Level 1 gateway for video tone networks
First Claim
1. A communication method comprising:
- receiving a request for service from a subscriber'"'"'s terminal at a level 1 gateway control element of a broadband communication network;
in response to the request for service, generating menu information listing a plurality of broadband information service providers available through the broadband communication network;
transmitting said menu information from the level 1 gateway to the terminal;
visually displaying the menu to the subscriber;
receiving a selection of a service provider listed on the menu at the level 1 gateway; and
controlling the broadband communication network to establish a broadband communication though the network between a broadband server operated by the selected service provider and the subscriber'"'"'s terminal and signaling communication between the subscriber'"'"'s terminal and a level 2 gateway controlling operation of the server.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In advanced digital networks for providing selective point-to-point communications between subscribers terminals and broadband server equipment operated by a plurality of independent information service providers, routing through the network is controlled by functionality identified as a Level 1 Gateway. 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, either as a function of providers available through a particular portion of the network or in a customized fashion specified by individual subscribes. The Level 1 Gateway may also provide a PIN number functionality, e.g. to permit parents to limit which providers their children can access. 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.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A communication method comprising:
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receiving a request for service from a subscriber'"'"'s terminal at a level 1 gateway control element of a broadband communication network; in response to the request for service, generating menu information listing a plurality of broadband information service providers available through the broadband communication network; transmitting said menu information from the level 1 gateway to the terminal; visually displaying the menu to the subscriber; receiving a selection of a service provider listed on the menu at the level 1 gateway; and controlling the broadband communication network to establish a broadband communication though the network between a broadband server operated by the selected service provider and the subscriber'"'"'s terminal and signaling communication between the subscriber'"'"'s terminal and a level 2 gateway controlling operation of the server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In a communication network selectively providing broadband communication links between servers operated by a plurality of service providers and a plurality of subscriber terminals, a method comprising:
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receiving a selection of one of the service providers at a gateway control element of the network from one of the subscriber terminals; transmitting an instruction message from the gateway through the subscriber terminal to present a request for input of a control code to the subscriber; receiving a code input by the subscriber at the gateway; and if the code input by the subscriber matches a predefined control code, controlling the broadband communication network to establish a broadband communication link through the network between a server operated by the selected service provider and the subscriber'"'"'s terminal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. In a communication network selectively providing broadband communication links between servers operated by a plurality of service providers and a plurality of subscriber terminals, a method comprising:
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receiving information input by a subscriber at a gateway control element of the network from one of the subscriber terminals; storing the received information; controlling establishment of subsequent broadband communications links through the network to or from the subscriber'"'"'s terminal based on the stored information. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system comprising:
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a communication network selectively providing broadband communications links; a plurality of information service provider systems connected to the network, each provider system being capable of transmitting broadband digital information via a communication link through the network; a plurality of terminals for transmitting control signals upstream through the network in response to user inputs and for providing displays in response to information received through the network; and a gateway for transmitting a menu of available service providers to one of the terminals for display, receiving a control signal from the one terminal representing a user selection of one service provider from the menu, and controlling the network to establish a broadband communication link through the network between one of the information service provider systems associated with the selected service provider and the one terminal.
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26. A system comprising:
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a communication network selectively providing broadband communications links; a plurality of information service provider systems connected to the network, each provider system being capable of transmitting broadband digital information via a communication link through the network; and a plurality of terminals for transmitting control signals upstream through the network in response to user inputs and for providing displays in response to broadband digital information received through the network from provider systems; a gateway, wherein said gateway receives a first control signal from the one terminal representing a user selection of one service provider, said gateway stores a data file for a user associated with said one terminal, said gateway receives a second control signal from the one terminal representative input of a code by the user, and the gateway controls the network to establish a broadband communication link through the network between one of the information service provider systems associated with the selected service provided and the one terminal only if the input code meets certain criteria specified in the data file for the user.
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27. A system comprising:
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a communication network selectively providing broadband communications links; a plurality of information service provider systems connected to the network, each provider system being capable of transmitting broadband digital information via a communication link through the network; a plurality of terminals for transmitting control signals upstream through the network in response to user inputs and for providing displays in response to information received through the network; and a gateway receiving and storing information input by a subscriber at a gateway control element of the network from one of the subscriber terminals for controlling establishment of broadband communications links through the network to or from the subscriber'"'"'s terminal based on the stored information.
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28. In a system comprising:
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communication network selectively providing broadband communications links; a plurality of information service provider systems connected to the network, each provider system being capable of transmitting broadband digital information via a communication link through the network; and a plurality of terminals for transmitting control signals upstream through the network in response to user inputs and for providing displays in response to information received through the network; a gateway for; (1) transmitting a menu of available service providers to one of the terminals for display, (2) receiving a control signal from the one terminal representing a selection of one service provider from the menu, and (3) controlling the network to establish a broadband communication link through the network between one of the information service provider systems associated with the selected service provider and the one terminal.
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29. In a system comprising:
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a communication network selectively providing broadband communications links; a plurality of information service provider systems connected to the network, each provider system being capable of transmitting broadband digital information via a communication link through the network; and a plurality of terminals for transmitting control signals upstream through the network in response to user inputs and for providing displays in response to broadband digital information received through the network from provider systems; a gateway for; (1) storing a data file for a user associated with one terminal, (2) receiving a first control signal from the one terminal representing a selection of one service provider, (3) receiving a second control signal from the one terminal representative of input of a code by the user, and (4) establishing a broadband communication link through the network between one of the information service provider systems associated with the selected service provider and the one terminal only if the input code meets certain criteria specified in the data file for the user.
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30. In a system comprising:
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a communication network selectively providing broadband communications links; a plurality of information service provider systems connected to the network, each provider system being capable of transmitting broadband digital information via a communication link through the network; and a plurality of terminals for transmitting control signals upstream through the network in response to user inputs and for providing displays in response to information received through the network; a gateway for; (1) receiving and storing information input by a subscriber, and (2) controlling establishment of broadband communications links through the network to or from the subscriber'"'"'s terminal based on the stored information.
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31. In a system comprising:
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a communication network selectively providing broadband communications links; a plurality of information service provider systems connected to the network, each provider system being capable of transmitting broadband digital information via a communication link through the network; a plurality of terminals for transmitting control signals upstream through the network; and a plurality of terminals for transmitting control signals upstream through the network in response to user inputs and for providing displays in response to information received through the network; a gateway for; (1) receiving information input by a subscriber from one of the subscriber terminals; (2) storing the received information; (3) controlling establishment of broadband communications links through the network to or from the one subscriber terminal based on the stored information.
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Specification