Cable television system and method for providing cable television service using the system

• US 7,620,970 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2003
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Fujise, Masayuki, Kojima, Fumihide, Murao, Yuji, Okita, Hirokazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton; Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saint Cyr; Jean D
• Application Number:
  US10/504,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20050183126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,464 Days
• Field of Search: 725/131, 725/73, 725/75, 725/76, 725/62, 725/119, 455/16
• US Class Current: 725/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41422 located in transportation means, e.g. personal vehicle arrangements specially adapted for transportation systems in broadcast systems H04H20/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6112 involving terrestrial transmission, e.g. DVB-T
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6405 Multicasting data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Herein are disclosed a cable television system, mobile communication terminal, a relay apparatus, a center apparatus, and a method of providing a cable television service using the system, which enable a user operating a CATV mobile terminal (6) to receive a CATV service regardless of the service area of the CATV station where the user is located. When a vehicle (5) having a CATV mobile terminal (6) mounted thereon moves into a service area of a CATV station (3, 4), the CATV mobile terminal (6) is operated to transmit a log-in request to the CATV station (3, 4). The CATV station (3, 4) is operated to inquire about the user to the subscriber station (2), and the subscriber station (2) is operated to judge whether or not the user is authentic. Subscriber station (2) is operated to deliver common contents to the CATV mobile terminal (6) through the CATV station (3, 4) when it is judged that the user is authentic.

Claims

1. A cable television system, comprising:

a mobile communication terminal mounted on a movable object;

a plurality of relay apparatuses installed in respective service areas, and connected to one another through a communication line, said relay apparatuses having respective original contents concerning a cable television service, and being operative to transmit said original contents to one another through said communication line; and

a center apparatus connected with each of said relay apparatuses through said communication line, said center apparatus being operative to deliver common contents concerning a cable television service to said relay apparatuses through said communication line, and in which

said mobile communication terminal is capable of establishing, by wireless, a connection with a relay apparatus installed in a service area which said movable object is in, and transmits a log-in request to said relay apparatus installed in a service area which said movable object is in,

said relay apparatus receives said log-in request from said mobile communication terminal, and transmits user identification information of said mobile communication terminal and specifying information of said relay apparatus which has received said log-in request,

said center apparatus transmits authentication information to said relay apparatus, which has transmitted said specifying information, when said user identification information is valid, upon receiving said specifying information,

said relay apparatus, which has received said authentication information from said center apparatus, starts a cable television service for said mobile communication terminal on the basis of said authentication information,

when said mobile communication terminal transmits a request for delivering common contents to said relay apparatus installed in a service area which said movable object is in, said relay apparatus, installed in a service area which said movable object is in, transmits a request for delivering common contents to said center apparatus, upon receiving said request for common contents from said mobile communication terminal,

said center apparatus delivers said common contents to said mobile communication terminal through said relay apparatus installed in a service area which said movable object is in, and store therein and manage delivery history information indicative of a history of delivering contents, in response to said request for delivering common contents,

said relay apparatus, which has original contents concerning a cable television service subscribed by a user, delivers said original contents to said mobile communication terminal through said relay apparatus installed in a service area which said movable object is in, when said mobile communication terminal transmits a request for delivering said original contents to said relay apparatus installed in a service area which said movable object is in.

2. A cable television system as set forth in claim 1, in which

said user identification information is constituted by personal information stored in an IC (integrated circuit) card or a magnetic card.

3. A cable television system as set forth in claim 1 or claim 2, in which

said center apparatus is operative to perform an accounting process on the basis of said delivery history information indicative of delivering said common contents.

4. A relay apparatus installed in a service area and connected with a center apparatus through a communication line, said relay apparatus having original contents concerning a cable television service, said center apparatus having common contents concerning a cable television service, said relay apparatus comprises:

first receiving means for receiving a log-in request from a mobile communication terminal;

transmitting means for transmitting user identification information of said mobile communication terminal and specifying information of a relay apparatus which has received said log-in request and said user identification information;

second receiving means for receiving authentication information from said center apparatus when said user identification information is valid;

service providing means for starting a cable television service for said mobile communication terminal on the basis of said authentication information;

common content request means for transmitting a request for delivering common contents to said center apparatus, upon receiving request for common contents from said mobile communication terminal; and

delivering means for delivering common contents received from said center apparatus to said mobile communication terminal, wherein

said relay apparatus, which has original contents concerning a cable television service subscribed by user, delivers said original contents to said mobile communication terminal through said relay apparatus installed in a service area which said movable object is in, when said mobile communication terminal transmits a request for delivering said original contents to said relay apparatus installed in a service area which said movable object is in.

5. A relay apparatus as set forth in claim 4, in which

said user identification information is constituted by personal information stored in an IC (integrated circuit) card or a magnetic card.

6. A method of providing a cable television service to a mobile communication terminal, comprising;

(a) preparing a mobile communication terminal mounted on a movable object;

a plurality of relay apparatuses installed in respective service areas, and connected to one another through a communication line, said relay apparatuses having respective original contents concerning a cable television service, and being operative to transmit said original contents to one another through said communication line; and

a center apparatus connected with each of said relay apparatuses through a communication line;

(b) transmitting a log-in request to said relay apparatus installed in a service area which said movable object is in, by said mobile communication terminal;

(c) transmitting user identification information of said mobile communication terminal and specifying information of said relay apparatus which has received said log-in request, by said relay apparatus;

(d) transmitting authentication information to said relay apparatus, which has transmitted said specifying information, when said user identification information is valid, upon receiving said specifying information, by said center apparatus;

(e) starting a cable television service for said mobile communication terminal on the basis of said authentication information, by said relay apparatus;

(f) transmitting a request for delivering common contents to said relay apparatus, by said mobile communication terminal;

(g) transmitting a request for delivering common contents to said center apparatus, upon receiving said request for delivering common contents from said mobile communication terminal, by said relay apparatus;

(h) delivering common contents to said mobile communication terminal through said relay apparatus installed in a service area which said movable object is in, in response to said request for delivering common contents from said relay apparatus, by said center apparatus;

(i) storing therein and managing delivery history information indicative of a history of delivering contents; and

(j) delivering original contents to said mobile communication terminal through said relay apparatus installed in a service area which said movable object is in, when said mobile communication terminal transmits a request for delivering said original contents to said relay apparatus installed in a service area which said movable object is in.

7. A method of providing a cable television service as set forth in claim 6, in which

said user identification information is constituted by personal information stored in an IC (integrated circuit) card or a magnetic card.

8. A method of providing a cable television service as set forth in claim 6 or claim 7, in which

said step (i) has a step of performing an accounting process on the basis of said delivery history information indicative of delivering said common contents.