Home networking gateway
AssigneeGeneral Instrument Corporation
InventorsRichard Moore, Jr., William H. Blum
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A home networking gateway provides an interface between an HFC network and an in-home network. Full voice and data connection between the HFC network and each device in the in-home network is provided through the interface. A translator included in the home networking gateway is utilized to provide a mapping between the communication protocols used in the in-home network and the protocols used in the HFC network, eliminating the need for the in-home network to be dependent upon the HFC-specific protocols.
Claims10
An arrangement for providing a communication interface between a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network and an in-home communications network, the arrangement comprising:
- a home networking gateway disposed to communicate with the HFC network and couple communications to the in-home network, the home networking gateway including a translator for mapping between HFC-based communication protocols and in-home network-based protocols wherein the home networking gateway further comprises;
- a home network interface connection module for supporting a pre-defined in-home communication protocol;
- a voice telephony service connection module, coupled to the home network interface connection module, for providing communication with in-home telephony devices;
- a data service connection module for providing communication with in-home data-based devices;
- a cable modem connection module for providing communication with the HFC network;
- a communication bus coupled to each of the voice telephone service connection module, the data service connection module and the cable modem connection module for enabling communication between each module;
- and
- a translator processor coupled to the communication bus for mapping between communication protocols used by the HFC network and protocols used by the in-home network and providing translated protocols with each transaction;
- a device database coupled to said home networking gateway and comprising configuration files associated with various in-home telecommunications devices;
- and
- a service level agreement database coupled to said home networking gateway and comprising a listing of authorized services for the in-home network, class of service information and quality of service information.
A method of providing network management for an in-home network of communication devices coupled to an external HFC network through a home networking gateway, the method comprising:
- recognizing at the home networking gateway a service request from an in-home network device;
- obtaining authorization for said service from a network management system;
- upon authorization, requesting said service from a call management system;
- providing said service to the in-home device;
- recognizing at the home networking gateway a device request for bandwidth;
- obtaining authorization bandwidth from a network management system;
- upon authorization, requesting bandwidth from a cable modem termination system (CMTS);
- allocating the requested bandwidth on the HFC network;
- and
- allocating, through the home networking gateway, the requested bandwidth on the in-home network to the requesting device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.