Patent Grant
11611449
The present subject matter relates to a service management system, for remotely managing delivery of voice controlled application services by one or more gateway devices at respective user premises, which may also selectively provide secure communications and exchange of information among gateway devices and among endpoint devices associated with the gateway devices.
The digital home is now becoming more complex with the myriad of new and emerging digital devices intended to address many user and consumer needs such as communication, entertainment, privacy and security, etc. However, given the complexity of the emerging digital home and digital environments generally, users who are technologically challenged may find it a daunting and intimidating task to manage their home networks and interconnected digital devices. Moreover, new paradigms are emerging oriented to delivering media content to and the consuming of media content at the home. Many of these paradigms rely on communication of application specific data to and/or from the Internet, as opposed to conventional telephone or broadcast video type applications. The protection of received Internet-sourced media content in addition to user-generated media content is additionally an important aspect that may be inadequately addressed by the technologically challenged user. Furthermore, with respect to Internet based data, most of the content delivery solutions are provided to the digital home networks through availability of the “two-foot” interface (i.e. the PC). It is relatively cumbersome to bring this content to the “ten-foot” interface (e.g. the television).
Thus, a need exists for a technique or devices to simplify the overall management of services and applications available to the digital home or even the small enterprise. Such a technique or devices would reduce the complexity of the maintenance, upgrading, and operation of even the more basic needs addressed by emerging digital endpoint devices and networks. Approaches that suggest greater functionality in home-based appliances fail to reduce or address the complexity of managing and provisioning those appliances. For example, while the home gateway server appliance described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,930,598 enables networked electronic devices to communicate with each other without the direct interaction with external networks, and provides a mechanism whereby a member of the household may be informed of certain network related events without having to use their home computer or other client devices, it does not provide a convenient or simplified way of managing the services and applications executed by, or associated with, that device. Thus, an unmet need exists for a device associated with a user premises that has robust functionality but does not require sophisticated or inordinate attention from the user to manage, provision and utilize them.
In practice, a customer typically subscribes to basic transport services from a network “Service Provider” (e.g. ISP—Internet Service provider, cable provider, fixed wireless providers, ILEC—Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier, or CLEC—Competitive Local Exchange Carrier). For example, a customer may have broadband Internet access, via cable modem, digital subscriber line service or the like. Digital video service may be provided separately. The network service provider manages these basic services, at the logical network layer, typically at layers 1, 2 or 3 of the OSI model. While network services and associated devices may operate minimally at those levels, they operate at those levels only to support operations at OSI layers 1, 2 or 3. Many applications, however, involve higher level service logic for applications that view the network transport as a transparent pipe. The current internet applications delivery and management architecture, and many devices or management systems based on it, require a server with robust processing and storage capability to be located at the network operations center, not in the home. For voice over internet protocol (VoIP) type telephone service, for example, the VoIP service provider operates a session initiation protocol (SIP) server or the like, and each user has only client functionality. The network transport layers are transparent to the IP packets containing the voice and related signaling. The SIP server, however, controls the call set-up, tear-down, billing and the like for the voice call services. With such an architecture, the major capabilities and functionalities connected with providing application services from the server throughout the network reside on the server and supporting elements, all of which are located in the network operations center.
It might be helpful to walk through examples of the configuration for application services delivery to a client of an application within a user premises under the typical, current network configuration.
The separation between the managed Service Provider Network (WAN side) and the User Premises Network (LAN side) is depicted as the Network Service provider Demarcation. The Network Service Provider Demarcation at the Network Interconnect Layer represents the logical and physical separation between the user premises and the broad-band network. In the present representation of the three functional layers, the Network Service Provider Demarcation is extended into the Services and Application Layer to emphasize the functional barrier at that layer between the Service Provider Network and the User Premises Network, in currently configured networks.
The NI Layer depicts how the connectivity between a User Premises Network and the Public/Service Provider Network is established. On the Service Provider Network side, the Wide Area Network services are terminated onto a WAN termination device with the appropriate interface (e.g. a Broadband internet service such as ADSL would terminate on to a managed ADSL Terminal Adapter). The WAN termination layer adapts the WAN interface into a compatible LAN interface (e.g. Ethernet or WiFi). On the User Premises Network side the LAN Termination interfaces are used to connect to the Local Area Network via a variety of interfaces, such as Ethernet, WiFi, MOCA, etc.
The LAN Termination interfaces and the WAN Termination interface could reside on two separate physical devices or they could reside on one physical device. In either case, on the User Premises Network side, packets or data must flow through the NF Layer between the WAN Termination Interface and the LAN Termination Interface. One or both of these interfaces may reside on a “gateway” device. Gateway and like router devices are currently available for various premises that allow several computers to communicate with one another and to share a broadband Internet connection. These devices function as routers by matching local network addresses and the hostnames of the local computers with the actual networking hardware detected. As gateways, these devices translate local network addresses to those used by the Internet for outgoing communications, and do the opposite translation for incoming packets.
The User Premises NF Layer allows for switching of packets between LAN devices and routing or bridging of packets between the LAN and WAN interfaces. It could physically reside on the same device(s) with the LAN Termination or it could exist at an independent device that could interconnect to the LAN Termination interface via a variety of physical interfaces (e.g. Ethernet, MOCA, etc.). The Service Provider NF Layer provides the Wide Area Network access between the WAN Termination device and the AS Layer where all the applications servers are being hosted. The Internet could be used for this connectivity as could a private packet/cell network (e.g. Cellular packet network, or a private ATM or packet backbone).
The AS Layer represents the functional layer that provides access to applications services by application clients. On the User Premises side, the AS Layer provides a Firewall to protect the application client from application level attacks from the open Internet. On the Service Provider side, the AS Layer encompasses application services such as Parental Control, Backup, and Call Processing. These application services exist on a managed Application Service Delivery Platform (ASD) on a secure network server that can be hosted at a facility that has private and or public data connection paths. The ASD may include three functional modules, namely the Application Service Enforcement (ASE) module, the Application Service Logic (ASL) module, and the Application Service Management (ASM) module.
The ASE module is responsible for enforcing the relevant Application Client privileges to the application services. It gets the policies and permissions of each application client from the ASM module (such as provisioning data and subscription data) and enforces those policies against the requested actions by the client application.
The ASL module executes the application services that the Application Clients request. Such services could be Call Processing, Parental Control, Peered Networking, Backup, etc. The ASL module must interact with the ASM module for monitoring purposes and status information such as Call Data Recording and Billing. It must also interact with the ASE module to provide access to the client applications that have passed the policy enforcement procedures.
The ASM module, as described above, provides the necessary data to the ASE and ASL modules for them to carry out their respective functions. It also oversees the overall integration and communication among all the modules and the services that are managed by the ASM. The ASM also manages the overall security and integrity of the ASD.
All ASD modules are in constant communication with each other, preferably through secure connections. The inter-module communication may be managed by the ASM, or may be independent of a central management function. Note that the ASE, ASL and ASM modules are only examples of functions that may be logically bundled; other bundles, and other means of bundling these functions, are possible.
In the logical hierarchy, such as shown in
With the paradigm discussed above relative to
Thus, as new services come to the fold, often with the requirement of new equipment, e.g. integrated access devices (IADs) for VoIP and set-top boxes for streaming video, the management of the customer premises equipment (both hardware and software) complicates customer support requirements. Managing the home network environment can be an inhibitor to the adoption of new services, both from the user perspective and from the perspective of management by the service providers.
A need exists for a new paradigm, with improved convenience for the user and easier management for the application service provider. In that regard, it would be desirable to provide an arrangement in which one or more aspects of application service(s) facilitated by gateway devices within the user premises are centrally managed.
The disclosure herein addresses one or more of the issues outlined above from a system perspective. The disclosure encompasses a service management system as well as combinations of such a system with one or more gateway devices at user premises.
For example, a service management system is disclosed for managing voice controlled services through gateway devices at respective user premises. The gateway devices provide gateway connectivity to a wide area network and at least some server functionality for service delivery for one or more digital endpoint client devices associated with the gateway device, one or more of which may be at respective customer premises. Gateway devices communicate with endpoint devices within respective premises over networks within the customer premises. The service management system can include a router for connection to the wide area network for communications with the gateway devices, and one or more computer platforms coupled to the router. The platform can also provide an authentication manager for authenticating each of the gateway devices and controlling the connection manager to establish a signaling communication link through the wide area network with each of the gateway devices upon successful authentication of each respective gateway device. The computer platform can also be configured for implementing a service manager for distributing service specific configuration data to logic implementing the server functionality in authenticated gateway devices, via the wide area network, responsive to the subscription manager. An application gateway can be configured to execute the voice controlled application services provided from the application service provider, wherein the application gateway can execute the application services at the user premises independent of application services executing on the application service provider's network, and wherein upon receiving a request to execute the application service on the application gateway at the user premises, the service manager can communicate with the subscription manager to verify that the request conforms with policy and usage rules associated with the application services in order to authorize execution of the application services on the application gateway. A graphical user interface rendered on a display can be associated with at least one of the at least one computer platform, gateway devices and one or more endpoint devices, for enabling voice controlled management and control of application services executed by the application gateway on at least one of the computer platform and the one or more endpoint devices.
Application services can include a service application executed at the application gateway that enables at least one of: home automation of connected devices within the user premises; home security of the user premises via connected devices within the user premises; management of video cameras and associated video data captured within the user premises; management of sensors located at or within the user premises; management of monitors at or within the user premises; home automation of connected devices within the user premises; management, including monitoring, of medical devices within the user premises; management of wired and wireless connections to endpoint devices at or within the user premises; management of digital rights utilized by endpoint devices at or within the user premises; management of context sensitive advertising that is available for rendering on endpoint devices at or within the user premises.
In the disclosed example, the authentication manager can confirm authentication of the respective gateway device and of application services provided or executed by each respective gateway device, from time to time. The authentication manager can control the connection manager to maintain a logical session for the signaling communication link through the wide area network with each respective gateway device as long as the authentication manager continues to confirm the authentication of the respective gateway device. Typically, this signaling link remains logically on through the wide area network, so long as the gateway device is powered-on and can be authenticated by the service management system.
The signaling communications between the gateway devices and the service management center may utilize a variety of different types of protocols. In the examples, the system is configured to communicate via the signaling communication link through the wide area network with each respective gateway device, using a peer and presence messaging protocol.
In an example, the computer platform comprises a plurality of computers coupled to the router, to arrange the system to form a service management center network. Such a network may implement a variety of additional functionalities. For example, the service management center network can include a gateway device updater implemented on the at least one computer platform. The updater can be configured for downloading service logic modules for implementing voice controlled application services and/or service features to the gateway devices, via the wide area network, for enabling voice controlled application services and/or service features identified by the service manager at respective gateway devices. The service management center network can also include a location server functionality, responsive to the service manager, for maintaining information as to accessibility of authenticated gateway devices for enabling peer-to-peer communications among gateway devices via the wide area network. Another functionality that may be provided is an accessibility test server. Such a server communicates via signaling communication link through the wide area network with each of the gateway devices, to determine nature of accessibility of each gateway device through the wide area network. The service management center network can also include a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) proxy server functionality and a Session Border Controller functionality, configured to support SIP based voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) telephone services through the wide area network for endpoint devices communicating through a plurality of the gateway devices.
The disclosure also encompasses systems that can include both a service management center and one or more of the gateway devices.
In a first example, such a disclosed system can provide managed services for a plurality of endpoint devices associated with a premises having a local area network, and the system can include a gateway device located at the premises coupled for communication with at least one of the endpoint devices which is located at the premises, via the local area network. The gateway device can also be coupled for communication with a wide area network outside the premises. The gateway device can be operable to deliver one or more application services to the plurality of endpoint devices. The gateway device can include one or more service logic modules for causing the gateway device to provide the one or more application services respectively, and configuration data for configuring the one or more service logic modules to enable the gateway device to deliver the one or more application services. The service logic modules and the configuration data can be logically positioned on the user premises side of a logical Network Service Provider Demarcation, between the wide area network and the user premises. Also, the gateway device can be further operable to provide interoperability among two or more of the endpoint devices. The service management system can be coupled to the wide area network for communication with the gateway device. This can enable the service management system to remotely manage the delivery of the one or more voice controlled application services by the gateway device. The service management system can selectively activate or deactivate one or more of the service logic modules in the gateway device.
As noted, the disclosure also encompasses a system having a number of the gateway devices. In such an arrangement, the service management system can be further operable to selectively provide secure communications and exchange of information among the gateway devices and among the endpoint devices associated therewith.
The detailed description below also discloses examples of implementations of the gateway devices. For example, a gateway device can include a first interface for enabling bi-directional communications within the premises via the local area network, with one or more of the endpoint devices. A second interface enables bi-directional communications for the one or more endpoint devices via the wide area network, and for enabling at least some bi-directional communications with the service management system via the wide area network. The gateway device can include a processor coupled to the interfaces and storage coupled to the processor, for storing programming for the processor including the one or more service logic modules and for storing the configuration data.
In one arrangement, for each voice controlled application service, processor execution of the programming provides a number of functions in relation to a respective service for one or more endpoint devices. Examples of such functions can include application server communication with a client functionality of one or more endpoint devices, for the respective service, communicated on top of network layer communications of one or both of the interfaces. The program implemented gateway functions can also include enforcement regarding authorization, authentication, configuration, or use of the respective service via the one or more endpoint devices. The voice controlled application service can be managed based upon the communications with the service management center via the wide area network through the second interface.
A specific example of the software architecture for the gateway devices utilizes a layered approach. Such an architecture can include the service logic modules, which provide logic for the application services. The programming can further include logic for interfaces for the application services, logic for a services framework, and logic for platform management. The interaction and interoperability of the application service interfaces logic, the application services logic, the services framework logic, and the platform management logic can be managed responsive to the communications with the service management center via the wide area network through the second interface.
Additional advantages and novel features will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following and the accompanying drawings or may be learned by production or operation of the examples. The advantages of the present teachings may be realized and attained by practice or use of various aspects of the methodologies, instrumentalities and combinations set forth in the detailed examples discussed below.
The drawing figures depict one or more implementations in accord with the present teachings, by way of example only, not by way of limitation. In the figures, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements.
In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth by way of examples in order to provide a thorough understanding of the relevant teachings. However, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present teachings may be practiced without such details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and circuitry have been described at a relatively high-level, without detail, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the present teachings.
The various technologies disclosed herein move application service logic, formerly resident in a network node, into a gateway device in the customer premises. The gateway device is implemented in such a manner as to offer its user many of the applications services, such as were previously offered from network side servers, from the user premises. As further described below, these application services comprise, by way of example, programming to simplify support services in the digital home including one or more of: media delivery, content management, access control and use tracking, file sharing, and protection and back-up services of both Internet/Web-generated digital media content and user generated digital media content. The novel gateway device is programmed to simplify various aspects of managing the emerging home/business digital networks including the myriad of interconnected digital endpoint devices associated with the gateway device. It is important to note that the endpoint devices need not reside within, or be located at, the premises to maintain their association with the gateway device.
Therefore, although based on a Client-Server architecture, the exemplary gateway device and service management center move substantial functions performed by the typical network server into the user premises by incorporating those functions into the gateway device, but in a way that allows for the server functionality to be externally managed by the service management center from the network side, which may be operated by a third-party service provider. In this novel architecture, both the server functionality and the application services, which can be voice controlled, offered via the gateway device may be managed by the service management center. Moreover, the server function residing in the gateway device is not only located in the premises but it now resides logically on the premises side of the Network Service Provider demarcation.
The gateway device and the system architecture effectively place a set of application services on a tightly coupled (e.g. always-on or always-available basis), secure hardware platform that is externally managed. The gateway device comprises application services programming, and associated hardware, that is positioned on the user premises side of the Network Service Provider Demarcation, which is configured to be managed by an external service management center.
Reference now is made in detail to the examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings and discussed below.
With reference to
The examples discussed herein also introduce a logical platform management layer to the user premises-side, which allows for inter-layer allocation of local resources. This function guarantees access between the Application Service Logic function on the user premises network and the applications service management function in the service management center by assuring that the local user premises hardware and software modules are functioning at a required state (CPU and memory usage, bandwidth usage, QoS settings, etc.) in order for the ASL to have the necessary resources to establish its required communications path to the ASM.
The platform manager is also responsible for implementing that part of the managed application services to be performed by the gateway device. In that regard, the platform manager secures and manages the overall hardware platform, given that in this scenario, the NF layer and the AS layer reside on one hardware platform. This secure hardware platform provides a robust and secure operating environment for the AS Layer. So, to establish a secure and robust hardware operating environment, the platform manager must interface with all the layers above it and allow for bi-directional management information flow among all of the functions. For example, if the Application Client is a telephony application and the desired application is call processing, the application must first connect to the LAN termination interface (1). Then a connection must be established to the AS Layer through the NF layer (2). At this point the platform manager determines if there are sufficient resources available for this to take place on the routing and switching modules and if there is not sufficient resources on either the LAN Termination interface or the NF layer functions, it would take the necessary corrective measure to free up the required resources so that the application can execute properly (e.g. prioritize packets, throttle bandwidth, attempt to reduce noise on an RF interface, or free up time slices on a TDMA interface such as MoCA). Once that is done, the connection is established to the AS Layer (3), where the ASE and ASL, having been updated by the ASM in the network, respond instantaneously to the Application Client, completing the service request.
Application services represent functionalities, implemented in the higher layer(s) of the protocol or logical stack above the network layer(s) that may extend up to the top application layer (layer 7 of the OSI model). An application service, for example, provides application server communication with a client functionality of one or more endpoint devices, for the respective service, communicated on top of network layer communications through the interfaces. In the examples, the services are provided on a subscription service basis to users at the premises. Hence, the application service logic provides enforcement regarding authorization, authentication, configuration, and/or use of the respective service via the endpoint devices. The application service includes service and feature functions, implemented and controlled by the application service logic. Management of the application service is based on communications with the service management center via the wide area network.
The illustrated architecture of the gateway device-service management center network enables other features and capabilities that have not previously been available to the user. For instance, peer-to-peer application communication between or among gateways is possible without the need to go through, or utilize resources at, an external service management center. Communications through the service management center are also possible. In addition, given the considerable functionality present in the gateway device, and its ability to manage the various endpoint devices associated with it (as explained below), the user interface with the gateway can be presented and utilized on the home TV. Additionally, information from other endpoint devices, such as the PC, network sources (such as an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) service), may now be overlaid on the TV screen so that, for example, PC messages, or weather information, can be viewed on the TV screen, and the functionality of the PC (or other home networked endpoint devices) can be accessed from the TV screen.
If configured as a standalone device, the NSP-TA device is required to have its own CPU, Memory, physical interfaces and logic control. In order for Network Service Providers to deliver managed services, they typically require a management element controlled by the CPU on the NSP-TA. To depict these logical elements residing on the hardware components,
The User Network and Application Delivery Apparatus (UNA-DA), shown on the right hand side of
Programming elements of the UNA-DA are depicted at the Application/Services Layer of the UNA-DA. Certain logical elements, depicted as the Application Service Provider Managed Applications and Platform in
To identify the separation of, and distinguish between, the programming and hardware components subject to control by the managed service provider and those subject to control by the user premises,
There is no hard requirement for cross management between the UNDA-DA and the NSP-TA. Under this first scenario the user is responsible for making the configuration changes in the specific user controlled logic modules in order to get the two devices to Communicate with each other. Optionally the two sub-systems can be combined together, either physically in one hardware device, or logically as two separate hardware devices, but having one user managed interface.
The two hardware regimes described above (NSP-TA and the UNA-DA) may be combined into one managed hardware platform and, thereby, replace the need for the user to have access to the User Premises Network Interface with the logic residing in the Platform Management logic module of the Application Service Provider Managed Applications and Platform (compare to above-discussed
It may be helpful now to consider more detailed examples of the gateway device-service management center network.
Gateway Device and Service Management Center Elements—Overview
Those skilled in the art will recognize that functions of the service management center, which reside in the Application Service Management node on the Service Provider Network, as depicted in
As shown in
As will be described in greater detail herein below, the service management center 50 generally provides a communications and processing infrastructure for supporting the variety of application services and related communications residing at the gateway devices 10, 10.sub.1 . . . 10.sub.n. In an exemplary embodiment, this infrastructure may be configured to provide a secure environment and may be IP-based. Preferably, this support architecture is designed for high availability, redundancy, and cost-effective scaling.
The secure platform for building and providing multiple application services for digital endpoints associated with a gateway device requires connectivity between the gateway device 10 and each of a user's devices (referred interchangeably herein as “endpoint devices” or “digital endpoint devices”). This connectivity may be provided by implementation of one or more USB ports (interfaces) 13, a wired Local Area Network connection such as provided by an Ethernet local area network (LAN) interface 16, or, a wireless network interface via a WiFi LAN access point 62 provided, for example, in accordance with the I.E.E.E. 802.11b/g/n wireless or wireless network communications standard. These physical interfaces provide the required network interconnectivity for the endpoint devices to connect to the multiple application services. Although not shown in
That is, the gateway device 10 interfaces with digital endpoint devices including, but not limited to: a home automation networking device 20 (e.g. X10, Z-Wave or ZigBee) for wired or wireless home network automation and control of networked home devices such as a switch controller 22, sensor devices 23, automatically controlled window blinds 24, a controlled lighting or lamp unit 25 etc, individual or wired or wireless network of personal computing (PC) and laptop/mobile devices 30a, . . . , 30c that serve as file sources, control points and hosts for various other client endpoints, one or more television display devices 32 including associated set top boxes (STB) 35a or digital media adapters (DMA) 35b, one or more VoIP phone devices (e.g. SIP phones) 40, or other devices (not shown) that convert IP interfaces to PSTN FXO and FXS interfaces.
As noted earlier, the gateway device 10 may provide an interface 35b to the Digital Media Adapter (DMA) for television (TV) 32, which enables bidirectional wireline or wireless communication. This interface supports several functions for multiple services including, but not limited to: media (e.g., video and music) by enabling the transfer of media (e.g., video and music) to the TV; voice services, by providing for Called Line ID and for voice mail control; and provide Home Automation Services including status and control of networked home automation devices. The DMA element 35b converts audio and video (optionally) to a format suitable for a TV. In addition, the Digital Media Adapter 35b may be capable of receiving context-sensitive commands from a remote control device (not shown) and forwarding those commands to the gateway device 10. This enables the use of menus on the TV 32 for controlling application services and various features functions thereof, as offered by the gateway device 10. For example, the Media Adapter/TV combination is able to provide the following features including, but not limited to: display of media; media control functions, when enabled (FF, REW, STOP, PAUSE, etc); display of Calling Line Identification (CLID); control of voicemail; picture viewing; control of home automation; and user functions for the gateway device 10.
A Set Top Box 35a as shown in
Whether provided by the DMA interface 35b and the TV 32 or by the set top box 35a and the TV 32, the communications to and from the TV provide a user interface for interaction with the gateway device 10. The programming of the gateway device supports, among other things, a graphical user interface (GUI) via the TV, sometimes referred to as the “ten-foot” interface.
With respect to PCs interfacing with the gateway device 10, PCs may serve as, among other things, file sources, control points and hosts for various software clients. Thus, the PC programming may work in conjunction with the ASL and ASE programming of the gateway device. Together, the PC programming and the ASL and ASE programming provide a more comprehensive and robust user experience. The gateway device 10 may further provide a bidirectional wireline or wireless interface 35c to a PC device 306 for supporting the transfer of media (e.g., video and music) to the computer for storage and viewing; for supporting voice services, e.g., by providing for calls from SIP soft clients; for file sharing, file back-up and home storage and home automation control functions. The access point 62 offers wireless data communications with a PC 30c. The gateway device interface through any PC may provide for the bidirectional moving of files, and status and control for the endpoint devices, including for example, status and control of networked home automation devices. In addition, using the PC interface, users may, for example, share files on the gateway devices, back-up or transfer files to the gateway devices or other storage; access personal page for notifications, RSS, shared photos, voicemail, etc. In addition to the IM and SIP capabilities of the gateway device, as described more below, PCs may also serve as a host for IM and SIP soft phone clients and other client devices. The client-server interaction of the PC with the application service logic of the gateway device 10 offers an alternative GUI for at least some of the services. The PC based GUI is sometimes referred to as the “two-foot” interface.
Although not shown in
As described in greater detail herein, the gateway device 10 includes both a hardware and software infrastructure that enables a bridging of the WAN and LAN networks, e.g. a proxy function, such that control of any digital endpoint device at the premises from the same or remote location is possible via the gateway device 10 using, optionally, a secure peer and presence type messaging infrastructure or other communications protocols, e.g., HTTPS. For example, via any IM-capable device or client 80a, 80b respectively connected with an Instant Messaging (IM) or XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol) network messaging infrastructure, e.g. IM networks 99a, 99b such as provided by Yahoo, Microsoft (MSN), Skype, America Online, ICQ, and the like, shown for purposes of illustration in
As noted above, the novel system architecture allocates the logical functionality of the ASD Platform (
For example, with the robust capabilities of the Application Service Provider Managed Applications and Platform (
Gateway Device Software and Hardware Architecture
The composition of the premises gateway device 10, earlier described with reference to
Particular logical elements comprising the ASL and ASE functionalities of the AS Layer represented in
As shown in more detail in
Additional hardware components include one or more Ethernet LAN and WAN interface cards 155, 156 (e.g. 802.11, T1, T3, 56 kb, X.25, DSL or xDSL) which may include broadband connections (e.g. ISDN, Frame Relay, ATM, Gigabit Ethernet, Ethernet over SONET, etc.), wireless connections, or some combination of any or all of the above. The card 155 referred to as the LAN interface card provides data communication connectivity within the user premises, essentially, for communication via a user premises network 60 with any endpoint devices operating within the premises. The card 156 referred to as the WAN interface card provides data communication connectivity for the gateway device 10 and endpoint devices communicating through the device 10, with the wide area IP network 99. For additional or alternative customer premises communications, the hardware components 102 may also include one or more USB interfaces 158; and for additional or alternative communications with the wide area network, the hardware components may also include the PCMCIA EvDO interface card 160.
A data encryption/decryption unit 162 is additionally provided as part of the architecture for providing data security features. A watchdog timer element or like timer reset element 164 is provided as is one or more LED devices 166 for indicating status and other usable information to users of the gateway device 10.
As mentioned above, the gateway device provides an in-premises footprint enabling the service connectivity and local management to client(s). The implementation of functions and the related control such as a router (with quality of service (QoS)), firewall, VoIP gateway, voice services and voice mail may be embodied and performed within the CPU 152.
The discussion of the gateway hardware layer above and the illustration thereof in the drawings provides a high-level functional disclosure of an example of the hardware that may be used in the gateway device. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the gateway device may utilize other hardware platforms or configurations.
Continuing, as shown in
Built upon the system operating system 106 is a system services support layer 108 providing both client-like and server-like functions that enable a wide range of functionality for the types of services capable of being managed by the gateway device 10. For instance, there is provided a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) client and server software modules. The DHCP client particularly requests via a UDP/IP (User Datagram Protocol/Internet Protocol (e.g. Ipv4, Ipv6, etc.) configured connection information such as the IP address that the gateway device 10 has been dynamically assigned by a DHCP service (not shown), and/or any the subnet mask information, the gateway device should be using. The DHCP server dynamically assigns or allocates network IP addresses to subordinate client endpoints on a leased, e.g. timed basis. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) client may communicate via a proxy server in the service control network 50, according to a VPN protocol or some other tunneling or encapsulation protocol. An SMPT client handles incoming/outgoing email over TCP, in accordance with the Simple Mail Transfer protocol. A Network Time Protocol (NTP) (RFC 1305) generates and correlates timestamps for network events and generally provides time synchronization and distribution for the Internet. A Domain Name Server (DNS) client and server combination are used by the IP stack to resolve fully-qualified host or symbolic names, i.e. mapping host names to IP addresses.
An HTTP(S) server handles secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) (Secure Sockets Layer) communications and provides a set of rules for exchanges between a browser client and a server over TCP. It provides for the transfer of information such as hypertext and hypermedia, and for the recognition of file types. HTTP provides stateless transactions between the client and server.
A Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) client and server combination governs the ability for file transfer over TCP. A SAMBA server is an open source program providing Common Internet Files Services (CIFS) including, but not limited to file and print services, authentication and authorization, name resolution, and service announcement (browsing). An EvDO/PPP driver includes a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) daemon configuration for wireless broadband services. A PPPoE (Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet) client combines the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), commonly used in dialup connections, with the Ethernet protocol; and it supports and provides authentication and management of multiple broadband subscribers in a local area network without any special support required from either the telephone company or an Internet service provider (ISP). The gateway device 10 is thus adapted for connecting multiple computer users on an Ethernet local area network to a remote site through the gateway and can be used to enable all users of an office or home to share a common Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), cable modem, or wireless connection to the Internet. A Secure Shell or SSH server implemented with HTTP protocol provides network protocol functionality adapted for establishing a secure channel between a local and a remote computer and encrypts traffic between secure devices by using public-key cryptography to authenticate the remote computer and (optionally) to allow the remote computer to authenticate the user.
Additionally provided as part of the system services layer 108 is intelligent routing capability provided by an intelligent router device 185 that provides Quality of Service (QoS, guaranteed bandwidth) intelligent routing services, for example, by enforcing routing protocol rules and supporting unlimited multiple input sources and unlimited multiple destinations and, particularly, for routing communications to networked digital endpoint devices subordinate to the gateway. A central database server 183 handles all of the database aspects of the system. For example, the database server 183 maintains and updates registries and status of connected digital endpoint devices, maintains and updates service configuration data, services specific data (e.g. indexes of backed-up files, other service specific indexes, metadata related to media services, etc.) and firmware configurations for the devices. The database server 183 may also store billing and transaction detail records and performance diagnostics. The database server logic 183 also satisfies all other database storage needs as will be described in greater detail herein.
Referring back to
The features/functions in the layer 110 include a platform manager module which will implement unique rules based notification services. On operational failure, for example, when one of the components or services fails, the platform manager would detect this failure and take appropriate action such as implement a sequence of rules to provide notification to a user. A scheduler module manages scheduled device maintenance, managing scheduled services, e.g. back-up services, etc. The layer 110 also includes a diagnostics module and a firmware upgrades management module for managing firmware upgrades. A resource management module manages system resources and digital contention amongst the various resources, e.g. CPU/Bandwidth utilization, etc. A display management module and a logger management module store and track gateway log-in activity of users and applications, e.g. voice call logs, at the user premises. The platform management layer 110 in concert with resource and service management components enforces the separation of network side managed service control and user side delegations depending upon service subscriptions and configurations. For example, the platform and resource management encompass rules and guidelines provided according to subscribed services that act to enforce, manage and control input/output operations, and use of hard drives space etc. A demarcation point, logically depicted as the Application Service Provider Demarcation in
The logical platform management layer 110 allows for inter-layer allocation of local resources. This function guarantees access between the application service/management logic implemented at the higher layers in the gateway device 10 and the applications service management function in the service management center 50, by assuring that the local user premises hardware and software modules are functioning at a required state (CPU and memory usage, bandwidth usage, QoS settings, etc.). The platform manager is also responsible for implementing that part of the managed application services to be performed by the gateway device. In that regard, the platform manager secures and manages the overall hardware platform, given that in this scenario, the network function layer and the application service layer reside on one hardware platform. This secure hardware platform provides a robust and secure operating environment for the application services layer. So, to establish a secure and robust hardware operating environment, the platform management layer must interface with all the layers above it and allow for bi-directional management information flow among all of the functions.
Referring back to
Built on top of the Services Framework layer 120 is the Application Services layer 130 providing library of user application services and application support threads including, but not limited to: file sharing functionality; backup services functionality; home storage functionality; network device management functionality; photo editing functionality; home automation functionality; media services functionality; call processing functionality; voice mail and interactive voice response functionality; presence and networking functionality; parental control functionality; and intelligent ads management functionality. The multi-services applications gateway 10 further provides application service interfaces 140 that are used to enable a variety of user applications and communications modalities.
For instance, the SIP Interface 141 is an interface to the generic transactional model defined by the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) that provides a standard for initiating, modifying or terminating interactive user sessions that involve one or more multimedia elements that can include voice, video, instant messaging, online games, etc., by providing access to dialog functionality from the transaction interface. For instance a SIP signaling interface enables connection to a SIP network that is served by a SIP directory server via a Session Border Controller element in the service management center 50 (
The Web Interface 142 enables HTTP interactions (requests and responses) between two applications. The Web services interface 149 provides the access interface and manages authentication as multi-services gateway devices access the service management center 50 (
The XMPP interface 145 is provided to implement the protocol for streaming (XML) elements via the gateway device 10, in order to exchange messages and presence information in close to real time, e.g. between two gateway devices. The core features of XMPP provide the building blocks for many types of near-real-time applications, which may be layered as application services on top of the base TCP/IP transport protocol layers by sending application-specific data qualified by particular XML namespaces. In the example, the XMPP interface 145 provides the basic functionality expected of an instant messaging (IM) and presence application that enable users to perform the following functions including, but not limited to: 1) Exchange messages with other users; 2) Exchange presence information with other devices; 3) Manage subscriptions to and from other users; 4) Manage items in a contact list (in XMPP this is called a “roster”); and 5) Block communications to or from specific other users by assigning and enforcing privileges to communicate and send or share content amongst users (buddies) and other devices.
As noted,
In the example of
The hardware layer 102 may also include an option module. The UNA-DA hardware components at layer 102 have multiple interfaces for connection to such an option module. These interfaces, by way of example, could be a data bus (e.g. PCI, etc), network interface (e.g. Ethernet (RJ45), MoCA/HPNA (Coax)) and Power feeds. The option module allows additional functionality to be added to the base UNA-DA functionality of the gateway device. For example, this additional functionality could be everything from support for a variety of extra Wide Area Network Interfaces (e.g. xDSL, DOCSIS, Fiber (PON), Cellular Packet, WIMAX, etc.), Media Processing (e.g. Cable TV termination, Digital Video Recording, Satellite TV Termination, etc), to Voice Processing (FXS, FXO, Speech Detection, Voice to Text, etc). The option module may have its own standalone CPU, Memory, I/O, Storage, or provide additional functionality by its use of the CPU, Memory, I/O, and storage facilities off of the main hardware board. The option module may or may not be managed directly by the Platform Management of the UNA-DA.
Gateway Processing
For the in-home services, the multi-services gateway device 10 connects the various service delivery elements together for enabling the user to experience a connected digital home, where information from one source (for example, voicemail) can be viewed and acted on at another endpoint (for example, the TV 32). The multi-services gateway device 10 thus hosts the various in-home device interfaces, and facilitates the moving of information from one point to another. Some of the in-home endpoint device processing duties performed by the gateway device 10 include, but are not limited to: 1) detecting new devices and provide IP addresses dynamically or statically; 2) functioning as a (Network Address Translator) NAT, Router and Firewall; 3) providing a centralized disk storage in the home; 4) obtaining configuration files from the service management center and configuring all in-home devices; 5) acting as a Registrar for SIP-based devices; 6) receiving calls from and delivering calls to voice devices; providing voicemail services; 7) decrypting and securely streaming media having digital rights management (DRM) encoding; 8) distributing media to an appropriate in-home device; 9) compressing and encrypting files for network back-up; 10) backing-up files to the network directly from gateway device; 11) handling home automation schedules and changes in status; 12) providing in-home personal web-based portals for each user; 13) providing Parental Control Services (e.g. URL filtering, etc.); 14) creating and transmitting billing records of in-home devices including, recording and uploading multi-service billing event records; 15) distributing a PC client to PCs in the home, used in support of the various services such as monitoring events or diagnostic agents; 16) storing and presenting games that users and buddies can play; 17) delivering context-sensitive advertising to the endpoint device; and, 18) delivering notifications to the endpoint device; and, 19) enabling remote access through the web, IM client, etc. Other duties the gateway device 10 may perform include: service maintenance features such as setting and reporting of alarms and statistics for aggregation; perform accessibility testing; notify a registration server (and Location server) of the ports it is “listening” on; utilize IM or like peer and presence communications protocol information for call processing and file sharing services; receive provisioning information via the registration server; utilize a SIP directory server to make/receive calls via the SBC network element to/from the PSTN and other gateway device devices; and download DRM and non-DRM based content and facilitating the DRM key exchanges with media endpoints.
Logical Architecture and Service Management Center Network
While the gateway devices 10 as described above are each equipped with various logic and intelligence for features that enable the gateway devices to provide various integrated digital services to the premises, as described herein with respect to
Examples of various ASM functionalities performed at the service management center 50, from the Service Provider Network regime, include but are not limited to: service initialization of the gateway devices, providing security for the gateway devices and the network support infrastructure, enabling real time secure access and control to and from the gateway devices, distributing updates and new service options to the gateway devices, providing service access to and from the gateway devices and remote access to the gateway devices, but not limited to such. In support of these services, the service management center 50 provides the following additional services and features: authentication; multi-service registration; subscription control; service authorization; alarm management; remote diagnostic support; billing collection and management; web services access; remote access to gateway devices (e.g. via SIP or Internet/web based communications); reachability to access challenged gateway devices; software updates; service data distribution; location service for all services; SIP VoIP service; media services; backup services; sharing services; provisioning; gateway interfaces to other service providers (Northbound and peering); load balancing; privacy; security; and network protection.
The logical network architecture for the service management center network delivering these capabilities is illustrated in
The one or more network elements of center 50 illustrated in
The service management center network 50 may provide SIP-based directory services for voice and other multimedia services, for example, via its SIP Directory Server 66. In addition, location service functionality, for example, provided by the Location Server 68, may include IP and Port level services for all inbound services. As discussed more later, the location server 68 maintains information as to accessibility of authenticated gateway devices 10, for enabling peer to peer communications among gateway devices 10 via the wide area IP network 99. DNS services functionality may be provided by a DNS server 69 for all inbound services.
The service management center network 50 may also provide virtual private network (VPN) functionalities, for example, handled by its VPN server/subsystem 70, and provide VPN connection services for certain inbound services on multi-services gateway devices 10. VPN connection services may be provided on those multi-services gateway devices that have accessibility challenges, for example, those that are behind external firewalls and NATs. The service management center network 50 may also include functionality for determining the nature of the accessibility configuration for the multi-services gateway devices 10. In one, embodiment accessibility service may be performed by an accessibility test server 72 that functions in cooperation with the multi-services gateway device 10 to determine the nature of the accessibility. For example, the accessibility test determines whether the gateway devices are behind a firewall, whether NATs is required, etc.
The service management center network 50 also functions to provide provisioning services to all elements of service management center network 50 and to multi-services gateway devices 10. Such functionality of the network 50, for example, may be implemented by the provisioning server 74 in one embodiment.
Authentication functionality of the service management center network 50, for example, provided by an authentication manager 71, provides authentication services to all service management center network elements and to multi-services gateway devices 10. As discussed more later, upon successful authentication of a gateway device 10, the authentication manager 71 controls the connection manager 60 to establish a signaling communication link through the wide area IP network 99 with the authenticated gateway device 10. The authentication manager 71 confirms authentication of the respective gateway device 10 from time to time, and the authentication manager 71 controls the connection manager 60 to maintain a session for the signaling communication link through the wide area IP network 99 with the respective gateway device 10 as long as the authentication manager 71 continues to confirm the authentication of the respective gateway device. The signaling connection may be torn-down, when the device 10 no longer passes authentication, either because it becomes inaccessible to the authentication manager 71 or its service status changes.
The gateway devices 10 and service management center 50 implement several methodologies that allow the service provider to manage various subscription application services provided for endpoint devices associated with the gateway devices 10. In general, one subscription management methodology involves sending information indicating configuration data or software currently needed for the one gateway device to implement server functionality for an application service or a feature of an application service, based on a service subscription of a customer associated with that gateway device. Several different ways of sending this information are discussed by way of example below. A request from a particular gateway device 10 is received in the service management center 50, indicating that the device 10 needs the configuration data or software to implement the application service or feature thereof. In response, the service management center 50 sends the necessary configuration data or software through the wide area network 99 to the gateway device 10. The gateway device 10 can install the configuration data or software, to enable that device 10 to deliver the server functionality for the application service or the feature to its associated one or more endpoint device(s) that implement the client functions regarding the particular application service.
Subscription functionality of the service management center network 50, for example, provided by a subscription manager 73, is one mechanism used to provide management of subscription services to all multi-services gateway devices 10. The subscription manager 73 manages applications services and/or features of the server functionality of the gateway device 10, to be enabled on each respective authenticated gateway device, based on a service subscription associated with the respective device 10.
The service management center network 50 may include functionality for providing management services for each of the services provided in the gateway device 10. For example, respective service managers 75 store and serve to distribute service specific configuration data to the multi-services gateway devices 10, typically via the signaling communication links established through the wide area IP network 10 upon successful device authentication. The configuration data downloads by the service managers 75 are based on the service subscription of the user or premises associated with the particular gateway device 10, that is to say, as indicated by the subscription manager 73.
The service management center network 50 also includes elements to provide necessary software to the gateway devices 10 through the wide area network, as needed to implement customers' subscription services. In the example, the service management center network 50 includes an updater 51 for transmitting software to the gateway devices. The software resident in the gateway device is sometimes referred to as firmware. Software can be distributed upon request from an individual gateway device 10 or as part of a publication procedure to distribute upgrades to any number of the gateway devices. For this approach, the publication/subscription (Pub/Sub) server or like functionality 65 provides notifications of available software updates. For example, upon detecting an update regarding an application service, gateway devices 10 subscribing to an update notification service with regard to the relevant application service are identified. The Pub/Sub server 65 sends notification messages through, the wide area network 99 to the identified gateway devices 10. Assuming that a notified gateway device does not yet have the software update installed as part of its resident firmware, it sends a request indicating that the gateway device needs the available update. In response to the received request, the updater 51 sends the update of the software through the wide area network 99 to the one gateway device 10. The update enables the gateway device 10 to deliver the subscription application service or feature thereof, based on the updated software, to one or more endpoint devices implementing client functions related to the subscription application service.
Service access test functionality of the service management center network 50 performs tests to multi-services gateway devices to verify the accessibility for each subscribed service. Such functionality may be provided by service access test managers 77. The service management center network 50, for example, in an alarm aggregator subsystem 82 may aggregate alarms received from the multi-services gateway devices. The service management center network 50 also may include functionalities to support, for instance by alarms, diagnostics and network management (NWM) server 85, network management and network management services. The service management center network 50 enables web interface communication mechanism, for example, via a web services interface server 90, to for example provide access interface and manage authentication as multi-services gateway devices access the service management center for various services, including access to configuration data in the service managers 75.
Additional service management center network functionalities shown in
The service management center network 50 further may provide off-site backup services for the service management center network to a Wholesale Back-up Provider 96. The service management center network 50 further interoperates with Wholesale VoIP Provider 97, which may provide VoIP call origination/termination services for off-net voice calls. For instance, the service management center network 50 may provide VoIP/PSTN gateway that enables a translation, between protocols inherent to the Internet (e.g. voice over Internet protocol) and protocols inherent to the PSTN. Other entities that may be partnered with the service management center network 50 as shown in
In the illustrated example, a server or servers of the service management center network 50 are intended to represent a general class of data processing device commonly used to run “server” programming. Such a device typically utilizes general purpose computer hardware to perform its respective server processing functions and to control the attendant communications via the network(s). Each such server, for example, includes a data communication interface for packet data communication. The server hardware also includes a central processing unit (CPU), in the form of one or more processors, for executing program instructions. The server platform typically includes program storage and data storage for various data files to be processed and/or communicated by the server, although the server often receives programming and data via network communications. The hardware elements, operating systems and programming languages of such servers are conventional in nature, and it is presumed that those skilled in the art are adequately familiar therewith.
Gateway and Service Network Initialization
As shown in
Once the gateway device is fully enabled, at step 216, there is initiated the process of initializing the router/firewall and establishing the WAN connection. In one embodiment, a Transport Layer Security (TLS) connection is established with the connection manager server functionality 60 at the service management center network 50 and communications with the service management center network at step 218. This TLS connection in one embodiment is a signaling channel that is always-on for transacting various communications with the service management center network. For example, the channel or session may remain logically on at least while the device is authenticated and may remain on for the duration that the gateway device 10 is powered on and providing its services and functionalities as the in-premises or in-home platform for endpoint devices associated with the premises.
Continuing to step 220, the gateway device 10 then sends an authentication request including an authentication digest using a hardware identifier, an activation code, and a subscriber ID, and waits for an authentication response. At step 222, the process waits until the authentication notice or like response is received. If the authentication response is not received, the process terminates as shown at step 225. If the gateway device becomes authenticated, at step 228, the gateway device requests from the service management center the authentication keys and stores them at the gateway device. These keys are used whenever a gateway device has to be authenticated, e.g. when conducting a transaction or accessing the service management center network, for example, through a web services interface or a control signal channel.
Continuing to step 230,
Continuing to
Continuing to step 237, the gateway device may apply the configuration/software updates immediately or, schedule them for another time. A user may utilize a GUI to schedule the updates. If certain firmware needs to be updated right away, there may be a prompt presented to the user to acknowledge and approve the updates.
At step 240, a gateway device accessibility test is performed to determine if a VPN connection to the service management center network is needed. This may happen if the gateway device 10 is behind a firewall or the like that protects the gateway device from the public access. The test, for example, may be optional. In one embodiment, this test is done on start-up, and for example, for cases when the gateway device is disconnected from the WAN or a new IP address from the WAN is assigned. An accessibility testing functionality of the service management center network, for example, may send a connection request (such as a ping) in order to try to reach the gateway device. Different port numbers on a given IP address may be tested for reachability to the gateway device.
Continuing to step 245,
At step 255, a general multi-purpose registration is performed, whereby a service register request message is sent from the service manager 75 to a location server 68 of the service management center network 50. This request message tells the location server 68 that the gateway device 10 is ready to accept inbound services on a given IP address and port number for the respective service. Thus, the information may include the IP Address (WAN/VPN) and/or other specific data for informing the location server 68 how to route to the gateway device 10. In one embodiment, a clock on a gateway device may be set when the gateway device re-registers with the service management center network 50.
Architectural Overview for Establishing Connections and Authentication Process
In one embodiment, the connection manager 60 may aggregate a plurality of connection channels 150 and multiplex these signaling channels to the message router device 62. The connection manager 60 works with the message router 62 and the authentication manager 71 to authenticate the multi-services gateway device 10 and allow its access to the network 50 by enabling the establishment of a control channel 150 providing an “always on” control channel between the multi-services gateway device and the services service management center 50 once the gateway device is authenticated. The connection managers 60 also provide network security and protection services, e.g. for preventing flooding, denial of service (DOS) attacks, etc. In one embodiment, there may be interfaces such as APIs for interfacing the connection managers 60 or the like to the message routers 62 and the multi-services gateway devices 10. As the network of multi-services gateway devices grow, the number of connection managers 60 may grow to meet the demand for concurrent signaling control channel connections.
In one embodiment, a message router device(s) 62 provides control signal message routing services and session management services to the multi-services gateway device 10 and the other network elements of the service management center 50. In one embodiment, the message router device 62 has control channel signaling access, via the control channel to the firmware upgrade manager server or gateway firmware updater 51, VOD server(s) 52, a billing system 58, content managers 98, pub/subs 65, service accessibility test manager 77, authentication manager 71, service manager 75, subscription manager 73, alarms aggregator 82, network management (NWM) server 85 and public web proxy redirect 91, and the multi-services gateway devices 10. The message router 62 may also include a session manager subsystem that maintains control channel state information about every gateway device client in the gateway-service center network. The message router 62, and session manager enable sessions to be established to each multi-services gateway device 10 and each element of the service management center 50 and provide robust routing services between all the components. The message routers 62 may additionally connect to other message routers for geographic based scaling, creating a single domain-based control channel routing infrastructure. The message routers 62 may additionally connect to IM gateways and other message routers that provide user based IM services, which may enable users to interact directly with their multi-services gateway device via IM user clients. Thus, besides providing routing and session management for all the multi-services gateway devices and the network elements, the message router element 62 enables control signaling between all the network elements and the multi-services gateway devices and, connects to IM gateways to provide connectivity to other IM federations.
With respect to authentication functionality, the authentication manager component 71 provides authentication services for all the network elements of the service management center network 50. The service management center network elements query the authentication manager 71 to verify the identity of elements, including the multi-services gateway device 10, during inter-element communications. The gateway device 10 authenticates the service management center 50 at the Web Services Interface 90. The Web Services Interface 90, for example, may return data that the multi-services gateway device 10 uses to confirm the identity of the service management center 50.
The authentication manager functionality 71 may interface to the multi-services gateway devices 10 and other network elements such as the message router 62 and session manger servers, the accessibility server or the like, the service accessibility test mangers 77, the web services interface 90 or the like, the provisioning manager server 74, the NWM server 85 or the like, pub/sub 65 or the like, VODs 52, CA servers 54, and the billing system 58 or the like.
Signaling Control Channel
As mentioned herein with respect to
Authentication
As mentioned above, once the gateway device 10 is physically connected to the service management center 50 via the network 99, it registers and authenticates itself on the service management center network 50. In one embodiment, this registration and authentication is done through the above established secure connection. Further details regarding TCP control channel and authentication are now described with reference to
In the example, with the security option, once secure connection (e.g. XMPP connection) is established at step 326, authenticated session state between the home gateway device and the service management center network is ensured and messages can safely flow to and from the gateway device 10. In one embodiment, authentication credentials may include: user ID, subscriber ID, and a unique identifier (id) that is hardware dependent. In an alternate embodiment, a unique hardware based ID need not be sent, however, may be used to hash a string or digest. At this point, any requests originating from the gateway device 10 may be serviced.
The authentication procedure between the gateway device 10 and the authentication manager 71 is repeated from time to time, to allow the service management center network 50 to confirm authentication of the respective gateway device 10. The authentication manager 71 could initiate such a repeat authentication, but typically, this would be initiated by a new authentication request from the gateway device 10. The gateway device 10 would be programmed to initiate the new request after some predetermined period of time. In turn, the authentication manager 71 would be programmed to terminate authentication of the respective gateway device 10 if such a new request was not received within some delay interval following expiration of the time for the expected new request. The signaling connection would be torn-down, when the device no longer passes authentication, in this example, when it fails to send the expected new request for confirmation of authentication in a timely manner. If the device 10 later attempts to obtain authentication, it would go through the procedure to communicate with the authentication manager 71 as outlined above relative to
In one example, a presence and peering based messaging protocol is used for the gateway device 10 to establish connection with the service management center network 50. This may comprise an SASL or NON SASL-based XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol), described in IETF RFC 3920 and RFC 3921. For instance, using XMPP, messages are sent and received between the gateway device and the service management center network (e.g. via connection manager and message router functionalities).
In one example, during the authentication, if the service management center network 50 does not contain the gateway device registration and subscription information, the service management center network 50 may prompt the user via the gateway device 10 for the information. Such information may include, but is not limited to, gateway identifier such as the MAC address, name for a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) which is a complete DNS name such as johndoe.xxx.com, subscriber information such as name, address, email, and phone number. Additionally, service plan information such as file sharing, voice, file backup; media services, personal page, home automation, billing, to which the user is subscribing or desires to subscribe, user name and password for the subscriber and billing options and information may be obtained.
In one example, before completing the authentication process, the service management center network 50 optionally may display to the user via the gateway device 10 a list of the enabled services allowing the user to confirm the services enabled, and/or allow the user to add to or delete from the services enabled. Once the authentication process is completed, the service management center network registers the gateway device with other functionalities in the network for enabling different services. For example, for phone service, there may be an optional registration or authentication process on the SIP redirect server functionality.
Authentication Keys, Service Keys, Dynamic Key Renewal
In one example, the gateway device 10 and the service management center network 50 utilize keys or tokens for authenticating the gateway device, web service interface requests, and other services subscriptions, for instance, to verify that the gateway devices are valid users of the system and services. In one embodiment, the authentication keys (also referred to as tokens herein) are renewable and may change dynamically for each gateway device. For example, the authentication manager 71 or the like in the service management center 50 may generate updated keys or tokens for all or a selected number of gateway devices, notify those gateway devices periodically or at predetermined times, to retrieve the new authentication keys. In another embodiment, the gateway devices themselves may request the authentication manager or the like to provide a new or updated key. Yet in another embodiment, the updated keys may be pushed to gateway devices. This way the keys or tokens are periodically refreshed. Such dynamically changing keys enhance security, for instance, making it difficult for hackers to track the changing keys.
Each gateway device 10 may have more than one authentication key, for instance, for different purposes. For example, there may be different keys or tokens for allowing access to different services or features provided by the gateway device. Thus authentication keys are also referred interchangeably as service keys or tokens. These service keys may also dynamically change and are renewable. In one embodiment, the gateway device receives the service keys or tokens when individual services are provisioned on the gateway device. Thereafter, the service keys may be updated to change periodically, at a predetermined intervals, or regular intervals. The keys or tokens themselves, in one embodiment, may be hardware based key. In another example, they may be implemented independent of the hardware they are being used on.
Web Services Interface
In an example, the service management center network 50 may also provide web services interface functionality (for example, shown at 90 in
In one example, an authentication key is used or embedded in the message in order to validate the communication between one or more gateway devices 10 and the web services interface functionality 90 in the service management center network 50. In one embodiment, the gateway device 10 may request from the service management center network 50, for instance, from its authentication manager functionality 71, a temporary key, which is to be used when the gateway device 10 requests services via the web services interface 90. Preferably, this key is not a service specific key, but rather identifies a particular gateway device 10 to enter the service management center 50 through the web services interface 90. Every time the gateway device 10 requests a key, the authentication manager 71 functionality may store the key and the expiry time of the key. A response message provided from the authentication manager 71 has the key and expiry time. In one example, gateway devices 10 are responsible to determine a status of the key compared to the expiry and to request a new key before the expiry time. In another embodiment, the web services interface authentication key may be assigned during initial registration and may be renewable as described above with reference to dynamic renewable authentication and service keys.
The web services interface 90 subsequently directs message requests to the appropriate functionality in the service management center network 50. The incoming requests may be load balanced in one embodiment by the DNS server 69, and loading and performance information may be fed back to the DNS in support of this function. The web services interface 90 may have interfaces (e.g. APIs) to the gateway device 10, the authentication manager functionality 71 of the service management center network 50, DNS 69, the service managers 75 of the service management center network 50, etc.
In an exemplary embodiment, a gateway device 10 may utilize the web services interface to pull data, software or information from the service management center network 50, while the service management center network may utilize the signaling control channel to push data such as various notification data to the gateway devices. In an example discussed more below, the subscription manager 73 notifies the gateway device 10 of configuration data applicable to a service subscribed to by the customer associated with the particular gateway device. If the gateway device 10 determines that it needs the configuration data (not yet resident or not up-to-date), then the gateway device 10 sends a request to the web services interface 90, which is forwarded to the appropriate service manager 75. The service manager 75 in turn sends the configuration data to the gateway device 10 for loading and future use. A similar procedure can be used to download software, e.g. from a gateway updater or other firmware server based on a descriptor from the subscription manager or a published notification from a Pub/Sub server.
Gateway Device Registration and Service Subscription
In one example, the service management center network 50 further includes provisioning manager functionality 74, which may handle gateway device registration and subscription activation.
In each instance, the subscriber information may be input via the provisioning manager 74 or the like functionality. As will be described in more detail, provisioning input may include attributes such as the gateway device identification information, user information, and service plan information. In one embodiment, the provisioning input data including subscriber provisioning action/data may be classified as accounting/business and operational data and may persist in the provisioning manager 74 as shown at 162. This may be an optional step, for example, where partner service providers have their own existing systems.
Examples of subscriber information include, but are not limited to the following. In addition, not all information is required as subscriber information. Examples are subscriber name, address, billing information, email, phone, social security number (SSN), etc.; gateway device ID, e.g. MAC address, FQDN such as e.g. johnsmith@rosservice.com. This data may be generated and may have different domain base depending on the provider. This ID may be called the JID (jabber ID) or BIT) (Box ID) or Family ID); a subscriber unique ID (Internal Generated Number); an assigned gateway device serial number (the serial number may be an external identifier of the gateway device); a gateway device model number (e.g. to link the software, configuration to the model); a user access password (this may be different from the gateway device access key which is operational system generated); a user service/gateway device binding identifier (this may be generated by the system and mailed to user); a locale/region identifier; a list of the subscribed services, e.g. voice, video, remote access, backup; a list of service specific features, e.g. voice—call forwarding allowed, voice feature 2, etc.; a list of service specific user details, e.g. voice—DN, etc.; Backup—Max GB, Max Bandwidth, etc.
In a further step, as shown at 163,
In a further step, as shown at step 164,
Service 1
Service 2
Service N
In a further step, as shown at step 165,
In a further step, as shown at step 166a,
In a further step, as shown at step 167;
In a further step, as shown at step 168,
In a further step, as shown at step 169,
Thus, the provisioning functionality or the like 74 generally provides provisioning services to all service management center network elements. The managers 74 may send and receive provisioning information via a gateway interface (e.g. APIs) to and from 3.sup.rd party provides such as wholesale VoIP and backup service providers. The provisioning managers 74 may also send to and receive from the branding customer service provider (aka “North Bound” interfaces). The provisioning manager may provide a graphical user interface for service provider users and customer users to order; initialize and provision services. The provisioning manager further may distribute the order or provisioning information to the following functional elements: subscription manager; authentication manager servers; service manager(s); SIP directory server; Pub/Sub servers; VOD(s); CAs; billing system; firmware update manager; location server; the NWM SBC's; content provider(s); and wholesale providers via the gateway interfaces (APIs).
While the provisioning service or functionality was described with respect to registering new gateway devices or subscribers, functionality for provisioning new services for existing users or gateway devices may be provided in the similar manner, for example, by the provisioning manager server 74 or like functionality.
Automatic Discovery and Configuration of Endpoint Devices
In one embodiment, a customer or user self-provisions endpoint devices on a particular multi-services gateway device 10. The provisioning system or like functionality 74 may provision how many endpoints and the types of devices that can be self-provisioned by the user. In one embodiment, the gateway devices are capable of automatically discovering and configuring the gateway device compatible devices belonging to enabled services in the premises such as the home or business, for instance, with minimal human intervention (e.g. for security purposes some devices may need administrator level prompting to proceed with configuration actions). For instance, the gateway device compatible endpoint devices are devices that the gateway device can communicate with and thus become the center of management for the services offered through these, endpoint devices. One or more of these endpoint devices may have automatic configuration capabilities such as universal plug and play (e.g. uPNP devices). These endpoint devices may include but are not limited to, media adaptors, SIP phones, home automation controllers, adaptors that convert IP interfaces to PSTN FXO and FXS interfaces, etc. In one example, the method of configuration, e.g. automatic discovery and configuration may be based on the specific device's current firmware or software or like version. The gateway device 10 in one embodiment also may keep a record or table of configuration information, for example, for those devices configured automatically. Such information may include, for example, for media adaptor, supported formats and bit rates, for home automation controller, information pertaining to the type of controller such as Insteon, Awave, etc.
As another example, if the phone service is enabled and if the gateway device detects a new SIP device, the gateway device 10 may prompt a user to determine if the detected endpoint device needs to be configured for association with the gateway device. If it does, then the gateway device 10 may configure the detected device on its network (home network or other premises network). Yet as another example, when new drives are added to the gateway device for storage expansion, the gateway device 10 may automate initialization of the expanded device storage.
Subscription Management
The gateway device 10 may request information from the service management center network 50 for services that the gateway device 10 is subscribing to, for example, during initialization stage as mentioned above or at any other time. The service management center network 50 contains subscriber and gateway device identification details. Thus, the service management center network may respond to the request with the subscription information and version numbers for various configuration data needed for the services that are subscribed.
As an example, during the multi-services gateway device initialization process, the multi-services gateway device 10 queries the subscription manager 71, for example, via the control channel, to determine what services and features are enabled for the multi-services gateway device 10, i.e. based on subscription by the associated customer with the application service provider. The service management center network 50, for example, using its subscription manager functionality 73 responds with a descriptor including the subscription information associated with this particular gateway. Examples of data that subscription manager functionality 73 may store in one embodiment May include but not limited to JID/BID, gateway device model number, services subscribed to, features subscribed to per service, revision exception list, for each gateway device. The multi-services gateway device 10 checks the received subscription information such as version information against the current versions resident on the multi-services gateway device 10. If the multi-services gateway device 10 determines that the versions are different, it may start initiating one or more downloads of the configuration data through web services interface 90 and the applicable service manager(s) 75. Preferably, the multi-services gateway device's firmware and service configuration are implicit subscriptions and hence the multi-services gateway device 10 will receive notifications via the Pub/Sub server 65 when new versions of software and/or service configuration data are available. The new version notifications indicate the version to download, and the same logic of version checking is performed in the multi-services gateway device 10. When downloads are complete, the multi-services gateway device 10 subsequently enables the subscribed services and features.
The subscription manager functionality 73 also informs all requesting service management center network elements what services and features are enabled on a particular gateway device 10. The subscription manager functionality 73 also determines what service specific configuration data needs to be downloaded to the requesting multi-services gateway device 10. In an exemplary embodiment, the subscription manager functionality 73 determines the data needed by interacting with service manager functionality 75, which stores and distributes specific configuration data for services. The subscription manager functionality 73 may interface to the multi-services gateway devices 10 (e.g. indirectly) and the following functionalities of the service management center network 50: message routers and session manager(s), the accessibility server, the service access test mangers, the provisioning manager, the NWM, VOD's, CAs, pub/sub, service manager server and billing sub-system. The subscription manager functionality 73 may additionally support some internetworking to other service providers via the gateway interfaces.
In one example, the service management center network 50 includes service manager functionality 75 for each specific service. The service manager functionality 75 may store and distribute service specific configuration data for each supported service on a per multi-services gateway device basis. Thus, service manager functionality 75 may include service specific configuration managers for voice, back-up, or any other services that are provided by the center 50 and the gateway devices 10. Examples of this configuration data include, but are not limited to, VoIP configuration data such as location-related dial plan information and content/media configuration data such as URL links, etc. The service manager functionality or servers 75 work with subscription manager functionality 73 to resolve multi-services gateway device version requests and ensure that the multi-services gateway devices 10 have the correct version of configuration data. In one embodiment, there is a service manager for each supported service. In addition, there may be a service manager or like functionality for storing and distributing baseline multi-services gateway device configuration data. Subscriber data per service may exist inside the service manager and also, stored directly in the service component, e.g. SIP Redirect/SBC device. The service managers 75 or the like functionality or servers or devices may interact with the subscription manager 73, provisioning, NWM, Web services interface 90, Pub/Sub, message routers and multi-services gateway device. Additionally, third party wholesale providers, such as a backup service, may interface to the service managers via a gateway interface or an API.
In an exemplary application for gateway device services, data and/or software are distributed to the gateway device 10 to enable it to provide various services. Configuration data is provided to the gateway device 10 from the service management center network 50. For instance, subscription manager functionality 73 of the service management center network 50, for example as part of initialization process, queries the service managers functionality 75 to obtain configuration data that can be sent to the gateway device 10 and which versions from configuration perspective to report back to the gateway device 10. Such configuration data may include a web service interface URL of the service manager 75 for where the gateway device 10 should communicate. The subscription manager functionality 73 then sends the metadata of the configuration data, that is, information associated with the configuration data back to the gateway device 10. The gateway device then may update its configuration if needed by accessing the service manager functionality 75, for example, via the web services interface 90 using the URL, and retrieving the needed configuration data from the service manager(s) 75. In another embodiment, the service management center network (e.g. service manager functionality) may push the needed data to the gateway device 10 via the signaling control channel. For each service, the service management center network 50 provides configuration data to the gateway device (e.g. via service manager functionality) and posts a notification if new configuration data is required. When the user invokes the service, the gateway device 10 will thus know all that it needs to invoke the service. For instance, data that the gateway device needs may be obtained from the service manager functionality 75. Login information and keys may be obtained from manager for a particular service, e.g. for service keys.
Pub/Sub and Updates
As previously mentioned in view of
In the scenario depicted in
In one example, the update notice published by the updater 51, service managers 75, and/or other software/firmware update manager 51 may include, but is not limited to, new configuration version information for latest firmware or software for the specific service or devices. A matching engine functionality of the Pub/Sub server 65 identifies the gateway devices 10 that are subscribed to receive these particular updates (e.g. for a specified application service or related feature), and generates and sends a notification message 175 to those identified gateway devices that updates are available, for example, via IM-like messaging (or any other presence and peering protocol) over the public Internet.
As mentioned above, consumers may subscribe for updates to digital endpoint devices connected to the gateway device 10 as well in one embodiment. For example, a user has a certain type of phone 40 and, if there is an update, the Pub/Sub notification functionality 65 will notify the gateway device 10 of the updates available for that phone type. Thus, all of the gateway devices that have that phone 40 will be informed with service upgrades. In one embodiment, matching engine functionality of the Pub/Sub sends notifications of all the update information concerning operation of the phone device 40 to the subscribers and/or notifies the matching gateway device (that is, the gateway device 10 determined as having this type of phone 40 as one of its endpoint devices) of updates, for example, via signal control channel (e.g. using XMPP), for example, when news or updates are received for this particular phone. The matching engine of the Pub/Sub determines all of the subscribers that are subscribed for that service and will put out update notifications to all of the identified subscribers' gateway devices.
Thus, service managers 75 and/or update manager 51 publish update information availability to the Pub/Sub functionality 65, the gateway devices 10 subscribe to desired update publication services, for example, by registering the current versions of its configuration data and software/firmware to the Pub/Sub 65, and the matching engine functionality of the Pub/Sub 65 matches the published data with subscribing gateway devices 10 and sends a notification to each subscribing gateway device 10.
In one example, the service management center network 50 may include a software/firmware update manager functionality that keeps the gateway devices 10 updated with compatible software and configuration information for the gateway's and the endpoints connected to the specific gateway device. This functionality is similar to the service manager functionality that handles configuration data and updates for specific services provided in the gateway device. The firmware update manager (FUM) component or the like functionality may utilize the underlying accessibility framework of the service management center network to reach the gateway device and interoperate with the in-home (in-premises) digital devices. In embodiment as mentioned above, the gateway devices subscribe for updates on behalf of its endpoint devices.
In one example, the firmware update manager or the like functionality and the gateway devices authenticate with each other prior to any transactions. The updates are generally performed automatically. The FUM sends a control signal to the target gateway devices and the gateway device schedules and pulls the data download from the FUM to the gateway device. In one embodiment, the FUM may maintain a database of all gateway devices and endpoints behind the gateway device, with firmware version information. This database is indexed based upon the unique identifier and account information for each gateway device. To provide this functionality, the firmware update manager may have interfaces to the gateway's, pub/sub, provisioning system, and network to management servers that may further request a “forced update” of endpoint or gateway software to the gateway device. The firmware update manager may have network gateway interfaces to other third party partners to gather updates for the partner endpoint devices connected to each gateway.
In one example, after device authentication as in
It should be understood that a software/firmware upgrade throttling mechanism may be provided such that, dependent upon the load status (resource utilization) as determined by the provisioning firmware download server, the firmware update rate may be modified on the fly. That is, as shown in
As described above, one or more gateway devices 10 communicate with the FUM or like functionality to download compatible software for itself and the associated endpoint devices. In one embodiment, the gateway device 10 is responsible for updating endpoint devices with the downloaded software. A user of the gateway device 10 may have an option that is configurable to have updates automatically downloaded when available or be prompted to initiate the download. For instance, when a new version of gateway device firmware is available, the FUM or like functionality notifies the gateway device either directly or via pub/sub. If the user is configured for automation, then the gateway device would initiate download of the firmware. If the user is configured to be prompted then the gateway device notifies the user and waits for an ok from the user. If the user agrees for the update then updater in the service management center would initiate a download of the firmware.
In one embodiment, once the software is downloaded, the gateway device performs the automated firmware upgrade to install the received software as part of its resident firmware, when indications are clear that the upgrade will not be interrupting other functions or services provided in the gateway device. For determining compatibility with other existing functions or services, the gateway device performs a basic set of “acceptance” tests to make sure that the subscribed services are still functional after the upgrade. This may be done, for example, referring to a matrix or table of information regarding compatibility or interoperability among software, firmware, hardware or like of various services, gateway device components and endpoint devices. In one embodiment, this matrix or table of information is received as part of configuration data from the service management center network 50, for example, during initialization procedure and during other communication session and may be maintained in the gateway device. In another embodiment, the compatibility test may be performed before the upgrades are downloaded, thus necessitating only the compatible versions of upgrades to be downloaded. The gateway device 10 in one embodiment has the capability to fall back to a previous release in the event of a software upgrade failure. In one embodiment as described above, FUM or like functionality keeps track of the various gateway devices that it communicates with and the firmware version on each gateway device 10. In another embodiment, FUM does not have knowledge of which gateway devices 10 need which upgrade. Rather, FUM simply publishes information regarding any updates to the pub/sub server or like functionality and it is up to the pub/sub server to notify the appropriate gateway devices.
Similarly, for the associated endpoint device a user may have the option to automate the download or be prompted to initiate the download when an update is available in the FUM, for example. For each gateway device 10, the FUM or like functionality may be responsible for tracking the software version status and upgrade availability for the endpoint devices that each gateway device communicates with. Thus, in one embodiment, the FUM or like functionality may maintain a matrix that may include, but not limited to the following information: the gateway device version; the services enabled on each gateway device; currently connected devices on each gateway device; the software version currently on each device; the software versions of the endpoint devices that are compatible with the existing gateway device version. When a new version of software or firmware for an end device that is supported on a gateway device 10 is available on the FUM or like functionality, the FUM may do the following for each gateway device: check to see if the new version is supported on the current version of the gateway device firmware; and if the new software load and gateway device version are compatible then FUM notifies the gateway device 10 if that endpoint device is supported on the gateway device. If the user is configured for automation, then the gateway device may initiate download of the endpoint device software. If the user is configured to be prompted then the gateway device 10 notifies the user and waits for an OK from the user. If the user agrees for the update then the gateway device may initiate download of the firmware. If the gateway device chooses to download the update, then the FUM or like functionality allows the gateway device to download the new version. Once the software or firmware or like is downloaded, the gateway device may perform the automated upgrade of the endpoint device when indications are clear that it will be not be interrupting the rest of the functions and services. The gateway device may perform a basic set of “acceptance” tests to make sure that the end device is still functional after the firmware upgrade in the similar manner described above with reference to the gateway device firmware upgrade. The gateway device also may have the capability to fall back to a previous release in the event of an upgrade failure.
In one example, as described above FUM or like functionality keeps track of the various gateway devices that it communicates with and the firmware version on each gateway device and/or its endpoint devices. In another embodiment, FUM does not have knowledge of which gateway devices need which upgrade. Rather, FUM simply publishes information regarding any updates to the pub/sub server or like functionality and it is up to the pub/sub server to notify the appropriate gateway devices.
With respect to FUM and specific service managers providing update and configuration information to various gateway devices and/or network elements, there may be a plurality of ways in which such notification may occur. In one embodiment, different methods may depend on different categories of configuration and upgrade data organized, for example, in the individual FUM or service managers or like functionality. For example, data may be classified into different categories such that for one class of data there should be notification available to all gateway devices and/or network elements. For this class of data, FUM or service managers or like functionality may publish the available information via the pub/sub functionality and allow Pub/Sub to determine which gateway devices or network elements should be notified and handle sending of notifications. Another class of data may be data that is directed to a subset of elements, for example, regional data that are directed to gateway devices located in certain regions or locales. For this type of data, pub/sub-feature may also be utilized. Yet another class of data may be data that is solely for a specific gateway device or network element. For this type of data, the service mangers or FUM or like functionality need not utilize pub/sub feature, rather the data may be communicated directly to the individual gateway device directly, for instance, using an XMPP control channel, or to the individual network element via interfaces.
Gateway to Gateway Device Communications
As mentioned earlier, the gateway devices and service management center support a communication capability between the appliances. This feature, for example, may be utilized for enabling secure peer-to-peer sharing of data between or among the gateway appliances.
Additional aspects of the peering capabilities enabled by the gateway device-service management architecture include the ability to store a roster or contact list of distant gateways on either the gateway 10 or within the service management center 50 and utilizing these addresses to maintain the presence and routing information of selected other gateways. This roster information is used to establish and manage access and message routing, via XMPP messaging, to gateways, to locate and address other gateways, and set up peering relationships between the gateways.
A gateway may also expose other details about resources or endpoints within the home to other gateways by communicating resource information along with presence information. As an example, a gateway may send presence information to selected “buddies” via the signaling channel and also include information about the resources available to the distant buddy. Examples of resources include digital picture frames that the distant gateway user may direct photos to, web cams, or other resources, enabling direct interaction between an end user connected to one gateway, or in automated scenarios, the gateway itself, and a distant device connected to the local area network of another gateway.
When a user interacts with the resource sharing functions of their gateway 10, the user may select a specific gateway 10.sub.1 from their roster, represented as a “buddy” list. When the user selects a “buddy”, additional resource details are displayed to the user, providing information about any resources that the end user may utilize via that selected peer gateway device 10.sub.1.
The XMPP messaging protocol, combined with the roster and XMPP addressing mechanisms may be utilized for either end user interactions or automated interactions between gateways. Automated use of the peering capabilities include directing utility data for usage and network management information to designated collectors within peering groups and then having the designated collector forward the combined information to the service management center. This distributes the collection processing to the gateways and decreases the overall processing and bandwidth utilization in the service management center. Of course, the XMPP protocol is discussed here merely by way of example, and those skilled in the art will recognize that the gateway to gateway device communications may use other protocols.
The gateway device 10 and its interactions with various endpoint devices and with the service management center 50 have been described with reference to diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products. It will be understood that elements and functions illustrated in the diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions running on one or more appropriately configured hardware platforms, e.g. to operate as a gateway device 10 or as one or more of the enumerated elements of the service management center 50. Hence, operations described above may be carried out by execution of software, firmware, or microcode operating on a computer other programmable device of any type. Additionally, code for implementing such operations may comprise computer instruction in any form (e.g. source code, object code, interpreted code, etc.) stored in or carried by any computer or machine readable medium.
Program aspects of the technology may be thought of a “products,” typically in the form of executable code and/or associated data for implementing desired functionality, which is carried on or embodied in a type of machine readable medium. In this way, computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, embedded processor or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, so as to implement functions described above.
Terms regarding computer or machine “readable medium” (or media) as used herein therefore relate to any storage medium and any physical or carrier wave transmission medium, which participates in providing instructions or code or data to a processor for execution or processing. Storage media include any or all of the memory of the gateway device or associated modules thereof or any of the hardware platforms as may be used in the service management center, such as various semiconductor memories, tape drives, disk drives and the like, which may provide storage at any time for the software programming. All or portions of the software may at times be communicated through the Internet or various other telecommunication networks. Such communications, for example, may enable loading of the software from one computer into another computer, for example, from the updater 51 a hardware platform for a gateway device 10 or from another source into an element of the service management center 50. Thus, another type of media that may bear the software elements includes optical, electrical and electromagnetic waves, such as used across physical interfaces between local devices, through wired and optical landline networks and over various air-links. The physical elements that carry such waves, such as wired or wireless links, optical links or the like, also may be considered as media bearing the software. Hence, the broad class of media that may bear the instructions or data encompass many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile storage media, volatile storage media as well as carrier wave and physical forms of transmission media.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that the teachings of this disclosure may be modified, extended and/or applied in a variety of ways. An extension of the system architecture, for example, provides the ability of various and disparate third-party application service providers to provide multiple application services independently. Application services are managed by the “managed” service provider through the service management center 50, meaning, generally, authorizing, provisioning, and monitoring the usage of a particular application service. This can be accomplished in, a variety of ways with varying degrees of involvement of, or coordination with, the service management center. The service management center 50 could manage these items “soup-to-nuts” or have minimal involvement. For example, the service management center 50 could deal directly with the third party provider to acquire application services at the request of a user and manage the delivery, authorization, usage-monitoring and upgrading of the application service. At the other end of the spectrum, the managed service provider may have arrangements with the third-party application service provider by which orders or requests from the users may come directly to the third-party application service provider, and services are delivered to the user by the third-party service provider who in turn coordinates with the managed service provider to register and monitor the particular application service placed in the gateway device 10. It should be noted that this ability to manage application services extends through the gateway device into the endpoint devices registered or associated with the gateway or network.
While the foregoing has described what are considered to be the best mode and/or other examples, it is understood that various modifications may be made therein and that the subject matter disclosed herein may be implemented in various forms and examples, and that the teachings may be applied in numerous applications, only some of which have been described herein. It is intended by the following claims to claim any and all applications, modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the present teachings.
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/900,487, filed on Jun. 12, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/124,500, filed on Sep. 7, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,728,051, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/799,629, filed on Oct. 31, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,097,367, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/357,959, filed on Nov. 21, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,225,096, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/047,976, filed Feb. 19, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,736,028, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/618,047, filed Sep. 14, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,270,492, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/521,758, filed May 3, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,281,010, which is a U.S. National Phase application of International Application No. PCT/US2007/019544, filed on Sep. 7, 2007, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/882,865, filed Dec. 29, 2006 and of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/882,862, filed Dec. 29, 2006. Each of these applications is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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