Method and system for authenticated fast channel change of media provided over a DSL connection

• US 6,763,019 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Issued: 07/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Quarterhill Inc. (f/k/a Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Fencsik, Gabor, Bathrick, Greg, Mehta, Hemang, Camacho, Don
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilson, Robert W.
• Application Number:
  US10/187,391
• Publication Number:
  US 20030169724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/432, 370/485, 370/468, 370/480, 375/229, 375/222, 709/219, 709/225
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4384 involving operations to reduce the access time, e.g. fast-tuning for reducing channel switching latency
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method and system for fast channel changes of media that is provided by carriers over an xDSL connection to a home. Each customer'"'"'s subscriber information is stored at the DSLAM that supports the xDSL connection to the home. Also, each DSLAM supports multicast protocols so that only one instance of a channel is provided on the core network regardless of how many customers have requested access to the channel.

Claims

1. A method for enabling fast access to at least one channel over an xDSL connection, comprising:

(a) employing at least one multicast enabled Digital Subscriber Line Access and Multiplexer (DSLAM) configured to authenticate at least one subscriber locally and to enable access to at least one channel on a core network, wherein the subscriber is coupled to the core network by the xDSL connection;

(b) at a multicast enabled DSLAM, receiving a request for at least one channel from the subscriber, wherein the receiving DSLAM locally serves the xDSL connection for the subscriber;

(c) employing information stored at the receiving DSLAM to determine locally whether the subscriber is authorized to access the requested channel; and

(d) if the subscriber is determined to be authorized to access the requested channel, employing the DSLAM to provide access locally to the requested channel on the core network, wherein the core network establishes a single instance of each channel in advance of selection by at least one of the subscribers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the multicast enabled DSLAM provides at least one IGMP multicast protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, subparagraph (b), wherein a set top box is employed by the subscriber to provide an xDSL connection that is locally served by the receiving DSLAM.

4. The method of claim 1, subparagraph (c), wherein the stored information is included in a database at the receiving DSLAM.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing each instance of each channel to the core network through a router coupled to another network.

6. The method of claim 1, subparagraph (c), further comprising employing a remote process to maintain the stored information.

7. The method of claim 1, subparagraph (c), further comprising employing a remote process to update the stored information.

8. The method of claim 1, subparagraph (d), wherein access to the requested channel is provided by the receiving DSLAM over the locally served xDSL connection for the Subscriber.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the channel includes media for at least one of displaying, recording and playing with a set top box.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the media includes at least one of video, graphic, picture, text, talk show, and television program.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if it is determined locally that the requested access is not authorized, transmitting a Denial of Service message.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein

the Denial of Service message is transmitted over the xDSL connection.

13. A Digital Subscriber Line Access and Multiplexer (DSLAM) for locally enabling fast access to at least one channel over an xDSL connection, comprising:

(a) a network interface that employs a packet-based protocol to send and receive packets with a core network and another network interface for multiplexing local xDSL connections that are associated with a subscriber; and

(b) a transcoder that performs actions, including;

(i) enabling multicast operation of the DSLAM for accessing at least one channel on the core network, wherein at least one subscriber is coupled to the core network by the xDSL connection;

(ii) receiving a request for at least one channel from an established local xDSL connection associated with the subscriber;

(iii) employing stored information to determine locally whether the subscriber is authorized to access the requested channel; and

(iv) if the subscriber is determined to be authorized to access the requested channel, providing access locally to the requested channel on the core network through the local xDSL connection associated with the subscriber, wherein the core network establishes a single instance of each channel in advance of selection by at least one of the subscribers.

14. The DSLAM of claim 13, further comprising at least on IGMP multicast protocol.

15. The DSLAM of claim 13, subparagraph (b)(ii), wherein a set top box is employed by the subscriber to provide an xDSL connection that is locally served by the DSLAM.

16. The DSLAM of claim 13, subparagraph (b)(iii), wherein the stored information is included in a local database.

17. A system for enabling fast access to at least one channel over an xDSL connection coupled to an IP based core network, comprising:

(a) at least one multicast enabled Digital Subscriber Line Access and Multiplexer (DSLAM) configured to authenticate at least one subscriber locally and to enable access to at least one channel on the core network, wherein the subscriber is coupled to the core network by the xDSL connection;

(b) a set top box for sending a request for at least one channel from the subscriber to a multicast enabled DSLAM, wherein the receiving DSLAM serves a local xDSL connection for the set top box;

(c) a database for locally storing information at the receiving DSLAM, the information being employed to determine locally whether the subscriber is authorized to access the requested channel; and

(d) a router that enables the core network to establish a single instance of each channel in advance of selection by at least one of the subscribers, wherein if the subscriber is determined to be authorized to access the requested channel, the receiving DSLAM is employed to provide access locally to the requested channel on the core network.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the multicast enabled DSLAM provides at least one IGMP multicast protocol.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising a remote process that maintains the information stored in the database.

20. A computer-readable medium that includes instructions for performing actions, including:

(a) employing at least one multicast enabled Digital Subscriber Line Access and Multiplexer (DSLAM) configured to authenticate at least one subscriber locally and to enable access to at least one channel on the core network, wherein at least the subscriber is coupled to the core network by the xDSL connection;

(b) at a multicast enabled DSLAM, receiving a request for at least one channel from the subscriber, wherein the receiving DSLAM serves a local xDSL connection for the subscriber;

(c) employing information stored at the receiving DSLAM to determine locally whether the subscriber is authorized to access the requested channel; and

(d) if the subscriber is determined to be authorized to access the requested channel, employing the DSLAM to provide access locally to the requested channel on the core network, wherein the core network establishes a single instance of each channel in advance of selection by at least one of the subscribers.

21. A device for enabling fast access to at least one channel over an xDSL connection, comprising:

(a) means for employing at least one multicast enabled Digital Subscriber Line Access and Multiplexer (DSLAM) configured to authenticate at least one subscriber locally and to enable access to at least one channel on a core network, wherein the subscriber is coupled to the core network by the xDSL connection;

(b) at a multicast enabled DSLAM, employing means for receiving a request for at least one channel from the subscriber, wherein the receiving DSLAM serves a local xDSL connection for the subscriber;

(c) means for employing information stored at the receiving DSLAM to determine locally whether the subscriber is authorized to access the requested channel; and

(d) if the subscriber is determined to be authorized to access the requested channel, employing the DSLAM to provide access locally to the requested channel on the core network, wherein the core network establishes a single instance of each channel in advance of selection by at least one of the subscribers.