Systems and methods for retrieving customer premise equipment data

• US 20080240089A1
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Kaiyan, Jiang, Baofeng, Lim, Michael Yew-Aik
• Granted Patent: US 8,250,190 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/357
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2859 Point-to-point connection between the data network and the subscribers encapsulation H04L12/4633; virtual LANs H04L12/4641; routing of packets H04L45/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0809 Plug-and-play configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0866 Checking the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/24 using dedicated network management hardware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/50 Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1023 Media gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer readable medium storing a computer executable program for retrieving customer premise equipment (CPE) data are disclosed. A first communication channel is established with a first CPE device via a first node element. The first node element is operable to route data to and from the first CPE device in an Internet network. A request for CPE data is issued to the first CPE device via the first communication channel. The requested CPE data is received from the first CPE device via the first communication channel.

Claims

1. A method of retrieving customer premise equipment (CPE) data, the method comprising:

establishing a first communication channel with a first CPE device via a first node element, the first node element being operable to route data to and from the first CPE device in an Internet network;

issuing a first request for CPE data to the first CPE device via the first communication channel; and

receiving the requested CPE data from the first CPE device via the first communication channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a first communication channel comprises establishing a first communication channel responsive to a trigger event.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein establishing a first communication channel responsive to a trigger event comprises establishing a first communication channel responsive to a trigger event selected from a group consisting of a service provider request for CPE data, a CPE data retrieval system request for CPE data, a periodic request for CPE data, and a bulk CPE download data request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein issuing a first request for CPE data comprises issuing a first request for CPE data selected from a group consisting of selected CPE data and bulk CPE download data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a first communication channel with a first CPE device comprises establishing a first communication channel with a first CPE device using a first CPE access data parameter.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

issuing a request for the first CPE access data parameter to a CPE management system; and

receiving the requested first CPE device access data parameter from the CPE management system.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving the first CPE access data parameter from the first CPE device during activation of the first CPE device.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein establishing a first communication channel using a first CPE access data parameter comprises establishing a first communication channel using a first CPE access data parameter selected from a group consisting of a CPE identification tag, a CPE access certificate, and a CPE type.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein establishing a first communication channel with a first CPE device comprises establishing a first communication channel with a first CPE device selected from a group consisting of an ADSL modem, a set up box, and a residential gateway.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein issuing a first request for CPE data comprises issuing a first request for CPE data selected from a group consisting of CPE WAN data, CPE WAN performance parameters, CPE WAN performance statistics, CPE WAN usage parameters, CPE downstream Dynamic Spectrum Management (DSM) statistics, CPE upstream/downstream WAN usage, CPE WAN upstream/downstream performance statistics, LAN data, LAN performance parameters, LAN usage parameters, LAN performance statistics, and service provider service usage statistics.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

simultaneously issuing a command to establish the first communication channel and a second communication channel with a second CPE device via a second node element, the second node element being operable to route data to and from the second CPE device in the Internet network;

simultaneously issuing first and second requests for CPE data to the first and second CPE devices via the first and second communication channels, respectively; and

receiving the requested CPE data from the first and second CPE devices via the first and second communication channels, respectively.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

computer readable code for simultaneously issuing a command to establish the first communication channel and a second communication channel with a second CPE device via a second node element, the second node element being operable to route data to and from the second CPE device in the Internet network;

computer readable code for simultaneously,issuing first and second requests for CPE data to the first and second CPE devices via the first and second communication channels, respectively; and

computer readable code for receiving the requested CPE data from the first and second CPE devices via the first and second communication channels, respectively.

12. A computer readable medium for storing a computer executable program for retrieving customer premise equipment (CPE) data comprising:

computer readable code for establishing a first communication channel with a first CPE device via a first node element, the first node element being operable to route data to and from the first CPE device in an Internet network;

computer readable code for issuing a first request for CPE data to the first CPE device via the first communication channel; and

computer readable code for receiving the requested CPE data from the first CPE device via the first communication channel.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the computer readable code for establishing a first communication channel comprises computer readable code for establishing a first communication channel responsive to a trigger event.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer readable code for establishing a first communication channel responsive to a trigger event comprises computer readable code for establishing a first communication channel responsive to a trigger event selected from a group consisting of a service provider request for CPE data, a CPE data retrieval system request for CPE data, a periodic request for CPE data, and a bulk CPE download data request.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the computer readable code for issuing a first request for CPE data comprises computer readable code for issuing a first request for CPE data selected from a group consisting of selected CPE data and bulk CPE download data.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the computer readable code for establishing a first communication channel comprises computer readable code for establishing a first communication channel using a first CPE access data parameter.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising:

computer readable code for issuing a request for the first CPE access data parameter to a CPE management system; and

computer readable code for receiving the requested first CPE access data parameter from the CPE management system.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising computer readable code for receiving the first CPE access data parameter from the first CPE device during the activation of the first CPE device.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer readable code for establishing a first communication channel using a first CPE access data parameter comprises computer readable code for establishing a first communication channel using a first CPE access data parameter selected from a group consisting of a CPE identification tag, a CPE access certificate, and a CPE type.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 12 wherein the computer readable code for establishing a first communication channel with a first CPE device comprises computer readable code for establishing a first communication channel with a first CPE device selected from a group consisting of an ADSL modem, a set up box, and a residential gateway.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the computer readable code for issuing a first request for CPE data comprises computer readable code for issuing a first request for CPE data selected from a group consisting of CPE WAN data, CPE WAN performance parameters, CPE WAN performance statistics, CPE WAN usage parameters, CPE downstream Dynamic Spectrum Management (DSM) statistics, CPE upstream/downstream WAN usage, CPE WAN upstream/downstream performance statistics, LAN data, LAN performance parameters, LAN usage parameters, LAN performance statistics, and service provider service usage statistics.

23. A system for retrieving customer premise equipment (CPE) data comprising:

a communication module operable to establish a first communication channel with a first CPE device via a first node element, the first node element being operable to route data to and from the first CPE device in an Internet network;

a CPE data collection module communicatively coupled to the communication module, the CPE data collection module being operable to issue a first request for CPE data to the first CPE device via the first communication channel and receive the requested CPE data from the first CPE device via the first communication channel.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the communication module is operable to establish the first communication channel responsive to a trigger event.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the trigger event is selected from a group consisting of a service provider request for CPE data, a CPE data retrieval system request for CPE data, a periodic request for CPE data, and a bulk CPE download data request.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the CPE data is selected from a group consisting of selected CPE data and bulk CPE download data.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the CPE data collection module is operable to establish the first communication channel using a first CPE access data parameter.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising a CPE access data collection module communicatively coupled to the communication module, the CPE access data collection module being operable to issue a request for the first CPE access data parameter to a CPE management system and to receive the requested first CPE access data from the CPE management system.

29. The system of claim 27, further comprising a CPE access data collection module communicatively coupled to the communication module, the CPE access data collection module being operable to receive the first CPE access data parameter from the first CPE device during activation of the first CPE device.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the first CPE access data parameter is selected from a group consisting of a CPE identification tag, a CPE access certificate, and a CPE type.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the first CPE device is selected from a group consisting of an ADSL modem, a set up box, and a residential gateway.

32. The system of claim 23, wherein the CPE data is selected from a group consisting of CPE WAN data, CPE WAN performance parameters, CPE WAN performance statistics, CPE WAN usage parameters, CPE downstream Dynamic Spectrum Management (DSM) statistics, CPE upstream/downstream WAN usage, CPE WAN upstream/downstream performance statistics, LAN data, LAN performance parameters, LAN usage parameters, LAN performance statistics, and service provider service usage statistics.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein

the communication module is operable to simultaneously issue a command to establish the first communication channel and a second communication channel with a second CPE device via a second node element, the second node element being operable to route data to and from the second CPE device in the Internet network, and

the CPE data collection module is operable to simultaneously issue first and second requests for CPE data to the first and second CPE devices via the first and second communication channels, respectively, and receive the requested CPE data from the first and second CPE devices via the first and second communication channels, respectively.

34. A method of retrieving customer premise equipment (CPE) data, the method comprising:

receiving a request for CPE data at a CPE device via a communication channel including a node element, the node element being operable to route data to and from the CPE device in an Internet network; and

transmitting the requested CPE data from the CPE device to a CPE data retrieval system responsive to the received request via the communication channel.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein receiving a request for CPE data comprises receiving a request for CPE data selected from a group consisting of selected CPE data and bulk CPE download data.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein receiving a request for CPE data comprises receiving a CPE access certificate associated with the CPE device, and wherein transmitting the requested CPE data comprises transmitting the requested CPE data responsive to the received CPE access certificate.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein receiving a request for CPE data comprises receiving a request for CPE data selected from a group consisting of CPE WAN data, CPE WAN performance parameters, CPE WAN performance statistics, CPE WAN usage parameters, CPE downstream Dynamic Spectrum Management (DSM) statistics, CPE upstream/downstream WAN usage, CPE WAN upstream/downstream performance statistics, LAN data, LAN performance parameters, LAN usage parameters, LAN performance statistics, and service provider service usage statistics.