System and method for providing digital network access and digital broadcast services using combined channels on a single physical medium to the customer premises

• US 8,086,261 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2004
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Radpour, Assad
• Primary Examiner(s): Magloire, Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US10/960,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20060077921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,637 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.02, 455/427, 455/98, 455/550.1, 725/130
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 40/90 specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/92 for local area

Abstract

The disclosure is directed to customer premises equipment including a network access port configured to receive broadband digital network data from broadband wireless network access equipment, a broadcast access port configured to receive digital satellite broadcast data, and a unified access port configured to provide the broadband digital network data and the digital broadcast data via a coaxial cable.

Claims

1. A customer premises equipment comprising:

a network access port configured to receive broadband digital network data from a first modem that is coupled to broadband wireless network access equipment;

a phase-shift keying device coupled to the network access port and configured to phase-shift key the broadband digital network data;

a broadcast access port configured to receive digital satellite broadcast data;

a unified access port configured to combine the broadband digital network data and the digital satellite broadcast data for output via a coaxial cable, wherein the customer premises equipment receives power from a customer premises via the coaxial cable, wherein a second digital modem is coupled to the unified access port and is configured to provide network services to one or more devices of a subscriber associated with the customer premises equipment, wherein the network services include at least a first service to enable a plain old telephone service telephone to access a voice network via the second modem.

2. The customer premises equipment of claim 1, further comprising the broadband wireless network access equipment connected to the network access port.

3. The customer premises equipment of claim 2, wherein the broadband wireless network access equipment includes fixed wireless access equipment.

4. The customer premises equipment of claim 1, further comprising a low noise block converter receiver connected to the broadcast access port.

5. The customer premises equipment of claim 4, wherein the low noise block converter receiver is configured to connect to a satellite dish.

6. The customer premises equipment of claim 1, wherein the broadband digital network data includes voice over internet protocol data.

7. The customer premises equipment of claim 1, wherein the broadband digital network data includes internet protocol-based data.

8. A customer premises system comprising:

digital broadcast access equipment located at a customer premises and configured to receive digital broadcast data;

data network access equipment located at the customer premises and configured to receive digital network data; and

a combination unit located at the customer premises, wherein the combination unit includes;

a network access port configured to receive the digital network data from a first modem that is coupled to the data network access equipment via an ethernet cable;

a broadcast access port configured to receive the digital broadcast data from the digital broadcast access equipment;

a unified access port;

a phase-shift keying device coupled to the network access port via a first interface and coupled to the unified access port via a second interface, wherein the phase-shift keying device is configured to;

receive uplink digital network data from the unified access port via the second interface;

provide the uplink digital network data to the network access port via the first interface;

receive downlink digital network data from the network access port via the first interface; and

provide the downlink digital network data to the unified access port via the second interface,

wherein the second interface is further coupled to the broadcast access port and configured to;

receive the digital broadcast data from the broadcast access port;

combine the downlink digital network data and the digital broadcast data to produce combined digital data; and

communicate the combined digital data to the unified access port,

wherein the unified access port is configured to;

communicate the combined digital data over a coaxial cable to a second modem and to a set-top box device, wherein the second modem is configured to access the downlink network data from the combined digital data and to provide one or more network services, wherein the one or more network services include at least providing a plain old telephone service telephone with access to a voice network via an integrated access device that is coupled to the second modem; and

receive uplink digital network data from the second modem via the coaxial cable,

wherein the combination unit receives power from the customer premises via the coaxial cable.

9. The customer premises system of claim 8, wherein the data network access equipment includes fixed wireless access equipment.

10. The customer premises system of claim 8, wherein the digital broadcast access equipment includes satellite receiver equipment.

11. The customer premises system of claim 8, wherein the second modem includes a data over cable service interface specification modem.

12. The customer premises system of claim 8, further comprising a voice over internet protocol telephone coupled to the second modem.

13. The customer premises system of claim 8, further comprising a computer coupled to the second modem, wherein the second modem is configured to provide internet access to the computer.

14. The customer premises system of claim 8, further comprising wireless network equipment coupled to the second modem.

15. The customer premises system of claim 8, wherein the set-top box device is configured to connect to television equipment.

16. A method of providing network-based service and digital broadcast service, the method comprising:

receiving digital network data at a customer premises combiner unit from a first modem via a network access port of the customer premises combiner unit, wherein the first modem receives the digital network data from broadband wireless network access equipment;

receiving digital broadcast data at the customer premises combiner unit via a broadcast access port of the customer premises combiner unit;

phase-shift keying at least one of the digital network data and the digital broadcast data;

combining the digital network data and the digital broadcast data for output to a coaxial cable via a unified access port of the customer premises combiner unit, wherein the customer premises combiner unit receives power from a customer premises via the coaxial cable, wherein a second modem is coupled to the unified access port via the coaxial cable and is configured to enable a plain old telephone service telephone to access a voice network via an integrated access device that is coupled to the second modem.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the digital network data includes internet protocol-based network data.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the network access port is coupled to the first modem via an ethernet cable.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the digital network data includes voice-over-internet protocol data.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving digital broadcast data includes receiving digital broadcast data from satellite equipment.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving digital network data includes receiving digital network data at the first modem from fixed wireless access equipment.

22. A customer premises equipment device, comprising:

a low noise block converter to receive digital broadcast data from a satellite dish;

a first modem to receive digital network data via a digital subscriber line, the digital network data including uplink data and downlink data, wherein the modem includes a quadrature amplitude modulation modulator to access the downlink data and includes a quadrature phase shift keying/quadrature amplitude modulation demodulator to access the uplink data; and

a combiner unit to;

receive the digital network data from the first modem;

receive digital broadcast data from the low noise block converter; and

combine the digital broadcast data and the digital network data for output to a set top box device and to a second modem via a coaxial cable, wherein the customer premises equipment device receives power from a customer premises via the coaxial cable,

wherein the set-top box device receives the digital broadcast data via the coaxial cable for presentation at a display device, and

wherein the second modem receives the digital network data via the coaxial cable and is configured to;

provide internet access to a personal computing device that is coupled to the second modem;

provide telephony services via a voice over internet protocol phone that is coupled to the second modem;

provide a plain old telephone service telephone access to a voice network via an integrated access device that is coupled to the second modem; and

provide local wireless internet access via a wireless access-point that is coupled to the second modem.