Methods of providing data services over data networks and related data networks, data service providers, routing gateways and computer program products

• US 7,684,432 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2003
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hill, Sammie Walter, Adamczyk, Maria, Zhang, Li, Cassanova, Jeffery Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOKHARI, SYED M
• Application Number:
  US10/722,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20040228356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,310 Days
• Field of Search: 370/354, 370/400, 370/401, 370/395, 370/352, 370/392, 370/389, 370/463, 370/397, 370/235, 709/217, 709/238, 709/229, 713/201, 375/240
• US Class Current: 370/463
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2887 characterised by the offered subscriber services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

A data network may be operated between a routing gateway for a subscriber and a data service provider providing a data service. More particularly, the data network may receive from the data service provider an identification of the routing gateway, an identification of the data service provider, and data flow characteristics of the data service for a session of the routing gateway using the data service provided by the data service provider. Responsive to receiving the identification of the routing gateway, the identification of the data service provider, and the data flow characteristics for the data service, the data flow characteristics of the data service for the routing gateway may be saved at the data network and forwarded to the routing gateway. Related data networks, data service providers, routing gateways, and computer program products are also discussed.

Claims

1. A method of operating a data network between a routing gateway for a subscriber and an application data service provider providing an application data service wherein the routing gateway is at a customer premises remote from the data network, wherein the application data service provider is located remote from the data network, and wherein the routing gateway is coupled to the data network via a digital subscriber line, the method comprising:

receiving at the data network from the application data service provider an identification of the routing gateway comprising a digital subscriber line identification of the routing gateway, an identification of the application data service provider, and data flow characteristics of the application data service for a session of the routing gateway using the application data service provided by the application data service provider wherein the application data service provider is remote from the data network, and wherein the data flow characteristics of the application data service include a bandwidth characterization for the application data service and a priority characterization for the application data service both received from the application data service provider;

responsive to receiving at the data network the identification of the routing gateway, the identification of the application data service provider, and the data flow characteristics for the application data service, saving the data flow characteristics of the application data service for the routing gateway including the bandwidth characterization and the priority characterization at the data network;

forwarding the data flow characteristics of the application data service from the data network to the routing gateway at the customer premises remote from the data network, wherein forwarding the data flow characteristics to the routing gateway includes forwarding the bandwidth characterization and the priority characterization over the digital subscriber line to the routing gateway at the customer premises remote from the data network;

providing an interconnection between the routing gateway and the application data service provider through the data network and the digital subscriber in accordance with the data flow characteristics to thereby support a session of the routing gateway using the application data service provided by the application data service provider;

after providing the interconnection and completing the session, deleting the data flow characteristics including the bandwidth characterization and the priority characterization saved at the data network for the session of the routing gateway using the application data service provided by the application data service provider; and

after providing the interconnection and completing the session, terminating the interconnection between the routing gateway and the application data service provider to thereby terminate the session of the routing gateway using the application data service provided by the application data service provider.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein receiving further includes receiving an authorization code for the application data service, the method further comprising;

before saving the data flow characteristics, validating the authorization code.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein saving the data flow characteristics at the data network comprises creating an application flow control record for the routing gateway.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein saving the data flow characteristics comprises saving the data flow characteristics at first and second databases within the data network.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the first database is associated with a concentrator and the second database is associated with a service manager.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein receiving is preceded by:

receiving a request from the routing gateway for a session using the application data service provided by the application data service provider; and

forwarding the request from the routing gateway to the application data service provider.

7. A method according to claim 6 further comprising:

providing an interconnection between the routing gateway and the application data service provider in accordance with the data flow characteristics to thereby support a session of the routing gateway using the application data service provided by the application data service provider.

8. A method according to claim 7 further comprising:

deleting the data flow characteristics saved at the data network for the session of the routing gateway using the application data service provided by the application data service provider; and

terminating the interconnection between the routing gateway and the application data service provider to thereby terminate the session of the routing gateway using the application data service provided by the application data service provider.

9. A method according to claim 8 further comprising:

before deleting the data flow characteristics, receiving a request from the application data service provider to delete the data flow characteristics for the session of the routing gateway using the application data service, wherein the data flow characteristics are deleted responsive to receiving the request.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein the application data service comprises gaming, video on demand, and/or access to a virtual private network.

11. A data network providing a data connection between a routing gateway for a subscriber and an application data service provider providing an application data service, wherein the routing gateway is at a customer premises remote from the data network, wherein the application data service provider is remote from the data network, and wherein the routing gateway is coupled to the data network via a digital subscriber line, the data network comprising:

a first transceiver at the data network configured to receive from the application data service provider an identification of the routing gateway comprising a digital subscriber line identification of the routing gateway, an identification of the application data service provider, and data flow characteristics of the application data service for a session of the routing gateway using the application data service provided by the application data service provider wherein the application data service provider is remote from the data network, and wherein the data flow characteristics of the application data service include a bandwidth characterization for the application data service and a priority characterization for the application data service both received from the application data service provider;

a memory at the data network configured to save the data flow characteristics of the application data service for the routing gateway including the bandwidth characterization and the priority characterization at the data network responsive to receiving the identification of the routing gateway, the identification of the application data service provider, and the data flow characteristics for the application data service; and

a second transceiver at the data network configured to forward the data flow characteristics of the application data service to the routing gateway at the customer premises remote from the data network, wherein forwarding the data flow characteristics to the routing gateway includes forwarding the bandwidth characterization and the priority characterization over the digital subscriber line to the routing gateway at the customer premises remote from the data network;

wherein the first and second transceivers are configured to provide an interconnection between the routing gateway and the application data service provider through the data network in accordance with the data flow characteristics to thereby support a session of the routing gateway using the application data service provided by the application data service provider;

wherein after providing the interconnection and completing the session, the memory is configured to delete the data flow characteristics saved at the data network for the session of the routing gateway using the application data service provided by the application data service provider; and

wherein after providing the interconnection and completing the session, the first and second transceivers are configured to terminate the interconnection between the routing gateway and the application data service provider to thereby terminate the session of the routing gateway using the application data service provided by the application data service provider.

12. A data network according to claim 11 wherein the first transceiver is further configured to receive an authorization code for the application data service, and wherein the memory is further configured to validate the authorization code before saving the data flow characteristics.

13. A data network according to claim 11 wherein the memory is further configured to save the data flow characteristics at the data network as an application flow control record for the routing gateway.

14. A data network according to claim 11 wherein the memory is further configured to save the data flow characteristics at first and second databases within the data network.

15. A data network according to claim 14 wherein the first database is associated with a concentrator and the second database is associated with a service manager.

16. A data network according to claim 11 wherein the second transceiver is further configured to receive a request from the routing gateway for a session using the application data service provided by the application data service provider, and wherein the first transceiver is further configured to forward the request from the routing gateway to the application data service provider wherein the first transceiver is still further configured to receive the identification of the routing gateway, the identification of the application data service provider, and the data flow characteristics of the application data service for a session of the routing gateway after forwarding the request from the routing gateway.

17. A data network according to claim 16 wherein the first and second transceivers are further configured to provide an interconnection between the routing gateway and the application data service provider in accordance with the data flow characteristics to thereby support a session of the routing gateway using the application data service provided by the application data service provider.

18. A data network according to claim 17 wherein the memory is further configured to delete the data flow characteristics saved at the data network for the session of the routing gateway using the application data service provided by the application data service provider, and wherein the first and second transceivers are further configured to terminate the interconnection between the routing gateway and the application data service provider to thereby terminate the session of the routing gateway using the application data service provided by the application data service provider.

19. A data network according to claim 18 wherein the first transceiver is further configured to receive a request from the application data service provider to delete the data flow characteristics for the session of the routing gateway using the application data service, and wherein the memory is further configured to delete the data flow characteristics responsive to receiving the request to delete the application data flow characteristics.

20. A data network according to claim 11 wherein the application data service comprises gaming, video on demand, and/or access to a virtual private network.