Soft network interface device for digital broadband local carrier networks
First Claim
1. A soft network interface device for providing a communications interface across a line of demarcation between a customer premises medium and a public digital broadband communication network, comprising:
- a broadband network-side interface for communications connection to a broadband medium at an edge of the public digital broadband communication network, the broadband network-side interface providing two-way conversions between signals transported on the medium of the public digital broadband communication network and signals in an internal protocol;
a customer-side interface for communications connection to the customer premises medium, the customer-side interface providing two-way conversions between signals transported on the customer premises medium and signals in the internal protocol;
an internal link between the broadband network-side interface and the customer-side interface for carrying the signals in the internal protocol between the interfaces;
a programmable data processing system in communication with the interfaces for controlling at least some communications operations through the interfaces; and
programming logic for controlling operation of the programmable data processing system, the programming logic comprising first logic related to a user programmable application, and second logic separate from the first logic, the second logic relating to a service or service feature provided via the public digital broadband communication network, wherein;
the data processing system is capable of receiving network service provisioning data from the public digital broadband communication network via the broadband network-side interface and storing the received network service provisioning data for use by the second logic;
the second logic is for causing the data processing system to control an operation of the soft network interface device relating to a service for the customer premises provided by the public digital broadband communication network, based on the received network service provisioning data;
the data processing system is capable of receiving user programming from the customer premises via the customer-side interface and storing the received user programming for use by the first logic; and
the first logic is for causing the data processing system to control an operation of the soft network interface device at least in part in accord with the received user programming.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
For communications interface across the line of demarcation between the customer premises media and a link of a public digital broadband communication network, a network interface device is “soft” in that it is adaptable to different service applications and readily programmable from both the network-side and the customer-side. A network-side interface provides a communications connection to a broadband network link at an edge of the digital broadband network. A customer-side interface provides communications connection to one or more media in the customer premises, for example, to telephone and LAN wiring within the premises. The soft network interface device also includes a data processing system, for controlling at least some of the communications through the interfaces. The data processing system is capable of being programmed with network service provisioning data from the public network as well as with user programming received from the customer premises.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A soft network interface device for providing a communications interface across a line of demarcation between a customer premises medium and a public digital broadband communication network, comprising:
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a broadband network-side interface for communications connection to a broadband medium at an edge of the public digital broadband communication network, the broadband network-side interface providing two-way conversions between signals transported on the medium of the public digital broadband communication network and signals in an internal protocol;
a customer-side interface for communications connection to the customer premises medium, the customer-side interface providing two-way conversions between signals transported on the customer premises medium and signals in the internal protocol;
an internal link between the broadband network-side interface and the customer-side interface for carrying the signals in the internal protocol between the interfaces;
a programmable data processing system in communication with the interfaces for controlling at least some communications operations through the interfaces; and
programming logic for controlling operation of the programmable data processing system, the programming logic comprising first logic related to a user programmable application, and second logic separate from the first logic, the second logic relating to a service or service feature provided via the public digital broadband communication network, wherein;
the data processing system is capable of receiving network service provisioning data from the public digital broadband communication network via the broadband network-side interface and storing the received network service provisioning data for use by the second logic;
the second logic is for causing the data processing system to control an operation of the soft network interface device relating to a service for the customer premises provided by the public digital broadband communication network, based on the received network service provisioning data;
the data processing system is capable of receiving user programming from the customer premises via the customer-side interface and storing the received user programming for use by the first logic; and
the first logic is for causing the data processing system to control an operation of the soft network interface device at least in part in accord with the received user programming. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A soft network interface device for providing a communications interface across a line of demarcation between a customer premises medium and a public digital broadband communication network, comprising:
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a broadband network-side interface for communications connection to a broadband medium at an edge of the public digital broadband communication network, the broadband network-side interface providing two-way conversions between signals transported on the medium of the public digital broadband communication network and signals in an internal protocol;
a customer-side interface for communications connection to the customer premises medium, the customer-side interface providing two-way conversions between signals transported on the customer premises medium and signals in the internal protocol;
an internal link between the broadband network-side interface and the customer-side interface for carrying the signals in the internal protocol between the interfaces; and
a programmable data processing system in communication with the interfaces for controlling at least some communications operations through the interfaces, wherein;
the data processing system is capable of receiving network service provisioning data from the public digital broadband communication network via the broadband network-side interface;
the data processing system is further for controlling an operation of the soft network interface device relating to a service for the customer premises provided by the public digital broadband communication network, based on the received network service provisioning data, the data processing system is capable of receiving user programming from the customer premises via the customer-side interface;
the data processing system is further for controlling an operation of the soft network interface device at least in part in accord with the received user programming; and
the data processing system comprises;
a first programmable processor associated with the network-side broadband interface, the first programmable processor being capable of receiving the provisioning data and performing at least some of the controlling based on the received network service provisioning data; and
a second programmable processor associated with the customer-side interface for receiving the user programming and performing at least some of the controlling in accord with the received user programming. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A soft network interface device for providing a communications interface across a line of demarcation between media in a customer premises and a public digital broadband communication network, comprising:
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a network-side interface for communications connection to a broadband network link at an edge of the public digital broadband communication network;
a customer-side interface for communications connection to a telephone medium and a broadband digital communications medium in the customer premises;
an internal communications link between the network-side interface and the customer-side interface;
a data processing system controlling at least some communications through the network-side interface and the customer-side interface, for controlling implementation of at least some telephone and digital broadband communications services provided by the public digital broadband communication network through the network-side interface and the customer-side interface to or from the customer premises media;
first programming logic for execution on the data processing system, responsive to user programming received in the data processing system from at least one of the customer premises media via the customer-side interface; and
second programming logic for execution on the data processing system, responsive to network service provisioning data received in the data processing system from the public digital broadband communication network, the second programming logic causing the data processing system to control an operation of the soft network interface device relating to a service for the customer promises provided by the public digital broadband communication network, based on the received network service provisioning data. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A soft network interface device for providing a communications interface across a line of demarcation between media in a customer premises and a public digital broadband communication network, comprising:
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a network-side interface for communications connection to a broadband network link at an edge of the public digital broadband communication network;
a customer-side interface for communications connection to a telephone medium and a broadband digital communications medium in the customer premises;
an internal communications link between the network-side interface and the customer-side interface; and
a data processing system controlling at least some communications through the network-side interface and the customer-side interface, for controlling implementation of at least some telephone and digital broadband communications services provided by the public digital broadband communication network through the network-side interface and the customer-side interface to or from the customer premises media, the data processing system comprising;
a first central processing unit and a first memory, associated with the network-side interface, capable of being programmed with network service provisioning data received from the public digital broadband communication network; and
a second central processing unit and a second memory, associated with the customer-side interface, capable of executing user programming received from at least one of the customer premises media via the customer-side interface. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A software product comprising:
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at least one computer readable medium; and
information carried on the at least one computer readable medium, the information comprising;
a program for execution by at least one central processing unit of a network interface device for providing a communications interface across a line of demarcation between a customer premises medium and a broadband medium of a public digital broadband communication network, wherein;
the program comprises first and second logic, execution of the program causes at least one central processing unit of the network interface device to receive network service provisioning data from the public digital broadband communication network, execution of the program causes at least one central processing unit of the network interface device to receive user programming from the customer premises medium, the first logic comprises at least one user programmable application responsive to the user programming received from the customer premises medium, and execution of the second logic causes at least one central processing unit of the network interface device to control at least some communications through the network interface device so as to control implementation of at least some telephone and digital broadband communications services provided by the public digital broadband communication network through the network interface device to or from the customer premises in accord with the network service provisioning data. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification