Communication enabled consumer products and controller

• US 6,510,210 B1
• Filed: 12/14/1999
• Issued: 01/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Baughan, Kevin J
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US09/461,453
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 379/110.01,90.01,102.03 455/420,418,556,557
• US Class Current: 379/90.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks

Abstract

A consumer entertainment device (for example, a games console, audio recording player, radio frequency broadcast reception apparatus) comprising a telecommunications transceiver arranged for communication over a customer premises network. The device may also comprise telephony handset apparatus, making shared use with the entertainment control apparatus of the telecommunications transceiver. Also a media connections unit arranged to inter-work between such a consumer entertainment device and a public network. Additionally, a network gateway comprising an access control unit whereby to control access to a network from a remote media connections unit.

Claims

1. A consumer entertainment device dedicated for presenting entertainment content to a consumer and comprising:

a telecommunications transceiver integrated in the device and having a protocol arranged for communication over a customer premises local area network to a media connections unit, and a higher level protocol for access of remotely held entertainment content over a public network coupled to the media connections unit,

a telephony terminal integrated in the device for a consumer to make or receive calls over the local area network, simultaneously with entertainment content being presented, and

a remote control interface coupled to the transceiver and arranged to enable a remote controller to communicate over the customer premises local area network to control the presentation of entertainment.

2. A consumer entertainment device according to claim 1 wherein said device is one of a games console, an audio recording player, an audio visual recording player, and a radio frequency broadcast reception apparatus.

3. A consumer entertainment device according to claim 1 wherein said customer premises local area network is a wireless network.

4. A consumer entertainment device according to claim 1 comprising entertainment control apparatus and telephony handset apparatus and wherein said entertainment control apparatus and said telephone handset apparatus makes shared use of said telecommunications transceiver.

5. A customer premises equipment arrangement comprising one or more consumer entertainment devices and a media connections unit, the media connections unit comprising:

a customer premises local area network protocol interface;

a public network protocol interface;

interworking apparatus to enable communication between said interfaces,

the consumer entertainment devices being dedicated for presenting entertainment content to a consumer and comprising;

a telecommunications transceiver integrated in the device and having a protocol arranged for communication over the customer premises local area network to the media connections unit, and a higher level protocol for access of remotely held entertainment content over a public network coupled to the media connections unit, and

a remote control interface coupled to the transceiver and arranged to enable a remote controller to communicate over the customer premises local area network to control the presentation of entertainment.

6. A customer premises equipment arrangement according to claim 5 wherein said customer premises network protocol interface is a wireless interface.

7. A customer premises equipment arrangement according to claim 5 additionally comprising:

a store arranged to support at least one of buffering communications between said interfaces, and caching communications between said interfaces.

8. A customer premises equipment arrangement according to claim 5 wherein said customer premises local area network protocol interface comprises:

a protocol entity arranged to support communication of menu and menu item selection data.

9. A customer premises equipment arrangement according to claim 5 wherein said customer premises local area network protocol interface comprises:

a protocol entity arranged to support communication of a media stream.

10. A customer premises equipment arrangement according to claim 5,

a telephony terminal being integrated in the consumer entertainment device for a consumer to make or receive calls over the local area network, simultaneously with entertainment content being presented.

11. A customer premises equipment arrangement according to claim 10 additionally comprising:

a modem arranged to modulate and demodulate signals on a public network from and to said public network protocol interface of said media connections unit.

12. A method of offering to a customer the use of the customer premises equipment arrangement of claim 5 for entertainment services.

13. A customer premises media system comprising:

at least one consumer entertainment device for presenting entertainment content and comprising a customer premises local area network protocol interface;

a media connections unit and

a remote controller having a customer premises local area network protocol interface,

the media connections unit comprising;

a customer premises local area network protocol interface;

a public network protocol interface; and

interworking apparatus to enable communications between said interfaces;

the consumer entertainment device or devices having a remote control interface coupled to the local area network protocol interface and arranged to enable the remote controller to communicate via the customer premises local area network to control the presentation of entertainment and the remote controller having a telephony terminal integrated to enable a consumer to make or receive calls over the local area network simultaneously with remote control of the entertainment content.

14. A network comprising the customer premises media system of claim 13 and a remote network gateway comprising an access control unit, whereby to control access to a network from the media connections unit of the customer premises media system.

15. A telecommunications network comprising a network gateway according to claim 14.

16. A method of offering to a customer the use of the customer premises media system of claim 13 for entertainment services.

17. A games console device dedicated for presenting entertainment content in the form of games to a consumer and comprising:

a telecommunications transceiver integrated in the device and having a protocol arranged for communication over a customer premises local area network to a media connections unit, and a higher level protocol for accessing remotely held gaming information over a public network coupled to the media connections unit, and

a telephony terminal integrated in the device for a consumer to make or receive calls over the local area network, simultaneously with playing a game.

18. A games console device dedicated for presenting entertainment content in the form of games to a consumer and comprising:

a telecommunications transceiver integrated in the device and having a protocol arranged for accessing remotely held game related information over a public network,

an audio interface, and

a telephony terminal integrated in the device for a consumer to make or receive calls, simultaneously with playing a game, using the same telecommunications transceiver and audio interface.