NZ516242A - Multiple internet access through individual modulated channels transmitted on plurality of frequencies - Google Patents

Abstract

A centralised Internet access system which provides users with the functions of Internet browsing via a television (40), using an additional keyboard (1) and optional remote control device (2). The system is particularly applicable to the situation of guests in a hotel or motel, and further provides a laptop port (5) utilising telephone line emulation for Internet connection, video and movie selection and viewing via the television within the hotel or motel room. An in-room network for connection to a safe (10), mini bar (11), lighting and room access control (13) is also provided.

Description

PROVISION OF INTERNET SERVICES Field of the Invention This invention relates to the provision of internet services to recipients of broadcast 5 television services such as those provided in motel and hotel rooms. However, the invention is not limited to this application. The system and apparatus of the present invention makes provision for connecting existing audio visual equipment, such as a television set, of a motel or hotel room to a centralised internet access facility.

Background of the Invention The ability to provide internet access to individual rooms of a hotel or motel is an important advantage in the accommodation industry. Presently, this is achieved by either the installation of a personal computer system or a stand alone unit known as a "set top box" in each room. The set top box is connected to the hotel or motel 15 communications networking system and is basically a dedicated internet browser which uses the existing television screen as a display monitor. The major disadvantages of both these prior art systems is that the cost of both systems must be multiplied by the number of facilities required. This can equate to the number of hotel or motel rooms in the accommodation complex.

In addition, in the case of the set top box, the connections to the hotel or motel communications network require separate cabling infrastructure to supply network connections or high value devices to transmit data backwards across the existing television antenna or cabling system.

Hotels and motels which do not provide internet access on a room by room basis normally provide a "business centre" in which there may be one or a number of computers specifically dedicated for the connection to the internet. Most hotels and motels which provide such services provide them at an additional cost to the user 30 which often greatly exceeds the usual cost of internet access services. The other disadvantage with a "business centre" is that a very limited number of users are able to use the system unless an extraordinary number of personal computers are provided.

The inventor has surprisingly discovered that it is possible to replace a system based 35 on individual set top boxes for personal computers with a centralised system operating 1 WO 00/72175 PCT/NZ00/00083 through the hotels or motels including the possible use of existing and/or spare communications network wiring and television facilities.

Frequently guests in a hotel/motel require direct connection of a laptop computer to the internet. Currently, users of such laptops are required to use the telephone system within the hotel to establish the connection. This results in high cost to the user and means that outside lines are used and therefore a lesser number of lines are available for voice traffic. Furthermore, the laptop will be limited to a connection speed governed by the modem and this is usually a relatively low speed.

The inventor has also discovered that many accommodation venues require internet connections for only approximately 20% of their total occupancy at any time.

Therefore, in the case of a small hotel of approximately 20 rooms for example, only 5 internet channels are required to be available to provide adequate service.

Summary of the Invention The present invention seeks to overcome at least one of the problems of the prior art or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.

The invention may be said to consist in a centralised internet access system including: one or more information input means; an internet channel module means adapted to receive information from the internet and the input means and transmit a modulated signal to one or more sensory transmission devices; and 25 a control means adapted to receive information from the input means and assign a free internet channel to the input means.

In a further aspect the invention consists in the method of providing internet access, including the steps of: receiving information input by a user; assigning an internet channel to the user; directing information input by the user to the internet channel; transmitting the information from the internet channel in a modulated form to a sensory transmission means. 2 WO 00/72175 PCT/NZ00/00083 To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative 5 and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

The invention consists in the foregoing and also envisages constructions of which the following gives examples only.

Drawings The invention will be further understood by reference to the preferred embodiment given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is schematic representation of the internet access system of the present 15 invention.

Detailed Description Referring to figure 1, a system and method for providing internet access to a number of potential users, such as guests within a hotel or motel is shown is schematic form. It 20 will be seen that the users do not necessarily need to be located within a hotel or motel, but could be distributed across a wide geographical area if required, and could be subscribers for example of a television or similar broadcast service such as a cable television or a wireless ielevision transmission service.

In essence, the present invention provides users with the functions of internet browsing via a television, using an additional keyboard and optional remote control device. In the situation of guests in a hotel or motel, the invention further provides a laptop port utilising telephone line emulation for internet connection, video and movie selection and viewing via the television within the hotel or motel room; and in-room network for 30 connection to a safe, mini bar, lighting and room access control. Therefore, the invention provides considerable advantages in cost, ease and speed of internet access in these situations.

In the hotel room situation where the television set provided in the room is desired to 35 be used for internet browsing, the user uses the keyboard 1 or remote control 2 to 3 WO 00/72175 PCT/NZOO/00083 select use of the internet browser facility. The keyboard is conveniently of the type that includes an integral pointing device, so that a separate mouse is not required. A mouse may, however, be provided if desired.

Information or commands from the keyboard 1 or remote 2 are transmitted to a room controller unit (RCU) 3 through the use of infrared signals which are received by an infrared receiver 4 provided at an interface to the room controller unit (RCU) 3.

Thus the RCU 3 provides the input means from the keyboard or the remote. It also 10 preferably includes a direct connection laptop port 5, a smart card interface 6 and a network connection 7.

The use of the laptop port 5 to provide internet access via a laptop computer 8 will be described further below. The smart card interface 6 is not described herein in detail, 15 but can comprise a known smart card reading device which can communicate with the room controller unit for known e-commerce applications.

The network connection 7 is intended for local control of in-room systems, for example safe 10, mini bar 11, room lighting control 12, and room access control 13. The 20 method of communication between the room control unit and these control devices is a multi drop RS 485 connection.

The RCU 3 is preferably connected by means of existing telephone wires within the hotel or motel room to the room connection hub (RCH) 20. Although telephone 25 communication lines provide a convenient communications medium, it will be seen that other means of signal transfer could be used, for example a wireless connection or one or more dedicated cables. If a telephone connection is used, the communication protocol is preferably IP over RS 485.

As can be seen from figure 1, the RCH 20 receives information from a number of RCU's 3.

The information from the RCH is then forwarded, preferably via the internet, through the system network switch (SNS) 22 to the system control module (SCM) 24. The 35 SCM 24 will then check availability of internet channel modules (ICM) 26 and take the 4 step of assigning one of the ICM's to the room from which the internet session has been requested.

The SNS then sends a message back to the RCU 3 indicating that it should 5 communicate with the allocated ICM. At this point the ICM is also allocated a frequency, for example a UHF frequency by the SCM. This frequency is also sent to the RCU and the television is tuned to that frequency. The tuning may take place either manually or by means of the RCU providing an appropriate signal to the television set.

The ICM will then request the home page for the hotel from the internet via the proxy server 30. The home page is displayed on the ICM and the output is sent via an RF mixer 32 and distribution amplifier 34 through the television distribution system of the hotel to the television 40 within the room.

The user (in practice the guest in the hotel or motel or other subscriber) is then able to see the internet page on the television screen. Any further key presses or commands from the remote control 2 are received by the room RCU 3 and sent directly via the RCH 20 and SNS 22 to the allocated ICM 26. Any requests for internet are then 20 forwarded by the ICM via the SNS and the proxy server to the internet.

At the start of each internet session a timer is initiated and if the timer lapses between key presses of the keyboard, or commands of the remote expires, then the ICM displays a warning message to the guest to press any key or the internet session will 25 be terminated. If no key is pressed within a predetermined time, then the ICM sends a message to both the RCU and the SCM to deallocate that room from the ICM and UHF frequency. Any billing for that internet session is then determined by the SCM and the transaction is sent to the hotel property management system (PMS) 42 and will appear on the guests or subscribers account. If during an active internet session the user 30 should turn the television off via the remote control, this will also terminate the internet session and deallocate the ICM and UHF frequency.

If a guest wishes to connect a laptop 8 to the Internet this can be achieved by the use of a serial cable that is connected to the RCU 3. When the laptop initiates the dialing 35 sequence for the modem to connect this is received by the RCU 3 and a connection signal is sent back to the laptop. The laptop then initiates a PPP session with the RCU 3. Information is then transferred from the RCU via RS-485 and the existing telephone cables within the hotel/motel to the RCH (room connection hub) 20. This then directed directly via the SNS 22 and proxy server 30 to the Internet. The laptop then has a 5 transparent link via the system infrastructure to the Internet at a higher speed than would be offered by the modem within the laptop. Typically this connection runs at 115 kbps. Laptop connection sessions will be monitored by the SCM 24 and any billing for these can be sent directly to the PMS 42 for inclusion on the guest's account.

If a guest wishes to view a movie or video within the room he or she is able to make a selection of the movie via the television and then have that movie directed to output on the television. The selection of the movie is made by pressing the appropriate key on either the keyboard or the remote or selecting the movie option on the television menu. Once this is completed the guest proceeds through a series of menu pages until a 15 movie has been selected. At this point the movie selection is sent to the SCM 24 via the RCH 20 and SNS 22. The SCM will create a billing transaction if required and send this to the PMS system for inclusion on the guest's account. The SCM will also allocate an ICM module and UHF channel for the movie session. The ICM and UHF channel is sent back to the RCU for TV channel selection as per Internet operation discussed 20 above. The video server 44 is then notified of the movie selection and starts the retrieval of the selected video from the digital video storage media 46. The videos are stored on the digital video storage media preferably in compressed MPEG format. This MPEG data is then sent continuously in a stream to the allocated ICM where it is decoded and rendered on the screen. The screen signal is sent via the RF mixer 32 and 25 distribution amplifier along the hotel antenna system to the selected television.

This system enables the provisioning of both video on demand system and also schedule movie systems.

Within the guest's room the RCU 3 provides a network connection to several in-room facilities. These facilities can be free-of-charge or charged to the guest's account.

Safe When a safe is used this is monitored by the RCU along with the RS-485 multi-drop 35 network within the room and is sent to the SCM via the RCH and SNS to determine if 6 WO 00/72175 PCT/NZ00/00083 billing is required. If billing is required this is sent to the PMS and logged on guest's account. The combination for the safe is held within the safe but remote opening of the safe is possible via the SCM.

Mini Bar Any transactions on the mini-bar will be sent via the RCU, RCH, SNS to the SCM and sent to the PMS system for logging on the guest's account.

Lighting control for the room 10 Can be controlled through the RCU by the remote. Lighting status and operation can also be logged on the SCM via the RCU and SNS. Lighting control can also be used for heating, ventilation and air-condition control.

Access Control The in-room network also allows the connection of room access facilities, which can be monitored and controlled by the SCM. When a guest checks in he can be allocated a room card for use with the access control system on his room and this can be sent from the PMS to the SCM to control access to the room.

It wili be seen that the present invention provides considerable advantages over the prior art. 7 WO 00/72175 PCT/NZOO/00083

Claims (8)

1. A centralised internet access system including: one or more information input means; 5 an internet channel module means adapted to receive information from the internet and the input means and transmit a modulated signal to one or more sensory transmission devices; and a control means adapted to receive information from the input means and assign a free internet channel to the input means. 10

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 including sensory transmission means which include part of a broadcast network. 15

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein a plurality of Internet Channel Module means are provided, each being capable of transmitting a modulated signal at a different frequency from the other Internet Channel Module means to allow a plurality of separate internet sessions to be established. 20

4. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including a hub connection means for receiving information from input means in a plurality of separate locations and providing the information to a Switch means.

5. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including a Switch Control 25 means to determine the time for which a user has been using an internet connection provided by the system.

6. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including a video server to provide stored data representative of audio visual information to the Switch 30 means for selective transmission to one or more of the sensory display means.

7. A method of providing internet access, including the steps of: receiving information input by a user; assigning an internet channel to the user; 35 directing information input by the user to the internet channel; 8 PCT/NZOO/00083 B^Peived 30 March 2001 transmitting the information from the internet channel in a modulated form to a sensory transmission means.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 including the step of mixing the signal output of a plurality of Internet Channel means and distribution of the mixed signal. mmso SHEET