Residential communications gateway (RCG) for broadband communications over a plurality of standard POTS lines, with dynamic allocation of said bandwidth, that requires no additional equipment or modifications to the associated class 5 offices or the PSTN at large

• US 20050078690A1
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Competitive Access Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Eric M. Delangis
• Inventors: DeLangis, Eric M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,606,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/24 Multipath
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/54 Organization of routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/821 Prioritising resource allocation or reservation requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/168 specially adapted for link layer protocols, e.g. asynchronous transfer mode [ATM], synchronous optical network [SONET] or point-to-point protocol [PPP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/052 software update
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/60 related to security aspects in telephonic communication systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/06 including a wireless LAN interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/007 Access interface units for simultaneous transmission of speech and data, e.g. digital subscriber line [DSL] access interface units DSL access multiplexers H04Q11/0478, and H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/121 Details of network access arrangements or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/04 Wireless resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 : Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 : Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 : Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The Residential Communications Gateway (RCG) is a broadband communications device that combines all voice, data and video communications to and from a typical residence or small business for transmission over a single, or a plurality of Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) lines separately or in conjunction with, a wireless broadband backbone. The RCG does this by employing packetized data with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technologies combined with RF communications technologies. A key consideration to the design of the RCG is that no additional or special transmission equipment must be installed at the Central Office or anywhere else in the network to enable new calling features provided by the RCG as is the case with DSL and Cable systems. By eliminating the requirement for costly infrastructure enhancements, ubiquitous high speed communications and services can be deployed to every POTS subscriber.

Claims

1. A Residential Communications Gateway (RCG) device that is capable of providing broadband communications services over a plurality of standard POTS lines, where said POTS lines are of the normal type and do not require any modifications whatsoever, nor is any other additional equipment required to be installed in the Class 5 office or any other PSTN facility. Said RCG device comprising:

one or more connections to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) via standard Plain-Old-Telephone Service (POTS) connections;

a wireless interface to connect to other wireless devices or wireless LANS as well as a multitude of other RCGs using said wireless interface;

a USB, firewire (IEEE

     1394), Ethernet or other physical layer connections that may be or become standardized to connect physically to other equipment;

one or more derived POTS circuits that connect to any standard telephone devices;

a method to create an ad-hoc wireless network via direct wireless connections between devices as well as hopping said wireless connections among many far flung RCGs to create a network of wirelessly connected RCGs that far exceeds the wireless transmission distance of any single point-to-point wireless connection, in order to expand coverage area and increase bandwidth, said ad-hoc hybrid network consisting of a multitude RCG devices each with one or more POTS connections to the LEC that are all used in conjunction to provide high-speed, broadband services to a requesting RCG device wherein the aggregate POTS bandwidth is many times the speed of a single POTS line device can derive by itself;

a method of utilizing Voice over IP (VoIP), voice/data compression and IP packet routing and switched circuit techniques to communicate multiple derived telephone POTS circuits over a single POTS telephone line connected to the LEC;

a method of utilizing Voice over IP (VoIP), voice/data compression and IP packet routing and switched circuit techniques to communicate multiple derived telephone POTS circuits over a wireless network;

a method for the assignment of individual and unique telephone numbers, as those used by the PSTN, to the derived virtual POTS circuits that are carried over a single POTS circuit from the LEC, said derived POTS circuits having unique individual telephone numbers so that they can be used in the same fashion as if they were provided directly from the LEC, and were said derived POTS circuits are directed to individual RJ11 connectors on the RCG to which standard telephone devices are attached and are used in the normal fashion, with each telephone device attached to its own unique telephone number.

2. An RCG of claim 1 that dynamically allocates the POTS and wireless bandwidth between multiple local voice circuits and local data demands as well as requests for that bandwidth made by remote RCG devices;

and that dynamically allocates its physically connected POTS bandwidth to other RCGs not physically connected to said POTS line(s), requesting said bandwidth;

prioritizes local as well as remote bandwidth requirements on both POTS circuits as well as wireless connections;

3. An RCG of claims 1 and 2 that dynamically allocates separate and physically diverse POTS lines or wireless connections into a multilink group capable of aggregating the combined bandwidth of a plurality of said separate physically diverse POTS lines or wireless connections and providing said aggregate bandwidth to the benefit of a single, or a plurality of RCG device for the concurrent and high speed transmission of large or multiple files;

and that can utilize one or more of the separate and physically diverse POTS lines or wireless connections that are physically connected to other remote RCG devices as stand alone connections that are not grouped in a multilink configuration to the benefit of a single or a plurality of RCG devices for the concurrent high speed transmission of large or multiple files;

4. An RCG of claim 1 that creates and maintains POTS as well as wireless routing tables that constantly change and that are used to determine maximum routing efficiencies for Quality Of Service (QOS) and maximum bandwidth between local and remote POTS circuits as well as broadband wireless connections.

5. An RCG of claim 1 that provides dynamic bandwidth reallocation on-the-fly for a plurality of separate and physically diverse POTS lines or wireless connections.

6. An RCG of claim 1 that provides security by numerous options such as WEP, IPSEC, combination of proprietary and public security protocols;

provides ultra high security by employing those standard security practices described above in conjunction with proprietary routing of individual IP packets over separate physical POTS lines or wireless channels, thus making it very difficult or impossible for eavesdroppers to be able to monitor any conversation or data transfer since the individual IP packets are routed on-the-fly, in a completely random fashion, over completely separate and different POTS lines and/or wireless channels.

7. An RCG of claim 1 with an automatically initiated account activation service whereby simply installing the device will cause it to initiate the equipment configuration, network configuration, equipment registration, account activation and billing services.

8. An RCG of claim 1 with automatic creation of a wireless router table by polling other devices within its transmission range for their wireless routing tables.

9. An RCG of claim 1 that provides a failsafe lifeline support for power failure. Provides a means to allow users to have telephone service in the event of a power failure.