Apparatus for receiving and displaying cellular television content and method for billing for same

• US 8,307,398 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Matz, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): MENGESHA, MULUGETA A
• Application Number:
  US11/479,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20080196066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,321 Days
• Field of Search: 725/62, 725/68, 725/81, 725/100, 725/139, 725/151
• US Class Current: 725/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4623 Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6187 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/38 Transmitter circuitry for the transmission of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for receiving and displaying cellular television content. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a wireless communication device for establishing a connection to a wireless telecommunications network and for receiving video content over the connection. The apparatus includes a processor for receiving the cellular television content and the television signal. The processor generates a signal for display on a video display screen from the television signal and the video content. A video display screen is also provided in the apparatus for displaying the signal. The apparatus may also include a remote control interface and a remote control device that includes a keypad for establishing a wireless telephone call through the apparatus over the wireless telecommunications network. The apparatus may alternatively include an interface for receiving and communicating with a wireless telephone capable of establishing a connection to a wireless telecommunications network and receiving cellular television.

Claims

1. A method for delivering digital video content over a cellular network, the method comprising:

establishing, at a wireless communication device, a first connection to the cellular network;

establishing, at the wireless communication device, a second connection to a display device that is external to the wireless communication device upon the wireless communication device being inserted into a dock interface of the display device;

receiving, at the wireless communication device, the digital video content via the first connection;

sending, at the wireless communication device, the digital video content to the display device through the dock interface via the second connection for presentation on the display device;

receiving, at the wireless communication device, a telephone call via the first connection;

sending, at the wireless communication device, a first audio signal associated with the telephone call to the display device through the dock interface via the second connection for presentation via a speaker of the display device;

receiving, at the wireless communication device, a second audio signal associated with the telephone call from the display device, the second audio signal having been received by the display device from a control device via a third connection, the third connection communicatively coupling the control device to the display device; and

sending, at the wireless communication device, the second audio signal to the cellular network via the first connection for use in the telephone call.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at the wireless communication device, power from the display device via the dock interface of the display device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the wireless communication device, audio content associated with the digital video content via the first connection; and

sending, at the wireless communication device, the audio content to the display device through the dock interface via the second connection for presentation via the speaker of the display device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at the wireless communication device, a text message via the first connection.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising sending, at the wireless communication device, the text message to the display device via the second connection for presentation on the display device.

6. A display device, comprising:

a dock interface configured to

receive and dock a wireless communication device,

receive digital audio content and digital video content from the wireless communication device, the digital audio content and the digital video content being provided to the wireless communication device via a cellular network, and

receive a first audio signal from the wireless communication device, the first audio signal being associated with a telephone call received by the wireless communication device and originating from the cellular network;

a remote control interface configured to

receive a second audio signal from a remote control device, the second audio signal being for use in the telephone call, and

provide the second audio signal to the dock interface;

the dock interface being further configured to

receive the second audio signal from the remote control interface, and

provide the second audio signal to the wireless communication device for sending the second audio signal to the cellular network for use in the telephone call;

a display screen configured to display the digital video content; and

a speaker configured to

present the digital audio content, and

present the first audio signal.

7. The display device of claim 6, wherein the dock interface is further configured to provide power to the wireless communication device.

8. The display device of claim 6, wherein:

the dock interface is further configured to receive a text message received by the wireless communication device via the cellular network; and

the display screen is further configured to present the text message.

9. A wireless communications device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising

establishing a first connection to a cellular network,

establishing a second connection to a display device that is external to the wireless communication device upon the wireless communication device being inserted into a dock interface of the display device,

receiving the digital video content via the first connection,

sending the digital video content to the display device through the dock interface via the second connection for presentation on the display device,

receiving a telephone call via the first connection,

sending a first audio signal associated with the telephone call to the display device through the dock interface via the second connection for presentation via a speaker of the display device,

receiving a second audio signal associated with the telephone call from the display device, the second audio signal having been received by the display device from a control device via a third connection, the third connection communicatively coupling the control device to the display device, and

sending the second audio signal to the cellular network via the first connection for use in the telephone call.

10. The wireless communications device of claim 9, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform additional operations comprising:

receiving a text message via the first connection; and

sending the text message to the display device via the second connection for presentation on the display device.