Universal access multimedia data network

• US 6,101,182 A
• Filed: 11/25/1997
• Issued: 08/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bell Atlantic Network Services, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Sistanizadeh, Kamran, Amin-Salehi, Bahman, Ghafari, Edward, Sims, Wendell
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US08/978,621
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 370/351, 370/352, 370/353-358, 370/360, 379/965, 379/266, 379/207, 379/220, 379/230, 395/200.48, 395/200.33, 395/200.49, 395/200.59, 395/200.01
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2874 Processing of data for distribution to the subscribers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2876 Handling of subscriber policies group policies management H04L41/0893
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2883 ATM DSLAM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/622 Layer-2 addresses, e.g. medium access control [MAC] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5046 Resolving address allocation conflicts; Testing of addresses testing when self-assigning an address H04L61/5092
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5076 Update or notification mechanisms, e.g. DynDNS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors

Abstract

A system and method for providing Internet access via a Public Switched Telecommunications Network (PSTN) using full time asymmetric digital subscriber line connections between subscriber premises processor terminals and a local area network (LAN) node and router gateway on Telco premises connected to a Telco digital packet network connected to Internet service providers and Internet information providers. A domain name server (DNS) and a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server are connected to the router to provide domain name to IP address translations and temporary assignment of IP addresses to said customer premises processor terminal. The customer or subscriber going on-line communicates with the DHCP using encryption and preferably public/private key encryption to both authenticate the customer and the DHCP. The DHCP updates the database in the DNS to maintain freshness. The digital packets in the network use several protocols with a TCP/IP payload encapsulated therein without the need for translation or conversion.

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a data internetwork;

a central office switching system;

a plurality of subscriber premises including data terminals and telephone terminals;

a plurality of local loops connecting said central office switching system to said subscriber premises;

said subscriber premises including splitting means connected to said local loops, said splitting means splitting signals received over said local loops into data signals connected to said data terminals and telephony signals connected to said telephone terminals;

said central office switching system including splitting means connected to said local loops, said splitting means splitting signals received over said local loops into data signals and telephony signals;

processor means associated with said central office switching system for switching, addressing and routing data signals received by said processor means from said central office splitting means;

telephony switch means included with said central office switching system connected to said telephony signals from said central office splitting means;

said processor means providing dynamic handling of addresses for data signals from said central office splitting means corresponding to signals from one of said local loops directed to said data internetwork.

2. A communication system according to claim 1 wherein said processor means includes domain name server means and dynamic host configuration protocol server means.

3. A communication system according to claim 2 wherein said processor means provides to customer premises data terminals dynamic assignment of temporary internetwork addresses and domain name to internetwork address translations.

4. A communication system according to claim 3 wherein said internetwork comprises the Internet and said system includes a plurality of information providers connected to said Internet and a plurality of Internet service providers, said Internet service providers providing selective connection to information providers via said Internet, said processor means providing connectivity to said Internet service providers.

5. A communication system comprising:

a data internetwork;

a central office switching system;

a plurality of subscriber premises including processor terminals and telephone terminals;

a plurality of local loops connecting said central office switching system to said subscriber premises;

said subscriber premises including splitting means connected to said local loops, said splitting means splitting signals received over said local loops into data signals connected via modem means to said processor terminals and telephony signals connected to said telephone terminals;

said central office switching system including splitting means connected to said local loops, said splitting means splitting signals received over said local loops into data signals and telephony signals;

processor means including modem means associated with said central office switching system for modulating/demodulating, switching, addressing and routing data signals received by said processor means from said central office splitting means;

telephony switch means included with said central office switching system connected to said telephony signals from said central office splitting means;

said processor means providing dynamic addressing for data signals from said central office splitting means corresponding to signals from one of said local loops which are directed to said data internetwork.

6. A communication system according to claim 5 wherein said processor means includes domain name server means and dynamic host configuration protocol server means.

7. A communication system according to claim 6 wherein said processor means provides to customer premises processor terminals dynamic assignment of temporary internetwork addresses and domain name to internetwork address translations.

8. A communication system according to claim 7 wherein said internetwork comprises the Internet and said system includes a plurality of information providers connected to said Internet and a plurality of Internet service providers, said Internet service providers providing selective connection to information providers via said Internet, said processor means providing connectivity to said Internet service providers.

9. A communication system according to claim 5 wherein said local loops comprise asynchronous digital subscriber lines (ADSL).

10. A data network, comprising:

a wide area data internetwork (Internet);

a plurality of customer premises processor terminals;

a plurality of information providers connected to said Internet;

a plurality of Internet service providers providing selective connection to information providers via said Internet;

a public switched telephone network providing selective connection of said customer premises processor terminals and said Internet service providers;

at least one of said Internet service providers comprising a network connecting said customer premises processor terminals to a control node through asymmetric digital subscriber line connections; and

processing and storage means, for providing for the customer premises processor terminals dynamic assignment of temporary Internet addresses to the terminals and for providing domain name translations to the dynamically assigned temporary Internet addresses.

11. A communication system comprising:

a wide area data internetwork (Internet);

a plurality of customer premises terminals including processor terminals and telephone terminals;

a switched telephone network providing selective connection to said customer premises processor terminals via asymmetric digital subscriber lines (ADSLs) having local ends connected to said telephone network and remote ends connected to subscriber premises interface means for splitting signals received from said ADSLs into telephone signals to said telephone terminals and data signals to said processor terminals;

said telephone network including circuit switching systems and packet switching systems;

processor and storage means associated with said switching systems and connected to said local ends of said ADSLs for splitting signals received therefrom into telephone signals to said circuit switching systems and data signals to said packet switching systems, and for providing dynamic addressing of said data signals for connection to said internetwork (Internet).

12. A system according to claim 11 wherein said processing and storage means provides for said customer premises processor terminals dynamic assignment of temporary Internet addresses and domain name translations.

13. A system according to claim 12 wherein said processing and storage means includes a domain name server (DNS) and a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) server.

14. A network, comprising:

a central office switch coupled to a first end of each of a plurality of subscriber lines, for providing public switched telephone services with respect to telephone service signals transported over the subscriber lines to and from customer premises telephone devices connected to second ends of the subscriber lines;

a plurality of pairs of digital subscriber line terminal units, one unit of each pair being coupled to the first end of a respective one of the subscriber lines, and the other unit of each pair being coupled to the second end of the respective subscriber line, each pair of units providing two-way data communications for a data processor terminal at a customer premises over the respective subscriber line multiplexed with the telephone service signals on the respective subscriber line;

a router, coupled in data communication with the one unit of each pair of digital subscriber line terminal units, to provide packet switched communications for the data processor terminals via a public wide area data internetwork; and

at least one server coupled to the router, to dynamically administer internetwork addresses for communications of the data processor terminals.

15. A network as in claim 14, wherein the at least one server comprises a dynamic host configuration protocol server for providing dynamic temporary assignment of one of a plurality of internetwork addresses to a data processor terminal each time one of the data processor terminals comes on-line on the network.

16. A network as in claim 15, wherein the at least one server further comprises a domain name server for providing domain name translations with respect to temporarily assigned addresses.

17. A network as in claim 14, further comprising a local area network connected between the router and the one unit of each pair of digital subscriber line terminal units.

18. A network as in claim 17, wherein the local area network comprises a packet switch coupled to the router.

19. A network as in claim 14, wherein the router is for providing communications via the Internet.

20. A network as in claim 14, wherein at least one pair of the digital subscriber line terminal units comprises asymmetrical digital subscriber line terminal units.

21. An access network, comprising:

communication lines extending from the network to premises of customers;

a central office telephone switch, coupled to network-side ends of the communication lines, for providing public switched telephone service communications over the communication lines;

digital subscriber line terminal units coupled to the network-side ends of the communication lines for providing two-way data communications over the communication lines;

a router for providing packet switched communications via a public wide area data internetwork;

a data network linking the digital subscriber line terminal units to the router; and

at least one server coupled to communicate with the router, for dynamically administering internetwork addresses for communications of customer premises data processor terminals coupled to customer premises ends of the communication lines.

22. An access network as in claim 21, wherein the data network comprises a local area network connected between the router and the digital subscriber line terminal units.

23. An access network as in claim 21, wherein the router is for providing communications via the Internet.

24. An access network as in claim 21, wherein a plurality of the digital subscriber line terminal units comprise asymmetrical digital subscriber line terminal units.