Interface between standard terminal equipment unit and high speed wireless link

• US 20030145119A1
• Filed: 01/07/2003
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gadi Karmi, Matthew S. Grob, Paul E. Bender, Robert H. Kimball
• Original Assignee: Gadi Karmi, Matthew S. Grob, Paul E. Bender, Robert H. Kimball
• Inventors: Grob, Matthew S., Bender, Paul E., Karmi, Gadi, Kimball, Robert H.
• Application Number:
  US10/338,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20030145119A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/249
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

A system provides wireless data service. The system includes a wireless modem configured to be coupled to a terminal equipment unit over a wireline broadcast medium. A network unit is coupled to the wireless modem over a wireless link connection. A network remote server is coupled to the network unit. The network remote server provides IP address information in response to terminal equipment unit address request messages for terminal equipment units coupled to the network unit. In addition, a local server is coupled to the wireless modem. The local server provides IP address information in response to terminal equipment unit address request messages from terminal equipment units coupled to the wireline broadcast medium.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a wireless modem, configured to be coupled to a wireline broadcast medium and a wireless link connection, to send a message requesting an Internet Protocol (IP) address over the wireless link connection to a network remote server, to receive the IP address over the wireless link connection, and to pass an address request message; and

a network local server, coupled to the wireless modem, configured to store the received IP address, and to provide the stored IP address in response to the address request message passed from the wireless modem.

2. A method of assigning Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, the method comprising the steps of:

a) sending an address request message to a network remote server over a wireless link using a point to point protocol;

b) receiving an assignable IP address from the network remote server in response to the address request message over the wireless link;

c) receiving a request for an IP address from a terminal equipment unit over a wireline broadcast medium; and

d) locally generating a responsive IP address assignment message comprising the assignable IP address for transmission to the terminal equipment unit over the wireline broadcast medium.

3. A method of assigning Internet Protocol (IP) addresses in a wireless communication system comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for an IP address from a standard terminal equipment unit over a wireline broadcast medium;

generating a responsive IP address assignment message at a local server associated with the wireline broadcast medium, the responsive IP address assignment message comprising an assignable IP address;

receiving an encapsulated IP message over the wireline broadcast medium from the standard terminal equipment unit;

extracting the encapsulated IP message; and

forwarding a corresponding extracted IP message over a wireless link to a network unit.

4. A wireless modem comprising:

means for sending an address request message to a network remote server over a wireless link using a point to point protocol;

means for receiving, over the wireless link, an assignable Internet Protocol (IP) address from the network remote server in response to the address request message;

means for receiving a request for an IP address from a terminal equipment unit over a wireline broadcast medium; and

means for generating a responsive IP address for transmission to the terminal equipment unit over the wireline broadcast medium.

5. Apparatus for assigning Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, the apparatus comprising:

a. a local server configured to;

i. send an address request message to a remote network server over a wireless link; and

ii. receive an assignable IP address from the remote network server in response to the address request message; and

b. a processor configured to;

i. receive a request for an IP address from a terminal equipment unit over a wireline broadcast medium; and

ii. generate a responsive IP address assignment message comprising the assignable IP address for transmission to the terminal equipment unit over the wireline broadcast medium.

6. A system comprising:

a network infrastructure configured to assign a plurality of IP addresses;

a wireless link connection coupled with the network infrastructure;

a wireline broadcast medium;

a wireless modem, coupled with the wireless link connection and the wireline broadcast medium; and

a local server, coupled with the wireless modem;

wherein,

the wireless modem sends, over the wireless link connection to the network infrastructure, a request for the plurality of IP addresses,

the network remote server sends, over the wireless link connection to the wireless modem, the plurality of IP addresses;

the local server stores the plurality of IP addresses.