment.

11. The system according to claim 7, wherein said surveillance equipment includes a video camera.

12. The system according to claim 7, wherein said digital rights management server is configured to determine whether said set-top box has access rights to particular television channels.

13. A method for providing video surveillance services, said method comprising:

receiving a network address of digital television equipment of a customer of a communications service provider;

validating the network address of the digital television equipment;

communicating a private network address to the digital television equipment;

communicating the network address and private network address to a provisioning system of a communications service provider to be associated with a customer record of the communications service provider, the communications service provider providing at least one communications service to the customer other than video surveillance services;

communicating a first digital rights management key to the television equipment;

communicating a second digital rights management key with the telecommunications device;

authenticating the telecommunications device in response to a request to access a video surveillance signal generated by video surveillance equipment in communication with the digital television equipment;

in response to the telecommunications equipment being authenticated, instructing the digital television equipment to encode the video surveillance signal generated by the video surveillance equipment; and

establishing a communications link between the telecommunications equipment and television equipment to enable the customer to view the encoded video surveillance signal.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein receiving the network address includes receiving a MAC address.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein receiving the network of the digital television equipment includes receiving the network address from a set-top box.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein instructing the digital television equipment to encode the video surveillance signal includes instructing the digital television equipment to encode the video surveillance signal to a format compatible with the telecommunications device.

17. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a personal identification number (PIN) from the telecommunications device;

authenticating the PIN;

enabling the telecommunications device to access the encoded video surveillance signal.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein authenticating the telecommunications device includes exchanging the first and second digital management rights management keys between the telecommunications device and the digital television equipment.

19. The method according to claim 13, further comprising enabling the customer to control the video surveillance equipment.

20. The method according to claim 13, further comprising establishing secure communications between the telecommunications device and the television equipment.