Intelligent peripheral in video dial tone network

A system comprising:

• a broadband communication network selectively providing broadband communications links;
• a plurality of information servers connected to the broadband communication network, each information server being capable of transmitting broadband digital information via a broadband communication link through the broadband communication network;
• a plurality of terminals for transmitting control signals upstream through the broadband communication network in response to user inputs and for providing displays in response to digital information received through the broadband communication network;
• a plurality of telephone switching offices;
• a central control separate from the telephone switching offices for controlling at least some operations of each telephone switching office;
• and
• a peripheral platform connected to one of the telephone switching offices via a telephone call connection channel, for providing at least one auxiliary telephone call processing capability via the telephone call connection channel in response to control signals from the central control, and for controlling either the broadband communication network or one of the information servers in response to the control signals from the terminals.

In a system comprising:

• a broadband communication network selectively providing broadband communications links;
• a plurality of information servers connected to the broadband communication network, each information server being capable of transmitting broadband digital information via a broadband communication link through the broadband communication network;
• a plurality of terminals for transmitting control signals upstream through the broadband communication network in response to user inputs and for providing displays in response to information received through the broadband communication network;
• a plurality of telephone switching offices;
• a central control separate from the telephone switching offices for controlling at least some operations of each telephone switching office;
• and
• a peripheral platform connected to one of the telephone switching offices via a telephone call connection channel and connected to the broadband communication network, said peripheral platform providing at least one auxiliary telephone call processing capability via the telephone call connection channel in response to control signals from the central control, a method comprising the steps of:
• receiving control signals at the peripheral platform from one of the terminals, said control signals representing selection of a service;
• and
• in response to the received control signals, controlling the broadband communication network to enable the one terminal to receive broadband digital information from a predetermined one of the information servers which provides the selected service.

In a system comprising:

• a broadband communication network selectively providing broadband communications links;
• a plurality of information servers connected to the broadband communication network, each information server being capable of transmitting broadband digital information via a broadband communication link through the broadband communication network;
• a plurality of terminals for transmitting control signals upstream through the broadband communication network in response to user inputs and for providing displays in response to information received through the broadband communication network;
• a plurality of telephone switching offices;
• a central control separate from the telephone switching offices for controlling at least some operations of each telephone switching office;
• and
• a peripheral platform connected to one of the telephone switching offices via a telephone call connection channel and connected to the broadband communication network, said peripheral platform providing at least one auxiliary telephone call processing capability via the telephone call connection channel in response to control signals from the central control, a method comprising the steps of:
• receiving control signals at the peripheral platform from one of the terminals, said control signals representing a selection;
• and
• in response to the received control signals, controlling one of the information servers to transmit broadband digital information corresponding to the selection through the broadband communication network to the one terminal.

A peripheral platform for use in an integrated communications network providing telephone service and broadband service, said peripheral platform comprising:

• a telephony interface, for connection to one of a plurality of telephone switching systems in the network, for transmitting voice frequency messages and receiving and processing dialed digit information from a telephone station through the one telephone switching system;
• a signaling communications interface for providing data communications (1) between the peripheral platform and a central control of the integrated communications network and (2) between the peripheral platform and a broadband digital entertainment terminal coupled to the network;
• a processor for (a) controlling said telephony interface in response to instructions from the central control to provide an auxiliary telephone call processing capability and (b) controlling broadband communications through said network to provide a requested broadband service through the broadband digital entertainment terminal;
• and
• an internal data communication system carrying information between the processor, the telephony interface, and the signaling communications interface;
• wherein:
• the processor comprises at least one server module for providing the auxiliary telephone call processing capability via the telephony interface, and a gateway module for controlling broadband communications through said network to provide a requested broadband service through the broadband digital entertainment terminal.

An integrated communication system, comprising:

• a plurality of telephone stations;
• a plurality of separately located central office switching systems interconnected via trunk circuits for selectively providing switched telephone call communications between at least two of the telephone stations;
• a service control point, separate from the central office switching systems, comprising a database storing call processing data associated with a plurality of the telephone stations for control of call processing through one or more of the central office switching systems;
• a peripheral platform connected to at least one of the central office switching systems via a telephone call connection channel, the peripheral platform comprising means for providing at least one auxiliary telephone call processing capability via the telephone call connection channel;
• a signalling communication system separate from the trunk circuits for two-way communications of data messages between the central office switching systems, between the central office switching systems and the service control point, and between the peripheral platform and the services control point;
• a plurality of broadband information service provider systems, each provider system being capable of transmitting broadband digital information;
• a plurality of terminals for transmitting control signals upstream in response to user inputs and for providing displays in response to received digital information;
• and
• a broadband communication network selectively providing broadband digital communications from the service provider systems to the terminals;
• wherein
• the peripheral platform receives at least some of the control signals from the terminals and controls the selective provision of broadband digital communications from the service provider systems to the terminals in response to the control signals.

An integrated communication system, comprising:

• a plurality of telephone stations;
• a plurality of separately located central office switching systems interconnected via trunk circuits for selectively providing switched telephone call communications between at least two of the telephone stations;
• a service control point, separate from the central office switching systems, comprising a database storing call processing data associated with a plurality of the telephone stations for control of call processing through one or more of the central office switching systems;
• a peripheral platform connected to at least one of the central office switching systems via a telephone call connection channel, the peripheral platform comprising means for providing at least one auxiliary telephone call processing capability via the telephone call connection channel;
• a signalling communication system separate from the trunk circuits for two-way communications of data messages between the central office switching systems, between the central office switching systems and the service control point, and between the peripheral platform and the services control point;
• a plurality of broadband information service provider systems, each provider system being capable of transmitting broadband digital information;
• a plurality of terminals for transmitting control signals upstream in response to user inputs and for providing displays in response to received digital information;
• and
• a broadband communication network selectively providing broadband digital communications from the service provider systems to the terminals;
• wherein
• the peripheral platform receives at least some of the control signals from the terminals and controls at least one of the broadband information service provider systems to provide selected broadband digital information through the broadband communication network to the terminals in response to the control signals.

A system comprising:

• a broadband communication network selectively providing broadband communications links;
• a plurality of information servers connected to the broadband communication network, each information server being capable of transmitting broadband digital information via a broadband communication link through the broadband communication network;
• a plurality of terminals for transmitting control signals upstream through the broadband communication network in response to user inputs and for providing displays in response to digital information received through the broadband communication network;
• a plurality of telephone switching offices;
• a central control separate from the telephone switching offices for controlling at least some operations of each telephone switching office;
• and
• a peripheral platform connected to one of the telephone switching offices via a telephone call connection channel, for providing at least one auxiliary telephone call processing capability via the telephone call connection channel in response to control signals from the central control, and for controlling the broadband communication network in response to the control signals from the terminals.

A system comprising:

• a broadband communication network selectively providing broadband communications links;
• a plurality of information servers connected to the broadband communication network, each information server being capable of transmitting broadband digital information via a broadband communication link through the broadband communication network;
• a plurality of terminals for transmitting control signals upstream through the broadband communication network in response to user inputs and for providing displays in response to digital information received through the broadband communication network;
• a plurality of telephone switching offices;
• a central control separate from the telephone switching offices for controlling at least some operations of each telephone switching office;
• and
• a peripheral platform connected to one of the telephone switching offices via a telephone call connection channel, for providing at least one auxiliary telephone call processing capability via the telephone call connection channel in response to control signals from the central control, and for controlling at least one of the information servers in response to the control signals from the terminals.