Connection management for data networks

• US 20050180463A1
• Filed: 02/12/2004
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gonsalves, Brian A., Jones, Kenneth Roger, Multach, Jeffrey, Sullivan, Marc Andrew, Kortum, Philip Ted
• Granted Patent: US 7,876,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/493
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/04 for time-division multiplexing H04Q11/0001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13039 Asymmetrical two-way transmission, e.g. ADSL, HDSL
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1308 Power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13107 Control equipment for a part of the connection, distributed control, co-processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13271 Forced release
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet

Abstract

In a particular embodiment, the disclosure is directed to a method of making a digital subscriber line (DSL) connection to a remote network. The method includes detecting the presence of a powered-on network capable device that is connected to a DSL modem; establishing a network connection over a DSL line to the remote network after detecting the presence of the powered on network capable device; terminating the network connection over the DSL line after detecting an absence of network capable devices connected to the DSL modem; and releasing network resources supported by the remote network after the network connection is terminated.

Claims

1. A method of making a digital subscriber line (DSL) connection to a remote network, the method comprising:

detecting the presence of a powered-on network capable device that is connected to a DSL modem;

establishing a network connection over a DSL line to the remote network after detecting the presence of the powered on network capable device;

terminating the network connection over the DSL line after detecting an absence of network capable devices connected to the DSL modem;

releasing network resources supported by the remote network after the network connection is terminated.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a dynamic lease to the network capable device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining when the dynamic lease expires.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising terminating the network connection over the DSL line after detecting that the lease has expired.

5. A method of making a digital subscriber line (DSL) connection to a remote network, the method comprising:

assigning a dynamic lease to a network capable device to permit subsequent connection to a remote network via a DSL modem;

establishing a network connection between the DSL modem over a DSL line to the remote network after detecting the presence of a network capable device having an assigned lease;

determining that the dynamically assigned lease has expired; and

terminating the network connection over the DSL line after detecting that the lease has expired.

6. A method of selectively connecting a point to point over Ethernet (PPPoE) wide area network session, the method comprising:

receiving a user command after a user selects a graphic display icon on a display screen, the selection of the graphic display icon to selectively connect a PPPoE wide area network connection from a router to a remote network; and

instructing the router to make a PPPoE connection over the wide area network in response to receiving the user command.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving a second user command after the user selects the graphic display icon to disconnect the PPPoE connection and instructing the router to disconnect the PPPoE connection in response to receiving the second user command.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising displaying a connection status indicator on the display.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the connection status indicator is a graphic display that is a first color to indicate a connection and a second color to indicate a disconnection.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first color is green and the second color is red.

11. A method of selectively connecting a point to point over Ethernet (PPPoE) wide area network session, the method comprising:

receiving a manual connection command after a user activates a switch on a digital subscriber line (DSL) router, the switch used to selectively connect a PPPoE wide area network connection from the DSL router to a remote network; and

instructing the router to make a PPPoE connection over the wide area network in response to receiving the manual connection command.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a manual disconnect command after the user activates the switch to disconnect the PPPoE connection and further comprising instructing the router to disconnect the PPPoE connection in response to receiving the manual disconnect command.

13. A digital subscriber line communication system comprising:

a digital subscriber line (DSL) router coupled to a digital subscriber line connected to a remote digital subscriber line access multiplexer, the digital subscriber line router including detection logic to detect the presence of a powered-on network capable device that is connected to the DSL router; and

a digital subscriber line between the digital subscriber line router and the digital subscriber line access multiplexer, wherein a network connection is made over the digital subscriber line after the detection logic detects the presence of the powered-on network capable device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the digital subscriber line router terminates the network connection over the DSL line after detecting an absence of network capable devices connected to the DSL router.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the digital subscriber line router initiates release of network resources supported by a digital subscriber line network connection after the network connection has been terminated.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the network connection is a point to point over Ethernet connection.

17. A digital subscriber line communication system comprising:

a digital subscriber line router coupled to a digital subscriber line connected to a remote digital subscriber line access multiplexer, the digital subscriber line router including lease assignment logic to dynamically assign a lease to a network capable device to permit subsequent connection to a remote network via the digital subscriber line; and

a digital subscriber line between the digital subscriber line router and the digital subscriber line access multiplexer, wherein a network connection is made over the digital subscriber line after the lease assignment logic has assigned a lease to the network capable device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the digital subscriber line router determines that the dynamically assigned lease has expired and terminates the network connection over the DSL line after detecting that the lease has expired.