MXPA99007470A - Video, data and telephony gateway - Google Patents

Abstract

A residential gateway (200) for grounding video, data, and telephony services is disclosed. The gateway (200) has an MPEG bus (424) connected from a network interface module (410) to first and second video processors (450). A microprocessor (434) controls the first and second video processors by sending control signals across a control bus (422).

Description

PATH OF ACCESS FOR TELEPHONY, DATA AND VIDEO FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for the distribution of data and video telephony, as well as other telecommunication services within a residence.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Advances in the field of telecommunications allow the distribution of large amounts of digital information to residences. Inside the residence, devices are connected to the network by twisted pairs of wire which provide current telephone services, or by means of coaxial cables similar to those used by cable operators, to provide cable television services.

Because most new video services will be digital, and because televisions REF .: 30970 existing are analog, there is a need for a device which converts the digital signals supplied by the network to analog signals compatible with existing televisions. The TV set-tops (converting sets) currently available can perform this function, but they are expensive. Many households have more than one television, and therefore will require multiple sets of television converters to receive digital programming in each place within the home.

A centrally located device can provide the ability to connect to the digital network as well as provide digital-to-analog conversion, but signal distribution methods around the home are required. In addition, it requires communication methods with the centralized device from, the different places in the home.

It is also desirable to have telephony and data services at home, and it is likely that these services will be required in more than one place in the home. In addition, there may be a need for communication between devices in the home.

For the above reasons, there is a need for a centralized unit in the home which provides telephony services, data, video, and methods for communication with the centralized unit from different places within the home.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In a preferred embodiment a centrally located access path provides analog video services by receiving a stream of digital data from an access system from the fiber to the edge of the sidewalk (fiber-to-the-curb), and Packs or directly compresses the signals that contain video to one or more video decompression processors. Video decompression processors generate analog video signals which are transmitted to televisions as S-video signals, or are modulated on carriers to produce radio-broadcast signals compatible with standard televisions.

In a preferred embodiment, the analog video signals which are generated from the digital network are combined with the broadcast signals of cable television or out of the air for television transmission in the residence using a divider and a coaxial cable wiring in the home . The digitally originated signals are modulated on unused television channels. A low pass filter can be used to make sure that the CATV or out of air signal has channels not used in the UHF spectrum.

The return of the signaling coming from the televisions in the access path is made through the use of wireless remote controls, which return the signal to the access path by changing channels and other video signal controls.

In a preferred embodiment, an optional module can be inserted into the access path to provide a standard signal for the devices in the residence which is designed to connect directly with the FTTC access system with coaxial down cables.

A CATV module can be inserted that is provided for the framing of television channels from a CATV network or antenna for off-air broadcasts to a channel for transmission in the coaxial network in the home. By using the CATV module it is possible to frame signals as well as to equalize the signal levels so that there are large signal differences between the signal levels coming from the CATV network or antenna and the access path.

An optional module can be inserted to provide telephony services from the access path.

Data services can be provided from the access path, and an access port for Ethernet is used to connect data devices such as computers with the access path.

In an alternative mode, a centralized access path in the residence is connected to the televisions by coaxial wiring point by point. A main video decompression processor receives video packets and builds multiple analog video channels. Multiple analog video channels are arranged to insert modules in the access path through the use of analog video buses. The insertion of video modules is used to modulate the video signal on a channel which can be received by means of a television connected to the video module by means of a cable coaxial cable point by point.

In an alternative mode, signaling from remote locations in the home to the access path is made by means of an infrared receiver and transmitter. The receiver receives the infrared signals from the handheld remote control and the signals return to the access path via the coaxial cable wiring in the home. The infrared receiver can also be integrated into the television.

In an alternative mode, the CATV module provides for the framing of television channels from a CATV network or antenna for off-air broadcasting to a channel for transmission to an individual television. The CATV module places the analog television signal on an analog video bus. Any of the inserted television modules can receive the signal from the bus and transmit such signal to a particular television.

These and other aspects and objects of the invention will be understood in a more complete manner from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments which should be read in view of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of the specification, they illustrate the embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 illustrates a system of access from the fiber to the edge of the sidewalk with downward coaxial cables; Figure 2 illustrates an access system from the fiber to the edge of the sidewalk with an access path used in a residence for the distribution of telephony, data and video signals; Figure 3 illustrates an access system from the fiber to the edge of the sidewalk with twisted wire pair downpipe for a residence having an entrance; Figure 4 illustrates an architecture for a telephony, data and video access path which uses coaxial cabling in the home point by multipoint; Figure 5 illustrates a wireless method for signaling from remote locations in a house to an access path; Figure 6 illustrates an architecture for a telephony, data and video access path which uses coaxial cabling in the home point by point; Figure 7 illustrates a method for signaling from remote locations in the home to the access path using coaxial wiring in the home.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITY In describing a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be used for reasons of clarity. However, no attempt is made to limit the invention to the specific terms thus selected, and it will be understood that each specific term includes technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to carry out a similar purpose.

With reference to the drawings, in general, and from FIGS. 1 to 7 in particular, the apparatus of the present invention is described.

Contents I. Networks from Fiber to the edge of the sidewalk.

II. Access path with coaxial cabling in the home from point to mul point.

III. Access path with coaxial wiring in the home from point to point.

I. Networks from Fiber to the edge of the sidewalk.

Figure 1 illustrates a network from the fiber to the edge of the sidewalk (FTTC) in which several devices in a residence 190 are connected to the public telecommunication switching network (Public Switched Telecommunications Network) (PSTN) 100 or network non-asynchronous transfer mode ((Asynchronous Transfer Mode) (ATM) network). The devices in the residence 190 may include telephone 194, television (TV) 199 with a television set (converter set) 198, the computer with a Network Interface Card (NIC) 191, and the Premises Interface Device ((Premises Inferid Device (PID)) 196 connected to a telephone 194.

The FTTC network illustrated in Figure 1 works by connecting a Main Digital Terminal 130 to the PSTN 100 and an ATM network 110. The PSTN-HDT 103 interface is specified by means of standard bodies, and in the United States. they are specified by Bellcore specification TR-TSY-000008, TR-NWT-000057 or TR-NWT-000303. The HDT 130 can also receive special service signals from non-switched or private public networks. The physical interface with the PSTN is conducted in twisted wire pairs, or OC-3 optical signals carrying optical fibers.

The interface with the ATM-HDT network interface 113 can be realized using ATM cells carrying optical interfaces 0C-12c or OC-3. In a preferred embodiment, the HDT 100 has two broadcasting ports OC-12c, which can receive only signals carrying ATM signals, and an interactive port 0C-12c which can receive and transmit signals.

An element management system (EMS) 150 connects to the HDT 100 and is used to provide services and equipment in the FTTC network, in the central office where the HDT 100 is located, in the field, or in residences. The EMS 150 is based on a set of programs (software) and can be run on a personal computer in which case it will support an HDT 100 and the associated access network connected to it, or it can be run on a workstation in which Multiple HDTs and access networks are supported.

Optical Network Units (ONUs) 140 are located in the server area and are connected to HDT 130 via optical fiber 160. Digital signals in a synchronous digital hierarchy format (Synchoronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH)) are transmitted at a rate of 155 Mb / s to and from each ONU 140 in the optical fiber 160. In a preferred embodiment, the optical fiber 160 is a single mode fiber and a wavelength transmission scheme is used. for communication between the UN 140 and the HDT 130.

A Telephony Interface Unit (TIU) 145 at ONU 140 generates an analog Old Single Telephony signal (Plain Old Telephony (POTs)), which is transported to the residence 190 via a downcomer wire 180 of twisted wire. In the residence 190 a Network Interface Device (NID) 183 is provided for protection of the high voltage and serves as the interface and demarcation point between the down cable 180 of twisted wire pair and the wiring 181 of twisted pair in the home. In a preferred embodiment the TIU 145 generates POT signals for six residences 190, each having a down conductor 180 of twisted wire pair connected to the ONU 140.

As shown in Figure 1, a Unit of Broadband Interface (Broadband Interface Unit (BIU)) 150 is located at ONU 140 and generates broadband signals which contain voice, data and video information. A BIU 150 modulates the data on an RF carrier and transmits the data in a down coaxial cable 170 to a splitter 177, and on the coaxial cabling 171 in the home to the devices in the residence 190.

In a preferred embodiment 64, ONUs 140 are served by an HDT 130. Each ONU serves 8 residences 190. In an alternative mode, each ONU 140 serves 16 residences 190.

As shown in Figure 1, each device connected to the coaxial cabling at home 171 requires an interface subsystem which is provided for the conversion of the signal from the format in the coaxial cabling 171 in the home to the service interface required by the device. The PID 194 selects time division multiplex information carried in the coaxial cabling 171 in the home and generates a telephone signal compatible with the telephone 194. Similarly, the converter set of the television 198 converts the digital video signals to compatible analog signals. with the television 199. The NIC card generates a signal compatible with the computer.

Figure 2 illustrates the use of an access path 200 for generating signals compatible with the devices in the home, which are connected to the access path 200 via a twisted pair cabling 181 in the home or coaxial cable wiring 210 in the home and a splitter 177. The connection to the splitter is made using an access-divider path connection, which in a preferred embodiment is coaxial cable. A direct connection can be made to a television using a television-access path connection, which in a preferred mode is a four-wire conductor cable carrying an S-video signal.

Figure 3 illustrates an FTTC network which depends on twisted wire pair down conductors 180 instead of downcomer coaxial cables 170. This modality is preferred when the costs are prohibitive for the installation of downward coaxial cables from ONUs 140 to residence 190.

As shown in Figure 3, a Universal Service Access Multiplexer (USAM) is located in the service area, and is connected to the HDT 160 via fiber optic 160. An xDSL modem is provided. 350 for the transmission of high-speed digital data in the wire down cable 180 of twisted wire pair to and from the residence 190. The traditional analog telephone signals are combined for transmission to the residence 190 and a NID / filter 360 is used to separate the analog telephone signal from the digital signals. The analog telephone signal is sent to the telephone 194 in the twisted pair cabling 181 in the home.

Digital signals pass through the NID / filter 360 towards the access path 200. The access path serves as the interface for the devices in the residence 190 which include the television 199, the computer 193, and an additional telephone 194.

The central office configuration illustrated in Figure 3 includes a Universal Service Access Multiplexer with the Central Office Terminal (Universal Service Access Central Office Multiplexer Terminal (USAM COT)) 324 connected to the HDT 130 via a 325 connection USAM COT-HDT, which in a preferred mode signal is an STS3 signal transmitted on a twisted wire pair. The 303 PSTN-USAM COT interface is one of the interfaces specified by Bellcore that include TR-TSY-000008, TR-NWT-000057 or TR-NWT-000303.

It is also used in the central office One Bank Channel (Channel Bank (CB)) 322 for connecting special networks 310, comprised of signals from special public or private networks, to the access system via the interface 313 CB-special networks. In a preferred embodiment, the connection 320 CB-USAM is of signals DS1 in pairs of twisted wire.

When used herein the term "subscriber network" refers generally to the connection between the ONU 240 and the devices or the access path 200 in the residence 190 or the connection between the USAM 340 and the devices or the access path in the residence 190. The subscriber network may comprise coaxial cable and a splitter, twisted wire pairs, or any combination thereof. Although Figure 2 and Figure 3 illustrate the access path 200 located inside the living room area of the residence 190, the access path may be located in the basement, in the garage, in a small room wiring, on an exterior wall of the residence 190, in the attic, or in any of the living spaces. To be on the outside, the access path 200 requires a hardened fence and components which work over temperature ranges larger than those used for an access path located inside the residence 190. The techniques for the development of hardened fences as well as the selection of components that tolerate temperature are known to those skilled in the art. II. Access path with coaxial wiring in the home point by multipoint. Figure 4 illustrates an access path 200 which can be used with point-to-multipoint home wiring such as that created by connection 210 access-divider path, divider 177, and coaxial wiring 171 in the home, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 .

The access path 200 of FIG. 4 is comprised of a Network Interface Module (NIM) 410 which is connected to the access network via network connection 460. The access network may have a coaxial down cable 170 for digital services as illustrated in Figure 2, or may have a twisted wire pair down conductor 180, as illustrated in Figure 3. The NIM 410 contains the appropriate modem technology for the access network. In a preferred embodiment, different types of NIMs are used for access networks having coaxial downcomer cables instead of access networks having only twisted cable pair downcomers.

The interface NIM 410 with a motherboard 414 which provides the basic functionality of the access path 200. The motherboard 414 contains a microprocessor 434, a memory 436, a power source 440 connected to an alternating current output (AC). ) via an alternating current (AC) socket 476, a main MPEG processor 430, an Ethernet block 438 which is connected to an Ethernet connector 478, and a remote control block 442.

Inside the main MPEG 430 processor there is a section 432 of Video Re-assembly and Segmentation (VSAR) which builds MPEG packets from a stream ATM received from the NIM 410. A section 432 VSAR can reduce the fluctuation in the MPEG packets which results from the transmission of those packets in the ATM network, as well as the construction of a usable MPEG current despite the lost ATM cells. which contain partial MPEG packets.

The main MPEG processor 430 has an interface with an S-video connector 474 which provides connection capability for televisions having an S-video port.

The remote control block 442 has an interface with an IR receiver 472 which can receive commands from a manual remote control which operates within the vicinity of the access path 200.

The remote control block 442 has an interface with a UHF reception antenna 470 which can receive commands from manual wireless remote controls used in any part of the residence 190.

A set of buses 429 are used to route the information within the access path 200 and as illustrated in FIG. 4 which includes a Time Division Multiplex Bus (TDM) 420, a control bus 422, a MPEG 424 bus, and an ATM 428 bus.

An optional number of modules can be inserted into the access path 200 including the MPEG 450 modules, a DAVIC 452 module, and a telephony module 454. All the optional modules are connected to the control bus 422 in addition to being connected to the less another bus which provides those modules with the appropriate type of data for the services supported by means of the module.

The MPEG 450 module provided for the decompression of MPEG packets which are constructed by the VSAR 432 section. The output of the MPEG 450 module is a signal which is compatible with the present televisions, which in the United States are in the NTSC format. The MPEG 450 module can modulate the decompressed analog format video signal on a channel available for transmission on the televisions 199 at the residence 190.

The DAVIC module 452 transmits and receives ATM cells to devices in the residence 190 on the coaxial cabling 171 in the home, in a format that is identical to that used by the access system with coaxial downpipes shown in Figure 1. The advantage of using the DAVIC 452 module is that the access path 200 is compatible with the devices in the home which are directly connected to the access system as shown in figure 1.

The MPEG 450 modules and the DAVIC 452 module are connected to the combiner 418 which combines the signals RF from those modules, and can add other RF signals such as broadcast television signals out of the air or Community Antenna Television (CATV) signals supplied by a cable television company. The signals from the antenna or cable system are coupled with the RF intern 464, which is a connector F in a preferred embodiment. A low pass filter 482 is used in the combiner 418 to ensure that the frequencies used by the MPEG 450 modules are available. The output of the combiner 418 is connected to the RF connector 466 in the home, which is a connector F in a preferred embodiment. The connection between the RF connector 466 in the home and the splitter 177 is provided by the connection 210 access-divider path, which in a preferred embodiment is a coaxial cable.

An optional CATV 480 module can be inserted into the access path 200 to allow framing of video channels by cable or out of the air from their original frequencies to new frequencies for distribution in the home. The remote control unit 422 can control the channel selection and frame via the control bus 422 which is connected to the CATV 480 module. Either a manual IR remote control or a wireless remote control can be used to change the channel panning of the CATV 480 module.

The front panel interface 462 is provided for the connection capability between the front panel controls (buttons) and the microprocessor 434. Through the panel control the user can make channel changes as well as changing the configuration of the channels transmitted in the coaxial network in the home.

The telephone module 454 transmits and receives information from the TDM bus 420 and produces an analog telephone signal which is compatible with the telephone 194. The interface for the telephone is a telephone socket 468, which in a preferred embodiment is a socket female RJ-11.

Figure 5 illustrates a method for controlling the access path 200 based on the use of a wireless remote control 500 which transmits a UHF signal to the UHF receiver 470 illustrated in Figure 4.

III. Access path with coaxial wiring in the home point by point.

Figure 6 illustrates an access path 200 which can be used in homes where there is coaxial cable wiring in the home point by point, and where the access path can be placed near the point where the coaxial cabling begins.

The access path 200 shown in FIG. 6 has a main MPEG processor 430 which is capable of decompressing multiple MPEG streams. In a preferred embodiment, the main MPEG processor 430 can decompress three video streams simultaneously, and generates three video-S signals which are available on the S-video bus 620. The television modules 654 can receive any of the video-S signals from the S-video bus 620, and modulate the video signals on an appropriate channel for reception by a television which is connected to the television module 654 via the coaxial cable and the television connector 630.

An RF intern 464 and a CATV 480 module are used to frame CATV or off-air broadcast signals to video-S, which may subsequently be transmitted to any of the televisions connected to the television connectors 630 or connector 474 of videos.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the control of the access path 200 from places in the residence 190 is carried out by means of the return of signals transmitted in the coaxial cable wiring in the home point by point. The return of signals from the remote is received at the television connector 630, and a diplexer 640 is used to separate the return signals from the forward signals. The return signals from the television # 1 are transmitted on the return line 642 of TVl to the remote control block 442, and the return signals from the television # 2 are transmitted on the return line 644 TV2 to the 442 remote control block.

Figure 7 further illustrates a remote control method using a coaxial cable return, in which an IR receiver 710 which is associated with a television 199 receives IR signals from a remote IR 700, and converts the optical signals to a signal which is transmitted over the coaxial cable to the remote control block 442 of Figure 6 via the diplexer 640 and the return TVl 642 or the return TV2 644. Only a simple signaling protocol is required between the IR 710 receiver and the remote control block 442, and the IR receiver can be functionally placed on the television 199.

Although this invention has been illustrated by reference to the specific embodiments, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made which clearly fall within the scope of the invention.

It is intended to broadly protect the invention within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant, to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that it is clear from the present description of the invention.

Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following:

Claims (7)

1. In a residential environment having at least two televisions in separate rooms, a method of distributing video signals from a residential access path characterized in that it comprises the steps of: a) receiving a digital video signal in said residential access path; b) the construction of a series of MPEG video packets from said digital video signal; c) transporting said series of MPEG video packets on an MPEG bus to a plurality of video decoders; d) decoding said series of MPEG video packets in a first video decoder in said plurality of video decoders to produce a first analog television signal compatible with an analog television set; e) decoding said series of video packets in a second decoder in said plurality of video decoders to produce a second analog television signal compatible with an analog television set; f) receiving channel change commands from a first remote control located near said first television where said channel change commands effect a change in the digital MPEG current which is decoded and transmitted to said first analog television set; Y g) the reception of channel change commands from a second remote control located near said second television where said channel change commands effect a change in the digital MPEG current which is decoded and transmitted to said second analog television set.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the channel change commands from said first remote control are received via an infrared connection and wherein the channel change commands from said second remote control are received via a wave connection. of radio.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said channel change commands from said first remote control are received via an infrared connection and wherein the channel change commands from said second remote control are received via a cable connection coaxial

The method according to claim 1, characterized in that said second video decoder in said plurality of video decoders is an insert card.

5. A residential access path for the distribution of video signals to multiple rooms in a residential environment, said access path is characterized in that it comprises: a) microprocessor means for the control of said residential access path; b) memory means connected to said microprocessor means; c) a network interface module for receiving signals from a telecommunications network, d) a first video processor for processing the received MPEG video signals and creating an analog signal for a first television set; e) a second video processor for processing the received MPEG video signals and creating an analog signal for a second television set; f) a control bus connected to said microprocessor means, to the first video processor and to the second video processor, wherein the control signals are sent between the microprocessor and the first video processor and between said microprocessor and the second processor Of video; Y g) an MPEG bus or collector where the MPEG signals are transported from said network interface module to said first video processor and from said network interface module to said second video processor.

6. The residential access path described in claim 5, characterized in that it additionally comprises; a) an infrared receiver for receiving signals from a first localized remote control associated with said first television set wherein said signals are transported on said control bus within said residential access path; Y b) a wireless receiver for receiving signals from a second remote control associated with said second television set wherein said signals are transported on said control bus within said residential access path.

7. The residential access path described in claim 5, characterized in that it additionally comprises; a) an infrared receiver for receiving signals from a first remote control associated with the first television set where the signals are transported on said control bus within said residential access path; Y b) a compatible coaxial cable receiver for receiving signals from a second remote control associated with said second television set wherein said signals are transported on said control bus within said residential access path.