Cable network access control solution

• US 20050055709A1
• Filed: 09/05/2003
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Remote Security Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Remote Security Systems LLC
• Inventors: Thompson, James Alfred
• Application Number:
  US10/656,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20050055709A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4182 for identification purposes, e.g. storing user identification data, preferences, personal settings or data restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code in combination with an additional device, e.g. dongle or smart card G06F21/123
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42676 for modulating an analogue carrier signal to encode digital information or demodulating it to decode digital information, e.g. ADSL or cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/442 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed, the storage space available from the internal hard disk arrangements for monitoring broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/29; arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information H04H60/35; monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; monitoring in wireless networks H04W24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/102 Circuits therefor, e.g. noise reducers, equalisers, amplifiers H04N7/108 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A cable distribution box, including an authentication device obtaining authentication information from an authentication medium, an access administration system operatively connected to the authentication device for verifying the authentication information and collecting work log data, and an access control system operatively connected to the access administration system granting access to the cable distribution box when the authentication information is verified.

Claims

1. A cable distribution box, comprising:

an authentication device obtaining authentication information from an authentication medium; and

an access control system operatively connected to an access administration system granting access to the cable distribution box when the authentication information is verified,

wherein the access administration system operatively connected to the authentication device for verifying the authentication information and collecting work log data.

2. The cable distribution box of claim 1, further comprising:

a lock operatively connected to the access control system unlocking the cable distribution box when access to the cable distribution box has been granted.

3. The cable distribution box of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication device operatively connected to the access control system providing communication services between the access control system and the access administration system.

4. The cable distribution box of claim 1, wherein the communication device is at least one selected from the group consisting of a communication adapter and a cable modem.

5. The cable distribution box of claim 1, wherein the access administration system comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of access administration hardware, access administration software, and firmware.

6. The cable distribution box of claim 1, wherein the access control system comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of access control software, access control hardware, and firmware.

7. The cable distribution box of claim 1, wherein the authentication device is a card reader and the authentication medium is an access card.

8. The cable distribution box of claim 7, wherein the access administration system includes functionality to disable the access card.

9. The cable distribution box of claim 1, wherein the access administration system collects the authentication information.

10. The cable distribution box of claim 1, wherein the access administration system generates a work log from the authentication information and the work log data.

11. The cable distribution box of claim 10, wherein the access administration system includes functionality to analyze the work log to determine whether a response is required and functionality to send an alert to an appropriate entity if the response is required.

12. The cable distribution box of claim 1, wherein the access administration system verifies the authentication information using a request-response authentication method.

13. The cable distribution box of claim 1, wherein the access administration system verifies the authentication information using a challenge-response authentication method.

14. The cable distribution box of claim 1, wherein communication between the authentication device and the access control system is encrypted.

15. The cable distribution box of claim 1, wherein communication between the access administration system and the access control system is encrypted.

16. The cable distribution box of claim 1, wherein the authentication device, the access administration system, and the access control system are powered using current obtained from a cable line operatively connected to the cable distribution box.

17. The cable distribution box of claim 2, wherein the lock is powered using current obtained from a cable line operatively connected to the cable distribution box.

18. The cable distribution box of claim 3, wherein the communication device is powered using current obtained from a cable line operatively connected to the cable distribution box.

19. A cable distribution box, comprising:

an authentication device obtaining authentication information from an authentication medium;

a memory operatively connected to the authentication device comprising verification information and work log data; and

an access control system operatively connected to the authentication device and the memory, using the verification information and the authentication information to determine whether to grant access to the cable distribution box.

20. The cable distribution box of claim 19, further comprising:

a lock operatively connected to the access control system for unlocking the cable distribution box when access to the cable distribution box has been granted.

21. The cable distribution box of claim 19, wherein the authentication device is a card reader and the authentication medium is an access card.

22. The cable distribution box of claim 19, wherein the access control system collects the authentication information.

23. The cable distribution box of claim 22, wherein the access control system generates a work log from the authentication information and the work log data.

24. The cable distribution box of claim 23, wherein the access control system includes functionality to analyze the work log to determine whether a response is required and functionality to send an alert to an appropriate entity if the response is required.

25. The cable distribution box of claim 19, wherein the access control system verifies the authentication information using a request-response authentication method.

26. The cable distribution box of claim 19, wherein the access control system verifies the authentication information using a challenge-response authentication method.

27. The cable distribution box of claim 19, wherein communication between the authentication device and the access control system is encrypted.

28. The cable distribution box of claim 19, wherein the authentication device, the memory, and the access control system are powered using current obtained from a cable line operatively connected to the cable distribution box.

29. The cable distribution box of claim 20, wherein the lock is powered using current obtained from a cable line operatively connected to the cable distribution box.

30. A method for accessing a cable distribution box, comprising:

obtaining authentication information from an authentication medium;

sending an access request to an access administration system, wherein the access request comprises the authentication information;

verifying the access request;

generating a work log associated with the access request; and

granting access to the cable distribution box if the access request is verified.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

uploading the work log to the access administration system;

analyzing the work log to determine whether a response is required; and

sending an alert to an appropriate entity if the response is required.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

continuously monitoring the cable distribution box to determine the status.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

unlocking the cable distribution box when access has been granted.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the access request is encrypted.

35. The method of claim 30, wherein the access administration system comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of access administration hardware, access administration software, and firmware.

36. The method of claim 30, wherein access to the cable distribution box is granted by an access control system.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the access control system comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of access control software, access control hardware, and firmware.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the access administration system, and the access control system are powered using current obtained from a cable line operatively connected to the cable distribution box.

39. An apparatus for accessing a cable distribution box, comprising:

means for obtaining authentication information from an authentication medium;

means for sending an access request to an access administration system, wherein the access request comprises the authentication information;

means for verifying the access request;

means for generating a work log associated with the access request; and

means for granting access to the cable distribution box if the access request is verified.