Network media gateway
The present invention provides a network media gateway (NMG) that provides a centralized interface between different types of consumer electronics devices and service providers through one or more disparate networks. The network media gateway may enable a single consumer electronics device to interact with different service providers over different types of networks in order to receive one or more services. The network media gateway may also allow multiple consumer electronics devices, which typically interact with different service providers, to interact with multiple service providers over disparate types of networks. The network media gateway may also allow the consumer electronics devices to interact with one another.
1 . A network media gateway comprising:
a consumer device interface adapted to couple to a consumer device;
at least one network interface adapted to couple to at least one network; and
a control system associated with the consumer device interface and the at least one network interface and adapted to facilitate a plurality of services from the at least one network interface to the consumer device.
2 . The network media gateway of claim 1 wherein a first of the plurality of services is a broadband service and a second of the plurality of services is a broadcast service.
3 . The network media gateway of claim 1 wherein the at least one network interface comprises a plurality of network interfaces, each of the plurality of network interfaces coupled to one of a plurality of networks providing one of the plurality of services.
4 . The network media gateway of claim 3 wherein a first of the plurality of network interfaces is a broadband interface and a second of the plurality of network interfaces is a broadcast interface and a first of the plurality of services is a broadband service and a second of the plurality of services is a broadcast service.
5 . The network media gateway of claim 3 wherein the control system is further adapted to facilitate a media session between two of the plurality of networks via two of the plurality of network interfaces.
6 . The network media gateway of claim 3 wherein the control system is further adapted to facilitate an interaction between two of the plurality of networks via two of the plurality of network interfaces.
7 . The network media gateway of claim 1 further comprising a second consumer device interface adapted to couple to a second consumer device.
8 . The network media gateway of claim 7 wherein the control system is further adapted to facilitate a plurality of the services from the at least one network interface to the second consumer device.
9 . The network media gateway of claim 7 wherein the control system is further adapted to receive a first control signal from the second consumer device and send a second control signal to the consumer device, the second control signal adapted to cause the consumer device to take an action corresponding to the first control signal.
10 . The network media gateway of claim 9 wherein the consumer device is a different type of device than the second consumer device.
11 . The network media gateway of claim 7 wherein the control system is further adapted to facilitate a media session between the consumer device and the second consumer device via the consumer device interface and the second consumer device interface.
12 . The network media gateway of claim 7 wherein the control system is further adapted to facilitate an interaction between the consumer device and the second consumer device via the consumer device interface and the second consumer device interface.
13 . The network media gateway of claim 1 further comprising a public switched telephone network interface and a second consumer device interface associated with the control system, the control system is further adapted to facilitate a telephony service to the second consumer device via the public switched telephone network interface and the second consumer device interface.
14 . The network media gateway of claim 1 wherein one of the services is a broadcast service.
15 . The network media gateway of claim 14 wherein the broadcast service is a television service.
16 . The network media gateway of claim 1 wherein one of the services is a broadband service
17 . The network media gateway of claim 16 wherein the broadband service is provided by one of a group consisting of digital subscriber loop, integrated digital subscriber network, satellite service, and cable network.
18 . The network media gateway of claim 1 further comprising a memory associated with the control system, which is further adapted to store content provided from one of the plurality of services.
19 . The network media gateway of claim 18 wherein the content is television content.
20 . The network media gateway of claim 1 further comprising a second consumer device interface and wherein the at least one network interface comprises a broadband interface for broadband service, a broadcast interface for television broadcast service, and a public switched telephone network interface, and adapted to facilitate a telephony service to a second consumer device via the public switched telephone network interface and the second consumer device interface.
21 . A method comprising:
providing a consumer device interface adapted to couple to a consumer device;
providing at least one network interface adapted to couple to at least one network; and
facilitating a plurality of services from the at least one network interface to the consumer device.
22 . The method of claim 21 wherein a first of the plurality of services is a broadband service and a second of the plurality of services is a broadcast service.
23 . The method of claim 21 further comprising providing a plurality of network interfaces, each of the plurality of network interfaces coupled to one of a plurality of networks providing one of the plurality of services.
24 . The method of claim 23 wherein a first of the plurality of network interfaces is a broadband interface and a second of the plurality of network interfaces is a broadcast interface and a first of the plurality of services is a broadband service and a second of the plurality of services is a broadcast service.
25 . The method of claim 23 further comprising facilitating a media session between two of the plurality of networks via two of the plurality of network interfaces.
26 . The method of claim 23 further comprising facilitating an interaction between two of the plurality of networks via two of the plurality of network interfaces.
27 . The method of claim 21 further comprising providing a second consumer device interface adapted to couple to a second consumer device.
28 . The method of claim 27 further comprising facilitating a plurality of the services from the at least one network interface to the second consumer device.
29 . The method of claim 27 further comprising receiving a first control signal from the second consumer device and sending a second control signal to the consumer device, the second control signal adapted to cause the consumer device to take an action corresponding to the first control signal.
30 . The method of claim 29 wherein the consumer device is a different type of device than the second consumer device.
31 . The method of claim 27 further comprising facilitating a media session between the consumer device and the second consumer device via the consumer device interface and the second consumer device interface.
32 . The method of claim 27 further comprising facilitating an interaction between the consumer device and the second consumer device via the consumer device interface and the second consumer device interface.
33 . The method of claim 21 further comprising providing a public switched telephone network interface and a second consumer device interface and facilitating a telephony service to the second consumer device via the public switched telephone network interface and the second consumer device interface.
34 . The method of claim 21 wherein one of the services is a broadcast service.
35 . The method of claim 34 wherein the broadcast service is a television service.
36 . The method of claim 21 wherein one of the services is a broadband service
37 . The method of claim 36 wherein the broadband service is provided by one of a group consisting of digital subscriber loop, integrated digital subscriber network, satellite service, and cable network.
38 . The method of claim 21 further comprising storing content provided from one of the plurality of services.
39 . The method of claim 38 wherein the content is television content.
40 . The method of claim 21 further comprising providing a second consumer device interface and wherein the at least one network interface comprises a broadband interface for broadband service, a broadcast interface for television broadcast service, and a public switched telephone network interface, and adapted to facilitate a telephony service to a second consumer device via the public switched telephone network interface and the second consumer device interface.