Integrated internet protocol (IP) gateway services in an RF cable network
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A radio frequency cable network device that implements at least one gateway service, the device comprising:
- at least one RF cable interface that is attachable to at least one RF cable, the at least one RF cable being at least part of an RF cable data network, the at least one RF cable at least providing downstream communications in the RF cable data network, the RF cable data network providing bi-directional data connectivity between the RF cable network device at a customer premise and a cable modem termination device;
at least one customer premise data interface that is electromagnetically connectable to at least one customer premise data communications medium, the at least one customer premise data communications medium further being electromagnetically connectable to at least one first customer premise equipment (CPE) data device, the at least one RF cable interface and the at least one customer premise data interface capable of providing at least part of a communications facility that can be used in a conveyance of data between the at least one first CPE data device and the at least one RF cable interface;
logic configured to store information identifying at least one IP address, the at least one IP address being assigned to the RF cable network device;
logic configured to forward packets containing IP datagrams between the RF cable network and at least one first customer premise equipment (CPE) data device; and
logic configured to provide at least one gateway service to the at least one first CPE data device, the at least one gateway service facilitating communications of the at least one first CPE data device that are carried in IP datagrams over the RF cable data network.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The integration of gateway services such as, but not limited to, one or none of Network Address Translation (NAT), firewalls, proxies, tunneling, and/or Virtual Private Networking (VPN) into RF cable devices such as, but not limited to, cable modems and/or set-top boxes advantageously provides additional capabilities for accessing the internet over an RF cable connection.
-
Citations
235 Claims
-
1. A radio frequency cable network device that implements at least one gateway service, the device comprising:
-
at least one RF cable interface that is attachable to at least one RF cable, the at least one RF cable being at least part of an RF cable data network, the at least one RF cable at least providing downstream communications in the RF cable data network, the RF cable data network providing bi-directional data connectivity between the RF cable network device at a customer premise and a cable modem termination device;
at least one customer premise data interface that is electromagnetically connectable to at least one customer premise data communications medium, the at least one customer premise data communications medium further being electromagnetically connectable to at least one first customer premise equipment (CPE) data device, the at least one RF cable interface and the at least one customer premise data interface capable of providing at least part of a communications facility that can be used in a conveyance of data between the at least one first CPE data device and the at least one RF cable interface;
logic configured to store information identifying at least one IP address, the at least one IP address being assigned to the RF cable network device;
logic configured to forward packets containing IP datagrams between the RF cable network and at least one first customer premise equipment (CPE) data device; and
logic configured to provide at least one gateway service to the at least one first CPE data device, the at least one gateway service facilitating communications of the at least one first CPE data device that are carried in IP datagrams over the RF cable data network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 119)
-
-
25. A radio frequency (RF) cable network device configured to provide data connectivity over an RF cable network, the device comprising:
-
at least one RF cable interface that is attachable to at least one RF cable, the at least one RF cable being at least part of an RF cable data network, the at least one RF cable at least providing downstream communications in the RF cable data network, the RF cable data network providing bi-directional data connectivity between the RF cable network device at a customer premise and a cable modem termination device;
at least one customer premise data interface that is electromagnetically connectable to at least one customer premise data communications medium, the at least one customer premise data communications medium further being electromagnetically connectable to at least one first customer premise equipment (CPE) data device, the at least one RF cable interface and the at least one customer premise data interface capable of providing at least part of a communications facility that can be used in a conveyance of data between the at least one first CPE data device and the at least one RF cable interface;
logic configured to forward data between the at least one RF cable interface and the at least one customer premise data interface;
logic configured to frequency-division multiplex the data over the at least one customer premise data communications medium, which is at least one wired customer premise data communications medium. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
-
39. A radio frequency (RF) cable network device configured to provide data connectivity over an RF cable network, the device comprising:
-
at least one RF cable interface that is attachable to at least one RF cable, the at least one RF cable being at least part of an RF cable data network, the at least one RF cable at least providing downstream communications in the RF cable data network, the RF cable data network providing bi-directional data connectivity between the RF cable network device at a customer premise and a cable modem termination device;
at least one customer premise data interface that is electromagnetically connectable to at least one customer premise data communications medium, the at least one customer premise data communications medium further being electromagnetically connectable to at least one first customer premise equipment (CPE) data device, the at least one RF cable interface and the at least one customer premise data interface capable of providing at least part of a communications facility that can be used in a conveyance of data between the at least one first CPE data device and the at least one RF cable interface;
logic configured to forward data between the at least one RF cable interface and the at least one customer premise data interface, the at least one customer premise data communications medium being at least one wireless customer premise data communications medium. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43)
-
-
44. A set-top box (STB) comprising:
-
at least one RF cable interface that is attachable to at least one RF cable audio/visual (A/V) network;
at least one audio/video (A/V) customer premise equipment (CPE) interface that is electromagnetically connectable to at least one customer premise audio/video (A/V) communications medium;
logic configured to select at least one audio/video (A/V) program that is communicated to the at least one RF cable interface over the at least one RF cable audio/visual (A/V) network;
logic configured to receive the selected at least one A/V program from the RF cable A/V network;
logic configured to provide the received at least one A/V program to at least one audio/video (A/V) customer premise equipment (CPE) device that is electromagnetically connectable to the at least one customer premise A/V communications medium, the at least one A/V program communicated through the at least one A/V CPE interface and over the at least one customer premise A/V communications medium;
at least one RF cable interface that is attachable to at least one RF cable, the at least one RF cable being at least part of an RF cable data network, the at least one RF cable at least providing downstream communications in the RF cable data network, the RF cable data network providing bi-directional data connectivity between the RF cable network device at a customer premise and a cable modem termination device;
logic configured to store information identifying at least one IP address, the at least one IP address being assigned to the set-top box; and
logic configured to forward packets containing IP datagrams from the set-top box over the RF cable data network. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
-
-
55. A method of implementing at least one gateway service in a radio frequency (RF) cable network device, the method comprising the steps performed in the RF cable network device of:
-
providing at least one RF cable interface that is attachable to at least one RF cable, the at least one RF cable being at least part of an RF cable data network, the at least one RF cable at least providing downstream communications in the RF cable data network, the RF cable data network providing bi-directional data connectivity between the RF cable network device at a customer premise and a cable modem termination device;
providing at least one customer premise data interface that is electromagnetically connectable to at least one customer premise data communications medium, the at least one customer premise data communications medium further being electromagnetically connectable to at least one first customer premise equipment (CPE) data device, the at least one RF cable interface and the at least one customer premise data interface capable of providing at least part of a communications facility that can be used in a conveyance of data between the at least one first CPE data device and the at least one RF cable interface;
storing information identifying at least one IP address, the at least one IP address being assigned to the RF cable network device;
forwarding packets containing IP datagrams between the RF cable network and at least one first customer premise equipment (CPE) data device; and
providing at least one gateway service to the at least one first CPE data device, the at least one gateway service facilitating communications of the at least one first CPE data device that are carried in IP datagrams over the RF cable data network. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58)
-
-
59. A method of providing data connectivity over an RF cable network, the method comprising the steps performed in a radio frequency (RF) cable network device of:
-
providing at least one RF cable interface that is attachable to at least one RF cable, the at least one RF cable being at least part of an RF cable data network, the at least one RF cable at least providing downstream communications in the RF cable data network, the RF cable data network providing bi-directional data connectivity between the RF cable network device at a customer premise and a cable modem termination device;
providing at least one customer premise data interface that is electromagnetically connectable to at least one customer premise data communications medium, the at least one customer premise data communications medium further being electromagnetically connectable to at least one first customer premise equipment (CPE) data device, the at least one RF cable interface and the at least one customer premise data interface capable of providing at least part of a communications facility that can be used in a conveyance of data between the at least one first CPE data device and the at least one RF cable interface;
forwarding data between the at least one RF cable interface and the at least one customer premise data interface;
multiplexing the data over the at least one customer premise data communications medium using frequency-division multiplexing, the at least one customer premise data communications medium being at least one wired customer premise data communications medium. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62)
-
-
63. A method of providing data connectivity over an RF cable network, the method comprising the steps performed in a radio frequency (RF) cable network device of:
-
providing at least one RF cable interface that is attachable to at least one RF cable, the at least one RF cable being at least part of an RF cable data network, the at least one RF cable at least providing downstream communications in the RF cable data network, the RF cable data network providing bi-directional data connectivity between the RF cable network device at a customer premise and a cable modem termination device;
providing at least one customer premise data interface that is electromagnetically connectable to at least one customer premise data communications medium, the at least one customer premise data communications medium further being electromagnetically connectable to at least one first customer premise equipment (CPE) data device, the at least one RF cable interface and the at least one customer premise data interface capable of providing at least part of a communications facility that can be used in a conveyance of data between the at least one first CPE data device and the at least one RF cable interface;
forwarding data between the at least one RF cable interface and the at least one customer premise data interface, the at least one customer premise data communications medium being at least one wireless customer premise data communications medium. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65)
-
-
66. A method of providing IP connectivity to a set-top box (STB), the method comprising the steps performed in the set-top box of:
-
providing at least one RF cable interface that is attachable to at least one RF cable audio/visual (A/V) network;
providing at least one audio/video (A/V) customer premise equipment (CPE) interface that is electromagnetically connectable to the at least one customer premise audio/video (A/V) communications medium;
selecting at least one audio/video (A/V) program that is communicated to the at least one RF cable interface over at least one RF cable audio/visual (A/V) network;
receiving the selected at least one A/V program from the RF cable A/V network;
providing the received at least one A/V program to at least one audio/video (A/V) customer premise equipment (CPE) device that is electromagnetically connectable to the at least one customer premise A/V communications medium, the at least one A/V program communicated through the at least one A/V CPE interface and over the at least one customer premise A/V communications medium;
providing at least one RF cable interface that is attachable to at least one RF cable, the at least one RF cable being at least part of an RF cable data network, the at least one RF cable at least providing downstream communications in the RF cable data network, the RF cable data network providing bi-directional data connectivity between the RF cable network device at a customer premise and a cable modem termination device;
storing information identifying at least one IP address, the at least one IP address being assigned to the set-top box; and
forwarding packets containing IP datagrams from the set-top box over the RF cable data network. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
-
-
72. A radio frequency (RF) cable network device that implements at least one integrated gateway service, the device comprising:
-
at least one RF cable interface that is attachable to at least one RF cable, the at least one RF cable being at least part of an RF cable data network, the at least one RF cable at least providing downstream communications in the RF cable data network, the RF cable data network providing bi-directional data connectivity between the RF cable network device at a customer premise and a cable modem termination device;
at least one customer premise data interface that is electromagnetically connectable to at least one customer premise data communications medium, the at least one customer premise data communications medium further being electromagnetically connectable to at least one first customer premise equipment (CPE) data device, the at least one RF cable interface and the at least one customer premise data interface capable of providing at least part of a communications facility that can be used in a conveyance of data between the at least one first CPE data device and the at least one RF cable interface;
logic configured to store information identifying at least one IP address, the at least one IP address being assigned to the RF cable network device;
logic configured to maintain information that provides a forward direction mapping between first upstream data and second upstream data, the first upstream data being received on the at least one customer premise data interface and being received from the at least one first CPE data device, the second upstream data being transmitted into the RF cable data network and being transmitted by the RF cable network device;
logic configured to maintain information that provides a reverse direction mapping between first downstream data and second downstream data, the first downstream data being received on the at least one RF cable interface and being received from the RF cable data network, the second downstream data being transmitted on the at least one customer premise data interface and being transmitted by the RF cable network device;
logic configured to receive at least one first medium access control (MAC) frame that is at least part of the first upstream data;
logic configured to form at least one first IP datagram at least based upon the at least one first MAC frame, at least based upon the at least one IP address, and at least based upon the forward direction mapping, the at least one first IP datagram comprising a source IP address field, the at least one IP address being placed into the source IP address field of the at least one first IP datagram;
logic configured to transmit the at least one first IP datagram that is at least part of the second upstream data;
logic configured to receive at least one second IP datagram that is at least part of the first downstream data, the at least one second IP datagram comprising a destination IP address field that contains the at least one IP address;
logic configured to form at least one second medium access control (MAC) frame at least based upon the at least one second IP datagram, at least based upon the at least one IP address, and at least based upon the reverse direction mapping; and
logic configured to transmit the at least one second MAC frame that is at least part of the second downstream data. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209)
-
- 195. The cable modem of claim 195, wherein the cable modem (CM) appears on the RF cable data network to be the same as an ethernet attached cable modem that conforms to at least one version of a DOCSIS (Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification) standard.
-
210. A method of implementing at least one integrated gateway service in a radio frequency (RF) cable network device, the method comprising the steps performed in the RF cable network device of:
-
providing at least one RF cable interface that is attachable to at least one RF cable, the at least one RF cable being at least part of an RF cable data network, the at least one RF cable at least providing downstream communications in the RF cable data network, the RF cable data network providing bi-directional data connectivity between the RF cable network device at a customer premise and a cable modem termination device;
providing at least one customer premise data interface that is electromagnetically connectable to at least one customer premise data communications medium, the at least one customer premise data communications medium further being electromagnetically connectable to at least one first customer premise equipment (CPE) data device, the at least one RF cable interface and the at least one customer premise data interface capable of providing at least part of a communications facility that can be used in a conveyance of data between the at least one first CPE data device and the at least one RF cable interface;
storing information identifying at least one IP address, the at least one IP address being assigned to the RF cable network device;
maintaining information that provides a forward direction mapping between first upstream data and second upstream data, the first upstream data being received on the at least one customer premise data interface and being received from the at least one first CPE data device, the second upstream data being transmitted into the RF cable data network and being transmitted by the RF cable network device;
maintaining information that provides a reverse direction mapping between first downstream data and second downstream data, the first downstream data being received on the at least one RF cable interface and being received from the RF cable data network, the second downstream data being transmitted on the at least one customer premise data interface and being transmitted by the RF cable network device;
receiving at least one first medium access control (MAC) frame that is at least part of the first upstream data;
forming at least one first IP datagram at least based upon the at least one first MAC frame, at least based upon the at least one IP address, and at least based upon the forward direction mapping, the at least one first IP datagram comprising a source IP address field, the at least one IP address being placed into the source IP address field of the at least one first IP datagram;
transmitting the at least one first IP datagram that is at least part of the second upstream data;
receiving at least one second IP datagram that is at least part of the first downstream data, the at least one second IP datagram comprising a destination IP address field that contains the at least one IP address;
forming at least one second medium access control (MAC) frame at least based upon the at least one second IP datagram, at least based upon the at least one IP address, and at least based upon the reverse direction mapping; and
transmitting the at least one second MAC frame that is at least part of the second downstream data. - View Dependent Claims (211, 212, 213, 214, 215)
-
-
216. A radio frequency (RF) cable network device with integrated user processes, the device comprising:
-
at least one RF cable interface that is attachable to at least one RF cable, the at least one RF cable being at least part of an RF cable data network, the at least one RF cable at least providing downstream communications in the RF cable data network, the RF cable data network providing bi-directional data connectivity between the RF cable network device at a customer premise and a cable modem termination device;
logic configured to store at least one cable modem (CM) IP address assigned to the RF cable network device;
logic configured to store at least one customer premise equipment (CPE) IP address assigned to the RF cable network device, the at least one CPE IP address being different from the at least one CM IP address; and
logic configured to provide at least one user process, the at least one CPE IP address being in a source IP address field of at least one first IP datagram that carries information from the at least one user process, the at least one first IP datagram being communicated over the RF cable data network. - View Dependent Claims (217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229)
-
-
230. A method of implementing at least one integrated user process in a radio frequency (RF) cable network device, the method comprising the steps performed in the RF cable network device of:
-
providing at least one RF cable interface that is attachable to at least one RF cable, the at least one RF cable being at least part of an RF cable data network, the at least one RF cable at least providing downstream communications in the RF cable data network, the RF cable data network providing bi-directional data connectivity between the RF cable network device at a customer premise and a cable modem termination device;
storing at least one cable modem (CM) IP address assigned to the RF cable network device;
storing at least one customer premise equipment (CPE) IP address assigned to the RF cable network device, the at least one CPE IP address being different from the at least one CM IP address; and
providing at least one user process, the at least one CPE IP address being in a source IP address field of at least one IP datagram that carries information from the at least one user process, the at least one IP datagram being communicated over the RF cable data network. - View Dependent Claims (231, 232, 233, 234, 235)
-
Specification