Device-to-device communication among customer premise equipment devices

A method of initializing, provisioning, and managing a cable modem and a set-top box, the set-top box being connected to the cable modem, the cable modem being connected to a cable modem termination system, the cable modem termination system being connected to a provider network, the method including initializing the cable modem connection to the cable modem termination system, providing the cable modem with a network address, and the cable modem receiving a cable modem configuration file from a network server, wherein the configuration file contains service provisioning information, the cable modem passing certain contents of the configuration file to the cable modem termination system, and the cable modem termination system passing certain identifiers back to the cable modem, the method further comprising:

• wherein the configuration file further includes information indicative of a device-to-device communication configuration, passing a message from the cable modem to the set-top box indicative of the device-to-device communication configuration;
• receiving the message at the set-top box;
• initializing the set-top box for device-to-device communication with any other set-top boxes in accordance with the device-to-device communication configuration indicated in the message, wherein the device-to-device communication configuration relates to physical layer and data link layer communications among set-top boxes;
• wherein a second cable modem is connected to the cable modem termination system, and a second set-top box is connected to the second cable modem, initializing the second cable modem connection to the cable modem termination system, providing the second cable modem with a network address, and the second cable modem receiving a second cable modem configuration file from a network server, wherein the second configuration file includes service provisioning information;
• wherein the second configuration file further includes information indicative of a device-to-device communication configuration, passing a message from the second cable modem to the second set-top box indicative of the device-to-device communication configuration;
• receiving the message at the second set-top box;
• and
• initializing the second set-top box for device-to-device communication with the other set-top box in accordance with the device-to-device communication configuration indicated in the message, wherein the device-to-device communication configuration relates to physical layer and data link layer communications among set-top boxes.

A subscriber gateway device for connecting to a provider network, wherein a cable modem termination system is connected to the provider network, the subscriber gateway device comprising:

• an embedded cable modem for connecting to the cable modem termination system;
• an embedded set-top box connected to the embedded cable modem;
• wherein upon connection of the cable modem to the cable modem termination system, the cable modem is initialized and provided with a network address, and the cable modem receives a cable modem configuration file from a network server;
• wherein the configuration file contains service provisioning information, the cable modem passing certain contents of the configuration file to the cable modem termination system, and the cable modem termination system passing certain identifiers back to the cable modem;
• wherein the configuration file further includes information indicative of a device-to-device communication configuration;
• wherein the cable modem passes a message from the cable modem to the set-top box indicative of the device-to-device communication configuration, the set-top box receives the message, and in response to the message, initializes for device-to-device communication in accordance with the device-to-device communication configuration indicated in the message;
• and
• wherein the device-to-device communication configuration relates to physical layer and data link layer communications among set-top boxes.