Systems and methods for centralized control and management of a broadband wireless network with data processing, and enforcement distributed to the network edge

• US 7,512,131 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schwegman Lundberg & Woessner PA
• Original Assignee: Schwegman Lundberg & Woessner PA
• Inventors: Torarp, Karl-Johan Yngve, Svensson, Lars Olof Hugo
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad; Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ho; Chuong T
• Application Number:
  US10/837,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20050185656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,793 Days
• Field of Search: 370397-399, 370/395.2, 370/395.21, 370/395.3, 370/395.31, 370/3, 370/31, 370328-338, 370/465, 370352-356, 370/401, 455/435.3, 455/435.2, 455/411, 455/410, 455/452.2, 455/524, 455/525, 455/422.1
• US Class Current: 370/395.21
• 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: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus for operating and deploying a broadband wireless network including at least one data transmission node and a plurality of CPE units, wherein the data transmission node and the CPE units are connected at least in part using a wireless data link, wherein each of a plurality of the CPE units provide a respective subscriber access to a broadband wireless network in communication with the data transmission node. According to one embodiment, the methods and apparatus can include a network operating center device including a feature allowing the broadband wireless carrier to procure management of the broadband wireless network from a second party that operates the network operating center device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

deploying a broadband wireless network having at least one data transmission node and a plurality of CPE units;

connecting the plurality of CPE units to an access point for the Internet using the at least one data transmission node, wherein there is a wireless data link at least in part between the data transmission node and the CPE units, and wherein network data traffic passes through the at least one data transmission node and the CPE units;

using a gateway unit to establish an authorized data path between individual ones of the CPE units and the access point, wherein the gateway unit is not required to perform data stream prioritization or queuing to control the flow of data between the CPE units and the Internet; and

initially deploying the broadband wireless network with at least one gateway unit and adding CPE units to the broadband wireless network substantially incrementally so that at least a part of the capability to control the network data traffic is added to the broadband wireless network substantially incrementally as opposed to being a capability required by the gateway unit when the broadband wireless network is initially deployed;

wherein the management and configuration of the network is managed centrally and at least one of authorization, authentication, data stream prioritization or queuing is accomplished through the operation of the CPE units.

2. A method according to claim 1 further management and configuration of the network is managed using a device that communicates with CPE units and the data transmission nodes.

3. A method according to claim 1 further wherein the data transmission node includes routing capability.

4. A method according to claim 1 further wherein the data transmission node is located with at least one CPE unit.

5. A method according to claim 1 further including a network supervision and management device holding an original configuration file for each CPE unit wherein each CPE unit further includes a configuration file that includes an address reference to one or more of the supervision and management devices thereby providing for connectivity to the supervision and management devices and capability of redundancy when more than one supervision and management device is referenced.

6. A method according to claim 1 further wherein the CPE unit includes dynamically or statically assigned Internet address, a media access control (MAC) address and a unique a permanent CPE ID.

7. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the supervision and management device authenticating and authorizing a data transmission node and further including the supervision and management device authenticating and authorizing a CPE unit communicating through the data transmission node.

8. A method according to claim 1 further wherein the data transmission node routes data packets between a CPE unit and a target data transmission node, and further wherein the data transmission node is capable of prioritizing certain ones of the data packets for routing through the data transmission node.

9. A method according to claim 1 further including network management equipment enabling subscribers to self-provision.

10. A method comprising:

operating a broadband wireless network using at least one data transmission node and a plurality of CPE units;

connecting the plurality of CPE units to an access point for the Internet using the at least one data transmission node, wherein there is a wireless data link at least in part between the data transmission node and the CPE units, and wherein network data traffic passes through the at least one data transmission node and the CPE units;

using a gateway unit to establish an authorized data path between individual ones of the CPE units and the access point, wherein the gateway unit is not required to perform data stream prioritization or queuing to control the flow of data between the CPE units and the Internet; and

initially deploying the broadband wireless network with at least one gateway unit and adding CPE units to the broadband wireless network substantially incrementally so that at least a part of the capability to control the network data traffic is added to the broadband wireless network substantially incrementally as opposed to being a capability required by the gateway unit when the broadband wireless network is initially deployed;

wherein the data transmission node communicates with a plurality of CPE units and wherein at least one of class of service, data stream priority, queuing, authentication or authorization is accomplished at the CPE unit.

11. A method comprising:

operating a broadband wireless network using at least one data transmission node and a plurality of CPE units;

connecting the plurality of CPE units to an access point for the Internet using the at least one data transmission node, wherein there is a wireless data link at least in part between the data transmission node and the CPE units, and wherein network data traffic passes through the at least one data transmission node and the CPE units;

using a gateway unit to establish an authorized data path between individual ones of the CPE units and the access point, wherein the gateway unit is not required to perform data stream prioritization or queuing to control the flow of data between the CPE units and the Internet; and

initially deploying the broadband wireless network with at least one gateway unit and adding CPE units to the broadband wireless network substantially incrementally so that at least a part of the capability to control the network data traffic is added to the broadband wireless network substantially incrementally as opposed to being a capability required by the gateway unit when the broadband wireless network is initially deployed;

wherein the data transmission node communicates with a plurality of CPE units and wherein the CPE units store a policy that includes parameterization of the user experience including at least in part one of class of service, data stream priority, queuing, authentication or authorization.

12. A method comprising:

at least one broadband wireless carrier managing a broadband wireless network using at least one data transmission node and a plurality of CPE units;

connecting the plurality of CPE units to an access point for the Internet using the at least one data transmission node, wherein there is a wireless data link at least in part between the data transmission node and the CPE units, and wherein network data traffic passes through the at least one data transmission node and the CPE units;

using a gateway unit to establish an authorized data path between individual ones of the CPE units and the access point, wherein the gateway unit is not required to perform data stream prioritization or queuing to control the flow of data between the CPE units and the Internet; and

initially deploying the at least one broadband wireless carrier with at least one gateway unit and adding CPE units to the at least one broadband wireless carrier substantially incrementally so that at least a part of the capability to control the network data traffic is added to the at least one broadband wireless carrier substantially incrementally as opposed to being a capability required by the gateway unit when the at least one broadband wireless carrier is initially deployed;

wherein each of a plurality of the CPE units provide a respective subscriber access to a broadband wireless network in communication with the data transmission node, wherein at least one subscriber interacts with one CPE entering information for authorization and authentication which is submitted to a network operating center device on an open address-restricted communication channel and wherein the network operating center initiates an encrypted, secure communication channel for the subscriber.

13. Apparatus comprising:

a broadband wireless network having at least one data transmission node and a plurality of CPE units, wherein there is a wireless data link at least in part between the data transmission node and the CPE units for connecting the plurality of CPE units to an access point for the internet, and further including a central management system adapted to manage and configure the network, and further wherein the CPE units are adapted to control at least one of authorization, authentication, data stream prioritization or queuing;

wherein the data transmission node includes a gateway unit that is adapted to establish an authorized data path between individual ones of the CPE units and the gateway unit;

so that the management and configuration of the broadband wireless network is managed centrally from the central management system and authorization, authentication, data stream prioritization or queuing is accomplished through the operation of the CPE units; and

so that the broadband wireless network is initially deployed with at least one gateway unit, and CPE units can be added to the network substantially incrementally so that the capability to control the network data traffic is added to the broadband wireless network substantially incrementally as opposed to being a capability required by the gateway unit when the network is initially deployed.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 further including a device that communicates with CPE units and the data transmission nodes and is adapted to manage and configure the network.

15. Apparatus according to claim 13 further wherein the data transmission node is adapted to include routing capability.

16. Apparatus according to claim 13 further wherein the data transmission node is located with at least one CPE unit.

17. Apparatus according to claim 13 further including a network supervision and management device holding an original configuration file for each CPE unit wherein each CPE unit further includes a configuration file that includes an address reference to one or more of the supervision and management devices thereby providing for connectivity to the supervision and management devices and capability of redundancy when more than one supervision and management device is referenced.

18. Apparatus according to claim 13 further wherein the CPE unit includes dynamically or statically assigned Internet address, a media access control (MAC) address and a unique a permanent CPE ID.

19. Apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising the supervision and management device adapted to authenticate and authorize a data transmission node and further wherein the supervision and management device is adapted to authenticate and authorize a CPE unit communicating through the data transmission node.

20. Apparatus according to claim 13 further wherein the data transmission node is adapted to route data packets between a CPE unit and a target data transmission node, and further wherein the data transmission node is adapted to prioritize certain ones of the data packets for routing through the data transmission node.

21. Apparatus according to claim 13 further including network management equipment enabling subscribers to self-provision.

22. Apparatus comprising:

a broadband wireless network having at least one data transmission node and a plurality of CPE units, wherein there is a wireless data link at least in part between the data transmission node and the CPE units for connecting the plurality of CPE units to an access point for the internet, wherein the data transmission node is adapted to communicate with a plurality of CPE units and wherein the CPE units are adapted to control at least one of class of service, data stream priority, queuing, authentication or authorization;

wherein the data transmission node includes a gateway unit that is adapted to establish an authorized data path between individual ones of the CPE units and the gateway unit;

so that the management and configuration of the broadband wireless network is managed centrally from and authorization, authentication, data stream prioritization or queuing is accomplished through the operation of the CPE units; and

so that the broadband wireless network is initially deployed with at least one gateway unit, and CPE units can be added to the network substantially incrementally so that the capability to control the network data traffic is added to the broadband wireless network substantially incrementally as opposed to being a capability required by the gateway unit when the network is initially deployed.

23. Apparatus comprising:

a broadband wireless network having at least one data transmission node and a plurality of CPE units, wherein there is a wireless data link at least in part between the data transmission node and the CPE units for connecting the plurality of CPE units to an access point for the internet, wherein the data transmission node is adapted to communicate with a plurality of CPE units and wherein the CPE units store a policy that includes parameterization of the user experience including at least in part one of class of service, data stream priority, queuing, authentication or authorization;

wherein the data transmission node includes a gateway unit that is adapted to establish an authorized data path between individual ones of the CPE units and the gateway unit;

so that the management and configuration of the broadband wireless network is managed centrally from and authorization, authentication, data stream prioritization or queuing is accomplished through the operation of the CPE units; and

so that the broadband wireless network is initially deployed with at least one gateway unit, and CPE units can be added to the network substantially incrementally so that the capability to control the network data traffic is added to the broadband wireless network substantially incrementally as opposed to being a capability required by the gateway unit when the network is initially deployed.

24. Apparatus comprising:

a broadband wireless network having at least one data transmission node and a plurality of CPE units and at least one broadband wireless carrier managing the broadband wireless network, wherein there is a wireless data link at least in part between the data transmission node and the CPE units, wherein each of a plurality of the CPE units are adapted to provide a respective subscriber access to a broadband wireless network in communication with the data transmission node;

wherein at least one subscriber interacts with one CPE entering information for authorization and authentication which is submitted to a network operating center device on an open address-restricted communication channel, and wherein the network operating center is adapted to initiate an encrypted, secure communication channel for the subscriber;

wherein the data transmission node includes a gateway unit that is adapted to establish an authorized data path between individual ones of the CPE units and the gateway unit;

so that the management and configuration of the broadband wireless network is managed centrally from and authorization, authentication, data stream prioritization or queuing is accomplished through the operation of the CPE units; and

so that the broadband wireless network is initially deployed with at least one gateway unit, and CPE units can be added to the network substantially incrementally so that the capability to control the network data traffic is added to the broadband wireless network substantially incrementally as opposed to being a capability required by the gateway unit when the network is initially deployed.