Level 1 gateway for video dial tone networks
First Claim
1. A communication network comprising:
- a plurality of user terminals receiving and processing broadband information and transmitting control signals in response to user inputs;
a plurality of information provider systems;
a backbone subnetwork providing point-to-point two-way communication sessions for interactive multimedia communications with a selected one of the information provider systems;
a backbone subnetwork controller controlling establishment of point-to-point communication sessions through the backbone subnetwork;
an access subnetwork providing dynamically allocated two-way communications between one of the user terminals and the backbone subnetwork, and receiving broadcast information signals and distributing the broadcast information signals to authorized ones of the user terminals;
an access subnetwork controller controlling the access subnetwork to provide two-way communications between the one user terminal and the backbone subnetwork and to control terminal authorizations for reception of the broadcast information signals; and
a gateway interacting with the backbone subnetwork controller, the access subnetwork controller and the user terminals to control at least the two-way communications through the communication network, wherein;
the backbone subnetwork comprises at least one asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch; and
the gateway communicates with the backbone subnetwork controller and the access subnetwork controller via the at least one asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In advanced digital networks for providing selective point-to-point communications between subscriber'"'"'s terminals and broadband server'"'"'s equipment operated by a plurality of independent information service providers, routing through the network is controlled by functionality identified as a Level 1 Gateway. In an enhanced video dial tone network additionally providing an array of broadcast services from multiple providers, the Level 1 Gateway also provides high level control over at least some of the broadcast services. The Level 1 Gateway will perform a variety of functions including communications port management of transmissions of information between subscribers and servers, processing of billing information and session management. The Level 1 Gateway generates menus of providers and broadcast services, either as a function of providers and services available through a particular portion of the network or in a customized fashion specified by individual subscribers. The Level 1 Gateway may also provide a PIN number functionality. The Level 1 Gateway is itself an interactive device in that subscribers can input information and receive display information from the Gateway to define or modify their own video dial tone service through the network.
176 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A communication network comprising:
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a plurality of user terminals receiving and processing broadband information and transmitting control signals in response to user inputs; a plurality of information provider systems; a backbone subnetwork providing point-to-point two-way communication sessions for interactive multimedia communications with a selected one of the information provider systems; a backbone subnetwork controller controlling establishment of point-to-point communication sessions through the backbone subnetwork; an access subnetwork providing dynamically allocated two-way communications between one of the user terminals and the backbone subnetwork, and receiving broadcast information signals and distributing the broadcast information signals to authorized ones of the user terminals; an access subnetwork controller controlling the access subnetwork to provide two-way communications between the one user terminal and the backbone subnetwork and to control terminal authorizations for reception of the broadcast information signals; and a gateway interacting with the backbone subnetwork controller, the access subnetwork controller and the user terminals to control at least the two-way communications through the communication network, wherein; the backbone subnetwork comprises at least one asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch; and the gateway communicates with the backbone subnetwork controller and the access subnetwork controller via the at least one asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch.
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2. A communication network comprising:
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a plurality of user terminals receiving and processing broadband information and transmitting control signals in response to user inputs; a plurality of information provider systems; a backbone subnetwork providing point-to-point two-way communication sessions for interactive multimedia communications with a selected one of the information provider systems; a backbone subnetwork controller controlling establishment of point-to-point communication sessions through the backbone subnetwork; an access subnetwork providing dynamically allocated two-way communications between one of the user terminals and the backbone subnetwork, and receiving broadcast information signals and distributing the broadcast information signals to authorized ones of the user terminals; an access subnetwork controller controlling the access subnetwork to provide two-way communications between the one user terminal and the backbone subnetwork and to control terminal authorizations for reception of the broadcast information signals; and a gateway interacting with the backbone subnetwork controller, the access subnetwork controller and the user terminals to control at least the two-way communications through the communication network, wherein; the backbone subnetwork comprises at least one asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch; and each user terminal communicates with the gateway via an allocated upstream and downstream channels through the access subnetwork and via the at least one asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch.
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3. A method comprising:
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receiving a request for communication with one of a plurality of information provider systems from one of a plurality of user terminals; transmitting a request to an access subnetwork controller to allocate communication resources through a broadcast network to a dedicated communication with the one user terminal; receiving a reply message from the access subnetwork controller indicating the allocation of the communication resources and providing an identifier needed to utilize the allocated resources; transmitting a request to a backbone subnetwork controller, including the identifier, to establish a point-to-point communication session through a backbone subnetwork between the one information provider system and at least one port of the broadcast network providing access through the allocated resources; and establishing communications between the one information provider system and the one user terminal through the point-to-point connection and via the allocated resources of the broadcast network. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. In a network comprising:
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a plurality of user terminals receiving and processing broadband information; a plurality of information provider systems; a backbone subnetwork providing point-to-point communication sessions; a backbone subnetwork controller controlling establishment of point-to-point communication sessions through the backbone subnetwork; an access subnetwork receiving broadcast information signals and distributing the broadcast information signals to authorized ones of the user terminals; an access subnetwork controller controlling the access subnetwork; and a gateway interacting with the backbone subnetwork controller and the access subnetwork controller to control network services, a method of providing a pay-per-view service, comprising; receiving an order for purchase of a pay-per-view event at the gateway, said order identifying one of a plurality of user terminals; transmitting a request to the access subnetwork controller to activate reception of the pay-per-view event by the identified user terminal;
in response to the request to activate, transmitting control information from the access subnetwork controller to an element of the access subnetwork associated with the identified user terminal to enable the identified user terminal to receive the pay-per-view event; and
storing a record of the pay-per-view event and an identification of the user terminal in the gateway. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A communication network comprising:
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a plurality terminals receiving and processing broadband information; a plurality of information provider systems; a backbone subnetwork providing point-to-point two-way communication sessions for interactive multimedia communications with a selected one of the information provider system; an access subnetwork receiving broadcast information signals and distributing the broadcast information signals to authorized ones of the terminals; an access subnetwork controller controlling terminal authorizations for reception of the broadcast information signals; and a gateway interacting with the access subnetwork controller through the backbone subnetwork to activate reception of identified ones of the broadcast information signals at identified ones of the terminals. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. In a network comprising
a plurality user terminals receiving and processing broadband information; -
a plurality of information provider systems; a backbone subnetwork providing point-to-point communication sessions; a backbone subnetwork controller controlling establishment of point-to-point communication sessions through the backbone subnetwork; an access subnetwork receiving distributing broadcast information signals and distributing the broadcast information signals to authorized ones of the user terminals; an access subnetwork controller controlling the access subnetwork; and a gateway interacting with the backbone subnetwork controller and the access subnetwork controller, a method, comprising; receiving a request for communication at the gateway from one of a plurality of user terminals through a default upstream channel through the access subnetwork and the backbone subnetwork; transmitting a request to an access subnetwork controller to establish a downstream channel through the access subnetwork for dedicated communication to the one user terminal; receiving a reply message from the access subnetwork controller indicating an allocation of the downstream channel and providing an identifier needed to utilize the downstream channel; transmitting a request to a backbone subnetwork controller, including the identifier, to establish a point-to-point communication session between the a port of the gateway and at least one port of the access subnetwork providing access through the downstream channel; and transmitting information from the gateway to the one user terminal through the point-to-point connection through the backbone subnetwork and downstream channel through the access subnetwork. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification