Selection of a Proxy Device for a Network

• US 20100251312A1
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Albano, Christopher R., Gilson, Ross, Francisco, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,893,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44227 Monitoring of local network, e.g. connection or bandwidth variations; Detecting new devices in the local network configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; monitoring connectivity in data switched networks H04L43/0811
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44245 Monitoring the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. its availability, bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6332 directed to client
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64738 Monitoring network characteristics, e.g. bandwidth, congestion level data switched network analysis H04L41/14; monitoring functioning in data switched networks H04L43/0817; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10

Abstract

Multiple devices in a user'"'"'s premises may each be configured to separately communicate with an external network, but the signal strength available to each may vary significantly depending on the wiring of the premises. The disclosure provides methods wherein the various devices may coordinate with one another, and determine which among them has the best signal connection and the most available capacity, and a subset of the devices may be chosen to act as network proxies to relay communications to/from the other devices in the premises.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a proxy, comprising:

selecting a device as a proxy for one or more other devices, wherein the selected and the one or more other devices are connected to a communication network of a user'"'"'s premises, and wherein said user'"'"'s premises network is communicatively connected to an external data network; and

using the selected device as a proxy to carry upstream data from the one or more other devices to the external data network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said one or more other devices has a modem, and further comprising deactivating said modem.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding an upstream filter to the communications network to prevent upstream communications from the other one or more interface devices.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the communication network to carry proxy data between the selected device and the other one or more other devices.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication network comprises one or more of coaxial cable, optical and wireless transmission lines.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting is performed based on signal strength received at the devices within the user'"'"'s premises.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting is performed based on a transmission power level of devices within a user'"'"'s premises.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting is performed based on the selected device'"'"'s bandwidth on the local communication network.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing at each device configuration data for other devices connected to the communication network.

10. A method, comprising:

using a premise'"'"'s first device as a proxy for a plurality of other devices on the premise to communicate with an external network wherein the first and the plurality of other devices are interconnected via a premise network;

detecting a topology change in the premise network that changes signal transmission characteristics of the premise network; and

selecting, based on relative signal strengths of the first and plurality of other devices, a second one of the plurality of other devices to serve as a proxy for other devices on the premise to communicate with an external network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the first and other interfaces devices contains a modem configured to communicate on the external network.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein detecting the topology change comprises detecting addition of a new device to the premise network.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein using the premise'"'"'s first device includes collecting upstream communications from one or more other devices on the premise, and transmitting data from those upstream communications to a provider network.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting, by the selected proxy device, upstream communications on to one or more coaxial cable, optical or wireless transmission lines of the external network.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising sending, by the selected proxy device, upstream communications to an external modem termination system on the external network.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the relative signal strengths are upstream transmission levels used by the devices to transmit signals to the external network.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising selecting a third interface device as a proxy, and using both the second and third interface devices as joint proxies for other devices at the premise.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising sharing proxy responsibility based on prior usage histories of the second and third devices.

19. A method, comprising:

provisioning a plurality of modems for communication with a modem termination system (MTS);

selecting a first one of the plurality of modems to act as a proxy for the other modems in communicating with the MTS; and

rerouting upstream communications from the other modems to the first one of the modems, instead of the MTS.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

using the first one of the modems to transmit the rerouted communications to the MTS.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

dynamically selecting a different modem to act as a proxy in response to a proxy refresh command.