Method for replacing a network interface device

• US 8,655,979 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2003
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Phillips, Bruce A., Casey, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): GEORGANDELLIS, ANDREW C
• Application Number:
  US10/652,718
• Publication Number:
  US 20040153577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,827 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 370/249
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/005 with transmission via computer network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/005 Interface circuits for subscriber lines current supply H04M19/00 and subgroups; supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements H04M3/22 and subgroups; in key telephone systems H04M9/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4886 for displaying a ticker, e.g. scrolling banner for news, stock exchange, weather data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 : Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 : Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/108 : the cable being constituted by a pair of wires
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 : between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085

Abstract

A method of replacing a network demarcation device that isolates an internal transport medium from an external transport medium includes establishing a connection from a service computer to the demarcation device via a service interface of the demarcation device and accessing a storage arrangement of the demarcation device with the service computer. The method also includes using the service computer to select configuration information of the demarcation device and establishing a connection between the service computer and a service interface of the replacement demarcation device. The method also includes using the service computer to cause the selected configuration information to be transferred from the demarcation device to the replacement demarcation device interfacing the replacement demarcation device to the internal transport medium and the external transport medium.

Claims

1. A method of replacing a first network demarcation device, the method, comprising:

establishing a first connection from a service computer to the first network demarcation device via a service interface of the first network demarcation device, wherein the first network demarcation device isolates an internal transport medium from an external transport medium;

accessing a storage arrangement of the first network demarcation device with the service computer;

using the service computer to select configuration information of the first network demarcation device;

establishing a second connection between a copy interface of the first network demarcation device and a copy interface of a replacement demarcation device;

using the service computer to cause the selected configuration information to be transferred from the first network demarcation device to the replacement demarcation device;

interfacing the replacement demarcation device to the internal transport medium and the external transport medium, wherein the internal transport medium comprises a customer'"'"'s premises having a plurality of telecommunication services provisioned via the replacement network demarcation device and wherein the external transport medium comprises a telecommunication services network through which a plurality of telecommunication services are simultaneously provided to a customer'"'"'s premises; and

attaching the replacement demarcation device to an exterior wall of the customer'"'"'s premises.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing the storage arrangement of the first network demarcation device with the service computer comprises accessing a microserver of the first network demarcation device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the copy interface of the first network demarcation device or the copy interface of the replacement demarcation device comprises a selection from a group consisting of USB, RJ-45 (Ethernet), Firewire, 802.11b, Blue Tooth, and any high speed data interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the service interface comprises an interface based on a RJ-45 10BaseT interface.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing the replacement demarcation device to register with the external transport medium.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein using the service computer to cause the selected configuration information to be transferred from the first network demarcation device to the replacement demarcation device comprises causing the selected configuration information to flow through the connection between the copy interface of the first network demarcation device and the copy interface of the replacement demarcation device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein interfacing the replacement demarcation device to the internal transport medium and the external transport medium comprises establishing a third connection such that both the replacement demarcation device and the first network demarcation device are simultaneously connected to both the internal transport medium and the external transport medium.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the replacement demarcation device and the first network demarcation device are simultaneously connected to both the internal transport medium and the external transport medium in parallel.

9. A method of replacing a network demarcation device, the method comprising:

establishing a first connection from a service computer to the first network demarcation device via a service interface of the first network demarcation device, wherein the first network demarcation device isolates an internal transport medium from an external transport medium;

accessing a storage arrangement of the first network demarcation device with the service computer;

using the service computer to select configuration information of the first network demarcation device;

establishing a second connection between the service computer and a service interface of a replacement demarcation device;

using the service computer to cause the selected configuration information to be transferred from the first network demarcation device to the replacement demarcation device;

interfacing the replacement demarcation device to the internal transport medium and the external transport medium, wherein the internal transport medium comprises a customer'"'"'s premises having a plurality of telecommunication services provisioned via the replacement network demarcation device and wherein the external transport medium comprises a telecommunication services network through which a plurality of telecommunication services are simultaneously provided to a customer'"'"'s premises; and

attaching the replacement demarcation device to an exterior wall of the customer'"'"'s premises.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein accessing the storage arrangement of the first network demarcation device with the service computer comprises accessing a microserver of the first network demarcation device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the service interface of the first network demarcation device or the service interface of the replacement demarcation device comprises an interface based on a RJ-45 10BaseT interface.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising causing the replacement demarcation device to register with the external transport medium.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein using the service computer to cause the selected configuration information to be transferred from the first network demarcation device to the replacement demarcation device comprises causing the selected configuration information to flow through the service computer.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein interfacing the replacement demarcation device to the internal transport medium and the external transport medium comprises establishing a third connection such that both the replacement demarcation device and the first network demarcation device are simultaneously connected to both the internal transport medium and the external transport medium.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the replacement demarcation device and the first network demarcation device are simultaneously connected to both the internal transport medium and the external transport medium in parallel.

16. A system for replacing a first network demarcation device, comprising:

a service computer;

an interface between the service computer and the first network demarcation device, wherein the first network demarcation device isolates an internal transport medium from an external transport medium; and

means for transferring configuration information from the first network demarcation device to a replacement demarcation device that is attached to an exterior wall of a customer'"'"'s premises;

wherein the service computer is operable to access a storage arrangement of the first network demarcation device, select at least a portion of the configuration information of the first network demarcation device, and cause the at least portion of the configuration information selected to be transferred from the first network demarcation device to the replacement demarcation device, wherein the internal transport medium comprises the customer'"'"'s premises network having a plurality of telecommunication services provisioned via the first network demarcation device, and wherein the external transport medium comprises a telecommunication services network through which a plurality of telecommunication services are simultaneously provided to the customer'"'"'s premises.