Patent ID: 6467090
Filing Date: 2002-10-15
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
In a digital broadband network serviced by a telecommunication services provider, a method for allowing a plurality of devices at a physical drop to receive access to video and/or data services from a plurality of video/data service providers, wherein the plurality of service providers normally communicate with the telecommunication services provider utilizing electronic messages having predetermined formats as defined in a communications protocol, the method comprising:transmitting a first electronic message in a modified format determined by the telecommunication services provider, the first electronic message containing first information identifying the physical drop, and a type of a device being provisioned at one physical drop, and a maximum number of devices for the device type allowed to receive corresponding service at the physical drop; storing the first information at a location servicing the physical drop; and upon receiving a sign-on request from a requesting device that is requesting access to one of the video and data services, determining whether the requesting device is authorized to access the requested video or data service based on the stored first information whereby the physical drop is provisioned to accommodate multiple devices without preregistration of any of the devices.