System and method for quarantining IP service devices

• US 8,683,038 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2010
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Cable Inc. (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chen, John Anthony, Gould, Kenneth, Roosenraad, Christopher R., Filippi, Geoff
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAW, PELING ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US12/692,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20110185061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,520 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor

Abstract

A system and method for quarantining IP service devices (ISDs). When an ISD is placed into a quarantined environment, any request from the ISD will be re-directed to a quarantine alert server in a quarantine sub-system. In response to the request, the quarantine alert server may provide the user with information about the quarantine and may redirect, or instruct the user to redirect, the request to a quarantine response server. The quarantine response server may provide additional information that is not in the quarantine video message as to how the user may end the quarantine.

Claims

1. A method for affecting the behavior of an IP service device (ISD) comprising:

receiving an IP service request from the ISD at a network access device, wherein the network access device is connected to a network;

forwarding by the network access device the IP service request to an IP application server accessible to the network, wherein the forwarded service request comprises an originating MAC address of the network access device;

accessing by the IP application server a quarantine datastore, wherein the quarantine datastore comprises a quarantine status of a plurality of network access devices each of which is associated with a stored MAC address;

determining by the IP application server the quarantine status of the ISD as quarantined when the originating MAC address of the network access device matches one of the plurality of stored MAC addresses; and

determining by the IP application server the quarantine status of the ISD as not quarantined when the originating MAC address of the network access device does not match one of the plurality of stored MAC addresses;

providing by the IP application server the requested IP service when the ISD is not subject to quarantine; and

sending by the IP application server a quarantine message to the ISD when the ISD is subject to quarantine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network access device is a modem.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the ISD is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a telephone handset, and an IP set top box.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the service request is selected from the group consisting of a request for video service and a request for telephone service.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the quarantine message is an audio-video message.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the quarantine message is an audio message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the quarantine message comprises at least one of an explanation of why the ISD is quarantined and an explanation of how to return the ISD to an unquarantined state.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the quarantine datastore is selected from the group consisting of in the IP application server and remote from and accessible to the IP application server via the network.

9. A system for affecting the behavior of an IP service device (ISD) comprising:

a network;

a quarantine datastore accessible from the network;

a network access device connected to the network comprising a first processor; and

an IP application server accessible via the network and comprising a second processor,

wherein the first processor is configured with software executable instructions to cause the first processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving an IP service request from the ISD; and

forwarding the service request to the IP application server, wherein the forwarded service request comprises an originating MAC address of the network access device; and

wherein the second processor is configured with software executable instructions to cause the second processor to perform operations comprising;

accessing the quarantine datastore, wherein the quarantine datastore comprises a quarantine status of a plurality of network access devices each of which is associated with a stored MAC address;

determining the quarantine status of the ISD as quarantined when the originating MAC address of the network access device matches one of the plurality of stored MAC addresses; and

determining the quarantine status of the ISD as not quarantined when the originating MAC address of the network access device does not match one of the plurality of stored MAC addresses;

providing the requested IP service when the ISD is not subject to quarantine; and

sending the ISD a quarantine message when the ISD is subject to quarantine.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the network access device is a modem.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the ISD is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a telephone handset, and an IP set top box.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the service request is selected from the group consisting of a request for video service and a request for telephone service.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the quarantine message is an audio-video message.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the quarantine message is an audio message.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the quarantine message comprises at least one of an explanation of why the ISD is quarantined and an explanation of how to return the ISD to an unquarantined state.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the location of the quarantine datastore is selected from the group consisting of in the IP application server and remote from and accessible to the IP application server via the network.

17. A method for affecting the behavior of an IP service device (ISD) comprising:

receiving a service request from the ISD at a network access device;

forwarding by the network access device the service request to an IP application server accessible to the network, wherein the service request comprises an IP service identifier that identifies the ISD as a registered user of the IP application server;

accessing by the IP application server a subscriber registration datastore, wherein the subscriber registration datastore comprises a record of each ISD that is registered with the IP application server, wherein each record comprises a stored IP service identifier of the ISD to which the record pertains;

determining by the IP application server the quarantine status of the ISD as quarantined when the IP service identifier forwarded in the request matches the stored IP service identifier of one of the plurality of stored records having a quarantine flag;

determining by the IP application server the quarantine status of the ISD as not quarantined when the IP service identifier forwarded in the request does not match the stored IP service identifier of one of the plurality of stored records having the quarantine flag;

deregistering by the IP application server the ISD as a registered user of the IP application server when the quarantine status is quarantined;

re-registering by the IP application server the ISD as a quarantined registered user of the IP application server;

associating by the IP application server the IP service identifier of the quarantined registered user with a quarantine service policy; and

providing services by the IP application server to the quarantined registered user in accordance with the quarantine service policy.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the network access device is a modem.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the ISD is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a telephone handset, and an IP set top box.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the service request is selected from the group consisting of a request for video service and a request for telephone service.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein providing services to the quarantined registered user in accordance with the quarantine service policy comprises responding to the service request with a message selected from the group consisting of an audio-video message and an audio message.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the message comprises at least one of an explanation of why the ISD is quarantined and an explanation of how to return the ISD to an unquarantined state.

23. A system for affecting the behavior of an IP service device (ISD) comprising:

a network;

a subscriber registration datastore accessible from the network;

a network access device connected to the network comprising a first processor; and

an IP application server accessible via the network and comprising a second processor,

wherein the first processor is configured with software executable instructions to cause the first processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a service request from the ISD;

forwarding the service request to an IP application server accessible to the network, wherein the service request comprises an IP service identifier that identifies the ISD as a registered user of the IP application server;

wherein the second processor is configured with software executable instructions to cause the IP application server to perform operations comprising;

accessing a subscriber registration datastore, wherein the subscriber registration datastore comprises a record of each ISD that is registered with the IP application server, wherein each record comprises a stored IP service identifier of the ISD to which the record pertains;

determining the quarantine status of the ISD as quarantined when the IP service identifier forwarded in the request matches the stored IP service identifier of one of the plurality of stored records having a quarantine flag;

determining the quarantine status of the ISD as not quarantined when the IP service identifier forwarded in the request does not match the stored IP service identifier of one of the plurality of stored records having the quarantine flag;

deregistering the ISD as a registered user of the IP application server when the quarantine status is quarantined;

re-registering the ISD as a quarantined registered user of the IP application server;

associating the IP service identifier of the quarantined registered user with a quarantine service policy; and

providing services to the quarantined registered user in accordance with the quarantine service policy.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the network access device is a modem.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the ISD is selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a telephone handset, and an IP set top box.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the service request is selected from the group consisting of a request for video service and a request for telephone service.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the operation of providing services to the quarantined registered user consistent with the quarantine service policy comprises responding to the service request with a message selected from the group consisting of an audio-video message and an audio message.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the message comprises at least one of an explanation of why the ISD is quarantined and an explanation of how to return the ISD to an unquarantined state.