System and method for customer premises broadband interface with on-hook alerting

• US 5,635,980 A
• Filed: 04/04/1995
• Issued: 06/03/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bell Communications Research, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Lin, Steve M.-C., Schwartz, Barry K., Link, Frederick C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): PALAN, STEPHEN C
• Application Number:
  US08/416,418
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 348/13, 348/6, 348/7, 348/17, 348/14, 348/16, 348/8, 348/10, 348/12, 379/90, 379/94, 379/96, 379/97, 379/98, 379/399
• US Class Current: 725/131
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 14/405 from algae
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 16/14 against material from fungi, algea or lichens
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/533 with fluorescent label
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 2203/0048 Network termination, e.g. NT1, NT2, PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5615 Network termination, e.g. NT1, NT2, PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

A broadband customer premises equipment ("CPE") interface device interfaces with conventional telephones, screen phones, and broadband data and video devices. The interface device includes circuitry to connect with a telephone network via a first telephone connection and circuitry to connect with a broadband network via a second, broadband connection. The interface device can provide control of video information being pumped to the CPE via the broadband network by sending control signals to a video server via the telephone network. In addition, the interface device includes ADSI off-hook alerting ("AOHA") circuitry and adds ADSI script management server ("ASMS") circuitry to provide noninvasive programming of screen phone-type CPE devices. ASMS programming information for a CPE device is transferred to the interface device via the broadband network and stored in the interface device. The AOHA and ASMS circuitry requests the CPE device to go off-hook when idle, without ringing the CPE device like a conventional telephone call. When the CPE is idle, the AOHA and ASMS circuitry routes the programming information from storage into the CPE.

Claims

1. An interface device for connection to a customer premises equipment ("CPE") having a screen-phone device, and separate from a telephone network and separate from a broadband network, the interface device comprising:

first channel means for communicating telephony information between the CPE and the telephone network;

second channel means, separate from the first channel means, for communicating broadband information between the CPE and the broadband network;

means for routing the telephony information to the CPE via the interface device; and

routing control means for routing programming information to the CPE in response to predetermined signals from the broadband network;

wherein the routing control means includes an analog display services interface ("ADSI") standard on-hook alerting ("AOHA") circuitry to alert the CPE to go off-hook without ringing the CPE; and

wherein the broadband information includes programming information for the CPE.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising storage means in the interface device to store the programming information until the CPE is ready to receive the programming information.

3. An interface device for video or data display devices for controlling broadband information delivery, comprising:

input/output ports for connecting the interface device to one or more video or data display devices;

first channel means for communicating with a telephone network;

second channel means for communicating with a broadband network;

means for generating control signals and sending the control signals to a broadband information provider via the telephone network;

means for receiving and processing the broadband information received via the broadband network; and

routing means including an ADSI standard on-hook alerting circuitry for alerting the video or data display devices to go off-hook without ringing the video or data display devices.

4. A system for delivering broadband information to a remote device, comprising:

a telephone network;

a broadband network;

a broadband information provider connected to the telephone network and the broadband network; and

an interface device connected to the remote device, the telephone network and the broadband network via separate connections, the interface device including

means to transmit control signals from the remote device to the broadband information provider via the telephone network, and

means to deliver broadband information from the broadband information provider to the remote device via the broadband network, including

analog display services interface ("ADSI") standard on-hook alerting ("AOHA") circuitry to alert the remote device to go off-hook without ringing the remote device.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said remote device includes a display device.

6. A method of providing information to a customer premises equipment ("CPE"), comprising the steps of:

sending programming information to the CPE via a broadband network;

storing the programming information at an interface device, connected to the CPE which is separate from the broadband network,

determining whether the CPE is idle;

requesting the CPE to go off-hook at times when the CPE is idle; and

routing the programming information to the CPE after the CPE goes off-hook.

7. A method of controlling the delivery of broadband information to a remote device, comprising the steps of:

receiving from a broadband information provider, at an interface device associated with the remote device, a first set of control signals for controlling broadband information being delivered to the remote device;

routing a second set of control signals from the interface device to the broadband information provider via a telephone communication link through a telephone network; and

delivering broadband information to the interface device via a broadband communication link through a broadband network in response to the second set of control signals, including the substeps of

sending programming information from a broadband information provider to the remote device via the broadband network,

storing the programming information at an interface device, connected to the remote device which is separate from the broadband network, and

routing the programming information to the remote device by alerting the remote device to go off-hook without ringing the remote device.