Configuring network devices

• US 9,184,993 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2014
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Holdings LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Garcia, Maurice
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Jr., Otis L
• Application Number:
  US14/336,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20140328186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1407 Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5025 by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/18 Protocol analysers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16

Abstract

Improved systems and methods for configuring network devices are provided. Aspects of the disclosure relate to novel QoS configuration parameters and methods for using QoS configuration parameters to reduce impacts caused by security breach within a network. In one embodiment, a QoS configuration parameter is selected from a plurality of configuration parameters on a central database based upon unique identifying information of a network device and a status signal. In one embodiment, each configuration parameter comprises at least a first parameter for configuring a communication speed of the network device and a second parameter configurable to alter the ability of the network device to communicate with another device in the network. Further aspects of the disclosure relate to providing improved services to an end user. In one embodiment, services may be customized to an end user and allow increased flexibility for both the service provider and the end user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first computing device and based on a determination that a quantity of data transmitted through one or more ports of a network device exceeds a threshold amount, an indication that the network device requires an alteration of a first quality of service associated with a first communication protocol;

retrieving, from a second computing device, an updated quality of service parameter based at least in part on an identifier associated with the network device; and

transmitting the updated quality of service parameter to the network device, wherein the updated quality of service parameter causes alteration of the first quality of service.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving status information regarding the network device, wherein retrieving the updated quality of service parameter is further based on the status information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the receiving the status information comprises receiving information regarding the quantity of data transmitted through the one or more ports of the network device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the receiving the status information comprises receiving information related to emergency calls associated with a user account.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the identifier associated with the network device, wherein the identifier uniquely identifies the network device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises a media access control (MAC) address of the network device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieving the updated quality of service parameter comprises retrieving the updated quality of service parameter from a policy server.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the updated quality of service parameter is compatible with the network device based on the identifier.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises at least one of:

a model number of the network device or a serial number of the network device.

10. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first computing device and based on a determination that a quantity of data transmitted through one or more ports of a network device exceeds a threshold amount, an indication that the network device requires an updated quality of service parameter that alters a communication parameter of the network device;

retrieving, from a second computing device, the updated quality of service parameter based at least in part on status information associated with the network device; and

transmitting the updated quality of service parameter to the network device, wherein the updated quality of service parameter causes alteration of the communication parameter.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving the status information associated with the network device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the status information comprises information regarding the quantity of data transmitted through the one or more ports of the network device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the status information comprises information related to a financial balance associated with a user account.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving an identifier identifying the network device, wherein retrieving the updated quality of service parameter is further based on the identifier.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first computing device and based on a determination that a quantity of data transmitted through one or more ports of a network device exceeds a threshold amount, an indication that the network device requires an updated communication parameter;

retrieving, from a second computing device, the updated communication parameter; and

transmitting the updated communication parameter to the network device, wherein the updated communication parameter causes alteration of a first quality of service associated with a first communication protocol.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the updated communication parameter relates to an alteration of ports available for communication.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the updated communication parameter relates to a communication protocol used by the network device.