Systems and Methods for Wireless Transmission of Packet-Based Data to One or More Residential Gateways

• US 20110103298A1
• Filed: 10/29/2009
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Augustine, Andrew, Walter, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 8,730,870 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/04 using association of physical positions and logical data in a dedicated environment, e.g. buildings or vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed that include receiving packet-based data at residential gateway from a service provider unit. In one embodiment, a location of a residential gateway is determined and at least a portion of the packet-based data is transmitted wirelessly to the residential gateway when the residential gateway is at an approved location.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a wired network interface configured to receive packet-based data;

a location determination module configured to determine a location of one or more residential gateways; and

a wireless network interface configured to transmit at least a portion of the packet-based data to the one or more residential gateways.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a location verification module configured to:

determine whether a particular residential gateway of the one or more residential gateways is located at an approved location; and

block the wireless network interface from transmitting the packet-based data to the particular residential gateway in response to determining that the particular residential gateway is not at the approved location.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the packet-based data includes VoIP data, internet protocol television (IPTV) data, Internet data, or any combination thereof.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising an encryption module for encrypting the packet-based data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the packet-based data is received over an optical link, a twisted pair coaxial link, or any combination thereof.

6. A residential gateway, comprising:

a wireless network interface configured to receive packet-based data from at least one service provider unit of a plurality of service provider units;

a routing module configured to route the received packet-based data to one or more devices coupled to the residential gateway; and

a location determination module configured to determine a location of the residential gateway.

7. The residential gateway of claim 6, further comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver configured to receive satellite positioning data; and

wherein the location determination module is further configured to determine the location of the residential gateway based on the satellite positioning data.

8. The residential gateway of claim 6, wherein the location determination module is further configured to receive positioning data associated with at least two service provider units of the plurality of service provider units and to determine the location of the residential gateway based on the positioning data.

9. The residential gateway of claim 6, further comprising:

a memory device to store approved location data that defines an approved location of the residential gateway; and

a location verification module configured to determine whether the residential gateway is at the approved location based on the approved location data and the location of the residential gateway.

10. The residential gateway of claim 9, wherein the wireless network interface is precluded from receiving the packet-based data from the service provider unit when the residential gateway is not at the approved location.

11. The residential gateway of claim 6, wherein the one or more devices coupled to the residential gateway include at least one of a set-top box (STB), a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) device, a mobile communications device, a computing device, a home appliance, a security apparatus, a television, a multimedia player, and a gaming console.

12. The residential gateway of claim 11, further comprising a source selection module configured to selectively request the packet-based data from one service provider unit of the plurality of service provider units at least partially based on a property associated with each service provider unit of the plurality of service provider units.

13. The residential gateway of claim 12, wherein the property includes at least one of a signal strength associated with each service provider unit, a maximum bandwidth of each service provider unit, an average bandwidth of each service provider unit, a number of open connections at each service provider unit, and a proximity of each service provider unit to the residential gateway.

14. The residential gateway of claim 6, wherein the residential gateway is configured to communicate with at least one other residential gateway.

15. The residential gateway of claim 14, wherein the source selection module is further configured to selectively request the packet-based data from the at least one other residential gateway in response to determining that a connection between the residential gateway and the service provider unit has terminated.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a service provider unit configured to transmit packet-based data to a plurality of residential gateways, positioning data from the plurality of residential gateways, wherein the positioning data from a particular residential gateway includes at least one distance between the particular residential gateway and another residential gateway;

determining a gateway location map at least partially based on the positioning data from the plurality of residential gateways, wherein the gateway location map is useable to determine a particular location of the particular residential gateway; and

requesting an update of the positioning data from the plurality of residential gateways.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the positioning data from the particular residential gateway further includes a global positioning system (GPS) location of the particular residential gateway.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising automatically receiving updated positioning data from the particular residential gateway when a location of the particular residential gateway has changed.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining that the particular location of the particular residential gateway is outside of an approved area; and

discontinuing transmission of the packet-based data to the particular residential gateway while the particular residential gateway is outside of the approved area.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the positioning data from the particular residential gateway is included in an emergency services voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) telephone call sent via the particular residential gateway.