Virtual switch in a wide area network

A central access device for facilitating communication between a user device and a gateway service device, said central access device comprising:

• a first module configured to receive from a first communication network a first packet including data generated by said user device and a user device address, to receive from a second communication network a second packet including data generated by said gateway service device and said user device address, to extract from said first packet said data and said user device address, to add to said second packet a second packet header including a remote access device address, to transmit said first packet to said gateway service device over said second communication network, and to transmit said second packet to said remote access device over said first communication network;
• a memory;
• and
• a second module configured to store in said memory as corresponding said user device address and said remote access device address, wherein
• said data generated by said user device is transmitted to said remote access device over a third communication network.

A central access device comprising:

• means for receiving data generated by one of a plurality of user devices from a routed communication network, each of said user devices communicatively connected to one of a plurality of remote access devices connected to said communication network;
• means for transmitting said data to a gateway service device over a switched communication network;
• means for determining from which one of said plurality of user devices said data was received;
• means for determining which one of said plurality of remote access devices is communicatively connected with said one of said plurality of user devices;
• means for storing information indicating which remote access device is communicatively connected to each of said plurality of user devices.

A central access device comprising:

• means for receiving data generated by a gateway service device;
• means for determining to which one of a plurality of user devices said data is to be transmitted;
• means for determining which one of a plurality of remote access devices is communicatively connected to said one of said plurality of user devices, each of said remote access devices and said central access device connected to a communication network;
• and
• means for transmitting said data to said one of said plurality of remote access devices.

A method for transmitting data between a user device and a gateway service device, said method comprising:

• transmitting said data and a user device address from said user device to a first access device;
• transmitting said user device address, said data and a first access device address from said first access device to a second access device via a communication network;
• transmitting said data and said user device address from said second access device to said gateway service device;
• and
• by said second access device, storing as corresponding said user device address and said first access device address.

A method for transmitting data between a user device and a gateway service device, said method comprising:

• transmitting data and a user device address from said gateway service device to a second access device;
• by said second access device, retrieving from a memory a first access device address corresponding to said user device address, said first access device address identifying a first access device communicatively connected to said user device;
• transmitting said data and said user device address from said second access device to said first access device via a communication network;
• and
• transmitting said data from said first access device to said user device.

A system for transmitting data, said system comprising:

• a plurality of user devices, each associated with a user device address;
• a plurality of remote access devices each associated with a RAD address, wherein each of said plurality of user devices is configured to send said data and said user device address to at least one of said plurality of remote access devices;
• a central access device configured to receive from at least one of said plurality of remote access devices said data, said user device address associated a sending one of said plurality of user devices, and said associated RAD address;
• and
• a gateway service device configured to receive from said central access device said data and said user device address associated with said sending one of said plurality of user devices, wherein
• said central access device includes a memory storing a correspondence between each user device address and a RAD address associated with the at least one of said plurality of remote access devices is communicatively connected.

A system for transmitting data, said system comprising:

• a gateway service device communicatively connected to said communication network;
• a plurality of user devices, each of which has a unique user device address;
• a plurality of remote access devices, each of which has a unique RAD address, each of said user devices communicatively connected to at least one of said plurality of remote access devices;
• and
• a central access device having a memory storing information indicating to which remote access device each of said user devices is communicatively connected, wherein
• said gateway service device receives from said communication network said data, for which one of said plurality of user devices is the intended recipient,
• said gateway service device sends said data to said central access device,
• said central access device retrieves from said memory the identity of the one of said plurality of remote access devices communicatively connected with said intended recipient and transmits said data to said identified remote access device, and
• said identified remote access device transmits said data to said intended recipient.

A method for providing a gateway service to a user device, said method comprising:

• establishing a communication link between said user device and a remote access device, said remote access device communicatively connected to a central access device and said central access device communicatively connected to a gateway service device;
• establishing a communication session between said user device and a third party communicatively connected with said gateway service device through a communication network;
• by said central access device, storing information indicating that said user device is communicatively connected to said remote access device;
• by said gateway service device, providing said gateway service during said communication session, providing said gateway service including receiving data from said third party and communicating said data to said user device via said central access device and said remote access device.