Abstract:
The present invention relates to a system and method for integrating telecommunications and cable networks for the purpose of providing telephone services to a cable host device over a cable network. The methods include registering a cable host device to receive telephone services, downloading telephone service software to a cable host device, cable host device sign on to the telephone services, associating a telephone with a cable host device, temporarily registering a cable host device, and activating and deactivating telephone services for a cable host device. Also described are systems for connecting telephone and cable networks to enable telephone services to be provided by cable host devices.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/026,979, filed Dec. 30, 2004. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     None. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to integrating communication networks, such as telecommunication networks, and media-delivery networks, such as cable television networks. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for integrating communication and media delivery networks for the purpose of providing communication services to a host device through a media-delivery network. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Mobile phone users do not always keep their phones in their immediate vicinity, nor do users keep their phones perpetually turned on. Further, there are occasions when using a mobile phone, while possible, may be inconvenient. In. either illustrative situation, telephone services are unavailable. If telephone services were able to be delivered via alternate mechanisms, including mechanisms that take advantage of devices that are present in the user&#39;s home, then the value of the services would be increased and functionally extended. One such alternate mechanism could be the use of a cable host device that normally facilitates the delivery of cable television programming. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a system and method for integrating communication and media-delivery networks for the purpose of providing communication services to a host device over a media-delivery network. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, which are incorporated by reference herein, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a system architecture for hosting telephone services on a cable host device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a further system architecture for hosting telephone services on a cable host device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a method for registering a cable host device to receive telephone services in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a method for downloading telephone services software to a cable host device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention for signing on a registered cable host device to a telephone network; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention for signing on an unregistered cable host device to a telephone network; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention for adding a telephone number to a registered cable host device; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention for activating a telephone service from a registered cable host device; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention for deactivating a telephone service from a registered cable host device; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a system architecture to deliver high-bandwidth telephone services via a cable host device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a system architecture to deliver low-bandwidth telephone services via a cable host device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention permits the integration of one or more communication network with one or more media-delivery network. One result of the integration is the ability to deliver communication services over the media-delivery network to a host device. While the type of communication network described in detail herein is a telecommunication network, and, more particularly, a mobile telecommunication network, one skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be implemented with other types of communication networks permitting the multi-directional exchange of information (in any format, including analogue). Likewise, one skilled in the art will appreciate that while cable television networks are described herein as an example of a media-delivery network, the present invention may be implemented with other types of media delivery networks that permit the substantially uni-directional delivery of media content. 
     Telephone services provided via a mobile telephone may be delivered to a cable host device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A telephone network that provides telephone services is usually owned by a telephone carrier and is separate from a cable network that provides cable-television programming and is owned by a cable operator. 
     The present invention may deliver communication services associated with a communication network, such as a mobile telephone network, to a media-delivery network, such as digital cable television, by interfacing the two networks, for example at a cable head end, and delivering services over the media-delivery network. In the example of digital cable television services may be delivered on the unbound signaling channel typically employed in a digital cable television network or on one or more bound digital cable channels. In accordance with the present invention, services may be delivered on any type of bound digital channel, including a premium channel, a pay-per-view channel, a regular channel, or an unbound channel used to deliver programming information. 
     In a digital cable television network, content is delivered on multiple bound channels, and a user selects content by selecting at the cable host device the channel on which the desired content is available. The cable host device then displays the content on the desired channel on a monitor, which is often a television screen. Media content on bound channels flows uni-directionally from a cable headend to the cable host devices connected to that cable headend. 
     A digital cable network also uses one or more unbound channels to exchange information other than media content bi-directionally between a cable host device and a cable headend. For example, information regarding upcoming programming on bound channels may be transmitted on an unbound channel from the cable headend to the cable host device. Selection by a user may then cause such programming information to be displayed on a monitor. However, information may also be transmitted from a cable host device to a cable headend, such as registration information upon power up of the cable host device and information necessary for authentication and/or billing upon selection of pay-per-view program by a user. 
     Although there is no reason that the present invention could not be implemented in a wholly owned scenario wherein both the telephone network and the cable network belong to the same entity, the invention is described in detail herein for the exemplary scenario where two entities must cooperatively integrate separate networks to provide the services. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an architecture  100  to host telephone services on a cable host device is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A cable host device  110  is connected to a monitor  120  and an input mechanism  130 . Cable host device  110  may be, for example, a separate device such as is commonly referred to as a set-top box or built in to monitor  120 . Examples of cable host device  110  include a television set-top box or a television-integrated component for hosting cable television software. Cable host device  110  may be manufactured with a Media Access Control (MAC) address that may be used to uniquely identify the device within a network of similar devices. 
     In one embodiment, cable host device  110  includes resident software to provide channel guides and programming content. Information regarding channel guides and programming content may be received over an unbound channel. Examples of such cable-host-device software include resident navigator applications such as Passport or Scientific Atlanta Resident Application (SARA) and operating-system software such as PowerTV. Examples of monitor  120  connected to cable host device  110  include a television or a computer monitor. Input mechanism  130  may be an infra-red remote control device sensed by cable host device  110 . Other devices, such as mobile telephones, keyboards, or personal digital assistants (PDAs) could provide the same functionality. The connection between input mechanism  130  and cable host device  110  may be wireless, such as an infra-red, radio, 802.11x, Bluetooth, etc., or directly by a cable or other physical connection such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector. Input mechanism  130  may directly interface with cable host device  110  as in the case of a set-top box or may interface with cable host device  110  via an intermediary device such as a personal computer. 
     Cable host device  110  connects to a telephone subscriber database  140  to receive the telephone services by transmitting information over an unbound channel. One skilled in the art will appreciate that cable host device  110  connecting to telephone subscriber database  140  may involve intermediate steps and equipment between the host device  110  and the database  140 . Cable host device  110  connects to configuration control server  150  which controls addressing and content for a plurality of cable host devices. Cable host device  110  also connects to a broadcast file carousel  160 . Broadcast file carousel  160  may receive programming and place programming on bound channels for transmission to cable host device  110 . Configuration control server  150  connects to broadcast file carousel  160  to indicate when telephone services content should be transmitted to cable host device  110 . 
     In accordance with the present invention, information necessary to deliver communication services to cable host device  110  may be transmitted in any fashion. For example, a communication services database  140  may transmit information to cable host device  110  over an unbound channel, either directly or through an intermediary such as configuration control server  150 . Alternatively, a communication file server  170  may connect to broadcast file carousel  160  to deliver information for a service for insertion on a bound channel by broadcast file carousel  160  for transmission to cable host device  110 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a further architecture  200  to host telephone services on a cable host device is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A cable host device  210  is connected to a monitor  220  and an input mechanism  230 . Cable host device  210  may be, for example, a separate device such as is commonly referred to as a set-top box or built in to monitor  220 . Examples of cable host  210  include a television set-top box or a television-integrated component for hosting cable television software. Cable host device  210  may be manufactured with a MAC address that may be used to identify the device uniquely within a network of similar devices. Examples of monitor  220  connected to cable host device  210  include a television or a computer monitor. Input mechanism  230  may be an infra-red remote control device sensed by cable host device  210 . Other devices such a mobile telephones, keyboards, or PDAs could provide the same capability. The connection between input mechanism  230  and cable host device  210  may be wireless, such as an infra-red or a Bluetooth link or directly by a cable or other physical connection such as a USE connector. Input mechanism  230  may directly interface with cable host device  210  as in the case of a set-top box or may interface with cable host device  210  via an intermediary device such as a personal computer. 
     Cable host device  210  connects to an intermediate gateway server  280 . Intermediate gateway server  280  connects to a telephone subscriber database  240  to receive the telephone services and to file server  270  to receive telephone services software. Cable host device  210  connects to configuration control server  250  which controls addressing and content for a plurality of cable host devices. Cable host device  210  connects to a broadcast file carousel  260  which receives telephone services content from intermediate gateway server  280 . Configuration control server  250  connects to broadcast file carousel  260  to indicate when telephone services content should be transmitted to cable host device  210 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a method  300  for registering a cable host device to receive telephone services is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Step  310  displays a user interface on monitor  120  connected to cable host device  110  when a telecommunications portal channel is selected. The telecommunications portal channel may be a specific numbered channel that when selected on cable host device  110  executes a telecommunications application designed to manage telephone services provided by cable host device  110 . Telecommunications portal channel may be any type of channel, such as a pay-per-view channel, a premium channel, a regular channel, or an information channel, such as sometimes used to deliver programming information to a cable host device. The registration data may include telephone numbers, account numbers, subscriber name, services to activate or deactivate, email address, or MAC address of cable host device  110  as well as any other information required to manage the telephone services provided by cable host device  110 . Step  320  collects registration data necessary to register the cable host device to receive telephone services via the user interface displayed in step  310 . Optionally, step  330  retrieves the MAC address of cable host device  110  as additional registration data. Step  340  sends registration data from cable host device  110  to telephone subscriber database  140 . In step  350 , cable host device  110  receives a subscriber identifier from telephone subscriber database  140 . Step  340  and step  350  may be performed in accordance with current methods used to register a cable host device with a cable television network although any transmission method and/or protocol may be used in accordance with the present invention. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a method  400  for downloading telephone services software to a cable host device is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In step  410 , telephone services software is sent from file server  170  to broadcast file carousel  160 . Step  420  registers the presence of new software for download to cable host device  110  with a configuration control server  150 . Step  430  sends the software from broadcast file carousel  160  to cable host device  110  when signaled by configuration control server  150 . Method  400  may utilize routines, methods and protocols such as may be used to update software and/or firmware on a cable host device during its operation on a digital television network. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a method  500  for signing on a registered cable host device to receive telephone services is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Optionally, step  510  retrieves the MAC address from the registered cable host device  110 . Step  520  sends a message from the registered cable host device  110  to telephone subscriber database  140  indicating that cable host device  110  has been powered on. Step  530  sets an indicator within telephone subscriber database  140  that cable host device  110  is active. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a method  600  for signing on an unregistered cable host device to receive telephone services is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Optionally, step  610  retrieves the MAC address from the unregistered cable host device  110 . Step  620  sends a message from the unregistered cable host device  110  to telephone subscriber database  140  indicating that cable host device  110  has been powered on. In step  630 , telephone subscriber database  140  determines that cable host device  110  has not been previously registered and is associated with a valid telephone services account. Step  640  registers the unregistered cable host device  110  with telephone subscriber database  140 . Step  650  sets an indicator within telephone subscriber database  140  that cable host device  110  is active. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , a method  700  for registering a new telephone number to receive telephone services on a registered cable host device is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Optionally, step  710  retrieves the MAC address from the registered cable host device  110 . Step  720  sends a message from the registered cable host device  110  to telephone subscriber database  140  including the telephone number of the telephone device. Step  730  associates the telephone number with the cable host device  110  in telephone subscriber database  140 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , a method  800  for activating a new telephone service from a registered cable host device is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Step  810  sends a message to activate a telephone service from a registered cable host device  110  to telephone subscriber database  140 . Step  820  sets an indicator within telephone subscriber database  140  indicating the requested telephone service is activated. In step  830 , telephone subscriber database  140  sends an acknowledgement to cable host device  110  indicating whether the service activation succeeded or failed. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 9 , a method  900  for deactivating a new telephone service from a registered cable host device is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Step  910  sends a message to deactivate a telephone service from registered cable host device  110  to telephone subscriber database  140 . Step  920  sets an indicator within telephone subscriber database  140  indicating the requested telephone service is deactivated. In step  930 , telephone subscriber database  140  sends an acknowledgement to cable host device  110  indicating whether the service deactivation succeeded or failed. 
     In  FIG. 10 , a system architecture  1000  for delivering high-bandwidth telephone services via a cable host device is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Cable host device  1005  is connected to a monitor  1010  and peripheral input devices such as a text input mechanism  1015 , video camera  1020 , and a microphone  1025 . The connection between text input mechanism  1015 , video camera  1020 , or microphone  1025  and cable host device  1005  may be wireless, such as an infra-red remote or a Bluetooth link or directly by a cable or other physical connection such as a USB or Firewire connection. Text input mechanism  1015 , video camera  1020 , or microphone  1025  may directly interface with cable host device  1005  as in the case of a set-top box or may interface with cable host device  1005  via an intermediary device such as a personal computer equipped with an infra-red receiver, USB port, Firewire port or other interface. 
     Cable host device  1005  connects via a private IP network  1030  to an intermediate gateway server  1035 , a broadcast file carousel  1045 , a configuration control server  1040  and a multimedia data server  1050 . Broadcast file carousel  1045  and configuration control server  1040  typically are located within a cable operator&#39;s private network. Intermediate gateway server interfaces with multimedia data server  1050  to provide high-bandwidth telephone services such a video mail, picture mail, and video conferencing. Multimedia data server  1050  may be located within the cable operator&#39;s network or the telephone carrier&#39;s network depending on implementation requirements. Intermediate gateway server  1035  connects via a second private IP network  1055  to a telephone switch call manager  1065  and a telephone subscriber database  1060 . Telephone switch call manager  1065  and telephone subscriber database  1060  typically are located on a telephone carrier&#39;s private network. In the case where the cable and telephone networks are under the control of one entity, private IP networks  1030  and  1055  may be a single private IP network and the use of intermediate gateway server  1035  to bridge between the two networks may not be required. 
     In  FIG. 11 , a system architecture  1100  for delivering low-bandwidth telephone services via a cable host device is illustrated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Cable host device  1105  is connected to a monitor  1110  and a text input mechanism  1115 . The connection between text input mechanism  1115  and cable host device  1105  may be wireless, such as an infra-red or a Bluetooth link or directly by a cable or other physical connection such as a USB connection. Text input mechanism  1115 , may directly interface with cable host device  1105  as in the case of a set-top box or may interface with cable host device  1105  via an intermediary device such as a personal computer equipped with an infra-red receiver, USB port, Firewire port or other interface. 
     Cable host device  1105  connects via a private IP network  1120  to an intermediate gateway server  1125 , a broadcast file carousel  1135 , and a configuration control server  1130 . Broadcast file carousel  1135  and configuration control server  1130  may be located within a cable operator&#39;s private network. Intermediate gateway server  1125  connects via a second private IP network  1140  to a telephone switch call manager  1145  and a telephone subscriber database  1150 . In the case where the cable and telephone networks are under the control of one entity, private IP networks  1120  and  1140  may be a single private IP network and the use of intermediate gateway server  1125  to bridge between the two networks may not be required.