Wireless Gateway Supporting A Plurality of Networks

• US 20110044304A1
• Filed: 08/19/2009
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Connelly, Michael, Rubin, Louis, Maharana, Bhagabati Prasad
• Granted Patent: US 8,891,483 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/60 based on actual use of network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0033 with transfer of context information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/10 adapted for application session management, e.g. SIP [Session Initiation Protocol] connection management H04W76/00; arrangements for session management H04L67/14

Abstract

In accordance with various aspects of the disclosure, systems and methods are illustrated for an apparatus comprising a modem component, a wireless communications component, at least one processor, and at least one tangible electronic memory storing data and numerous computer-executable modules to enable wireless hotspots with multiple network identifiers. Examples of at least some of the computer-executable modules includes, but is not limited to an input module, network identifier module, session management module, network management module, automatic location management module, authentication module, bandwidth negotiation module, billing interface module, and activity-based location module.

Claims

1. A wireless router comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the router to perform the following;

maintain separate public and private wireless networks within a wireless range of the router;

establish a communication session with a wireless device on the public wireless network; and

pass session data to a second wireless router to permit the wireless device to maintain the communication session while moving from the public wireless network of the router to a public wireless network of the second wireless router.

2. The wireless router of claim 1, where the wireless rout router passes the session data in response to receiving a session transfer command from a remote service provider network system.

6. The wireless router of claim 1, where the step of maintaining separate public and private wireless networks includes wirelessly transmitting a public network identifier corresponding to a public network and a private network identifier corresponding to a private network.

7. The wireless router of claim 6, comprising a network identifier module configured to wirelessly transmit a public network identifier to the wireless device after receipt of a network management command.

8. The wireless router of claim 7, where the network management command includes a public network identifier corresponding to a public wireless network of the router.

9. The wireless router of claim 1, comprising:

a modem component configured to communicate with a remote service provider network system over at least a wired network; and

a wireless communications component configured to wirelessly communicate with the wireless device.

10. The wireless router of claim 1, where the session data comprises information associated with data communicated on the public network by the wireless device.

11. The wireless router of claim 1, comprising an automatic location management module configured to track an approximate location of the wireless device and reporting it to the remote service provider network system.

3. A method comprising:

establishing, from a wireless router located on a premises, wireless communication sessions with a plurality of devices; and

allocating, using an off-premises computing device, different amounts of wireless bandwidth of the router to each of the plurality of devices.

4. The method of claim 3, where the off-premises computing device is a remote service provider network system.

5. The method of claim 3, where a first device of the plurality of devices communicates with the wireless router on a private network, and a second device of the plurality of devices communicates with the wireless router on a public network.

18. The method of claim 3, comprising:

determining if sufficient bandwidth remains on the wireless router before establishing a wireless communication session with a new device.

19. The method of claim 3, comprising:

storing a start time of a wireless communication session with a new device;

storing an end time of the wireless communication session with the new device; and

calculating, using a billing interface module, fee information for the new device based on the start time and end time.

20. The method of claim 5, where the allocating of the different amounts of wireless bandwidth of the router includes:

first allocating a fixed amount of available wireless bandwidth to the first device; and

next allocating bandwidth from among remaining wireless bandwidth to the second device.

12. A computer-assisted method comprising:

maintaining a private wireless network within a predetermine range of a wireless router;

maintaining a public wireless network within a predetermine range of the wireless router in response to receiving a network management command, where the network management command includes a public network identifier corresponding to the public wireless network;

establishing a communication session with a wireless device on the public wireless network; and

passing session data to a second wireless router to permit the wireless device to maintain the communication session while moving from the public wireless network of the wireless router to a public wireless network of the second wireless router.

13. The method of claim 12, where the network management command is transmitted from a remote service provider network system.

14. The method of claim 12, where the passing session data to the second wireless router includes:

transmitting the session data to a remote service provider network system that passes the session data to the second wireless router.

15. The method of claim 12, where the private wireless network is separately encrypted from the public wireless network.

16. The method of claim 12, where the public wireless network is dynamically configurable from a remote service provider network system, and where the private wireless network is configured to operate on a separate channel than the public wireless network.

17. The method of claim 12, where the establishing the communication session with the wireless device on the public wireless network, comprises:

restricting use of the public wireless network to wireless devices approved by an authentication module.