Methods, systems, and devices for managing client devices using a virtual anchor manager

• US 10,469,286 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2017
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaw, Venson, Dowlatkhah, Sangar
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Khanh Q
• Application Number:
  US15/450,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20180254920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 709203, 709220, 709224, 709228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/38 Telephone uniform resource identifier [URI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/385 Uniform resource identifier for session initiation protocol [SIP URI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, embodiments of a virtual anchor manager continuously connecting to a control plane of a wireless communication network. Further embodiments include receiving control information across the control plane indicating that client data is to be received on the user plane of the wireless communication network for a client device. Additional embodiments include accessing a first protocol stack via a network node according to the control information. Also, embodiments include receiving the client data for the client device over the user plane using the first protocol stack. The client device includes a thin client function. Embodiments include providing the client data for the client device over a premises communication network. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising;

continuously connecting the device to a control plane of a wireless communication network, wherein the wireless communication network includes equipment operating in at least one of the control plane and a user plane;

receiving control information across the control plane indicating that client data is to be received on the user plane from a network service node of a plurality of network service nodes of the wireless communication network for a client device;

accessing a first protocol stack of a plurality of different protocol stacks via a network node according to the control information, wherein the plurality of different protocol stacks facilitate communications with the plurality of network service nodes;

receiving the client data for the client device over the user plane using the first protocol stack of the plurality of different protocol stacks, wherein the client device includes a thin client function comprising a single protocol stack;

providing the client data for the client device over a premises communication network via the single protocol stack of the thin client function; and

sending the client device an awake signal, wherein in response to receiving the awake signal the client device is placed from an idle state to an active state allowing the client device to receive the client data, wherein idle state consumes a lower level of power than the active state.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise obtaining an Internet Protocol (IP) address for the client device and wherein the receiving of the client data comprises receiving of the client data according to the IP address.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise determining a unique identifier for the client device on the premises communication network according to the IP address.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving services data from the client device using the single protocol stack of the thin client function;

identifying a second protocol stack of the plurality of different protocol stacks and a target network services node of the plurality of network service nodes according to the services data; and

sending the services data to the target network services node of the plurality of network service nodes using the second protocol stack of the plurality of different protocol stacks according to the services data.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving client instructions from a control device, wherein the client instructions include an IP address for the client device; and

sending the client instructions to client device in response to determining the client device according to the IP address.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication network comprises one of a cellular network, WiFi network, and Bluetooth network, and, wherein the premises communication network does not support Internet Protocol (IP).

7. A non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:

operating in an idle state, wherein the idle state consumes a lower level of power than an active state;

transitioning from the idle state to the active state in response to receiving an awake signal from a virtual anchor management node over a premises communication network, wherein the virtual anchor management node obtains client data from a network service node of a plurality of network service nodes, wherein the client data is obtained over a wireless communication network that includes equipment operating in at least one of a control plane and a user plane, where the client data is obtained from the network service node of the plurality of network service nodes according to a first protocol stack of a plurality of different protocol stacks that facilitate communication with the plurality of network service nodes, and wherein the virtual anchor management node is continuously connecting to the control plane of the wireless communication network, wherein the wireless communication network includes equipment operating in at least one of the control plane and the user plane;

receiving the client data from the virtual anchor management node over the premises communication network according to a single protocol stack of a thin client function;

accessing service information according to the client data from a device; and

sending the service information to the virtual anchor management node over the premises communication network according to the single protocol stack of the thin client function,

wherein the transitioning from the idle state to the active state allows the processing system to receive the client data.

8. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the processing system further includes a thin client.

9. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the virtual anchor management node selects the first protocol stack of the plurality of different protocol stacks according to the service information, and wherein the virtual anchor management node sends the service information to a target network services node using the first protocol stack.

10. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the premises communication network does not support Internet Protocol (IP).

11. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the processing system is identified by a unique identifier on the premises communication network.

12. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving client instructions from the virtual anchor management node over the premises communication network; and

configuring a device according to the client instructions.

13. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the virtual anchor management node selects a second protocol stack according to the client instructions.

14. The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the virtual anchor management node receives the client instructions from a control device using the second protocol stack.

15. A method, comprising:

continuously connecting, by a processing system including a processor of a device, the device to a control plane of a wireless communication network, wherein the wireless communication network includes equipment operating in at least one of the control plane and a user plane;

receiving, by the processing system, client instructions from a control device, wherein the client instructions include IP address for a client device;

identifying, by the processing system, a unique identifier for the client device according to the IP address;

sending, by the processing system, the client instructions to the client device according to the unique identifier;

sending, by the processing system, the client device an awake signal, wherein in response to receiving the awake signal the client device is placed from an idle state to an active state allowing the client device to receive the client instructions, wherein the idle state consumes a lower level of power than the active state;

receiving, by the processing system, control information across the control plane indicating that client data is to be received on the user plane of the wireless communication network for the client device;

accessing, by the processing system, a first protocol stack of a plurality of different protocol stacks via a network node according to the control information;

receiving, by the processing system, the client data for the client device over the user plane using the first protocol stack of the plurality of different protocol stacks, wherein the client device includes a thin client function comprising a single protocol stack; and

providing, by the processing system, the client data for the client device over a premises communication network via the single protocol stack of the thin client function; and

sending, by the processing system, the client device an awake signal, wherein in response to receiving the awake signal the client device is placed from an idle state to an active state allowing the client device to receive the client data, wherein idle state consumes a lower level of power than the active state.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising obtaining, by the processing system, an Internet Protocol (IP) address for the client device and wherein the receiving of the client data comprises receiving of the client data according to the IP address.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining, by the processing system, the unique identifier for the client device on the premises communication network according to the IP address.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the premises communication network does not support Internet Protocol (IP).

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the wireless communication network comprises one of a cellular network, WiFi network, and Bluetooth network, and, wherein the premises communication network does not support Internet Protocol (IP).

20. The method of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

receiving, by the processing system, client instructions from a control device, wherein the client instructions include an IP address for the client device; and

sending, by the processing system, the client instructions to client device in response to determining the client device according to the IP address.