Method and system for providing broadband access, HDTV, and broadband-enabled services

Abstract

A communication gateway can provide a residence or a premises with access to multiple communication services, including reception of TV signals and bidirectional data communication. The gateway can reformat incoming TV signals to provide compatibility with an onsite TV. The incoming TV signals may be digital or may provide a higher level of pixel definition or screen resolution than the onsite TV is configured to handle. The gateway can convert the incoming TV signals into an analog form or can reduce the pixel definition for reception by the onsite TV. To support bidirectional data communications, the gateway can comprise a wireless interface to a LAN and an interface to broader network, such as a WAN. The gateway can process data signals flowing between the LAN and the WAN to provide format compatibility and can track media exposure. In one exemplary embodiment, the WAN can transmit television signals as packets.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a diagram of an exemplary wireless mesh network for delivering communication access to a plurality of premises according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1B is a diagram of an exemplary wireless network, comprising interconnected base stations, for delivering communication access to a plurality of premises according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a high-level block diagram of an exemplary communication system that couples a premises to two networks according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a high-level block diagram of an exemplary communication system that couples a premises to a wireless mesh network according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary system for providing integrated access to a plurality of communication services according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram that illustrates an exemplary operational function of a system for providing integrated access to a plurality of communication services according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 6A and 6B, collectively FIG. 6, respectively are front and back views of an exemplary system for providing integrated access to a plurality of communication services according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an exemplary process for providing integrated access to a plurality of communication services according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for providing a premises with integrated communication service, comprising the steps of: receiving a first digital communication signal, carrying media content, from a network that communicates via Internet protocol and that extends beyond the premises;modulating an analog signal according to the media content in response to processing the received first digital communication signal;outputting the modulated analog signal for reception by a television at the premises;receiving a second digital communication signal from a local network that communicates via another communication protocol;generating a third digital communication signal, conforming to the Internet protocol, in response to processing the received second digital communication signal; andtransmitting the generated third digital communication signal over the network.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: receiving usage data from a plurality of media appliances located at the premises;processing the received usage data to generate a profile of media consumption at the premises; andtransmitting the generated profile over the network.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the received usage data describes consumption of analog television, digital television, Internet media, and digital radio.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the profile of media consumption comprises a comprehensive profile of essentially all digital content consumed at the premises.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the received usage data represents essentially all the media content consumed at the premises that has arrived at the premises via signal transmission.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the local network comprises a wireless local area network essentially limited to the premises.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the network that extends beyond the premises comprises a mesh network connected to a residence at the premises and a plurality of other residences.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein receiving the first digital communication signal comprises receiving the first digital communication signal at an electronic enclosure located at the premises adjacent the television;wherein modulating the analog signal comprises modulating the analog signal via a circuit disposed in the electronic enclosure;wherein outputting the modulated analog signal comprises outputting the modulated analog signal from the electronic enclosure;wherein receiving the second digital communication signal comprises receiving the second digital communication signal at the electronic enclosure;wherein processing the second digital communication signal comprises processing the second digital communication signal with the circuit; andwherein transmitting the generated third digital communication signal comprises outputting the generated third digital communication signal from the electronic enclosure.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of: collecting, at the electronic enclosure, information describing media consumption at the premises; andtransmitting the collected information over the network.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of producing an integrated profile of media consumption at the premises based on the collected information.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of: producing, at the electronic enclosure, a record of essentially all consumption of digital media at the premises occurring during a time interval; andtransmitting the record from the electronic enclosure to a remote location on the network.

12. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of maintaining, at the electronic enclosure, a profile describing digital television viewership and analog television viewership for each of a plurality of users at the premises.

13. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of: receiving a fourth digital communication signal, conforming to the Internet protocol and carrying information from a remote Internet site, from the mesh network;generating a fifth digital communication signal, conforming to the another communication protocol, in response to processing the fourth communication signal with the circuit; andoutputting the fifth digital communication signal onto the wireless local area network for receipt by a portable computing device at the residence.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the another communication protocol comprises Ethernet.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first digital communication signal comprises one or more packets for carrying the media content, and wherein the media content comprises video content.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the network comprises a packet-switched network.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the network comprises a television distribution network.

18. A system for providing access to communication services, comprising: a housing;a receiver, disposed in the housing, operative to receive a first signal that carries video images with a first level of image resolution;a first circuit, disposed in the housing and electrically coupled to the receiver, operative to produce a second signal that carries the video images with a second level of image resolution, substantially below the first level of image resolution, in response to processing the received first signal;an output port, disposed at the housing and electrically coupled to the first circuit, operative to transmit the second signal for reception by a television that operates at the second level of image resolution;a first antenna, attached to the housing, for interfacing to a local area network;a second antenna, attached to the housing, for interfacing to a wide area network; anda second circuit, disposed in the housing and electrically coupled to the first antenna and to the second antenna, operative to reformat signals passing between the local area network and the wide area network via the first antenna and the second antenna.

19. The system according to claim 18, further comprising a storage device, disposed in the housing, for maintaining a first list of content received by the television and a second list of content received by a second television that operates at the first level of image resolution.

20. The system according to claim 18, further comprising a module, at least partially disposed within the housing, that is operative to track first content displayed on the television and second content displayed on another television that operates at the first level of image resolution.

21. The system according to claim 18, further comprising a memory system, disposed in the housing, containing an integrated profile of media consumption for each user at a residence associated with system.

22. The system according to claim 18, further comprising a module, comprising software and memory, for tracking essentially all media content that the system processes during a time frame.

23. The system according to claim 18, further comprising a memory register that tracks usage of essentially all media appliances at a residence at which the system is located.

24. The system according to claim 18, further comprising a capability to track observations of television content, radio content, and Internet content based on signals passing through the system.

25. The system according to claim 18, wherein at least one of the first antenna and the second antenna is mounted external to the housing and is coupled to the housing via a conductor.

26. The system according to claim 18, wherein the first signal comprises an airborne digital television signal, and wherein the receiver comprises a third antenna for receiving the airborne digital television signal.

27. The system according to claim 18, wherein the first signal comprises a wireless signal that conforms to Internet protocol.

28. The system according to claim 18, wherein the wide area network comprises the Internet.

29. The system according to claim 18, wherein the wide area network comprises a mesh network that is operative to transmit the first signal to the receiver.

30. The system according to claim 18, wherein the wide area network comprises a distributed computing network that conveys to the receiver video packets containing the video images and data packets destined for the local area network.

31. The system according to claim 18, wherein the system further comprises an interactive remote control, within the housing, for controlling the television, and wherein the housing is sized to fit in a hand of a user.

32. A communication gateway, for providing a television and a wireless local area network with communication connectivity, comprising: a receiver, operative to receive first television signals providing a first level of image definition and propagating in air;a transceiver, operative to provide bidirectional data communication with the wireless local area network; anda signal processing system operably connected to an output of the receiver and to the transceiver, the signal processing system operative to perform the steps of: converting the received first television signals into second television signals, providing a second level of image definition substantially below the first level of image definition, for reception by the television;formatting first data signals, that the transceiver receives from the wireless local area network, for transmission over a wide area network via Internet protocol; andformatting second data signals from the wide area network for transmission over the wireless local area network via the transceiver.

33. The communication gateway according to claim 32, wherein the signal processing system is further operative to provide the first television signals for reception by a second television that is compatible with the first level of image definition.

34. The communication gateway according to claim 32, wherein the signal processing system is further operative to track content displayed on each of the first television and the second television.

35. The communication gateway according to claim 34, wherein the signal processing system is further operative to track showings of Internet-based content according to the first data signals or the second data signals.

36. The communication gateway according to claim 32, further comprising a monitor that tracks media consumption for essentially all media appliances, at a residence, that communicate through the communication gateway.

37. The communication gateway according to claim 32, further comprising an integral tracking device that compiles usage statistics for each device at a premises that receives content through the communication gateway.

38. The communication gateway according to claim 32, further comprising an integral tracking device that compiles usage statistics for each device at a premises that transmits data through the communication gateway.

39. The communication gateway according to claim 32, further comprising a memory register that stores usage statistics for a plurality of appliances, at a premises, that communicate with the communication gateway.

40. The communication gateway according to claim 32, wherein the wide area network comprises a wireless mesh network, wherein the first television signals comprise signals transmitted over the wireless mesh network via Internet protocol,wherein the transceiver comprises a transmitter and a second receiver, andwherein the communication gateway further comprises a portable housing that encloses the receiver, the transceiver, and the signal processing system.

41. The communication gateway according to claim 32, wherein the receiver is further operative to receive the second data signals from the wide area network.

42. The communication gateway according to claim 32, wherein the receiver is operative to receive a packet signal that comprises first and second packets, the first packets comprising the first television signals, and the second packets comprising the second data signals, and wherein the signal processing system is further operative to perform the steps of: segregating the first packets and the second packets in response to processing the received packet signal;extracting the first television signals from the first packets, for conversion into the second television signals; andextracting the data signals from the second packets, for formatting for transmission over the wireless local area network.

43. The communication gateway according to claim 32, further comprising a handheld housing that encloses the receiver, the transceiver, and the signal processing system, wherein the signal processing system is further operative to change a channel of the television in response to an input from a user.

44. A communication method, comprising the steps of: receiving packets from a wireless mesh network;processing the received packets to identify packets carrying video content and packets carrying data;separating the packets carrying video content from the packets carrying data;formatting the data for transmission over a wireless local area network in response to processing the packets carrying data;transmitting the formatted data over the wireless local area network for receipt by a computing device;generating an analog signal carrying the video content in response to processing the packets carrying video content; andtransmitting the generated analog signal for reception by an analog television.

45. The communication method according to claim 44, further comprising the step of processing the packets carrying video content to provide a digital signal for reception by a digital television.

46. The communication method according to claim 45, further comprising the step of monitoring content displayed on each of the digital television and the analog television.

47. The communication method according to claim 45, further comprising the step of tracking viewership of the video content shown on each of the digital television and the analog television.

48. The communication method according to claim 47, further comprising the step of tracking usage of the computing device according to transmissions over the wireless local area network.

49. The communication method according to claim 44, wherein the wireless mesh network comprises a first virtual network that handles the packets carrying video content and a second virtual network that handles the packets carrying data.

50. The communication method according to claim 49, wherein the first virtual network comprises a television distribution network.

51. The communication method according to claim 50, wherein the video content carried by the analog signal has lower image resolution than the video content of the packets carrying video content.

52. A method for providing a residence with television service via an onsite gateway, comprising the steps of: receiving first television signals, carrying video images at a first level of image resolution, at the gateway;providing, from the gateway, a first television system with the received first television signals, the first television system disposed at the residence and operating at the first level of image resolution;processing, at the gateway, the received first television signals to provide a second television system with second television signals carrying the video images at a second level of image resolution, the second television system disposed at the residence and operating at the second level of image resolution; andtracking, at the gateway, usage statistics for each of the first television system and the second television system.

53. The method according to claim 52, wherein the first level of image resolution is higher than the second level of image resolution.

54. The method according to claim 52, further comprising the step of tracking Internet usage at the residence based on data signals flowing through the gateway.

55. The method according to claim 54, further comprising the step of tracking digital radio usage at the residence based on radio signals processed by the gateway.

56. The method according to claim 52, further comprising the step of recording content flowing through the gateway in response to a prompt from a user at the residence.