Over the air programming via a broadband access gateway

• US 8,630,225 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Abrams, Marc, Seshadri, Nambirajan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): HERRERA, DIEGO D
• Application Number:
  US11/096,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20050233693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,212 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 455/460, 455/422.1, 455/418, 455/419
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/57 for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/72 of terrestrial networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/91 broadcasting computer programmes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/13 Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A system and method supporting over-the-air programming of access device such as, for example, a mobile multimedia handset and a wireless personal digital assistant (PDA) via a broadband access gateway, is disclosed. The broadband access gateway may receive identifying information from the access device via a personal area network and/or a wireless local area network, and may transfer the identifying information to a wide area network or a third party content provider, via a broadband network. The broadband access gateway may enable the registration of the access device with the wide area network, and may receive firmware/software updates and/or provisioning parameters via the broadband network. The gateway may then transfer the firmware/software update and/or provisioning parameters to the access device via the personal area network and/or wireless local area network.

Claims

1. A system supporting over-the-air programming of a plurality of access devices via a broadband access gateway, the system comprising:

a gateway communicatively coupled to a broadband network and at least one wireless interface, the gateway selectively communicating multimedia information among the at least one wireless interface and the broadband network, the gateway and the at least one wireless interface forming a local network for communicating with the plurality of access devices via the at least one wireless interface;

the gateway receiving from at least one of the plurality of access devices, via the at least one wireless interface, one or both of;

information identifying an access device or information identifying a user;

based on the received information identifying the access device or the received information identifying the user, the gateway determining whether updating of software or firmware of the at least one of the plurality of access devices is appropriate;

the gateway receiving updating information including updated code for software or firmware for operating the at least one of the plurality of access devices, via the broadband network, based upon the one or both of;

information identifying an access device or information identifying a user; and

the gateway transferring the received updating information to the at least one of the plurality of access devices via the at least one wireless interface.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein multimedia information comprises one or more of:

streaming video, broadcast video, voice, digital data, text, digitized audio, digitized still images, digitized video, or digitized music.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the updating information comprises provisioning parameters assigned by an operator of a wireless wide area network.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the provisioning parameters comprise one or more of:

an international mobile station identifier (IMSI), a mobile identification number (MIN), a system identifier (SID);

a security key, a radio frequency operating parameter, an access channel, a control channel, a paging channel, a neighbor list, or access overload class information.

5. The system according to claim 3 wherein the wireless wide area network comprises a cellular network.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one wireless interface is compliant with the Bluetooth V1.2 or compatible personal area network (PAN) specification.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one wireless interface communicates using an unlicensed frequency band.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one wireless interface communicates at a frequency of approximately 2.4 gigahertz.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one wireless interface is compliant with one or more of:

the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n standards.

10. The system according to claim 1 wherein the broadband network comprises one or more of:

a digital subscriber line (DSL) network, a cable network, a satellite network, a cellular network, or the Internet.

11. The system according to claim 10 wherein the cellular network comprises one or more of:

a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network, a time division multiple access (TDMA) network, a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, or a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) network.

12. The system according to claim 1 wherein the information identifying a user comprises one or more of:

a member identifier, a user name, an administrative identifier, or a credit card number.

13. The system according to claim 1 wherein the information identifying an access device comprises one or more of:

an electronic serial number, an Internet protocol (IP) address, a media access control (MAC) address, information identifying a make of an access device, or information identifying a model of an access device.

14. The system according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of access devices comprises one or more of:

a mobile multimedia handset, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer (PC), a digital scanner, a digital camera, a printer, headphones, or a pointing device.

15. A method supporting over-the-air programming of a plurality of access devices via a broadband access gateway, the method comprising:

forming, with the broadband access gateway and at least one wireless interface, one or more local networks for communicating with network access devices;

receiving from at least one of the plurality of access devices, via the at least one wireless interface, one or both of;

information identifying an access device or information identifying a user;

based on the received information identifying the access device or the received information identifying the user, determining whether updating of software or firmware of the at least one of the plurality of access devices is appropriate;

receiving updating information including updated code for software or firmware for operating the at least one of the plurality of access devices, via a broadband network, based upon the one or both of;

information identifying an access device or information identifying a user; and

transferring the received updating information to the at least one of the plurality of access devices via the at least one wireless interface.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising:

communicating multimedia information among the at least one wireless interface and the broadband network.

17. The method according to claim 15 wherein multimedia information comprises one or more of:

streaming video, broadcast video, voice, digital data, text, digitized audio, digitized still images, digitized video, or digitized music.

18. The method according to claim 15 wherein the updating information comprises provisioning parameters assigned by an operator of a wireless wide area network.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein the provisioning parameters comprise one or more of:

an international mobile station identifier (IMSI), a mobile identification number (MIN), a system identifier (SID);

a security key, a radio frequency operating parameter, an access channel, a control channel, a paging channel, a neighbor list, or access overload class information.

20. The method according to claim 18 wherein the wireless wide area network comprises a cellular network.

21. The method according to claim 15 wherein the at least one wireless interface is compliant with the Bluetooth V1.2 or compatible personal area network (PAN) specification.

22. The method according to claim 15 wherein the at least one wireless interface communicates using an unlicensed frequency band.

23. The method according to claim 15 wherein the at least one wireless interface communicates at a frequency of approximately 2.4 gigahertz.

24. The method according to claim 15 wherein the at least one wireless interface is compliant with one or more of:

the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n standards.

25. The method according to claim 15 wherein the broadband network comprises one or more of:

a digital subscriber line (DSL) network, a cable network, a satellite network, a cellular network, or the Internet.

26. The method according to claim 25 wherein the cellular network comprises one or more of:

a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network, a time division multiple access (TDMA) network, a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, or a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) network.

27. The method according to claim 15 wherein the information identifying a user comprises one or more of:

a member identifier, a user name, an administrative identifier, or a credit card number.

28. The method according to claim 15 wherein the information identifying an access device comprises one or more of:

an electronic serial number, an Internet protocol (IP) address, a media access control (MAC) address, information identifying a make of an access device, or information identifying a model of an access device.

29. The method according to claim 15 wherein the plurality of access devices comprises one or more of:

a mobile multimedia handset, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a personal computer (PC), a digital scanner, a digital camera, a printer, headphones, or a pointing device.

30. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, encoded with a computer program having a plurality of code sections for operating a gateway supporting over-the-air programming of a plurality of access devices via a broadband access gateway, the code sections executable by a computer for causing the computer to perform the operations comprising:

forming, with the broadband access gateway and at least one wireless interface, one or more local networks for communicating with network access devices;

receiving from at least one of the plurality of access devices, via at least one wireless interface, one or both of;

information identifying an access device or information identifying a user;

based on the received information identifying the access device or the received information identifying the user, determining whether updating of software or firmware of the at least one of the plurality of access devices is appropriate;

receiving updating information including updated code for software or firmware for operating the at least one of the plurality of access devices, via a broadband network, based upon the one or both of;

information identifying an access device and/or or information identifying a user; and

transferring the received updating information to the at least one of the plurality of access devices via the wireless interface.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 30 wherein the code sections executable by a computer further causing the computer to perform the operations comprising:

communicating multimedia information among the at least one wireless interface and the broadband network.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 30 wherein multimedia information comprises one or more of:

streaming video, broadcast video, voice, digital data, text, digitized audio, digitized still images, digitized video, or digitized music.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 30 wherein the updating information comprises provisioning parameters assigned by an operator of a wireless wide area network.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 33 wherein the provisioning parameters comprise one or more of:

an international mobile station identifier (IMSI), a mobile identification number (MIN), a system identifier (SID);

a security key, a radio frequency operating parameter, an access channel, a control channel, a paging channel, a neighbor list, or access overload class information.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 33 wherein the wireless wide area network comprises a cellular network.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 30 wherein the at least one wireless interface is compliant with the Bluetooth V1.2 or compatible personal area network (PAN) specification.

37. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 30 wherein the at least one wireless interface communicates using an unlicensed frequency band.

38. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 30 wherein the at least one wireless interface communicates at a frequency of approximately 2.4 gigahertz.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 30 wherein the at least one wireless interface is compliant with one or more of:

the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n standards.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 30 wherein the broadband network comprises one or more of:

a digital subscriber line (DSL) network, a cable network, a satellite network, a cellular network, or the Internet.

41. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 40 wherein the cellular network comprises one or more of:

a global system for mobile communications (GSM) network, a time division multiple access (TDMA) network, a code division multiple access (CDMA) network, or a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) network.

42. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 30 wherein the information identifying a user comprises one or more of:

a member identifier, a user name, an administrative identifier, or a credit card number.

43. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 30 wherein the information identifying an access device comprises one or more of:

an electronic serial number, an Internet protocol (IP) address, a media access control (MAC) address, information identifying a make of an access device, or information identifying a model of an access device.

44. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 30 wherein the plurality of access devices comprises one or more of:

a mobile multimedia handset, a personal digital assistant (POA), a personal computer (PC), a digital scanner, a digital camera, a printer, headphones, or a pointing device.

45. A system supporting over-the-air programming of a plurality of access devices via a broadband access gateway, the system comprising:

an access device that transmits one or both of information identifying the access device or information identifying a user to a gateway, the access device receiving updating information including updated code for software or firmware for operating the access device when a gateway uses the transmitted information identifying the access device or the information identifying the user to the gateway to determine the update is appropriate, the updating information updating software or firmware of the access device.

46. The system according to claim 45 wherein the updating information comprises provisioning parameters assigned by an operator of a wireless wide area network.

47. The system according to claim 46 wherein the provisioning parameters comprise one or more of:

an international mobile station identifier (IMSI), a mobile identification number (MIN), a system identifier (SID);

a security key, a radio frequency operating parameter, an access channel, a control channel, a paging channel, a neighbor list, or access overload class information.