# US 12,010,010 B1 · Network gateways with redundant communication capability, and associated methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,010,010 B1 - Document ID: US12010010B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/157,894 - Filed: 2023-01-23 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-10 - Assignees: Cable Television Laboratories, Inc. - Applicants: Cable Television Laboratories, Inc. - Inventors: Luther E. Smith; Bernard McKibben; Carmela S. Stuart; Jonathan Ray Dennis; Philip Rosenberg-Watt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12010010B1 ## CPC - H04L 45/22: {Alternate routing} - H04L 45/24: Multipath - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A method for redundant communication at a network gateway includes (1) exchanging data packets with a network application via a first access communication interface, (2) exchanging data packets with customer premises equipment (CPE) via a local communication interface, and (3) in response to occurrence of a first event, exchanging at least some data packets with the network application via a second access communication interface that is different from the first access communication interface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for redundant communication at a network gateway, comprising: exchanging data packets with a network application via a first access communication interface; exchanging data packets with customer premises equipment (CPE) via a local communication interface; exchanging at least some data packets with the network application via a second access communication interface that is different from the first access communication interface; and representing the network gateway to the network application using a first Internet Protocol (IP) address irrespective of whether using the first access communication interface to exchange data packets with the network application or the second access communication interface to exchange data packets with the network application. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: representing the first access communication interface using a second IP address that is different from the first IP address; and representing the second access communication interface using a third IP address that is different from each of the first IP address and the second IP address. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising representing the network gateway to the CPE using the first IP address. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising aggregating data packets received at the network gateway from the CPE for transfer to the network application via either the first access communication interface or the second access communication interface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising exchanging data packets with the network application at least partially using a multi-path protocol. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the multi-path protocol comprises a multi-path transmission control protocol (MPTCP). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the first access communication interface is configured to communicatively couple to one of a coaxial electrical cable, a twisted pair electrical cable, and an optical cable; and the second access communication interface is configured to communicatively couple to one of an Ethernet electrical cable and a universal serial bus (USB) electrical cable. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the first access communication interface is configured to communicatively couple to one of a coaxial electrical cable, a twisted pair electrical cable, and an optical cable; and the second access communication interface comprises a wireless communication interface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first access communication interface and the second access communication interface comprises a respective wireless communication interface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising routing data packets between (a) the CPE and (b) each of the first access communication interface and the second access communication interface. ### Claim 11 A network gateway with redundant communication capability, comprising: a first access communication interface; a second access communication interface; a local communication interface; a router configured to route data packets between (a) customer premises equipment (CPE) communicatively coupled to the local communication interface and (b) each of the first access communication interface and the second access communication interface; and a multi-path protocol end point configured to present a single Internet Protocol (IP) address to the CPE irrespective of whether the router is routing data packets between the CPE and the first access communication interface or between the CPE and the second access communication interface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The network gateway of claim 11, wherein the multi-path protocol end point is further configured to exchange data packets with a network application via each of the first and second access communication interfaces using a multi-path data transmission protocol. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The network gateway of claim 12, where the multi-path data transmission protocol comprises a multi-path transmission control protocol (MPTCP). ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The network gateway of claim 11, wherein: the first access communication interface is configured to communicatively couple to one of a coaxial electrical cable, a twisted pair electrical cable, and an optical cable; and the second access communication interface is configured to communicatively couple to one of an Ethernet electrical cable and a universal serial bus (USB) electrical cable. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The network gateway of claim 11, wherein: the first access communication interface is configured to communicatively couple to one of a coaxial electrical cable, a twisted pair electrical cable, and an optical cable; and the second access communication interface comprises a wireless communication interface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The network gateway of claim 11, wherein each of the first access communication interface and the second access communication interface comprises a respective wireless communication interface.