Utilizing a gateway for brokering and/or arbitrating service consumption options

• US 9,349,025 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2015
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Chen, Xuemin, Diab, Wael, Garrett, David, Lundgren, David, Prodan, Rich
• Primary Examiner(s): Sam, Phirin
• Application Number:
  US14/696,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20150229492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0215 Including financial accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1453 Methods or systems for payment or settlement of the charges for data transmission involving significant interaction with the data transmission network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2838 Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6402 Hybrid switching fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/32 Specific management aspects for broadband networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5019 Ensuring fulfilment of SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/302 Route determination based on requested QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2491 Mapping quality of service [QoS] requirements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 : QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 : for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 : Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 : for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/205 : involving negotiation or determination of the one or more network security mechanisms to be used, e.g. by negotiation between the client and the server or between peers or by selection according to the capabilities of the entities involved negotiation of communication capabilities H04L69/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/102 : Gateways arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways, H04L12/66
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1023 : Media gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 : in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1033 : Signalling gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 : at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/40 : Support for services or applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 : Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 : for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 : Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1078 : Resource delivery mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 : Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 : Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 : Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 : Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4353 : involving decryption of additional data arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 : Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 : Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/462 : Content or additional data management, e.g. creating a master electronic program guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end, controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 : End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6106 : specially adapted to the downstream path of the transmission network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/632 : using a connection between clients on a wide area network, e.g. setting up a peer-to-peer communication via Internet for retrieving video segments from the hard-disk of other client devices broadcast-related systems characterised by transmission among terminal devices H04H60/80; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6371 : directed to network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6373 : for rate control , e.g. request to the server to modify its transmission rate flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 : for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 : Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/086 : using security domains
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/265 : taking into account the quality of service QoS
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/00 : Reducing energy consumption in communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 : Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

A broadband gateway may provision services requested in a home network managed and/or serviced by the broadband gateway by a user associated with the broadband gateway, based on determination of criteria related to the requested service. The requested service may comprise obtaining and/or delivering content for consumption by one or more of a plurality of devices serviced by the broadband gateway in the home network. The criteria may comprise device related data, user preference related information, service performance related parameters, payment related information, and/or energy use related information. The broadband gateway may store information associated with the determined criteria. Provisioning requested services may comprise negotiating with at least one remote resource that may support at least a portion of the requested service. The negotiation may comprise brokering and/or arbitrating a plurality of options of remote resources utilized for providing the at least a portion of the requested service.

Claims

1. A method of using a broadband gateway, the broadband gateway being configured for communication with a distribution network and comprising devices in a home network, the home network comprising the devices and the broadband gateway, the home network being associated with a location of the devices and the broadband gateway, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a service at the broadband gateway for at least one of the devices on the home network, wherein the service comprises providing content;

searching by the broadband gateway for a plurality of providers of the content in communication with the distribution network; and

receiving the content from a selected provider of the providers of the content, wherein the selected provider is chosen by the broadband gateway in response to user criteria comprising a quality of service preference, wherein the selected provider is chosen at least in part to latency or error rate of the selected provider being acceptable with respect to the quality of service preference.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein options for the service are stored in a database, wherein the database comprises option characteristics for each option, the option characteristics comprising a provider identification, wherein the database comprises the user criteria, the user criteria comprising device attributes for the devices in communication with the broadband gateway, wherein the device attributes comprise device capabilities related to display resolution, video modes, compression protocols, connection bandwidth, and audio channels supported, wherein the user criteria further comprises a profile, the profile comprising quality of service preferences, payment preferences, and price preferences.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the providers are each a unique combination of a content provider and a service provider.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the database comprises option characteristics for each option, the option characteristics comprising a quality, time and price characteristic.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the user criteria comprises a profile comprising the quality of service preference.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the database is stored in the broadband gateway.

7. A method in a broadband gateway for communication with a plurality of devices, the broadband gateway being configured for communication with a distribution network and a home network comprising devices, the home network being associated with a location of the devices and the broadband gateway, the method comprising:

receiving a request from one of the devices for a service via the broadband gateway, wherein the service comprises providing content;

selecting a selected provider among a plurality of providers of the service accessible via the distribution network, wherein the selected provider is chosen by the broadband gateway using provider identification for the service, a time characteristic and a price characteristic, wherein the broadband gateway chooses the selected provider in response to a list of preferred providers; and

receiving the content by the broadband gateway from the selected provider.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein a database comprises criteria comprising device attributes for the devices associated with the broadband gateway, wherein the device attributes comprise device capabilities related to display resolution, video modes, compression protocols, connection bandwidth, or audio channels supported, wherein the criteria further comprises a profile, the profile comprising quality of service preferences, provider preferences, payment preferences, or price preferences, wherein the selected provider is selected using the device attributes.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the database comprises a quality characteristic.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein selecting a selected provider further comprises:

requesting an adjustment to price, time of delivery or quality from at least one of the service providers.

11. A system, comprising:

one or more circuits, one or more processors, or any combination thereof for use in a broadband gateway, the broadband gateway being configured for communication with a distribution network and a home network, the home network comprising devices, the home network being associated with a location of the devices and the broadband gateway, the one or more circuits, one or more processors, or any combination thereof being operable to;

receive a request for a service associated with at least one remote resource via the broadband gateway, the service being a delivery of video;

determine an offering value for each of a plurality of options for the service;

determine an offset for the offering value for at least one offering value; and

select a selected option from the plurality of options for the service, wherein the selected option is chosen by the broadband gateway in response to user criteria, the offering value and the offset.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the one or more circuits, one or more processors, or any combination thereof comprises an interface for communicatively coupling the devices, wherein the broadband gateway is operable to handle at least one physical layer connection to at least one network access service provider.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the one or more circuits, one or more processors, or any combination thereof is operable to select the selected option using a pricing preference.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the one or more circuits, one or more processors, or any combination thereof is operable to determine at least one of a capability associated with at least one of the devices used in conjunction with the service or energy use related information and selects in response to the capability or energy use related information.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein the one or more circuits, one or more processors, or any combination thereof is operable to store a database of device attributes and a user profile for use in selecting the selected option.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the database stores options for the service and a selected provider is selected from the options.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the options include the delivery of the content from a first content provider and the delivery of content from a second content provider.

18. The system according to claim 15, further comprising searching, by the broadband gateway, for the options.

19. The system according to claim 15, wherein the options include the delivery of the content from a first combination of content provider and service provider and the delivery of content from a second combination of content provider and service provider.

20. The system according to claim 15, wherein the database comprises at least one of power consumption preferences, payment preferences, or provider preferences.