Broadband communications network services access platform

• US 6,173,326 B1
• Filed: 03/16/1998
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: KEEN Select Limited
• Original Assignee: Francis R. Collins
• Inventors: Collins, Francis R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Geckil, Mehmet B.
• Application Number:
  US09/039,462
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.5, 395/200.59, 395/200.31, 348/7, 348/12, 370/257, 370/364, 370/352, 709/220, 709/229, 709/217
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1453 Methods or systems for payment or settlement of the charges for data transmission involving significant interaction with the data transmission network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

A system for controlling access to, service transmission from, and use of an information transmission network which provides an end-user with at will access to the broadband/narrowband service networks deployed in the cable television industry, telephone industry, the multi-media information/services network technology, and the video dial tone industry. Allows the end-user to control the type of services to which such end-user has access to. Network service providers have the ability to provide targeted commercials. Independent interfaced subsystems are combined to yield the network services access system.

Claims

1. A broadband communications network service access platform that receives, transmits and processes service information signals between the head-end and back-end of a transmission network, and functions as the primary interface between the end user at the back-end, and the network comprising:

a. a means for storing information, such information including an operating system;

b. a central processing unit, responsive to said operating system;

c. a network interface means interfacing to both the network and the remainder of the network service access platform;

d. a signal processing means, responsive to said central processing unit, for processing signals in both directions along the network, including a means for encoding and decoding signals, and a means for accepting commands from an end-user at the network back-end, such commands enabling signal processing for connection to network service;

e. a communication means, responsive to said central processing unit, for transmitting and receiving information, the transmission including receipt of customer-specific information internal to the network service access platform and translation of such information into a network signal format, and the reception including receipt of addressed information and translation of such information from network signal format into the format used in the network service access platform; and

f. a customer interface means interfacing to both the customer premises and the remainder of the network service access platform.

2. The network services access platform of claim 1, in which said central processing unit includes a 2^N−

1 bit processor.

3. The network services access platform of claim 1, in which said central processing unit includes a 2^N bit processor.

4. The network services access platform of claim 1, in which said central processing unit includes means for converting analog data to digital data.

5. The network services access platform of claim 1, in which said central processing unit includes means for converting digital data to analog data.

6. The network services access platform of claim 1, in which said customer interface means includes a connection to a cable which extends into said back-end.

7. The network services access platform of claim 1, in which said network interface means includes a module having a first end that provides a connection to said head-end and further has properties specific to said transmission network, and a second end that provides a connection to said platform and further has properties specific to the platform.

8. The network service access platform of claim 1, in which said signal means for processing includes a means for varying the frequency of said signals.

9. A broadband communications network services identification and control system that receives and processes user -initiated signals emanating at the back-end of a transmission network, and receives and transmits network signals from and to the front end of the transmission network, comprising:

a. a means for storing information, such information including an operating system and an end-user specific database;

b. a central processing unit, responsive to said operating system, for controlling the receipt, transmission and processing of user-initiated and network signals;

c. a means for detecting user-initiated signals, and conveying detected signals to said central processing unit; and

d. a communication means, responsive to said central processing unit, for transmitting signals received from said central processing unit onto the network;

e. wherein said central processing unit processes end-user service demands, validates such against said end-user specific database, and takes action in response to a validated request, said action including providing a signal to said communication means.

10. The system of claim 9 further including means for receiving service signals from the network head-end.

11. The system of claim 10 further including means for transmitting the service signals through said communication means and to customer premises equipment.

12. The system of claim 9, in which said means for storing includes random access memory and read only memory in communication with said central processing unit.

13. The system of claim 9, further including a means for decoding said user initiated signals.

14. The system of claim 9, in which said means for detecting includes an infrared detector.

15. An internal broadband communications network services identification and control system that processes user-initiated signals emanating at the back-end of a transmission network and received by a means for detecting user-initiated signals, and receives and transmits network signals from and to the front end of the transmission network, comprising:

a. a means for storing information, such information including an operating system and an end-user specific database;

b. a central processing unit, responsive to said operating system, for controlling the receipt, transmission and processing of user-initiated and network signals;

c. a means for conveying detected user-initiated signals to said central processing unit; and

d. a communication means, responsive to said central processing unit, for transmitting signals received from said central processing unit onto the network;

e. wherein said central processing unit processes end-user service demands, validates such against said end-user specific database, and takes action in response to a validated request, said action including providing a signal to said communication means.

16. The system of claim 15 further including means for receiving service signals from the network head-end.

17. The system of claim 16 further including means for transmitting the service signals through said communication means and to customer premises equipment.

18. The system of claim 15, in which said means for conveying includes a connecting cable.

19. The system of claim 15, in which said means for conveying is in communication with a microprocessor disposed within a customer premises equipment.

20. The system of claim 15, in which said means for conveying is in communication with an infrared decoder disposed within a customer premises equipment.

21. The system of claim 15, in which said means for conveying is in communication with a service selection device disposed within a customer premises equipment.

22. A broadband communications network system, comprising:

a. a broadband communications network service access platform that receives, transmits and processes service information signals between the head-end and back-end of a transmission network, and functions as the primary interface between the end user at the back-end, and the network comprising;

1. a means for storing information, such information including an operating system;

2. a central processing unit, responsive to said operating system;

3. a network interface means interfacing to both the network and the remainder of the network service access platform;

4. a signal processing means, responsive to said central processing unit, for processing signals in both directions along the network, including a means for encoding and decoding signals, and a means for accepting commands from an end-user at the network back-end, such commands enabling signal processing for connection to network service;

5. a communication means, responsive to said central processing unit, for transmitting and receiving information, the transmission including receipt of customer-specific information internal to the network service access platform and translation of such information into a network signal format, and the reception including receipt of addressed information and translation of such information from network signal format into the format used in the network service access platform; and

6. a customer interface means interfacing to both the customer premises and the remainder of the network service access platform; and

b. a broadband communications network services access platform host that receives, transmits, processes, and stores information signals at the headend of a transmission network having elements including down-line network service access platforms, the transmission network carrying broadband optical and/or electrical signals which include control signals, and which represent voice information, digital and analog data information including customer billing information, and imagery information including video, the broadband communications network services access platform host comprising;

1. a means for storing information, such information including a host operating system;

2. a central processing unit-based broadband information network access controller, responsive to the operating system stored within the means for storing information, for controlling the transmission and receipt of digital information and control signals;

3. a receiving means, responsive to the network access controller, for receiving customer billing information from the network services access platforms; and

4. a communication means, responsive to the network access controller, for communicating with at least one network service access platform in the transmission network, the communication means output to the network services access platform including operating and application program data for the network services access platforms.

23. The system of claim 22, further including a means for interfacing said host central processing unit with a head-end database.

24. The system of claim 22, further including a network services identifier apparatus for identifying a first signal to be encoded and transmitted from the back-end of said network to the access platform of said network, comprising:

a. a means for detecting said first signal from the back-end of said network;

b. an identifier means for interfacing with the access platform of said network;

c. a first identifier means for transmitting said first signal through said interfacing means to said platform; and

d. an identifier central processing unit responsive to an operating system stored within an identifier means for storing information, said unit in communication with said detecting means and said first identifier transmitting means.

25. The system of claim 24, further including an identifier means for receiving a second signal from the access platform of said network in communication with said identifier interfacing means.

26. The system of claim 25, further including a second identifier means for transmitting said second signal through said identifier interfacing means.

27. The system of claim 22, further including a network services identifier apparatus for identifying a first signal to be transmitted from the back-end of said network toward the head-end of said network, comprising:

a. a means for connecting to the back-end of said network to receive said first signal;

b. an identifier means for interfacing with the head-end of said network;

c. a first identifier means for transmitting said first signal through said interfacing means to said platform; and

d. an identifier central processing unit responsive to an operating system stored within a means for storing information, said unit in communication with said connecting means and said first identifier transmitting means.

28. The system of claim 27, further including a means for receiving a second signal from the head-end of said network in communication with said identifier interfacing means.

29. The system of claim 28, further including a second identifier means for transmitting said second signal through said identifier interfacing means.

30. The system of claim 27, in which said connection means includes a connecting cable.

31. The system of claim 30, in which said connecting cable is in communication with a microprocessor disposed within a customer premises equipment.

32. The system of claim 30, in which said connecting cable is in communication with a an infrared decoder disposed within a customer premises equipment.