Subscriber system for interactive interfacing with broadcast information

• US 6,144,998 A
• Filed: 04/07/1998
• Issued: 11/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel USA Sourcing L.P. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Pisterzi, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, NGOC K
• Application Number:
  US09/056,590
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 348/6, 348/8, 348/10, 348/12, 455/3.3, 455/6.2, 455/6.3, 340/310.01-310.08, 709/219
• US Class Current: 725/109
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42676 for modulating an analogue carrier signal to encode digital information or demodulating it to decode digital information, e.g. ADSL or cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4381 Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6137 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

A subscriber system (10) includes a dual network interface module (12). The dual network interface module (12) includes slots for a video unit (20) and a bandwidth unit (22). The video unit (20) receives broadcast information from a service provider (24) for ultimate display and viewing by a subscriber at the subscriber system (10). The bandwidth unit (22) provides an interface to a telecommunications network (30) through a telecommunications element (28). The dual network interface module (12) also includes an AC carrier modem (32) that receives and sends information to a processor device (34) over existing AC power lines within the subscriber system (10). In this manner, interactive interfacing of broadcast information received at the video unit (20) can be performed at the processor device (34) through the bandwidth unit (22) and over the telecommunications network (30) on a real time basis. The use of an existing subscriber link (26) and the AC power lines within the subscriber system (10) allows for a cost effective and efficient technique for providing interactive services to subscribers connected to an existing telephone backbone.

Claims

1. A subscriber system for interactive interfacing with broadcast information, comprising:

a dual network interface module having a video unit, a bandwidth unit, and an AC carrier modem, the video unit operable to receive broadcast information from a broadcast service provider for display to and viewing by a subscriber, the bandwidth unit operable to receive and transmit telecommunications signals over a subscriber link with a telecommunications network, the AC carrier modem operable to receive and transmit information over premises AC power lines;

a processor device operable to communicate with the AC carrier modem over the premises AC power lines, the processor device operable to provide an interactive gateway through the AC carrier modem and the bandwidth unit to the telecommunications network for interactive interfacing with the broadcast information received by the video unit.

2. The subscriber system of claim 1, wherein the bandwidth unit includes an appliance function to provide access to an information service provider from the telecommunications network for the processor device.

3. The subscriber system of claim 2, wherein the information service provider provides access to Internet based information for the processor device.

4. The subscriber system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast information received by the video unit from the broadcast service provider includes digital broadcast satellite television signals, cable television signals, and Internet access signals.

5. The subscriber system of claim 1, wherein the bandwidth unit is operable to support asymmetrical digital subscriber line, high bit rate digital subscriber line, or very high bit rate digital subscriber line, protocols on the subscriber link.

6. The subscriber system of claim 1, wherein the bandwidth unit provides additional bandwidth capability to the dual network interface module in order to handle upstream payload and signaling capabilities.

7. The subscriber system of claim 1, wherein the subscriber link is operable to carry telecommunications services provided by the telecommunications network for access by the bandwidth unit.

8. The subscriber system of claim 7, wherein the telecommunications services include video on demand, local broadcast information, plain old telephone service, Internet access, and data capability.

9. The subscriber system of claim 1, wherein the processor device includes a means to display caller identification information and means to provide a speaker phone capability.