Systems, methods and apparatus for providing a plurality of telecommunication services

• US 7,454,006 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cook, Charles I., Phillips, Bruce A., Casey, Steven M., Brodigan, Donald L., Campbell, Kurt A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz; Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan; Joseph T
• Application Number:
  US10/356,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20040176085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,118 Days
• Field of Search: 379/220.1, 379/387.01, 379/201.01, 379/93.01, 379/201.05
• US Class Current: 379/220.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/005 Interface circuits for subscriber lines current supply H04M19/00 and subgroups; supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements H04M3/22 and subgroups; in key telephone systems H04M9/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4886 for displaying a ticker, e.g. scrolling banner for news, stock exchange, weather data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/108 the cable being constituted by a pair of wires
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide network interface devices, as well as system and methods for using them. For example, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a system is provided for allowing a plurality of telecommunication information providers to transmit telecommunication information to a customer premises. The system can include a network interface device operable to receive a plurality of sets of telecommunication information. Each of the information sets can be associated with a particular telecommunication service and/or all of the information sets can be associated with the same telecommunication service.

Claims

1. A system for allowing a plurality of telecommunication information providers to transmit telecommunication information to a customer premises, the system comprising:

a network interface device at the customer premises operable to receive telecommunication information;

an external transport medium in communication with the network interface device;

a distribution point configured to;

accept a plurality of sets of telecommunication information, wherein the plurality of sets of telecommunication information comprises a set of video information, a set of data information, and a set of voice information from a plurality of telecommunication information providers; and

transmit the plurality of sets of telecommunication information to the network interface device via the external transport medium;

wherein the plurality of providers comprises a first provider providing the set of video information, a second provider providing the set of data information, and a third provider providing the set of voice information;

wherein the network interface device comprises a discrimination device capable of separating a first of the plurality of sets of telecommunication information from at least a second of the plurality of sets of telecommunication information;

an isolation device configured to isolate at least one internal transport medium from the external transport medium, such that changes to a type of media used by the at least one internal transport medium do not affect the external transport medium and changes to a type of media used by the external transport medium do not affect the at least one internal transport medium;

a first interface in communication with the external transport medium, wherein the external transport medium is in communication with the distribution point;

a second interface adapted to communicate with the at least one internal transport medium;

a plurality of control points, wherein each of the plurality of control points is associated with a different telecommunication information provider;

wherein the network interface device is adapted to receive configuration information from at least one of the plurality of control points;

wherein the at least one control point is associated with the distribution point; and

wherein the control point is capable of receiving the configuration information from the plurality of telecommunication information providers and forwarding the configuration information to the network interface device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the information sets is associated with a particular telecommunication service.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each particular telecommunication service is selected from the group consisting of video, broadcast video, video on demand, audio, audio on demand, Internet, point-to-point data transmission, virtual private circuit, and voice.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the network interface device is adapted to be attached to an exterior wall of the customer premises.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the isolation device incorporates the functionality of the discrimination device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the network interface device comprises a processing system capable of processing at least a portion of one of the plurality of information sets.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the processing device incorporates the functionality of the isolation device.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the processing device incorporates the functionality of the discrimination device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one control point is associated with a particular telecommunication information provider to thereby control receipt of the set of telecommunication information provided by the particular telecommunication information provider to the customer premises.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the configuration information is operable to configure the behavior of the network interface device with respect to least one of the information sets provided by the particular telecommunication information provider.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the network interface device is further capable of submitting a request for at least one telecommunication service from one of the plurality of telecommunication information providers, and wherein the configuration information is responsive to the request.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the distribution point is capable of receiving the request from the network interface device and forwarding that request to the at least one of the plurality of telecommunication information providers.

13. A method of providing multiple telecommunication services to a customer premises, the method comprising:

providing a network interface device at the customer premises;

receiving a plurality of telecommunication information sets, wherein the plurality of telecommunication information sets comprises a set of video information, a set of data information, and a set of voice information from a plurality of telecommunication information providers, and wherein the plurality of providers comprises a first provider providing the set of video information, a second provider providing the set of data information, and a third provider providing the set of voice information; and

transmitting the plurality of telecommunication information sets to the network interface device using an external transport medium;

receiving a request from a customer for a particular telecommunication service;

forwarding the request to a particular telecommunication information provider associated with the requested service;

receiving from the particular telecommunication information provider a set of information responsive to the request;

transmitting the set of information to the network interface device; and

wherein the set of information is selected from the group consisting of telecommunication information and configuration information;

wherein the network interface device comprises;

a discrimination device capable of separating a first of the plurality of information sets from a second of the plurality of information sets;

an isolation device configured to isolate at least one internal transport medium from an external transport medium, such that modifications to the type of media used by the at least one internal transport medium do not affect the external transport medium and modifications to the type of media used by the external transport medium do not affect the at least one internal transport medium;

a first interface in communication with the external transport medium, wherein the external transport medium is in communication with a distribution point; and

at least one second interface for communicating with the at least one internal transport medium.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each telecommunication information set is associated with a particular telecommunication service.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the request is selected from the group consisting of:

an electronic mail request, a web request, a telephone request, a written request, and a request from the network interface device.

16. A network interface device comprising:

a first interface adapted to communicate with an external transport medium;

wherein the network interface device is located at a customer premises and is capable of receiving a plurality of sets of telecommunication information via the external transport medium from a distribution point, including a set of video information, a set of data information, and a set of voice information, wherein each set of telecommunication information is associated with a separate telecommunication information provider;

a discrimination device capable of separating a first of the plurality of information sets from at least a second of the plurality of information sets;

an isolation device configured to isolate at least one internal transport medium from the external transport medium, such that modifications to a protocol used by the at least one internal transport medium do not affect the external transport medium and modifications to a protocol used by the external transport medium do not affect the at least one internal transport medium;

at least a second interface for communicating with the at least one internal transport medium; and

a plurality of control points, wherein each of the plurality of control points is associated with a different telecommunication information provider;

wherein the network interface device is configurable by configuration information received from at least one of the plurality of control points; and

wherein the configuration information configures the behavior of the network interface device with respect to a particular telecommunication information set, and wherein the network interface device is adapted to receive the configuration information from a telecommunication information provider associated with the particular telecommunication information set to thereby control receipt of the set of telecommunication information provided by the particular telecommunication information provider to the customer premises.

17. The network interface device of claim 16, wherein the network interface device is adapted to be attached to an exterior wall of the customer premises.

18. The network interface device of claim 16, further comprising at least a second interface adapted to communicate with a second internal transport medium, wherein the network interface device is configured to transmit at least a first of the plurality of sets of telecommunication information to the customer premises via the second internal transport medium.

19. The network interface device of claim 18, further comprising at least a third interface for communicating with a third internal transport medium, wherein the network interface device is configured to transmit at least a second of the plurality of sets of telecommunication information to the customer premises via the third internal transport medium.

20. The network interface device of claim 16, wherein the isolation device incorporates the functionality of the discrimination device.

21. The network interface device of claim 16, further comprising a processing system in communication with the first interface, wherein the processing system is configured to process at least a portion of one of the plurality of sets of telecommunication information.

22. The network interface device of claim 21, wherein the processing system incorporates the functionality of the discrimination device.

23. The network interface device of claim 21, wherein the processing system incorporates the functionality of the isolation device.

24. The network interface device of claim 16, wherein the network interface device is adapted to receive the configuration information from a telecommunication service provider associated with the external transport medium.

25. The network interface device of claim 16, wherein the network interface device further comprises an application programming interface capable of receiving the configuration information.

26. The network interface device of claim 16, wherein the network interface device is capable of receiving the configuration information from a web browser.