Pay-per-view CATV system

• US 4,852,154 A
• Filed: 02/04/1986
• Issued: 07/25/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pacific Bell (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pacific Bell (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lewis, David R., Perkins, Albert J., Haggmark, James E., Raya, Gasper L., Vargo, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/826,082
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 179/2 DP, 179/2 A, 179/2 R, 179/18 FH, 179/5.5, 358/85, 358/84, 358/86, 455/2, 455/4, 455/5, 379/43, 379/44, 379/102, 379/104, 379/105, 379/127, 379/142, 379/246, 379/89, 379/92
• US Class Current: 379/93.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A pay-per-view CATV system which is interfaced with the switched public telephone system is described. A subscriber selects a specific scheduled television event by dialing a telephone number which uniquely identifies the selected event. The called and originating numbers are identified, digitized and combined to form a digital word. The digital word is then transmitted to the CATV supplier.

Claims

1. In a switched public network telephone system having at least one central office switch, a plurality of subscriber loops, and a plurality of telephones, each of said subscriber loops operatively coupling an associated one of said telephones to said central office switch, said central office switch connecting one of said telephones identified by a calling number to another of said telephones identified by said calling number originating a telephone call to said telephone identified by said called number, an apparatus for of scheduled television program events provided by a supplier of such events having premises remote from said apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

means for detecting selected called numbers electrically coupled through any of said subscriber loops, each of said selected called numbers identifying one of said television program events;

means for identifying the calling number of the telephone coupled to each one of said subscriber loops from which one of said selected called numbers was detected;

means for coupling a confirmation message to the said subscriber loop identified by each said calling number in response to said detecting means detecting one of said selected called numbers;

means for developing a digital word representing each said detected called number and each said calling number originating each said detected called number; and

means for transmitting a said digital word to said supplier'"'"'s premises, said digital word representing the called number detected by said detecting means and the calling number identified by said identifying means said transmitting means transmitting said digital word to said supplier subsequent to said coupling means coupling said confirmation message to said subscriber loop.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

a central processor coupled to said transmitting means;

means for transmitting digital data representing each said digital word developed by said developing means to said central processor;

means coupled to said central processor for storing said digital data said transmitting means transmitting said stored digital data to said supplier'"'"'s premises at regular intervals.

3. In a switched public network telephone system having at least one central office switch, a plurality of subscriber loops, and a plurality of telephones, each of said subscriber loops operatively coupling an associated one of said telephones to said central office switch, said central office switch connecting one of said telephones identified by a calling number to another of said telephones identified by a called number in response to said telephone identified by said calling number originating a telephone call to said telephone identified by said called number, a method for subscriber selection of a specific one of a plurality of scheduled television program events provided by a supplier of such events comprising the steps of:

detecting a telephone call to one of a plurality of predetermined called numbers electrically coupled through any of said subscriber loops, each of said predetermined called numbers identifying one of said television program events;

identifying the calling number of the said telephone which originated said detected telephone call;

coupling a confirmation message to the said subscriber loop identified by said calling number in response to detecting one of said predetermined called numbers;

developing a digital word representing said detected called number and the said identified calling number originating said telephone call to said detected called number; and

transmitting said digital word to said supplier subsequent to coupling said confirmation message to the said subscriber loop identified by said calling number, said transmission originating at a location remote from said supplier'"'"'s premises.

4. In a switched public network telephone system having a plurality of central office switches, a plurality of subscriber loops associated with each of said central office switches, and a plurality of telephones, each of said subscriber loops operatively coupling an associated one of said telephones to one of said central office switches, said central office switches connecting one of said telephones identified by a calling number to another of said telephones identified by said calling number in response to said telephone identified by said calling number originating a telephone call to said telephone identified by said called number, an apparatus for subscriber selection of a specific one of a plurality of scheduled television program events provided by a supplier of such events, said apparatus being remotely located with respect to said supplier'"'"'s premises, said apparatus comprising:

means for detecting at each of said central office switches selected called numbers electrically coupled through any of said subscriber loops coupled thereto, each of said selected called numbers identifying one of said television program events;

means for identifying the calling number of the telephone coupled to each one of said subscriber loops from which one of said selected called numbers was detected;

means for coupling a confirmation message to the said subscriber loop identified by each said calling number in response to said detecting means detecting one of said selected called numbers;

means for developing a digital word representing each said detected called member and each said calling number originating each said called number; and

means for transmitting a said digital word to said supplier said digital word representing the called number detected by said detecting means and the calling number identified by said identifying means, said transmitting means transmitting said digital word to said supplier subsequent to said coupling means coupling said confirmation message to said subscriber loop.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 further comprising means for storing each said digital word developed by said developing means, said transmitting means further comprising means for transmitting said stored digital words to said supplier at regular intervals.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said transmitting means includes a dedicated data link between said transmitting means and said supplier.

7. In a switched public network telephone system having at least one central office switch, and a plurality of telephones, each of said telephones being identified by a telephone number, said telephone system including means for operatively coupling a calling telephone to an answering telephone in response to the telephone number identifying said answering telephone being communicated to a central office switch by said calling telephone or an apparatus connected thereto, an apparatus for subscriber selection of one of a plurality of services or products offered by one or mote vendors of said services or products, said apparatus being remotely located with respect to each said vendor'"'"'s premises, said apparatus comprising:

means for detecting each said selected telephone number communicated by a calling telephone to a central office switch, each said selected telephone number identifying a predetermined vendor and a specified product or service offered by said vendor, said detecting means including signal generating means for generating a signal indicating the selected telephone number so detected;

means for identifying the telephone number identifying the calling telephone which communicated a said selected telephone number;

means for coupling a confirmation message to the said subscriber loop identified by each said calling number in response to said detecting means detecting one of said selected called numbers;

means for developing a digital word representing each said telephone number detected by said detecting means and each said telephone number identified by said identifying means, said developing means being responsive to said signal generating means and said identifying means; and

means for transmitting said digital word to the vendor specified by a said detected telephone number, said digital word representing the called number detected by said detecting means and the calling number identified by said identifying means, said transmitting means transmitting said digital word to said vendor subsequent to said coupling means coupling said confirmation message to said subscriber loop.

8. In a switched public network telephone system having a plurality of central offices, each said central office including a central office switch serving a plurality of telephones, each of said telephones being identified by a telephone number, said telephone system including means for operatively coupling a calling telephone to an answering telephone in response to the telephone number identifying said answering telephone being communicated to a central office switch by said calling telephone or an apparatus connected thereto, an apparatus for subscriber selection of one of a plurality of services or products offered by one or more vendors of said services or products, said apparatus being remotely located with respect to each said vendor'"'"'s premises, said apparatus comprising:

means for coupling said apparatus to at least two of said central offices;

means for detecting each said selected telephone number communicated by a calling telephone to a central office switch, each said selected telephone number identifying a predetermined vendor and a specified product or service offered by said vendor, said detecting means including signal generating means for generating a signal indicating the selected telephone number so detected;

means for identifying the telephone number identifying the calling telephone which communicated a said selected telephone number;

means for coupling a confirmation message to the said subscriber loop identified by each said calling number in response to said detecting means detecting one of said selected called numbers;

means for developing a digital word representing each said telephone number detected by said detecting means and each said telephone number identified by said identifying means, said developing means being responsive to said signal generating means and said identifying means; and

means for transmitting said digital word to the vendor specified by a said detected telephone number, said digital word representing the called number detected by said detecting means and the calling number identified by said identifying means, said transmitting means transmitting said digital word to said vendor subsequent to said coupling means coupling said confirmation message to said subscriber loop.

9. In a switched public network telephone system having a plurality of central offices, each said central office including a central office switch serving a plurality of telephones, each of said telephones being identified by a telephone number, said telephone system including means for operatively coupling a calling telephone to an answering telephone in response to the telephone number identifying said answering telephone being communicated to a central office switch by said calling telephone or an apparatus connected thereto, an apparatus for subscriber selection of one of a plurality of services or products offered by one or more vendors of said services or products, said apparatus being remotely located with respect to each said vendors premises, said apparatus comprising order accepting means for accepting an order from a said subscriber for one of said plurality of services or products, and order forwarding means for forwarding said accepted order to the one of said vendors providing the ordered service or product, said order accepting means comprising:

means for coupling said apparatus to at least two of said central offices;

means for detecting each said selected telephone number communicated by a calling telephone to a central office switch, each said selected telephone number identifying a predetermined vendor and a specified product or service offered by said vendor, said detecting means including signal indicating the selected telephone number so detected; and

means for identifying the telephone number identifying the calling telephone which communicated a said selected telephone number, said order being accepted when said generating means identifies said calling telephone number, and wherein said order forwarding means comprises;

means for coupling a confirmation message to the said subscriber loop identified by each said calling number in response to said order accepting means accepting said order,

means for developing a digital word representing each said telephone number detected by said detecting means and each said telephone number identified by said identifying means, said developing means being responsive to said order accepting means accepting said order; and

means for transmitting said digital word to the vendor specified by a said detected telephone number, said digital word representing the called number by said detecting means and the calling number identified by said identifying means, said transmitting means transmitting said digital word to said vendor subsequent to said order accepting means accepting said order.