US 7,889,670 B2Granted

Dynamic modem bandwidth checking

AssigneeQwest Communications International Inc.

InventorsSteven M. Casey, Felipe Castro, Charles I. Cook, Michael D. Sprenger

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Abstract

Methods, systems, devices, and software are disclosed for providing controlled access to network characteristic data stored at a subscriber premises. In one embodiment, Internet services are provided to a subscriber through a subscriber's modem, connected to the Internet through an access network, and to a number of data terminals on a local network. The modem is adapted to receive and/or generate data from the connected networks and devices for use in generating network characteristic data. This data is stored in an access-controlled data storage module. Content providers may then login to the modem and query network characteristic data. The modem is configured to authenticate the content provider, and, if authorized and available, return the queried data to the content provider. The content provider may then communicate information to the subscriber's data terminal through the modem, according to the network characteristic data returned by the query.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A network access system, configured to be located at a premises of a subscriber of network services provided by a network service provider, and configured to be in operative communication with a primary network via an access network and at least one subscriber terminal via a local network, the system comprising:

a network access point in communication with the subscriber terminal via the local network, the network access point comprising at least one processor and a set of software modules executable by the processor to perform one or more operations, the set of software modules embodied on one or more non-transitory computer readable media and comprising:
a data storage module, configured to store network characteristic;
data pertaining to an effective bandwidth to a subscriber terminal on the local network;
an interface module, configured to receive a request for requested portion of the network characteristic data over the access network from a requesting, wherein the requesting party is a content provider that provides content for delivery to the subscriber terminal;
an access module, configured to determine whether the requesting party has access rights to the requested portion of the network characteristic data;
a query module, configured to execute a query against the network characteristic data when the requesting party has access rights to the requested portion of the network characteristic data, the query being generated as a function of the request and configured to retrieve results data relating to at least some of the requested portion of the network characteristic data;
and a reporting module, configured to report the results data for communication over the access network to the requesting party.

4 more elements

A method for providing controlled access to a requesting party requesting network characteristic data associated with a subscriber of network services provided by a network service provider, the method comprising:

storing, in a data storage module of a network access point in communication with a subscriber device over a local network, network characteristic data pertaining to an effective bandwidth to the subscriber device, the broadband modem being in communication with an access network over which the subscriber receives the network services:
receiving, at the network access point and over the access network, a request from the requesting party for a requested portion of the network characteristic data, wherein the requesting party is a content provider that provides content for delivery to the subscriber device:
determining whether the requesting party has access rights to the requested portion of the network characteristic data;
and
only when the requesting party has access rights to the requested portion of the network characteristic data:
executing a query against the network characteristic data as a function of the request;
retrieving results data relating to at least some of the requested portion of the network characteristic data as a function of the executed query;
and
reporting the results data for communication over the access network to the requesting party.

6 more elements

An apparatus, comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program embodied therein for providing controlled access to a requesting party requesting network characteristic data associated with a subscriber of network services provided by a network service provider, the computer-readable program including instructions for providing the controlled access to the network characteristic data in accordance with the following:

storing, in a data storage module of a network access point in communication with a subscriber device over a local network, network characteristic data pertaining to an effective bandwidth to the subscriber device, the broadband modem being in communication with an access network over which the subscriber receives the network services:
receiving, at the network access point and over the access network, a request from the requesting party for a requested portion of the network characteristic data, wherein the requesting party is a content provider that provides content for delivery to the subscriber device;
determining whether the requesting party has access rights to the requested portion of the network characteristic data;
and
only when the requesting party has access rights to the requested portion of the network characteristic data:
executing a query against the network characteristic data as a function of the request;
retrieving results data relating to at least some of the requested portion of the network characteristic data as a function of the executed query;
and
reporting the results data for communication over the access network to the requesting party.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.