RELATED APPLICATION
The present invention claims benefit of the Indian Provisional Application No. 201641021630 titled “METHOD OF OPTICAL SIGNAL DISTRIBUTION USING LAST MILE OPERATOR” filed on 23rd June 2016 by Andhra Pradesh State FiberNet Limited, which is herein incorporated in its entirety by reference for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to fiber optic cable communications, and more particularly relates to a method of optical signal distribution using last mile operator (LMO)
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In a typical Ethernet cable signal distribution network, multi-system operators (MSO) deploy a broadcast video stream from a cable headend. The cable headend comprises of signal handling devices such as receivers, encoders, modulators, and other miscellaneous signal handling devices to receive the installed video stream. From the MSO, the video stream can be distributed by a distributor through local cable operators (LCO) to a consumer household television sets via a set-up box.

The current LCOs are capable of providing cable television services only. Also, the LCO can provide limited channels based on per headend capacity of MSO. Hence, customer cannot avail value added services such as movie on demand (MoD), content on demand (CoD) etc., with the existing LCOs. Figure 1A and 1B illustrates an exemplary operation of local cable operators before and after digitalization, according to the existing art. As shown in Figure 1A, flow of video stream starts from MSO headend 102 via fiber cable to a splitter 104 and to an amplifier 106. From the amplifier 106, the video stream is delivered to television set 108 via a co-axial fiber cable. Figure 1B is similar to Figure 1A except for the introduction of set-up box 110 before the television set 108. All the transmissions from MSO headend to Node/Amplifier happens through fiber cable and transmissions from Node/Amplifier to television set happen through co-axial fiber cable.

However, currently, there exists no solution to obtain services such as movie on demand, content on demand using the existing LCO system. In view of the foregoing, there is a need for a novel system to provide multiple services to the customer.

The above-mentioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems are addressed herein and which will be understood by reading and studying the following specification.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Various embodiments herein describe a method of enabling optical signal distribution to consumer household. According to one embodiment, the method comprises of receiving, by a customer profile maintaining module of the LMO, a subscription request from a customer for availing one or more value-added services via a set-up box, processing, by the LMO, the subscription request received from the customer; and providing the one or more value-added services based on configuration parameters of a communication device associated with the customer.

According to one embodiment, processing the subscription request for value-added service, the method comprises of analyzing, by the value-added services subscription module of the LMO, the request received from the customer, receiving, by a billing module of LMO, a subscription payment from the customer, updating, by the billing module, a credit information of the customer through a mobile application in a server on receiving a subscription payment from the customer, and providing, by a value-added service providing module of the LMO, access to the value-added service to the customer on confirmation of the subscription payment from the server.

According to one embodiment, the one or more value-added services comprises at least one of content on demand, video on demand; Internet services, video conferencing, Telephony services, and AD servers.

According to one embodiment, the communication device corresponds to at least one of a cable television set, an Internet protocol enabled TV (IPTV), a mobile phone, a laptop, and a desktop.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1A and 1B illustrates an exemplary operation of multi-system operators before and after digitalization, according to the existing art.

Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating one or more functional components of a last mile operator for providing value added services to a customer using a set-up box, according to one embodiment.

Figure 3 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method for providing value-added services to customers using multi-service provider (MSP), according to one embodiment.

Figure 4 is a pictorial diagram depicting one or more services availed from a multi-service provider, according to one embodiment.

Although specific features of the present invention are shown in some drawings and not in others, this is done for convenience only as each feature may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention describes a method of optical signal distribution using last mile operator. In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.

The specification may refer to “an”, “one” or “some” embodiment(s) in several locations. This does not necessarily imply that each such reference is to the same embodiment(s), or that the feature only applies to a single embodiment. Single features of different embodiments may also be combined to provide other embodiments.

As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless expressly stated otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “includes”, “comprises”, “including” and/or “comprising” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations and arrangements of one or more of the associated listed items.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

The present invention describes a method of optical signal distribution using last mile operator (LMO). The existing local cable operator (LCO) is replaced by LMO to provide additional value added services to the households. Some of the value-added services including but not limited to Movies on Demand, Utility Bill Collection, Content on Demand, Ecommerce, Access to Ad server, and Video conferencing. Further the LMO system provides high channel capacity and provides high speed Internet in the range of 10 Mbps to 1 Gbps. The LMO also provides free calling services within the network and chargeable calls outside the network.

Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating one or more functional components of a last mile operator for providing value added services to a customer using a set-up box, according to one embodiment. The last mile operator (LMO) comprises of a customer profile maintaining module 202, a value-added services subscription module 204, value-added services providing module 206, a billing module 208 and a user interface 210. These modules work in conjunction with each other to provide value-added services to the customer.

The customer profile maintaining module 202 is adapted for allowing a user to register his account details, his preferences, to select value-added services and so on. At first, the user is provided with a home page to register his details. For example, the user is prompted to provide username and password details to access/avail one or more services provided by the last mile operator via the set-up box. Upon completing the registration process, the user is allowed to view offers, one or more value-added services, charges for different subscriptions etc.

The value-added services subscription module 204 is adapted for listing one or more value-added services provided by a service provider. The value-added service subscription module 204 lists different types of services based on configuration parameters of a communication device used by the user. For example, the user can avail only IP TV services, if the user is using only IPTV. If the type of the television set is of Android TV, then the user can avail Internet services, video on demand, content on demand, video conferencing, Telephony and so on. In one embodiment, the communication device corresponds to at least one of a cable television set, an Internet protocol enabled TV (IPTV), a mobile phone, a laptop, and a desktop.

The value-added services subscription module 204 also sends an update to the user on one or more of the value-added services via set-up box or over the air. The value-added services subscription module 204 stores one or more value-added services subscribed by the user and shares the details to the value-added services providing module 206.

The value-added services providing module 206 is adapted for providing one or more value-added services based on subscription details of the customer. For example, the customer may select sports pack, news pack and Internet services via the value-added services subscription module 204. Accordingly, the value-added services providing module 206 provides the channels selected by the customer and respective services to the customer.

The billing module 208 is adapted for tracking one or more value-added services subscribed by the customer and charge the customer accordingly. The billing module also sends the billing details either through e-mail or phone number provided by the user during the registration process. In one embodiment, the billing module 208 is also linked with banking services to allow the customer to make payment for the services availed by him. The last mile operator 200 enables the customer to interact with modules via user interface 210. Through, user interface 201, the customer can select one or more value-added services, make payment and do more actions. In one embodiment, the customer can interact using a mobile app downloaded on a mobile phone registered by the user. Further, the customer is allowed to make payment also via the mobile app.

Figure 3 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method of providing value-added services by a last mile operator (LMO) via a set-up box, according to one embodiment. Generally, a customer can subscribe to value-added services through the following three channels; online portal, call center, and request to LMO. For example, consider that the customer subscribes through the LMO to avail one or more value-added services. At step 302, a subscription request from a customer to avail one or more value-added services is received by a last mile operator. At step 304, subscription fee for availing one or more value-added services is collected from the customer. At step 306, credit information associated with subscription request is updated in customer’s account. Generally, the updating of credit information takes upto 15minutes to get reflected in customer’s account. Once updated, at step 308, the customer is allowed to access to the desired content subscribed by him. The same is illustrated in Figure 3. Alternately, the consumer can check their subscription status through “My Account” option in a television device.

In some embodiments, a mobile application is developed and it is made to run on the LMO to track all actions and transactions performed by the customer. The LMO also monitors the usage of the subscribers through a web portal. The one or more services that can be availed by the customer via LMO is depicted in Figure 4.

Depiction of different features as modules/units is intended to highlight different functional aspects of the devices illustrated and does not necessarily imply that such modules/units must be realized by separate hardware or software components. Rather, functionality associated with one or more modules/units may be integrated within common or separate hardware or software components. Various embodiments have been described. These and other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

,CLAIMS:CLAIMS

We Claim:

1. A method of optical signal distribution to consumer household using a last mile operator (LMO), the method comprises of:
receiving, by a customer profile maintaining module of the LMO, a subscription request from a customer for availing one or more value-added services via a set-up box;
processing, by the LMO, the subscription request received from the customer; and
providing the one or more value-added services based on configuration parameters of a communication device associated with the customer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the subscription request for value-added service comprises of:
analyzing, by the value-added services subscription module of the LMO, the request received from the customer;
receiving, by a billing module of LMO, a subscription payment from the customer;
updating, by the billing module, a credit information of the customer through a mobile application in a server on receiving a subscription payment from the customer; and
providing, by a value-added service providing module of the LMO, access to the value-added service to the customer on confirmation of the subscription payment from the server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more value-added services comprises at least one of:
Content on demand;
Video on demand;
Internet services;
Video conferencing;
Telephony services; and
AD servers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication device corresponds to at least one of:
A cable television set;
An Internet protocol enabled TV (IPTV);
A mobile phone;
A laptop; and
A desktop.

Dated this the 23rd day of June 2017

Signature

KEERTHI J S
Patent agent
Agent for the applicant