Patent ID: 6636890
Filing Date: 2003-10-21
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
A method for delivering electronic mail (e-mail) messages over a cable television distribution network, comprising the steps of:(a.) receiving in said cable television distribution network, an Internet addressed e-mall message addressed to an e-mail subscriber of said cable television distribution network, wherein said receiving step is performed without assistance from a mail server in said cable television distribution network; (b.) responsive to receiving said Internet addressed e-mall message, associating said Internet addressed e-mail message with a cable subscriber identifier, adding a cable network address header based on said cable subscriber identifier to said e-mail message corresponding to the premises of said e-mail subscriber, and modulating said e-mail message and cable network address header in a cable television signal over said cable distribution network simultaneously with other cable television signals but in a predefined frequency band not configured to carry said cable television signals; (c.) demodulating said e-mail message and cable network address header in said cable television signal in a stand-alone e-mail message receiver in said premises of said subscriber by decoding said address header, said stand-alone receiver having a single one-way communicative link from said Internet through said cable television distribution network; and, (d.) displaying said e-mall message in said stand-alone e-mail message receiver operating without requiring concurrent operation of an external output device.