Premises gateway and premises network interfaces for accessing subscriber premises equipment and communication networks using ring suppression

• US 6,219,409 B1
• Filed: 08/20/1998
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharegate, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sharegate, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Todd, Bagchi, Debashis, Isaac, Benjamin, Pelster, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Application Number:
  US09/137,074
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.17, 379/93-5-, 379/93.11, 379/93.34, 379/102.01, 379/106.03, 379/106-5-1, 379/133, 379/142, 379/156-157, 379/166, 370/229-230, 370/235-236, 370/254-258, 370/360, 370/362-368, 370/386-388, 370/401-405, 370/410, 370/422-426
• US Class Current: 379/106.09
• 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 12/2872 Termination of subscriber connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2874 Processing of data for distribution to the subscribers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/002 with telemetering systems telemetering in general G08C

Abstract

A premises gateway is provided with respect to a subscriber'"'"'s premises and a plurality of different transmission media for connecting to network devices and host systems on a network. The premises gateway has interchangeable network interface cards and cards for communicating with different nodes on a subscriber'"'"'s premises using different transmission media and protocols. The nodes are provided with premises network interfaces which operate in conjunction with the premises gateway to allow, for example, devices connected to the same telephone line, but to different telephone wall jacks, to be addressed separately. The premises gateway can communicate analog signals and broadband signals on a twisted pair to the same node. The premises gateway can also be provided at a central office to operate as an Internet protocol gateway.

Claims

1. A system deployed at a subscriber premises for connecting network devices and host systems on a network to individually addressable nodes connected to subscriber premises devices at the subscriber premises, comprising:

a premises gateway comprising a central processing device, a bus, at least one of a plurality of network interface devices configured to establish a connection between at least one of said network devices and said host systems to a selected one of said subscriber premises devices via said premises gateway, each of said network interface devices being configured to receive inbound signals generated by said at least one of said network devices and said host systems and transmitted on a first communication link selected from the group consisting of a twisted pair wire link, a fiber optic link, a coaxial cable link a hybrid fiber optic/coaxial cable link, and a wireless communication link, to process said signals for transmission on said bus, and to receive outbound signals generated by said subscriber premises devices via said bus, and at least one of a plurality of subscriber premises interface devices configured to receive said outbound signals generated by said at least one of said subscriber premises devices and transmitted on a second communication link selected from the group consisting of a twisted pair wire link a fiber optic link, a coaxial cable like a hibrid fiber optic/coaxial cable link and a wireless communication link to process said signals for transmission on said bus, and to receive said inbound signals via said bus, said central processing device being operable to control routing of said inbound signals and said outbound signals on said bus by analyzing signals generated by said network interface devices and said subscriber premises interface devices and generating command signals; and

at least one premises node interface connected to one of said subscriber premises devices and configured to receive said outbound signals therefrom and to transmit said outbound signals via said second communication link, and configured to receive said inbound signals via said second communication link, said premises node interface comprising a switching device to suppress the transmission of said inbound signals to said one of said subscriber premises devices, said switching device being opened and closed in response to said command signals from said central processing device.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said central processing device is programmable to determine from data in said inbound signal whether said inbound signal is intended for said at least one subscriber premises device and to command said at least one premises node interface to operate said switching device to transmit said inbound signal to said one of said subscriber premises devices.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a plurality of premises network node interfaces connected to respective ones of a plurality of subscriber premises devices, said central processing device being programmable to route said inbound signals to selected ones of said plurality of subscriber premises devices by commanding said premises network nodes corresponding to said selected ones of said plurality of subscriber premises devices to operate said switching device to transmit said inbound signal thereto.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said premises node interface is configured to process said inbound signals and said outbound signals for communication via a link selected from the group consisting of a twisted pair wire link, a fiber optic link, a coaxial cable link, a hybrid fiber optic/coaxial cable link, and a wireless communication link.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

a plurality of premises node interfaces connected to a plurality of different subscriber premises devices, respective ones of said subscriber premises devices requiring receipt of said inbound signals and transmission of said outbound signals via different communication links selected from the group consisting of a twisted pair wire link, a fiber optic link, a coaxial cable link, a hybrid fiber optic/coaxial cable link, and a wireless communication link; and

a plurality of said subscriber premises interface devices configured to transmit said inbound signals and to receive said outbound signals via different types of said second communication links selected from the group consisting of a twisted pair wire link, a fiber optic link, a coaxial cable link, a hybrid fiber optic/coaxial cable link, and a wireless communication link, said central processing device being programmable to determine from data in said inbound signal for which one of said plurality of subscriber premises devices said inbound signal is intended, and to route said inbound signal to a selected one of said subscriber interface devices via said bus in accordance with said type of communication link required by said subscriber premises device intended to receive said inbound signal.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first communication link and said second communication link are twisted pair wire links, said inbound signal comprises a narrow band analog signal and a broadband digital signal modulated thereon, and said central processing device is programmable to route both of said analog signal and said digital signal to said premises node interface.

7. A premises gateway as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said at least one premises node interface and wherein at least one of said plurality of network interface devices comprises a second switching device and a processor, said processor being operable to close said second switching device when an incoming call from said network is received, said processor device being operable to notify said central processing device of said incoming call, said central processing device being operable to determine to which of said subscriber premises devices to direct said incoming call and to instruct at least one of said plurality of premises node interfaces to operate said switching device corresponding thereto to receive said incoming call.

8. A method for selectively routing signals between host systems and networks and subscriber premises devices, the host systems and networks and the subscriber premises devices employing different transmission media and protocols, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an incoming call from one of said host systems and networks at a network interface device at said subscriber premises, said incoming call being transmitted on a first communication link selected from the group consisting of a twisted pair wire link, a fiber optic link, a coaxial cable link, a hybrid fiber optic/coaxial cable link, and a wireless communication link, said network interface device being operable to process said incoming call on said first communication link for transmission on a bus;

operating a first switching device on said network interface device to suppress said incoming call from being directed to said subscriber premises devices via said bus;

determining for which of said subscriber premises devices said incoming call is intended using a central processing device connected to said bus, said subscriber premises devices communicating with one of a plurality of subscriber premises interface devices via a second communication link selected from the group consisting of selected from the group consisting of a twisted pair wire link a fiber optic link, a coaxial cable link, a hybrid fiber optic/coaxial cable link, and a wireless communication link;

providing said incoming call on said bus to one of said plurality of subscriber premises interface devices that is in communication with said subscriber premises device for which said incoming call is intended; and

commanding a premises node interface connected to said subscriber premises device to operate a second switching device to provide said incoming call from said bus thereto.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first communication link is different from said second communication link, said network interface device and the corresponding one of said plurality of subscriber premises interface devices being operable to convert said incoming call for communication between said bus and said first communication link and said second communication link, respectively.

10. A method as claimed in claim 8, wherein a plurality of network interfaces is connected between said bus and respective ones of two or more transmission paths selected from the group consisting of a twisted pair wire link, a fiber optic link a coaxial cable link, a hybrid fiber optic/coaxial cable link, and a wireless communication link, the method further comprising the steps of:

operating a second switching device on one of said subscriber premises devices to suppress an outgoing call from being directed to said plurality of network interface devices via said bus;

determining for which of said plurality of network interface devices said outgoing call is intended, said plurality of network interface devices being configured to process said outgoing call for transmission to one of said host systems and networks via one of said transmission paths;

providing said outgoing call on said bus; and

commanding said network node interface devices for which said outgoing call is intended to operate the first switching device corresponding thereto to provide said outgoing call from said bus thereto.