System and method for provisioning broadband service in a PPPoE network using a list of stored domain names

• US 20030039268A1
• Filed: 08/14/2001
• Published: 02/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chong, Lester J., Owens, Craig Braswell
• Granted Patent: US 7,154,912 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/466
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2859 Point-to-point connection between the data network and the subscribers encapsulation H04L12/4633; virtual LANs H04L12/4641; routing of packets H04L45/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2881 IP/Ethernet DSLAM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A modem that includes a list of the multiple domain names is firstly provided. Each of the domain names is associated with a different Broadband Service Node (BSN). A PPPoE session is established, and an authentication request, containing the identifier and a generic password, is transmitted from a modem to multiple domain names over the PPPoE network. Subsequently, authorization is received from at least one of the domain names. The authorization preferably comprises at least one static Internet Protocol (IP) address. The modem then obtains full configuration details from an Internet Service Provider (ISP). The invention also provides a system and a computer program product for provisioning broadband service in a Point-to-Point Protocol Over Ethernet (PPPoE) network. (117 words)

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for provisioning broadband service in a Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) network, comprising:

transmitting an authentication request from a modem to multiple domain names over a PPPoE network; and

receiving authorization from at least one of said domain names.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to said transmitting step, the step of providing a modem that includes a list of said multiple domain names, where each of said domain names is associated with a different Broadband Service Node (BSN).

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to said transmitting step, the step of establishing a PPPoE session.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to said transmitting step, the steps of:

requesting only a single identifier from a user of a client computer;

receiving said identifier; and

storing said identifier.

5. The method of claim 4, where in said transmitting step comprises transmitting an authorization request containing said identifier and a generic password to each of said multiple domain names.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein said receiving step comprises acquiring at least one static Internet Protocol (IP) address.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

transmitting a configuration request to an Internet Service Provider (ISP), where said configuration request is addressed from said static IP address;

receiving full configuration details from said ISP, where said full configuration details are addressed to said static IP address; and

automatically configuring said modem based on said full configuration details.

8. A system for provisioning broadband service in a Point-to-Point Protocol Over Ethernet (PPPoE) network, comprising:

at least one client computer;

a modem coupled to said client computer, said modem including a memory comprising;

instructions for transmitting an authentication request from said modem to multiple domain names over a PPPoE network; and

instructions for receiving authorization from at least one of said domain names;

multiple Broadband Service Nodes (BSNs) coupled to said modem, where each of said multiple domain names is associated with a different one of said multiple BSNs; and

an authentication server coupled to each one of said multiple BSNs.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexor (DSLAM) coupled between said modem and said BSNs;

an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network coupled between said DSLAM and said BSNs; and

a Broadband Remote Access Server (BRAS) coupled between said ATM network and said BSNs.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said BSNs are coupled to the Internet.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said memory further comprises a generic password.

12. A computer program product for use in conjunction with a computer system for provisioning broadband service in a Point-to-Point Protocol Over Ethernet (PPPoE) network, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage and a computer program stored therein, the computer program comprising:

instructions for transmitting an authentication request from said modem to multiple domain names over a PPPoE network; and

instructions for receiving authorization from at least one of said domain names.