System and method for broadband roaming connectivity using DSL

• US 6,963,579 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2001
• Issued: 11/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Wireless Corporation (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Suri, Atul
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang Bin
• Application Number:
  US09/810,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20020131436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,698 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401, 370/419, 370/420, 370/421, 370/422, 370/449, 370/452, 370/463, 370/535, 713/150, 713/160, 713/161, 713/168
• US Class Current: 370/420
• 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 12/2859 Point-to-point connection between the data network and the subscribers encapsulation H04L12/4633; virtual LANs H04L12/4641; routing of packets H04L45/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2889 Multiservice, e.g. MSAN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/062 using different frequency bands for speech and other data

Abstract

A broadband communication appliance allows multiple, simultaneous access by a multiplicity of users to a high-speed broadband wide area network connection. Multiple data lines, facilitated within a user premises are aggregated, by high-density connectors, into a system that includes multiple DSL modems, coupled to a wide area network through a high-speed network interface device. Data service requests are detected and particular ones of the DSL modems are assigned to service a particular data line. Bi-directional communication, using the modem bank, is concentrated through the high-speed network interface device, such that multiple users are able to obtain broadband connectivity, using DSL data rates. Users are authenticated as DSL subscribers, by maintaining their subscription profile information on an authentication server. The system retrieves a subscriber'"'"'s profile information from their local authentication server, and maintains it locally, such that a user is able to effect DSL communication in accordance with DSL service, as obtained from their own service provider. A user is able to therefore “roam” while maintaining DSL connectivity.

Claims

1. A self-contained data communication system of the type providing simultaneous broadband connectivity to multiple access locations at DSL rates, the system configured for installation in a user premises having multiple subscriber access location ports, the system comprising:

a multiplicity of subscriber data signal lines, each subscriber line coupled between the system and a subscriber port of a user premises;

a plurality of line cards, disposed within a housing, each line card further including;

a DSL modem bank; and

detector circuitry coupled between the modem bank and the multiplicity of subscriber signal lines, the detector circuitry polling the signal lines to thereby detect a request for data service;

a control processor, the processor assigning a particular one of the DSL modems comprising the modem bank to a subscriber upon detection of a request for data service on a particular subscriber signal line;

a WAN/trunk card, disposed within the housing and coupled to the plurality of line cards by a signal bus, the WAN/trunk card connected between each modem bank and a wide area network so as to effect bi-directional broadband communication therebetween;

in-band authentication means for communicating with a remote record storage facility;

a memory storage area configured to receive and maintain subscriber record information provided by the remote record storage facility; and

wherein access to a broadband connection to the wide area network is granted in accordance with subscriber record information maintained in the memory storage area; and

wherein the remote record storage facility comprises a plurality of authentication servers, each authentication server disposed within and servicing a particular geographic area, each authentication server receiving individual subscriber profile information from DSL service providers within the geographic region and storing said individual subscriber profile information in a respective database.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein each line card includes sixteen DSL modems, each line card further configured to couple to 128 subscriber signal lines through high density connectors, each line card controlling access to particular ones of the modems by all 128 subscriber signal lines.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein each housing is configured to include four line cards, the system configured to provide simultaneous access by sixty four DSL modems to a wide area network, each housing defined system providing broadband connectivity to 512 subscriber signal lines.

4. The system according to claim 1, each subscriber receiving a unique subscriber identification indicia, the subscriber identification indicia including an address identifier portion indicating a subscriber'"'"'s home authentication server.

5. The system according to claim 4, the system interrogating a subscriber'"'"'s home authentication server in accordance with the subscriber identification indicia, the authentication server returning an authorized subscribers individual subscriber profile information, the system granting broadband access to the wide area network to the subscriber solely in accordance with the individual subscriber profile information.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the system stores individual subscriber profile information in the memory storage area, the system granting a subscriber broadband access in accordance with stored individual subscriber profile information upon second and subsequent connection sessions.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the WAN/trunk card further comprises:

a WAN connection portion;

a control portion, the control portion further including;

a control processor; and

out-of-band communication means, the out-of-band communication means bi-directionally communicating with a network management system; and

wherein the control portion is functionally bifurcated from the WAN portion, such that the WAN portion may be implemented in accordance with a multiplicity of communication interface methodologies interchangeably.

8. A method for providing simultaneous broadband connectivity to multiple access locations implemented in a premises remote from a user'"'"'s home service location, the method comprising the steps of:

aggregating a multiplicity of subscriber data lines;

polling the data lines so as to detect a request for data service on particular ones thereof;

servicing multiple simultaneous data service requests through a plurality of DSL modems;

concentrating multiple DSL communication sessions through a wide area network interface so as to facilitate multiple simultaneous communication sessions between a wide area network and multiple users using broadband access from a premises remote from and unrelated to a user'"'"'s home location;

interrogating a user for an identification indicia upon receipt of a data service request;

establishing an in-band communication channel with a remote record storage facility;

receiving subscriber record information, associated with the user, provided by the remote record storage facility; and

granting access to a broadband connection to the wide area network in accordance with the subscriber record information;

wherein the remote record storage facility comprises a plurality of authentication servers, each authentication server disposed within and servicing a particular geographic area, each authentication server receiving individual subscriber profile information from DSL service providers within the geographic region and storing said individual subscriber profile information in a respective database.

9. The method according to claim 8, each subscriber receiving a unique subscriber identification indicia, the subscriber identification indicia including an address identifier portion indicating a subscriber'"'"'s home authentication server.

10. The method according to claim 9, the system interrogating a subscriber'"'"'s home authentication server in accordance with the subscriber identification indicia, the authentication server returning an authorized subscriber'"'"'s individual subscriber profile information, the system granting broadband access to the wide area network to the subscriber solely in accordance with the individual subscriber profile information.

11. The system according to claim 10, further comprising:

storing individual subscriber profile information in a local memory storage area; and

granting a subscriber broadband access in accordance with stored individual subscriber profile information upon second and subsequent connection sessions.

12. A method for authenticating simultaneous broadband connectivity requests by a plurality of users coupled to multiple access locations implemented in a premises remote from a user'"'"'s home service location, the method comprising:

assigning each subscribing user a unique identification indicia;

associating the identification indicia with the user'"'"'s subscription profile information;

storing the user'"'"'s subscription profile information in a database hosted by one of a plurality of authentication server systems, each authentication server disposed within and servicing a particular geographic area, each authentication server receiving individual subscription profile information from DSL service providers within the geographic region;

interrogating a user for their identification indicia upon receipt of a data service request;

establishing a communication channel with the authentication server;

receiving a user'"'"'s subscription profile information from the authentication server; and

granting access to a broadband connection to a wide area network in accordance with the user'"'"'s subscription profile information.

13. The method according to claim 12, each subscriber identification indicia including an address identifier portion indicating a subscriber'"'"'s home authentication server.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

storing individual subscriber profile information in a local memory storage area; and

granting a subscriber broadband access in accordance with stored individual subscriber profile information upon second and subsequent connection sessions.