PSTN architecture for video-on-demand services

• US 5,790,174 A
• Filed: 03/06/1996
• Issued: 08/04/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Litteral, Larry A., Richard, Arthur A. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US08/611,422
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 379/105, 379/102, 379/104, 379/94, 379/93, 379/96-98, 379/93.01, 379/93.12, 379/90.01, 379/93.28, 379/93.37, 379/102.01, 379/102.07, 348/6-8, 348/10-13
• US Class Current: 725/99
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/16 Half-duplex systems; Simplex/duplex switching; Transmission of break signals non-automatically inverting the direction of transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0428 Integrated services digital network, i.e. systems for transmission of different types of digitised signals, e.g. speech, data, telecentral, television signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1305 Software aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13166 Fault prevention
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13196 Connection circuit/link/trunk/junction, bridge, router, gateway
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13199 Modem, modulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13248 Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13291 Frequency division multiplexing, FDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13292 Time division multiplexing, TDM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13296 Packet switching, X.25, frame relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13332 : Broadband, CATV, dynamic bandwidth allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13337 : Picturephone, videotelephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 : Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13375 : Electronic mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13376 : Information service, downloading of information, 0800/0900 services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 : Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13405 : Dual frequency signaling, DTMF

Abstract

A public switched telephone network (PSTN) provides digital video signals from a video information provider to one or more of a plurality of subscriber premises. A subscriber uses either a standard telephone instrument over the PSTN or a dedicated control device over an ISDN packet network to order video programming. The request is transmitted to a designated video information provider and digital transmission connectivity is established between the video information provider and the central office serving the subscriber. Connectivity between the central office and subscriber is provided by asymmetrical digital subscriber line interface units over a local loop. The interface units frequency multiplex digital video information with voice information to the subscriber and support transmission of a reverse control channel from the subscriber to the central office for transmission on the ISDN packet data network back to the video information provider. The interfaces also allow base band signalling and audio between the central office and the subscriber for conventional telephone instrument connectivity.

Claims

1. A network for the distribution of information, including video information, to subscribers comprising:

a broadband distribution network;

a first video information provider system, comprising at least one source of digitized video information coupled to supply digitized video information to the broadband distribution network;

a second video information provider system, separate from the first video information provider system, comprising at least one further source of digitized video information coupled to supply digitized video information to the broadband distribution network;

a plurality of subscriber terminals coupled to receive digitized video information from the broadband distribution network;

a gateway, in signaling communication with the subscriber terminals, for authorizing a connection and controlling the broadband distribution network to selectively establish a direct connection through the broadband distribution network between a subscriber selected one of the first and second video information provider systems and the subscriber'"'"'s terminal.

3. The network of claim 1 in which said gateway receives a request to establish connectivity to a video information provider system from a subscriber terminal.

2. A network for the distribution of information, including video information, to subscribers comprising:

a first video information provider system comprising a source of video information;

a second video information provider system separate from the first video information provider system, the second video information provider system comprising another source of video information;

one or more broadband distribution components for providing video information directly to a plurality of subscribers, wherein the first and second video information provider systems are connected to said one or more broadband distribution components;

subscriber terminals for connecting subscribers to said one or more broadband distribution components;

a gateway providing control signals for the one or more broadband distribution components, for authorizing and controlling selective establishment of a video connection directly between a selected one of the first and second video information provider systems and the terminal of a selecting subscriber through the one or more broadband distribution components; and

a signalling network selectively connecting the subscriber terminals to said gateway.

4. The network of claim 2 in which the gateway initiates communication sessions between one or more of the video information provider systems and said subscriber terminals.