Coordinated multi-network data services

• US 7,920,580 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2009
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bedingfield, James Carlton Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ajit
• Application Number:
  US12/470,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20090232149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/85 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/851 Dynamic network selection or re-selection, e.g. after degradation of quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data
• 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 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6371 directed to network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

Content and/or services are provided for a session to a user by controlling use of at least two different networks to deliver the content and/or services for the session to the user. The at least two different networks have different data transfer characteristics. Control of use of the at least two different networks is based on the data transfer characteristics of the at least two different networks and characteristics of the content and/or services for the session to the user.

Claims

1. A system for providing content for a session to a user, comprising:

a multi-network interface configured to communicate with at least two different networks to deliver the content for the session to the user, wherein the at least two different networks are each configured to deliver data to the user and are each configured to deliver the content for the session to the user, but have different data transfer characteristics; and

a controller configured to control use of the at least two different networks based on the data transfer characteristics of the at least two different networks and characteristics of the content for the session to the user;

wherein the controller is further configured to divide communications to deliver the content for the session to the user into a first type of communications to be communicated over a first of the at least two networks and a second type of communications to be communicated over a second of the at least two different networks;

to communicate the first type of communications over the first network; and

to communicate the second type of communications over the second network.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least two different networks comprise a cable television distribution network and a digital subscriber loop network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a characteristic of the session;

and to select a predefined use of the networks based on the characteristic of the session, wherein the predefined use is established based on the characteristics of the networks.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein the multi-network interface and the controller are both embodied in Customer Premises Equipment.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein the multi-network interface and the controller are both embodied in a multi-network coordinator.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein the multi-network interface is embodied in Customer Premises Equipment and wherein the controller is embodied in a multi-network coordinator that is outside the Customer Premises Equipment.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first type of communications control the delivery of the second type of communications.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to control receiving the first type of communications over the first network via the multi-network interface;

to control receiving the second type of communications over the second network via the multi-network interface; and

to control combining the first and second type of communications to deliver the content for the session.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the two networks comprises a digital subscriber loop network and wherein controlling use comprises controlling the allocation of upstream and downstream bandwidth for a digital subscriber loop network connection.

10. A system for providing content for a session to a user, comprising:

a multi-network interface configured to communicate with at least two different networks to deliver the content for the session to the user, wherein the at least two different networks have different data transfer characteristics; and

a controller configured to control use of the at least two different networks based on the data transfer characteristics of the at least two different networks and characteristics of the content for the session to the user;

wherein the controller is further configured to determine a characteristic of the session;

to dynamically determine a characteristic of at least one of the networks when the session starts;

to dynamically specify use of the networks when the session starts based on the characteristic of the session and the dynamically determined characteristic of the at least one of the networks when the session starts;

to further dynamically determine a characteristic of at least one of the networks during the session; and

to modify the use of the networks during the session based on the further dynamically determined characteristic of the at least one of the networks during the session.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the at least two different networks comprise a cable television distribution network and a digital subscriber loop network.

12. A system according to claim 10 wherein the multi-network interface and the controller are both embodied in Customer Premises Equipment.

13. A system according to claim 10 wherein the multi-network interface and the controller are both embodied in a multi-network coordinator.

14. A system according to claim 10 wherein the multi-network interface is embodied in Customer Premises Equipment and wherein the controller is embodied in a multi-network coordinator that is outside the Customer Premises Equipment.

15. A system for providing content, comprising:

a multi-network interface configured to communicate with at least two networks to deliver content for a session to a user, the at least two networks each being configured to deliver data to the user and each being configured to deliver the content for the session to the user, but having different data transfer characteristics and where the use of the at least two networks is controlled based on the data transfer characteristics of the at least two networks and characteristics of the session to the user; and

a controller configured to control the use of the at least two networks to provide the content for the session to the user;

wherein the use of the networks is dynamically established by the controller based on operating conditions of the networks when the session starts and characteristics of the session; and

wherein the use of the networks is further dynamically modified by the controller during the session based on operating conditions of the networks during the session.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the at least two different networks comprise a cable television distribution network and a digital subscriber loop network.

17. A system according to claim 15 wherein the multi-network interface and the controller are both embodied in Customer Premises Equipment.

18. A system according to claim 15 wherein the multi-network interface and the controller are both embodied in a multi-network coordinator.

19. A system according to claim 15 Wherein the multi-network interface is embodied in Customer Premises Equipment and wherein the controller is embodied in a multi-network coordinator that is outside the Customer Premises Equipment.

20. The system of claim 19:

wherein the multi-network coordinator comprises;

a content/services provider interface configured to communicate with content providers;

a cable network interface configured to communicate with a cable network distribution system;

a telco system interface configured to communicate with a digital subscriber loop network system; and

a processor configured to control communications between the content provider interface, the cable network interface and the telco system interface; and

wherein the Customer Premises Equipment comprises;

a cable modem;

a digital subscriber loop modem;

a local area network interface;

a video interface; and

a processor configured to control communications between the cable modem, digital subscriber loop modem, local area network interface and video interface.