System and method for providing multimedia services utilizing a local proxy

• US 8,213,412 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Holdings LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Athias, Franklyn, Ramaswamy, Veeru N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad
• Assistant Examiner(s): GAY, SONIA L
• Application Number:
  US11/238,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20070081519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,469 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/204, 709/227, 709/219, 370/230, 370/401, 370/349, 370/338, 370/351, 370/382, 370/352
• US Class Current: 370/352
• 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 65/1016 IP multimedia subsystem [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1045 Proxies, e.g. for session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1073 Registration or de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]

Abstract

A communications system and method is configured to provide multimedia services utilizing a signaling protocol such as a session initiated protocol (SIP), via a local access network. The method includes providing a local proxy having an internet protocol (IP) address, wherein the local proxy is integrated with the local access network. The method further includes providing a client device having a signaling protocol client, wherein the client device is coupled to a remote access network that is external to the local access network. Additionally, the method includes initiating a session by the client device accessing the IP address of the local proxy.

Claims

1. A method for providing multimedia services, the method comprising:

providing a local proxy having an internet protocol (IP) address, wherein the local proxy is integrated with a local access network and wherein the local proxy is configured to access multimedia services from a core network external to the local access network;

providing a client device compatible with a signaling protocol, wherein the client device is located within a remote access network that is external to the local access network and the core network;

initiating, by the client device, a multimedia session according to the signaling protocol by accessing the IP address of the local proxy through a public IP network that is external to the core network, the remote network, and the local access network;

authenticating the client device at the local proxy;

authorizing the client device at the core network at the request of the local proxy; and

providing multimedia services to the client device from the core network without requiring that the multimedia service be routed through the local proxy.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the signaling protocol includes at least one of a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and a Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP).

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the multimedia session includes a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) session.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

generating commands or messages through the use of the client device; and

configuring a core SIP proxy located in the core network to receive messages from the local proxy and route the messages to network elements of the core network.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the local proxy IP address includes an IP address that corresponds to a fully qualified domain name (FQDN).

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the local proxy is coupled to an embedded multimedia terminal adapter.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the local proxy is coupled to a digital subscriber line modem.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the local proxy is coupled to a cable home device.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the local proxy includes a signal distribution device.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the local access network includes a cable modem termination system or a digital subscriber line access multiplexer that is configured to distribute signals to the core network.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the local access network comprises a hybrid fiber coaxial access network or a digital subscriber line access network.

12. A method according to claim 1, further including communicating with the client device during an in-network SIP session through the use of a dynamic host configuration protocol.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the local proxy is stateful.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein providing multimedia services to the client device from the core network through the local proxy includes receiving multimedia content at a signaling protocol device having one of a multimedia terminal adapter (MTA), an embedded MTA (EMTA), a digital subscriber line (DSL) modem, and a cable home device, wherein the signaling protocol device is located at a customer'"'"'s premises.

14. A communication system comprising:

a local proxy having an internet protocol (IP) address, the local proxy being integrated with a local access network and configured to access multimedia services provided from a core network external to the local access network, and relay messages according to a signaling protocol from at least one client device to a devices of the core network,

wherein the at least one client device comprises a signaling protocol client, the client device being located within a remote access network that is external to the local access network and the core network,

the at least one client device being configured to initiate a multimedia session through the signaling protocol client by accessing the IP address of the local proxy through a public IP network that is external to the local access network, the core network, and the remote access network;

wherein the local proxy is further configured to authenticate the at least one client device at the local proxy and request authorization for the at least one client device from the core network; and

wherein multimedia services are provided to the at least one client device from the core network without requiring that the multimedia service be routed through the local proxy.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the signaling protocol is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and wherein the core network includes a core SIP proxy configured to receive SIP messages from the local proxy, to authorize the client device, and to route the SIP messages to network elements that are operable with the core network.

16. A system according to claim 14, wherein the local proxy IP address corresponds to a fully qualified domain name (FQDN).

17. A system according to claim 14, wherein the local proxy is coupled to an embedded multimedia terminal adapter.

18. A system according to claim 14, wherein the local proxy is coupled to a digital subscriber line modem.

19. A system according to claim 14, wherein the local proxy is coupled to a cable home device.

20. A system according to claim 14, wherein the local access network includes a signal distribution device.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein the signal distribution device includes a cable modem termination system or a digital subscriber line access multiplexer.

22. A system according to claim 14, wherein the local access network includes a hybrid fiber coaxial access network or a digital subscriber line access network.

23. A system according to claim 14, wherein the signal protocol is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and wherein the at least one client device is configured to communicate during an in-network SIP session through the use of a dynamic host configuration protocol.

24. A system according to claim 14, wherein the local proxy is stateful.

25. A system according to claim 14, wherein the signaling protocol is a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and further comprising a protocol translator adapted to translate a SIP session initiated by the client device into a network-based call signaling (NCS) protocol;

and a network-based call signaling type client device that is operable with the at least one client device subsequent to translation of the SIP session into the NCS protocol.

26. A method comprising:

configuring a local proxy with an Internet Protocol (IP) address, wherein the local proxy is integrated with a local access network, and wherein the local access network is external to a core network;

configuring the core network to be operable with a core Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) proxy and a public IP network, wherein the IP network is external the local access network and the core network;

initiating an IP session from a client device that is located within a remote access network by accessing the IP address of the local proxy, wherein the remote access network is external to the core network, the public IP network and the local access network;

transmitting a SIP register message from the client device to the local proxy through the public IP network;

authenticating the client device at the local proxy in response to the SIP register message;

transmitting the SIP register message from the local proxy to the core SIP proxy;

authorizing the client device at the core SIP proxy in response to the SIP register message;

transmitting a SIP invite message from the client device to the local proxy upon authentication and authorization of the SIP register message;

transmitting the SIP invite message from the local proxy to the core SIP proxy; and

receiving SIP enabled multimedia services from the core network at the client device without passing through the local proxy.

27. A method comprising:

receiving, at a local proxy, a signaling protocol register request from a client device located within a remote area network, wherein the local proxy is located in a local network external to the remote area network;

determining, by the local proxy, whether the client device is authentic;

in response to determining that the client device is authentic, forwarding the register request from the local proxy to a core proxy in a core network, wherein the core network is external to the local network and the remote area network;

determining, by the core proxy, whether the client device is authorized to receive multimedia services provided by and originating in the core network; and

in response to determining the client device is authorized, providing multimedia services from the core network to the client device without requiring that the multimedia service be routed through the local proxy.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the local proxy is coupled to an embedded multimedia terminal adapter in the local network.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the local proxy is coupled to a digital subscriber line modem in the local network.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein determining whether the client device is authentic includes determining whether the local proxy has been configured with an identifier associated with the client device.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the identifier includes a client Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) uniform resource identifier (URI).