System and method for providing communications service to individual units of a multiple dwelling unit

• US 8,671,431 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2009
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Centore, Michael Anthony III, Harvey, Richard Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Parry, Chris
• Application Number:
  US12/571,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20110083152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• Field of Search: 725/71
• US Class Current: 725/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/63 to plural spots in a confined site, e.g. MATV [Master Antenna Television]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/413 with random access, e.g. carrier-sense multiple-access with collision detection [CSMA-CD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 for domestic distribution

Abstract

A system and method for providing communications service to individual units of a multiple dwelling unit (“MDU”) is disclosed. The system may comprise a communications service unit configured to distribute communications signal to at least one unit of a MDU via at least one cable, wherein the at least one cable are distributed along the exterior of the MDU, one or more network interface elements communicatively coupled to the at least one cable, wherein each of the one or more network interface elements are positioned near a window of the MDU, and an antenna communicatively coupled to each of the one or more network interface elements, wherein the antenna is configured to transmit the communications signal to one or more network elements in at least one unit of the MDU.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a communications service unit configured to distribute a communications signal to at least one unit of a multiple dwelling unit via at least one cable, wherein the at least one cable are distributed along an exterior of the multiple dwelling unit;

one or more network interface elements communicatively coupled to the at least one cable and configured to transmit and/or receive the communications signal using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) or Voice Over IP (VoIP), wherein each of the one or more network interface elements are positioned near a window of the multiple dwelling unit; and

an antenna communicatively coupled to each of the one or more network interface elements, wherein the antenna is configured to transmit the communications signal to one or more network elements in at least one unit of the multiple dwelling unit;

wherein the antenna is a patch antenna and the one or more network elements in at least one unit of customer premises equipment (CPE) comprise a set top box with a wireless transceiver that decodes the communications signal received from the patch antenna to provide Internet and other data related services to the at least one unit of the multiple dwelling unit;

the system further comprising an interior repeater to extend coverage of the communications signal, and wherein;

the system supports both switched video service and multiple signal service, and

the at least one cable distributed along the exterior of the multiple dwelling unit is colored to match a color of the exterior of the multiple dwelling unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications service unit comprises at least one of a ground unit and an antenna unit.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the ground unit is at least one of a fiber-optic cable unit and an electric cable unit.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the antenna unit is at least one of a satellite antenna and a fixed wireless antenna.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the multiple dwelling unit comprises at least one of an apartment building, a condominium complex, a townhome complex, an office building, a recreational or sports facility, and a multi-use building.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one cable comprise a power line and at least one of a fiber-optic line and an electric cable line.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein distribution of the at least one cable along the exterior of the multiple dwelling unit comprises a vertical cable configuration, a cable horizontal configuration, diagonal cable configuration, a grid configuration, or a combination thereof.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more network interface elements comprise at least one of an amplifier, a splitter, a fiber-to-RF converter, and a network interface for transmitting or receiving wireless signals.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more network interface elements are positioned on the exterior of the multiple dwelling unit.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the antenna is a wireless antenna configured to transmit and receive the communications signal to the one or more network elements.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the antenna is fastened to at least one of a non-moving portion of the window.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the customer premises equipment (CPE) comprises at least one of a set top box, a modem, a router, a server, a computer, a laptop, a television, a radio, a phone, and an appliance.

13. A method, comprising:

providing a communications service unit configured to distribute communications signal to at least one unit of a multiple dwelling unit via at least one cable, wherein the at least one cable are distributed along an exterior of the multiple dwelling unit;

providing one or more network interface elements communicatively coupled to the at least one cable and configured to transmit and/or receive the communications signal using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) or Voice Over IP (VoIP), wherein each of the one or more network interface elements are positioned near a window of the multiple dwelling unit; and

providing an antenna communicatively coupled to each of the one or more network interface elements, wherein the antenna is configured to transmit the communications signal to one or more network elements in at least one unit of the multiple dwelling unit;

providing an interior repeater to extend coverage of the communications signal;

wherein the antenna is a patch antenna and the one or more network elements in at least one unit of the multiple dwelling unit comprise a customer premises equipment (CPE) with a wireless transceiver that decodes the communications signal received from the patch antenna to provide Internet and other data related services to the at least one unit of the multiple dwelling unit,

the antenna supports both switched video service and multiple signal service, and

the at least one cable distributed along the exterior of the multiple dwelling unit is colored to match a color of the exterior of the multiple dwelling unit.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the communications service unit comprises at least one of a ground unit and an antenna unit.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the ground unit is at least one of a fiber-optic cable unit and an electric cable unit.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the antenna unit is at least one of a satellite antenna and a fixed wireless antenna.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one cable comprise a power line and at least one of a fiber-optic line and an electric cable line.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein distribution of the at least one cable along the exterior of the multiple dwelling unit comprises a vertical cable configuration, a cable horizontal configuration, diagonal cable configuration, a grid configuration, or a combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more network interface elements comprise at least one of an amplifier, a splitter, a fiber-to-RF converter, and a network interface for transmitting or receiving wireless signals.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more network interface elements are positioned on the exterior of the multiple dwelling unit.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the antenna is configured to transmit and receive the communications signal to the one or more network elements.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the customer premises equipment (CPE) comprises at least one of a set top box, a modem, a router, a server, a computer, a laptop, a television, a radio, a phone, and an appliance.

23. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising code to perform the acts of the method of claim 13.