US 8,713,617 B2Granted

Systems and methods for providing television signals using a network interface device

AssigneeQwest Communications International Inc.

InventorsBruce A. Phillips, Steven M. Casey, Donald Brodigan, Kurt A. Campbell

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Abstract

An isolation device isolates a transport medium internal to a customer premises from a transport medium external to the customer premises such that operational changes to one of the internal and external transport media do not affect the other of the internal and external transport media. A first interface communicates with the external transport medium and a second interface communicates with the internal transport medium. An addressable set-top box external to the customer premises receives encoded telecommunication information from the external transport medium and generates television signals from the encoded telecommunication information for transmission over the internal transport medium.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A network interface device comprising:

an isolation device adapted to isolate a transport medium internal to a customer premises from a first transport medium external to the customer premises such that operational changes to one of the internal and external transport media do not affect the other of the internal and external transport media, wherein the isolation device includes a customer area accessible to a customer of a telecommunication service provider and a network area inaccessible to the customer of the telecommunication service provider;
a first interface coupled with the isolation device and adapted to communicate with the first external transport medium, wherein the first external transport medium is in communication with a distribution point;
a second interface coupled with the isolation device and adapted to communicate with the internal transport medium;
an addressable external set-top box (ESTB) disposed within the network area of the isolation device and external to the customer premises and coupled with the first and second interfaces, wherein the external set-top box:
receives encoded telecommunication information from the first external transport medium;
receives instructions from a remote control device via the internal transport medium, the remote control device being disposed within the customer premises;
generates television signals from the encoded telecommunication information for transmission over the internal transport medium as a function of the instructions received from the remote control device;
and
transmits the generated television signals over the internal transport medium to at least one customer premises device disposed within the customer premises;
and
a digital video recorder application device, disposed within the network area of the isolation device to provide video storage capability.

8 more elements

A method for providing television signals, the method comprising:

isolating a transport medium internal to a customer premises from a transport medium external to the customer premises with an isolation device such that operational changes to one of the internal and external transport media do not affect the other of the internal and external transport media, wherein the isolation device includes a customer area accessible to a customer of a telecommunication service provider and a network area inaccessible to the customer of the telecommunication service provider;
receiving encoded telecommunication information from the external transport medium, receiving instructions from a remote control device via the internal transport medium, the remote control device being disposed within the customer premises;
and
decoding, as a function of the instructions received from the remote control device, the encoded telecommunication information with an addressable external set-top box (ESTB) disposed within the network area of the isolation device and external to the customer premises;
generating television signals from the decoded telecommunication information;
and
transmitting the television signals to the internal transport medium for display on a television within the customer premises;
and
providing, with a digital video recorder application, disposed within the network area of the isolation device video storage capability.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/444,941Filed 22 May 2003 · continuation in part
Priority: 31 Jan 2003
Published: US 2004/0151161 A119 Aug 2004
Granted: 29 Apr 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

H04L 63/02
Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security: for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
H04M 3/005
Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges: interface circuits for subscriber lines
H04N 5/45
For displaying additional information: picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
H04N 7/141
Systems for two-way working: between two video terminals, e.g. videophone

Family

Application10/356,364Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 31 Jan 2003
Application10/356,688Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 31 Jan 2003
Application10/356,338Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 31 Jan 2003
Application10/367,597Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 14 Feb 2003
US 2004/0163125 A1Pre-grant publication · published 19 Aug 2004
US 7,433,465 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 7,180,988 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 7,454,006 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 8,537,814 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2004/0151161 A1Published application
US 2004/0151168 A1Published application
US 2004/0151289 A1Published application
US 2004/0176085 A1Published application
US 8,713,617 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.