Method and apparatus for coordinating a change in service provider between a client and a server

• US 7,069,344 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2001
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Carolan, Sean E., Garrett, John W., Kalmanek, Jr., Charles Robert, Nguyen, Han Q., Ramakrishnan, Kadangode K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEN, ALAN S
• Application Number:
  US09/812,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20010049729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,925 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-250, 725/111
• US Class Current: 709/250
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• 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 12/2898 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 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/306 Route determination based on the nature of the carried application
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/20 Traffic policing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5084 Providing for device mobility network addressing or numbering for mobility support in wireless networks H04W8/26; mobile IP H04W80/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/58 Caching of addresses or names
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols

Abstract

A method of configuring a network access device having a first network address allocated to a subscriber of services of a first service provider provided by a first service network, with a new network address allocated to a subscriber of services of a second service provider provided by a second service network, wherein the network access device is connected to an access network connected to a plurality of service networks. The method comprises the steps of: sending a request from the network access device to the access network requesting a change to a second service provider; receiving a response from the access network; and initiating a network address change request using a configuration protocol. In this manner, a second network address allocated to the subscriber of services of the second service provider is assigned to the network access device to enable the network access device to communicate data packets to the service network providing the selected service. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the subscriber is authenticated by a service activation system coupled to the access network prior to initiating the configuration protocol. Accordingly, the request to the access network includes an authentication request for the subscriber. The response received from the access network therefore includes an authentication status for the subscriber from the second service provider. If the subscriber is authenticated, the client initiates the network address change request.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a single network access device of a computer of a subscriber having a first subscription to a first service provider of a first service network and a second subscription to a second service provider of a second service network, the network access device comprising a cable modem connected through a cable access network to one of the first and second service networks, the method comprising:

receiving, from the subscriber, a first request for access to the first service network;

assigning, to the network access device in response to the first request, a first network address allocated by the cable access network to the first service provider, the first network address used by the network access device to communicate data over the cable access network to the first service network;

receiving, from the subscriber, a second request to change from the first service network to the second service network;

initialing, in response to the second request, a network address change request to release the first network address using a configuration protocol; and

assigning, to the network access device a second network address allocated by the cable access network to the second service provider, the second network address used by the network access device to communicate data over the cable access network to the second service network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second requests include an authentication request for the subscriber.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said initiating further comprises transmitting an authentication status for the subscriber to the second service provider, wherein the network address change request is initiated only when the second service provider authenticates the authentication status of the subscriber.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration protocol is a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second network addresses comprise an Internet Protocol address.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

transmitting to the subscriber a plurality of updated service provider choices to which the subscriber may additionally subscribe.

7. A method of configuring a single network access device of a computer of a subscriber having a first subscription to a first service provider of a first service network and a second subscription to a second service provider of a second service network, the network access device comprising a cable modem connected through a cable access infrastructure to one of the first and second service networks, the method comprising:

receiving, from the subscriber, a first request for access to the first service network;

assigning, to the network access device in response to the first request, a first network address allocated by the cable access infrastructure to the first service provider, the first network address used by the network access device to communicate data over the cable access infrastructure to the first service network;

receiving, from the subscriber, a second request to change from the first service network to the second service network;

initiating, in response to the second request, a network address change request to release the first network address using a dynamic host configuration protocol; and

assigning, to the network access device, a second network address allocated by the cable access infrastructure to the second service provider, the second network address used by the network access device to communicate data over the cable access infrastructure to the second service network.

8. A method of configuring a network access device to obtain a network address allocated to a selected service provider, the network access device comprising a cable modem connected through a cable access network to a plurality of service providers to which the subscriber has subscribed, comprising:

receiving, from the subscriber, a first request for access to a first service provider from the plurality of service providers;

assigning, to the network access device in response to the first request, a first network address allocated by the cable access infrastructure to the network access device for communicating data over the cable access infrastructure to the first service provider;

receiving, from the subscriber, a second request to access a selected service provider from the plurality of service providers, wherein the second request includes an authentication request for the subscriber based on the user credentials;

receiving a response from the cable access network, wherein said response includes an authentication status for the subscriber; and

when the subscriber is authenticated, initiating a network address change request using a host configuration protocol, whereby the first network address allocated to the first service provider is released, and a second network address allocated by the cable access network to the selected service provider is assigned to the network access device, the second network address being utilized by the network access device to communicate data with the selected service provider over the cable access network.

9. The method recited in claim 8, wherein the host configuration protocol is a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP).

10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the network access device receives an Internet Protocol address.

11. A method of configuring a single network access device of a computer of a subscriber having a first subscription to a first service provider of a first service network and a second subscription to a second service provider of a second service network, the network access device comprising a cable modem connected through a cable access network communicating with a service activation system to the first and second service networks, the method comprising:

receiving, from the subscriber, a first request far access to the first service network;

assigning, to the network access device, a first network address allocated by the cable access network to the first service provider for accessing the first service network, in response to the first request;

receiving, from the subscriber, a second request to change from the first service network to the second service network;

sending authentication information for the second service provider to the service activation system;

receiving an authentication status from the service activation system and, if authenticated;

initiating a network address change request using a configuration protocol,

whereby a second network address allocated to the second service provider by the cable access network is assigned to the network access device, the second network address being utilized by the network access device to communicate data packets over the cable access network to the second service network. and the first network address is released.

12. A method of configuring a single network access device of a computer of a subscriber having a first subscription to a first service provider of a first service network and a second subscription to a second service provider of a second service network, the network access device comprising a cable modem connected through a cable access infrastructure having a service activation system to the first and second service networks, the method comprising:

receiving, from the subscriber, a first request for access to the first service network;

assigning, to the network access device, a first network address allocated by the cable access infrastructure to the first service provider for accessing the first service network, in response to the first request;

receiving, from the subscriber, a second request to change from the first service network to the second service network;

sending authentication information for the second service provider to the service activation system;

receiving an authentication status from the service activation system and, if authenticated;

initiating a network address change request using a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP),

whereby a second network address allocated to second service provider by the cable access infrastructure is assigned to the network access device, the second network address being utilized by the network access device to communicate data packets over the cable access infrastructure to the second service network, and the first network address is released.