Method and apparatus for associating PVC identifiers with domain names of home gateways

• US 6,829,242 B2
• Filed: 06/30/1998
• Issued: 12/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Davison, Michael, Tio, Rene, Langley, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Seema S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABELSON, RONALD B
• Application Number:
  US09/107,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20030026273A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,352 Days
• Field of Search: 370/236.2, 370/241.1, 370/395.2, 370/395.21, 370/395.3, 370/395.52, 370/463, 370/389, 370/403, 370/400-402, 370/21, 370/3.52, 370/387, 709/201, 709/227-230, 709/437, 709/245, 713/160
• US Class Current: 370/401
• 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 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks

Abstract

A method and apparatus associates a domain name of a home gateway with one or more PVCs. After the PVC is established, a tunneling protocol is used to request the domain name of the home gateway, and the domain name is associated with the PVC. When a user logs on via an access communication device, the user will provide a domain name of a home gateway with which the user desires to communicate. A PVC associated with the home gateway is then used to allow the user to communicate with the home gateway. The domain name of the home gateway may be periodically verified to detect any changes.

Claims

1. An apparatus for communicating with a home gateway having an identifier, the apparatus comprising:

a tunnel session initiator having;

a first input operatively coupled to receive an identifier of a permanent virtual circuit (PVC) capable of use for communication with the home gateway; and

a second input coupled to the home gateway to receive the identifier of the home gateway; and

the tunnel session initiator for providing at a first output a message to be transmitted via the PVC, said message for requesting the home gateway to provide a response comprising the identifier of the home gateway, and for providing at a second output the identifier of the home gateway received at the tunnel session initiator second input and the identifier of the PVC received at the tunnel session initiator first input; and

a PVC associator having an input coupled to the tunnel session initiator second output, the PVC associator for causing to be stored, for example in a database, the identifier of the PVC received at the PVC associator input associated with the identifier of the home gateway received at the PVC associator input.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the message provided by the tunnel session initiator is a tunneling protocol message.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tunnel session initiator additionally comprises a third input and is additionally for providing at a third output the identifier of the home gateway received at the tunnel session initiator second input, for providing at a fourth output the PVC identifier received at the tunnel session initiator first input, and the identifiers provided at the tunnel session initiator second output are responsive to the tunnel session initiator third input, the apparatus additionally comprising:

an authentication generator having an input coupled to the tunnel session initiator second output, the authentication generator for generating a message intended to cause the home gateway to provide a password, and for providing at an output said message and an indication to transmit said message via the PVC received at the authentication generator input; and

an authentication evaluator having a first input operatively coupled to receive a password from the home gateway and a second input coupled to the tunnel session initiator third output, the authentication evaluator for providing at a first output the home gateway identifier received at the authentication evaluator second input, for receiving at a third input a stored password corresponding to the home gateway identifier provided at the authentication evaluator first output, for comparing the password received at the authentication evaluator first input with the stored password received at the authentication evaluator third input, and for providing at a second output coupled to the tunnel session initiator third input an indication whether the two passwords received at the authentication evaluator first and third inputs match.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising a log in manager having a first input operatively coupled to receive at least one message, for example including a log on request from a user, the at least one message comprising a requested home gateway identifier and at least one piece of information different from the requested home gateway identifier and a second input operatively coupled to receive a requested PVC identifier, the log in manager for providing at a first output the identifier of the requested home gateway and providing at a second output the at least one piece of information received at the log in manager first input responsive to the requested PVC identifier received at the log in manager second input.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, additionally comprising:

a connection lookup having a first input coupled to the log in manager first output for receiving the identifier of the requested home gateway and a second input for receiving at least one identifier for each of a plurality of PVCs, the connection lookup for providing at a first output the identifier of the requested home gateway received at the connection lookup first input and for providing at least a plurality of the PVC identifiers received at the connection lookup second input; and

a quality of service balancer having a first input coupled to the connection lookup second output, the quality of service balancer for selecting one of the identifiers of the PVCs received at the quality of service balancer first input and for providing at an output coupled to the log in manager second input the identifier of the PVC selected.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the quality of service balancer additionally comprises a second input for receiving information corresponding to a utilization of each of a plurality of the PVCs having the identifiers received at the quality of service balancer second input, and the quality of service balancer selects the PVC responsive to the utilization information received at the quality of service balancer second input.

7. A method of communication with a home gateway, comprising:

receiving an identifier of a permanent virtual circuit (PVC) capable of use for communication with the home gateway;

providing for receipt by the home gateway a message intended to cause the home gateway to provide a domain name of the home gateway;

receiving the domain name of the home gateway requested; and

associating the domain name of the home gateway received with the identifier of the PVC received.

8. A method of communication with a home gateway, comprising:

receiving an identifier of a permanent virtual circuit (PVC) capable of use for communication with the home gateway;

providing for receipt by the home gateway a message intended to cause the home gateway to provide an identifier of the home gateway;

receiving the identifier of the home gateway requested; and

associating the identifier of the home gateway received with the identifier of the PVC received;

wherein the providing step comprises sending at least one message using a tunneling protocol.

9. A method of communication with a home gateway, comprising:

receiving an identifier of a permanent virtual circuit (PVC) capable of use for communication with the home gateway;

providing for receipt by the home gateway a message intended to cause the home gateway to provide an identifier of the home gateway;

receiving the identifier of the home gateway requested;

associating the identifier of the home gateway received with the identifier of the PVC received;

receiving a first password for the home gateway;

providing a message intended for the home gateway that will cause the home gateway to provide a second password;

receiving the second password; and

comparing the first password received with the second password received; and

wherein the associating step is responsive to the comparing step.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the messages each comprise a tunneling protocol message.

11. A method of communication with a home gateway, comprising:

receiving an identifier of a permanent virtual circuit (PVC) capable of use for communication with the home gateway;

providing for receipt by the home gateway a message intended to cause the home gateway to provide an identifier of the home gateway;

receiving the identifier of the home gateway requested;

associating the identifier of the home gateway received with the identifier of the PVC received;

receiving at least one communication comprising the identifier of the home gateway and at least one piece of information different from the identifier of the home gateway;

retrieving at least one identifier of at least one PVC associated with the identifier of the home gateway; and

providing to the home gateway the at least one piece of information via at least one PVC, at least one of said at least one PVC corresponding to the at least one identifier of the at least one PVC retrieved.

12. The method of claim 11:

comprising the additional step of selecting at least one of the identifiers of at least one PVC retrieved; and

wherein the providing step is responsive to the selecting step.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the selecting step comprises:

identifying a utilization of at least two PVCs corresponding to the at least one identifier retrieved; and

selecting the identifier of one of the at least two PVCs having the lower utilization identified.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one piece of information comprises a user identifier.

15. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for communication with a home gateway, the computer program product comprising:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to receive an identifier of a permanent virtual circuit (PVC) capable of use for communication with the home gateway;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to provide for receipt by the home gateway a message intended to cause the home gateway to provide a domain name of the home gateway;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to receive the domain name of the home gateway requested; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to associate the domain name of the home gateway received with the identifier of the PVC received.

16. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for communication with a home gateway, the computer program product comprising:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to receive an identifier of a permanent virtual circuit (PVC) capable of use for communication with the home gateway;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to provide for receipt by the home gateway a message intended to cause the home gateway to provide an identifier of the home gateway;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to receive the identifier of the home gateway requested; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to associate the identifier of the home gateway received with the identifier of the PVC received;

wherein the computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to provide comprise computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to send at least one message using a tunneling protocol.

17. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for communication with a home gateway, the computer program product comprising:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to receive an identifier of a permanent virtual circuit (PVC) capable of use for communication with the home gateway;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to provide for receipt by the home gateway a message intended to cause the home gateway to provide an identifier of the home gateway;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to receive the identifier of the home gateway requested; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to associate the identifier of the home gateway received with the identifier of the PVC received;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to receive a first password for the home gateway;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to provide a message intended for the home gateway that will cause the home gateway to provide a second password;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to receive the second password; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to compare the first password received with the second password received; and

wherein the computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to associate are responsive to the computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to compare.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the messages each comprise a tunneling protocol message.

19. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for communication with a home gateway, the computer program product comprising:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to receive an identifier of a permanent virtual circuit (PVC) capable of use for communication with the home gateway;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to provide for receipt by the home gateway a message intended to cause the home gateway to provide an identifier of the home gateway;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to receive the identifier of the home gateway requested; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to associate the identifier of the home gateway received with the identifier of the PVC received;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to receive at least one communication comprising the identifier of the home gateway and at least one piece of information different from the identifier of the home gateway;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to retrieve at least one identifier of at least one PVC associated with the identifier of the home gateway; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to provide to the home gateway the at least one piece of information via at least one PVC, at least one of said at least one PVC corresponding to the at least one identifier of the at least one PVC retrieved.

20. The computer program product of claim 19:

additionally comprising computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to select at least one of the identifiers of at least one PVC retrieved; and

wherein the computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to provide are responsive to the computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to select.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to select comprise:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to identify a utilization of at least two PVCs corresponding to the at least one identifier retrieved; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to select the identifier of one of the at least two PVCs having the lower utilization identified.

22. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the at least one piece of information comprises a user identifier.

23. A system for communication with a home gateway, comprising:

means for receiving an identifier of a permanent virtual circuit (PVC) capable of use for communication with the home gateway;

means for providing for receipt by the home gateway a message intended to cause the home gateway to provide a domain name of the home gateway;

means for receiving the domain name of the home gateway requested; and

means for associating the domain name of the home gateway received with the identifier of the PVC received.

24. A method of communicating with a home gateway, comprising:

receiving an identifier of a permanent virtual circuit (PVC) capable of use for communication with the home gateway; and

in response to receiving the identifier, sending a message to the home gateway, wherein the message requests the home gateway to provide an identifier of the home gateway.