# US 2014/0157340 A1 · Multimedia content distribution management > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0157340 A1 - Document ID: US20140157340A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/173,604 - Filed: 2014-02-05 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2009-10-14 - Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Applicants: At&T Intellectual Property I, L.P. - Inventors: David Harp; Benjamin Jahner; Sean Ohara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140157340A1 ## CPC - H04N 21/6379: directed to encoder {, e.g. for requesting a lower encoding rate} - H04N 21/2383: Channel coding {or modulation} of digital bit-stream, e.g. QPSK modulation (arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received by adapting the channel coding H04L1/0009; analogue front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002) - H04N 21/43615: {Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals (home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805)} - H04N 21/4363: Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network - H04N 21/4382: {Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation (analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002)} - H04B 2203/545: Audio/video application, e.g. interphone - H04B 2203/5458: Monitor sensor; Alarm systems - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract A method includes receiving, at a communications gateway associated with a customer premises, multimedia content from a communications network. The method includes superimposing, via the communications gateway, a heartbeat signal on an alternating current electrical power signal associated with an electrical wiring system of the customer premises. The method includes encoding the multimedia content based on the heartbeat signal to produce encoded multimedia content at the communications gateway. The method also includes wirelessly transmitting the encoded multimedia content from the communications gateway to a device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: receiving, at a communications gateway associated with a customer premises, multimedia content from a communications network; superimposing, via the communications gateway, a heartbeat signal on an alternating current electrical power signal associated with an electrical wiring system of the customer premises; encoding the multimedia content based on the heartbeat signal to produce encoded multimedia content at the communications gateway; and wirelessly transmitting the encoded multimedia content from the communications gateway to a device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the heartbeat signal at fixed time intervals. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying the heartbeat signal at variable time intervals. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the device is coupled to the electrical wiring system and wherein the device uses the heartbeat signal extracted from the alternating current electrical power signal to decode the encoded multimedia content. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the device is inhibited from decoding the encoded multimedia content due to absence of the heartbeat signal when the device is not coupled to the electrical wiring system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a set-top box device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the heartbeat signal is based on a first prime number during a first time period. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the heartbeat signal is based on a second prime number during a second time period. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the communications network includes an internet protocol television network, a cable network, or a satellite television network. ### Claim 10 A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions executable by a processor to perform operations including: receiving multimedia content from a communications network; superimposing a heartbeat signal on an alternating current electrical power signal associated with an electrical wiring system of a customer premises; encoding the multimedia content based on the heartbeat signal to produce encoded multimedia content; and wirelessly transmitting the encoded multimedia content to a device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The computer-readable storage device of claim 10, wherein the operations further include receiving a request for the multimedia content from the device prior to receiving the multimedia content from the communications network. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The computer-readable storage device of claim 10, wherein the heartbeat signal comprises a first heartbeat signal during a first time interval and a second heartbeat signal during a second time interval. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The computer-readable storage device of claim 12, wherein the first heartbeat signal is based on a first random number, and wherein the second heartbeat signal is based on a second random number different from the first random number. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The computer-readable storage device of claim 10, wherein the device is inhibited from decoding the encoded multimedia content due to absence of the heartbeat signal when the device is not coupled to the electrical wiring system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The computer-readable storage device of claim 10, wherein the device is coupled to the electrical wiring system, and wherein the device uses the heartbeat signal extracted from the alternating current electrical power signal to decode the encoded multimedia content. ### Claim 16 A set-top box device comprising: a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory including instructions executable by the processor to perform operations comprising: receiving encoded multimedia content wirelessly transmitted from a communications gateway; extracting a heartbeat signal from alternating current received via an electrical wiring system, wherein the communications gateway superimposed the heartbeat signal on the alternating current; and decoding the encoded multimedia content based on the heartbeat signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The set-top box device of claim 16, wherein the communications gateway is associated with a customer premises and wherein the electrical wiring system is coupled to the customer premises. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The set-top box device of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise: generating a message in response to a failure detected during decoding of the encoded multimedia content; and sending the message to a display device coupled to the processor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The set-top box device of claim 16, wherein the operations include sending a message to a display device in response to detecting a failure to receive the heartbeat signal. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The set-top box device of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise sending multimedia content decoded from the encoded multimedia content to a display device.