ADAPTATION OF DIAL-UP DEVICES TO BROADBAND FACILITIES

• US 20090180487A1
• Filed: 03/24/2009
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Godwin, John P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,860,118 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data

Abstract

A method and system for dial-up device (36) connection to a broadband facility (28) by way of a home gateway (10). The microcomputer (20) causes the dial-up modem (24) in the home gateway to serve as a host modem. The microcomputer (20) also implements the host portion of a log-in protocol that is expected by the dial up device, in this example the IRD'"'"'s (34). Within the IRD (34) itself, a software download causes the dial-up modem in the IRD (34) to not go “off-hook” when starting a callback. The local office, i.e. the PSTN, will not recognize the start of a dial-up session and will not issue a dial tone. The home gateway 10 and the IRD'"'"'s (34) will carry out a protocol that does not require the recognition of “off-hook”.

Claims

1. A method of connecting a remote device to a broadband facility, comprising:

connecting a remote device to a gateway device, the gateway device comprising a microcomputer, a modem, and a dial-up device;

establishing an adaptive communications path between the remote device and the broadband facility via the modem of the gateway device and via a local telephone office;

implementing, via the dial-up device, a log-in protocol for a remote host that communicates with the broadband facility; and

initiating a callback procedure from the remote host to provide access from the remote host to the remote device via the gateway device, wherein a dial tone response to an off-hook signal received at the local telephone office from the remote device is inactivated during the callback procedure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote device is an Integrated Receiver/Decoder (IRD).

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving modem dial-up signals for the remote device from the adaptive communications path to a line connection.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

polling the remote device from the gateway device; and

responding to the polling using a time-sequence stored in the remote device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the time-sequence is based on software settings in the remote device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying a protocol for the remote device via a software download to the remote device.

5. The method of claim 5, wherein the polling is performed on a periodic basis.

8. The method of clam 1, further comprising accessing the remote device via an internet connection with the gateway device.

9. A gateway device for connecting a remote device to a broadband facility, comprising:

a microcomputer;

a modem, coupled to the microcomputer; and

a reconfigurable dial-up device, coupled to the microcomputer, the dial-up device implementing a log-in protocol for a remote host that is in communication with the broadband facility via a communications path;

wherein the reconfigurable dial-up device adaptively couples a remote device to the gateway device via a local telephone office, such that a dial tone response to an off-hook signal received at the local telephone office from the remote device is inactivated during a callback procedure initiated by the remote host.

10. The gateway device of claim 9, wherein the reconfigurable dial-up device is reconfigurable from a location remote from the reconfigurable dial-up device.

11. The gateway device of claim 9, wherein the remote device is an Integrated Receiver/Decoder (IRD).

12. The gateway device of claim 9, further comprising a line connection, coupled to the remote device, for carrying modem dial-up signals from the remote device to the reconfigurable dial-up device.

13. The gateway device of claim 12, wherein the modem dial-up signals are moved from the communications path to the line connection.

14. The gateway device of claim 9, wherein the remote device is polled by the gateway device, and the remote device responds to the polling in a time-sequence stored in the remote device.

15. The gateway device of claim 9, further comprising modifying a protocol for the remote device via a software download to the remote device.

16. A system for connecting at least one integrated receiver/decoder to a broadband facility, comprising:

an integrated receiver/decoder having a first dial-up modem;

a gateway, the gateway comprising a microcomputer, a second dial-up modem, and a digital subscriber line modem, the gateway being coupled to the broadband facility, wherein the second dial-up modem implements a log-in protocol for a remote host that communicates with the broadband facility;

a communication connection between the first dial-up modem and the second dial-up modem, wherein when the remote host initiates a callback procedure to the first dial-up modem via the gateway a dial tone response to an off-hook signal received at the local telephone office from the integrated receiver/decoder is inactivated during the callback procedure.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a dedicated digital subscriber line, wherein the first dial-up modem is connected to the dedicated digital subscriber line to provide an always-on connection between the broadband facility and the integrated receiver/decoder.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a shared digital subscriber line, wherein the first dial-up modem is connected to the shared digital subscriber line; and

a polling protocol between the gateway and the integrated receiver/decoder implemented via the shared digital subscriber line.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising a line connection, coupled to the integrated receiver/decoder, for carrying modem dial-up signals from the integrated receiver/decoder to the second dial-up modem.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the modem dial-up signals are moved from the communication connection to the line connection.