At&t Intellectual Property I, L.p.

Att Knowledge Ventures, L.p.

Jeffrey Multach

William Hurst

Brian B Wilson

Steven Michael Wollmershauser

Carlton Ligar Brown

Mark B Hubscher

Zhi Li

Jerald Robert Howcroft

Christine E Bouamalay

Marc Andrew Sullivan

Philip Ted Kortum

Brian Gonsalves

Haifeng Bi

Kenneth Roger Jones

A home automation system and method are disclosed for configuring a device state including but not limited to receiving an input from the client device at the server, configuring the device state in the database at the server in accordance with the input, and sending the configured device state from the server to the client device.

System and method for home automation

A method includes sending a polling message from a management system to a set-top box device. The polling message requests service data related to quality of service associated with the set-top box device. The method includes receiving, at the management system, quality parameters from the set-top box device in response to the polling message. The method includes selecting a representative color that corresponds to the quality of service. The method also includes sending a quality indicator from the management system to a display. The quality indicator displays the representative color and an identification of the set-top box device.

System and method of indicating quality of service

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) communication system having at least one network element to receive from an Set-Top Box (STB) a communication identifier of a targeted communication device (TCD) to conduct a communication session utilizing a real-time Text over Internet Protocol (ToIP), determine whether the TCD operates according to one of a circuit-switched protocol (CSP) or ToIP, responsive to detecting that the TCD operates according to the CSP, establish the communication session between the STB and the TCD, transcode for the TCD ToIP communications initiated by the STB to CSP communications, and transcode for the STB CSP communications initiated by the TCD to ToIP communications. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Apparatus and method of communications

A system and method for switching between voice signals. The system includes a network interface device and a digital logic device. The network interface device may include a splitter and a switch. The splitter includes a network input configured to receive a combined voice and digital signal. The splitter generates a separate first voice output and a digital signal. The first voice signal is provided from the splitter to the switch, while the digital signal is provided to the digital logic device. The digital logic device is configured to generate a second voice signal that is also provided to the switch. Further, the digital logic device provides a control signal to the switch. The control signal manipulates the switch to selectively provide either the first or second voice signal to a voice output.

Switchable voice source network interface device module

A method of indicating quality of service includes determining values of a plurality of video quality parameters at a set-top box device. The method also includes selecting a color from a plurality of colors based on at least one of the values. The method also includes activating a video quality indicator, wherein the video quality indicator includes the selected color.

A home automation system and method are disclosed for configuring a device state including accessing a graphical user interface (GUI) in a database at a server, sending the GUI from the server to the client device, receiving an input from the client device at the server, configuring the device state in the database at the server in accordance with the input, and sending the configured device state from the server to the client device. The client device receives a device state for configuring home automation controllable devices.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed to self-configure a flexible residential gateway providing access to an external communications network, and providing communications with an in home network. An example flexible residential gateway may include at least one voice over Internet protocol (IP) (VoIP) processor, at least one VoIP coupler connecting VoIP signals between at least one VoIP processor and at least one telephone line. In such an arrangement, the VoIP coupler may be configurably capable to disconnect a battery feed voltage and ring voltages from a telephone line. The gateway may further include a switch controller capable of disconnecting the battery feed voltage and the ring voltages from at least one telephone line if POTS signals are detected on at least one telephone line.

Methods and apparatus to self-configure a flexible residential gateway

Methods and apparatus are disclosed to self-configure a flexible residential gateway providing access to an external communications network, and providing communications with an in home network. An example flexible residential gateway may include an xDSL ('x' variety of Digital Subscriber Line) processor that processes xDSL signals communicated with the connected external communications network; a Wide area network (WAN) Ethernet transceiver that processes Ethernet signals communicated with the connected external communications network; and a switch controller that is capable of selecting either the xDSL processor or the WAN Ethernet transceiver, and if the xDSL processor is selected whether the xDSL processor is connected to a first telephone line or a coaxial cable.

In a particular embodiment, the disclosure is directed to a method of making a digital subscriber line (DSL) connection to a remote network. The method includes detecting the presence of a powered-on network capable device that is connected to a DSL modem; establishing a network connection over a DSL line to the remote network after detecting the presence of the powered on network capable device; terminating the network connection over the DSL line after detecting an absence of network capable devices connected to the DSL modem; and releasing network resources supported by the remote network after the network connection is terminated.

Connection management for data networks

Methods and apparatus are disclosed to self-configure a flexible residential gateway providing access to an external communications network, and providing communications with an in home network. An example flexible residential gateway may include an xDSL ('x' variety of Digital Subscriber Line) processor that processes xDSL signals communicated with the external network via a first telephone line, a Home PhoneLine Networking Alliance (HomePNA) processor that processes HomePNA signals communicated with the in home network using at least one of the first or additional telephone lines, and a switch controller capable of disconnecting the HomePNA processor from at least one telephone line if Very high speed Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL) signals that interfere with the HomePNA signals are present on at least one telephone line.

Growing community of inventors

San Antonio, TX, United States of America

Jeffrey Multach