Managed file backup and restore at remote storage locations through multi-services gateway at user premises

The disclosed examples of a system for providing and managing backup and restore services of one or more endpoint devices include at least one gateway device at a user premises and a service management center. The gateway device has a first interface for enabling bi-directional communications with one or more of the endpoint devices associated with the gateway device, a second interface for enabling bi-directional communications for the one or more endpoint devices via a wide area network, and for enabling at least some bidirectional communications with at least one storage area external to the user premises via the wide area network. The gateway device also has a processor configured to manage backups and restores of data between the one or more of the endpoint devices and the at least one storage area. The service management center is external to the user premises and communicates with the gateway device via the wide area network, and controls access by the gateway device to the at least one storage area.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present subject matter relates to gateway devices and systems, and/or programming for such devices and systems, that provide file backup and restore services for associated endpoint devices.

BACKGROUND ART

The digital home is now becoming more complex with the myriad of new and emerging digital devices intended to address many user and consumer needs such as communication, entertainment, privacy and security, etc. However, given the complexity of the emerging digital home and digital environments generally, users who are technologically challenged may find it a daunting and intimidating task to manage their home networks and interconnected digital devices. Moreover, new paradigms are emerging oriented to delivering media content to and the consuming of media content at the home. Many of these paradigms rely on communication of application specific data to and/or from the Internet, as opposed to conventional telephone or broadcast video type applications. The protection of received Internet-sourced media content in addition to user-generated media content is additionally an important aspect that may be inadequately addressed by the technologically challenged user. Furthermore, with respect to Internet based data, most of the content delivery solutions are provided to the digital home networks through availability of the “two-foot” interface (i.e. the PC). It is relatively cumbersome to bring this content to the “ten-foot” interface (e.g. the television).

Thus, a need exists for a technique or devices to simplify the overall management of services and applications available to the digital home or even the small enterprise. Such a technique or devices would reduce the complexity of the maintenance, upgrading, and operation of even the more basic needs addressed by emerging digital endpoint devices and networks. Approaches that suggest greater functionality in home-based appliances fail to reduce or address the complexity of managing and provisioning those appliances. For example, while the home gateway server appliance described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,930,598 enables networked electronic devices to communicate with each other without the direct interaction with external networks, and provides a mechanism whereby a member of the household may be informed of certain network related events without having to use their home computer or other client devices, it does not provide a convenient or simplified way of managing the services and applications executed by, or associated with, that device. Thus, an unmet need exists for a device associated with a user premises that has robust functionality but does not require sophisticated or inordinate attention from the user to manage, provision and utilize them.

In practice, a customer typically subscribes to basic transport services from a network “Service Provider” (e.g. ISP—Internet Service Provider, cable provider, fixed wireless providers, ILEC—Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier, or CLEC—Competitive Local Exchange Carrier). For example, a customer may have broadband Internet access, via cable modem, digital subscriber line service or the like. Digital video service may be provided separately. The network service provider manages these basic services, at the logical network layer, typically at layers1,2or3of the OSI model. While network services and associated devices may operate minimally at those levels, they operate at those levels only to support operations at OSI layers1,2or3. Many applications, however, involve higher level service logic for applications that view the network transport as a transparent pipe. The current internet applications delivery and management architecture, and many devices or management systems based on it, require a server with robust processing and storage capability to be located at the network operations center, not in the home. For voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) type telephone service, for example, the VoIP service provider operates a session initiation protocol (SIP) server or the like, and each user has only client functionality. The network transport layers are transparent to the IP packets containing the voice and related signaling. The SIP server, however, controls the call set-up, tear-down, billing and the like for the voice call services. With such an architecture, the major capabilities and functionalities connected with providing application services from the server throughout the network reside on the server and supporting elements, all of which are located in the network operations center.

It might be helpful to walk through examples of the configuration for application services delivery to a client of an application within a user premises under the typical, current network configuration.FIG. 10depicts one possible configuration for a client application to access a particular service that is being hosted or served outside of the user premises based on the typical, and currently employed, network application service configuration. We identify two regimes in the overall architecture, the Service Provider Network regime (WAN side), and the User Premises Network regime (LAN side). The association between the Service Provider Network and the User Premises Network is broken down into three layers; Network Interconnect Layer (NI), Network Function Layer (NF), and the Application Services Layer (AS). These layers do not represent physical communication pathways, but are a logical representation of pathways and elements employed in a network-based communication.

The separation between the managed Service Provider Network (WAN side) and the User Premises Network (LAN side) is depicted as the Network Service Provider Demarcation. The Network Service Provider Demarcation at the Network Interconnect Layer represents the logical and physical separation between the user premises and the broad-band network. In the present representation of the three functional layers, the Network Service Provider Demarcation is extended into the Services and Application Layer to emphasize the functional barrier at that layer between the Service Provider Network and the User Premises Network, in currently configured networks.

The NI Layer depicts how the connectivity between a User Premises Network and the Public/Service Provider Network is established. On the Service Provider Network side, the Wide Area Network services are terminated onto a WAN termination device with the appropriate interface (e.g. a Broadband internet service such as ADSL would terminate on to a managed ADSL Terminal Adapter). The WAN termination layer adapts the WAN interface into a compatible LAN interface (e.g. Ethernet or WiFi). On the User Premises Network side the LAN Termination interfaces are used to connect to the Local Area Network via a variety of interfaces, such as Ethernet, WiFi, MOCA, etc.

The LAN Termination interfaces and the WAN Termination interface could reside on two separate physical devices or they could reside on one physical device. In either case, on the User Premises Network side, packets or data must flow through the NF Layer between the WAN Termination Interface and the LAN Termination Interface. One or both of these interfaces may reside on a “gateway” device. Gateway and like router devices are currently available for various premises that allow several computers to communicate with one another and to share a broadband Internet connection. These devices function as routers by matching local network addresses and the hostnames of the local computers with the actual networking hardware detected. As gateways, these devices translate local network addresses to those used by the Internet for outgoing communications, and do the opposite translation for incoming packets.

The User Premises NF Layer allows for switching of packets between LAN devices and routing or bridging of packets between the LAN and WAN interfaces. It could physically reside on the same device(s) with the LAN Termination or it could exist at an independent device that could interconnect to the LAN Termination interface via a variety of physical interfaces (e.g. Ethernet, MOCA, etc.). The Service Provider NF Layer provides the Wide Area Network access between the WAN Termination device and the AS Layer where all the applications servers are being hosted. The Internet could be used for this connectivity as could a private packet/cell network (e.g. Cellular packet network, or a private ATM or packet backbone).

The AS Layer represents the functional layer that provides access to applications services by application clients. On the User Premises side, the AS Layer provides a Firewall to protect the application client from application level attacks from the open Internet. On the Service Provider side, the AS Layer encompasses application services such as Parental Control, Backup, and Call Processing. These application services exist on a managed Application Service Delivery Platform (ASD) on a secure network server that can be hosted at a facility that has private and or public data connection paths. The ASD may include three functional modules, namely the Application Service Enforcement (ASE) module, the Application Service Logic (ASL) module, and the Application Service Management (ASM) module.

The ASE module is responsible for enforcing the relevant Application Client privileges to the application services. It gets the policies and permissions of each application client from the ASM module (such as provisioning data and subscription data) and enforces those policies against the requested actions by the client application.

The ASL module executes the application services that the Application Clients request. Such services could be Call Processing, Parental Control, Peered Networking, Backup, etc. The ASL module must interact with the ASM module for monitoring purposes and status information such as Call Data Recording and Billing. It must also interact with the ASE module to provide access to the client applications that have passed the policy enforcement procedures.

The ASM module, as described above, provides the necessary data to the ASE and ASL modules for them to carry out their respective functions. It also oversees the overall integration and communication among all the modules and the services that are managed by the ASM. The ASM also manages the overall security and integrity of the ASD.

All ASD modules are in constant communication with each other, preferably through secure connections. The inter-module communication may be managed by the ASM, or may be independent of a central management function. Note that the ASE, ASL and ASM modules are only examples of functions that may be logically bundled; other bundles, and other means of bundling these functions, are possible.

FIG. 11depicts a logical flow of how a specific Application Client residing at a user premises could interact with an Application Service that is being managed in the typical network configuration. Traditionally, as depicted in this example, an Application Client (e.g. Telephony) that needs to connect to an Application Service (e.g. call processing) must first connect to the Local Are Network termination interface (1). Depending on the specific deployment, a switching function, routing function or bridging function is used to establish the connection path between the application client (2) and the Firewall service (3). The Firewall Service works in conjunction with the router function (4) to permit access to the Wide Area Network interface (5) and maintain a level of security to the Application Client. The firewall service in this example is not aware of either the type of application client or the specific application service that is being targeted. There is no feedback mechanism between the Application Service Delivery Platform and the Firewall function. Once connectivity to the WAN termination interface is established, routing mechanisms are used to establish a connection through the Service Provider Network Function Layer (6) to the Application Service Layer (7). At the Application Service Layer, the client application goes through application validation procedures and privilege and permission checks by the ASE prior to allowing the application client to connect to the desired application service.

In the logical hierarchy, such as shown inFIGS. 10 and 11, a home gateway device may implement the NI layer functions and the user premises side NF layer functions. The firewall functionality may reside in the gateway or in one or more other elements on the premises network. For example, many PCs internally implement firewalls, e.g. in close association with the client programming of the endpoint device. As can be seen by the illustrations inFIG. 11, however, even with a home gateway deployment for a premises network, the application services functionality still requires the support and service logic to reside on a server in the network. That is, for service provisioning, service management and upgrades, remote diagnostics, for a digital endpoint device such as a PC or SIP phone, the home premises still must rely on the application service logic executed by the service providers in their server networks, typically according to proprietary platforms. Moreover, many other core services, e.g. file storage, media content access and delivery, are offloaded to other 3rd-party service providers that provide service logic and support applications at their network server devices.

With the paradigm discussed above relative toFIGS. 10 and 11, it is currently the case that many of the application service providers also find it difficult to provide and support new emerging technologies at the home. That is, service providers are challenged to select a platform that can evolve with their applications. With existing service architectures, the launch of new services compounds complexity to the core network, adding to both capital and operating expenditures.

Thus, as new services come to the fold, often with the requirement of new equipment, e.g. integrated access devices (IADs) for VoIP and set-top boxes for streaming video, the management of the customer premises equipment (both hardware and software) complicates customer support requirements. Managing the home network environment can be an inhibitor to the adoption of new services, both from the user perspective and from the perspective of management by the service providers.

One of the services that is needed is that of file backup (and restore) services for a user premises. In many households, there exists a large amount of valuable data scattered across many computers. There is always the possibility that the computers may crash and data cannot be recovered. Typically, any file backup from endpoint devices, such as personal computers (PCs), is performed with a local storage device, such as a backup tape drive, or more recently, through an external disk drive. Such systems and methodologies position the local storage device relatively near the endpoint device, such as in the same residence. Relying on a local storage device for file backup and restore has disadvantages, such as potential loss of the original files and the backup files in the event of a catastrophic event, such as a fire in the premises.

Backing up files is very cumbersome for a home user, using external drives and backing up data on CDs or DVDs. When one needs to restore the data, one must go through numerous CDs and DVDs to locate the information to be restored. Further, the backup process requires a long period of time, due to the larger and larger amounts of data to be backed up. There is thus a need for providing managed offsite storage from endpoint devices in a secure and indestructible manner.

A need exists for a new paradigm to achieve this file backup system and method, with improved convenience for the user and easier management for the application service provider. In that regard, it would be desirable to provide a multi-services application gateway device and system that manages offsite file backup for one or more endpoint devices associated with the gateway device.

SUMMARY

The technology discussed herein may be embodied in gateway devices, typically for deployment at user premises, and/or to programming for devices that may function as such gateways. Such a gateway device comprises a first interface for enabling bi-directional network layer communications with one or more of the endpoint devices associated with the gateway device, a second interface for enabling bi-directional network layer communications for the one or more endpoint devices via a wide area network, and for enabling at least some bi-directional communications with a service management center and at least one storage area external to the premises via the wide area network. The gateway device also comprises a processor configured to manage backups and restores of the data between the one or more of the endpoint devices and the at least one storage area.

Application service programming is logically positioned on a user premises side of a first logical network demarcation, forming an edge of the wide area network at the user premises. The programming also defines a logical service provider-user demarcation between the user premises and the application service provider. The application service programming resides on the service provider side of this second demarcation and only provides a logical application service interface across that demarcation to deliver an application service to an endpoint device. The logical service provider-user demarcation also provides a demarcation in accessibility to hardware resources of the gateway device, whereby some hardware resources of the gateway device are on the service provider side of the logical service provider-user demarcation and are inaccessible to an endpoint device from the user side of that demarcation.

In a disclosed example, the demarcation in accessibility to hardware resources of the gateway device, provided by the logical service provider-user demarcation, delineates a portion of the storage accessible by a user via an endpoint device from an application service provider portion of the storage, which contains the application service programming and/or data of the application service provider. For example, the user of an associated endpoint device may be able to store and retrieve data files in the user accessible portion of the storage of the gateway device. The application service provider, in turn, can control storage and retrieval of data files in the application service provider space portion via the of the wide area network. However, the user of the associated endpoint device is prevented from accessing one or more of the data files in the application service provider portion. In one service application, the application service provider can allow storage and retrieval of data files in the application service provider portion via the wide area network, for other gateway devices. In a specific example, the logical location of the demarcation line separating the portions of the storage is controllable by the application service provider, from the service management center, via the wide area network and the second interface.

The disclosed architecture provides a whole house backup service. The backup and storage can be accomplished offsite in a secure and practically indestructible manner. In certain embodiments, the architecture allows the placement of backup files to the service provider side of the logical server provider side of the logical service provider-user demarcation of the gateway device, and to other gateway devices located on the network through encryption and dispersion of encrypted elements of the backup files and data throughout other gateway devices on the system, or to a centralized data storage system.

Architectures and methods are described that provide for offsite backup and storage. The architectures, described in detail below, perform a backup function that places backup files at the restricted portion of the gateway device and distributed to other gateway devices on the network for storage or to a central storage location. This is done securely through encryption and dispersion of the files to be backed up, under the control of the gateway device at the user premises and a service management center. The user is thereby able to subscribe to secure offsite storage for backing up data and restoring it as needed. Before describing the specific operations involving the backup of data, an exemplary architecture for backing up the data is described in detail below.

The various technologies disclosed herein move application service logic, formerly resident in a network node, into a gateway device in the customer premises. The gateway device is implemented in such a manner as to offer its user many of the applications services, such as were previously offered from network-side servers, from the user premises. A logical Network Service Provider Demarcation is formed at the edge of the wide area network at the user premises, that is to say between the wide area network and the equipment in the user premises. The application service logic resides on the user premises side of this first demarcation. The gateway device programming also defines a logical service provider-user demarcation between the user premises and the application service provider, referred to in later examples as the Applications Service Provider Demarcation. The application service programming resides on the service provider side of this second demarcation and can be controlled or managed by the application service provider, typically by communications through the wide area network. The user's access to the programming and resources between the two demarcations is limited. The application service programming only provides a logical application service interface across the Applications Service Provider Demarcation, for delivery of one or more application services to an endpoint device. The Applications Service Provider Demarcation also provides a demarcation in accessibility to hardware resources of the gateway device, whereby some hardware resources of the gateway device are on the service provider side of the logical service provider-user demarcation and are inaccessible to an endpoint device from the user side of that demarcation.

In a typical scenario, a network service provider takes responsibility for managing resources on the network side of the Network Service Provider Demarcation, leaving the user to manage everything on the premises side of that first demarcation. However, in the gateway devices discussed below, an application service provider takes responsibility and controls/manages the software and hardware resources between the two demarcations. This approach provides the application service provider with management control over resources in the premises that deliver that providers' higher layer services, and the application service provider can relieve the end user of many of the burdens of managing customer premises resources.

Examples of application services include one or more of media delivery, content management, access control and use tracking, file sharing, and protection and back-up services of both Internet/Web-generated digital media content and user generated digital media content. The disclosed gateway device thus is configured and programmed to simplify various aspects of managing the emerging home/business digital networks including the myriad of interconnected digital endpoint devices associated with the gateway device. The endpoint devices need not reside within, or be located at, the premises to maintain their association with the gateway device. For many of the exemplary application services, the application service programming between the demarcations in the gateway device implement server functionality for interactive communication with client functionality of the endpoint devices. Application service functionality of the gateway device, as provided by this client-server interaction, is enabled/disabled and configured by the application service provider, via communications between the gateway device and a service management center via the wide area network.

In this way, the gateway device and service management center move substantial functions performed by the typical network server into the user premises by incorporating those functions between the two demarcations at the gateway device, but in a way that allows for the server functionality to be externally managed by the service management center from the network side, which may be operated by a third-party service provider. In this exemplary architecture, both the server functionality and the application services offered via the gateway device may be managed by the service management center. Moreover, the server function residing in the gateway device is not only located in the premises but it now resides logically on the premises side of the Network Service Provider Demarcation and on the service provider side of the Applications Service Provider Demarcation. In the detailed examples, the gateway device and system architecture place a set of application services on a tightly coupled (e.g. always-on or always-available basis), secure hardware platform that is externally managed.

Reference now is made in detail to the examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings and discussed below.FIG. 1is a high-level diagram of the architecture of a gateway-service management center network, as well as the logical flow of how a specific Application Client residing at a User Premises could interact with an Application Service in a gateway device that is being managed in the gateway-service management center network configuration. Heretofore, as described above, many application services that form part of the Application Service Delivery Platform were logically positioned at the AS Layer but on the network side of the Network Service Provider Demarcation (seeFIGS. 10 and 11).FIG. 1shows that, in the exemplary architecture, many of these application service functionalities that were previously offered from network-side servers have now been moved across the Network Service Provider Demarcation and now logically reside at the AS Layer in the User Premises Network, i.e., on the hardware components located in the user premises, such as, by example, a gateway device. In particular, the programming that implements application services is logically positioned on the user premises side of the Network Service Provider Demarcation. The application service on the user premises side that enforces authorization, authentication, configuration, or use of the respective service via an endpoint device is logically depicted inFIG. 1as the ASE module in the AS Layer of the User Premises Network. The ASE module may also communicate via the wide area network with the ASM logic residing in the service management center.

FIG. 1thus depicts an approach in which the ASL and the ASE functions have moved to the User Premises side. In the example ofFIG. 1, the application client would be implemented on an endpoint device, whereas other elements/functions to the right of the Network Service Provider Demarcation are implemented in a gateway device. As discussed more below, the ASL and the ASE functions are implemented as high-level server type logic within the gateway device at a user premises. Hence, elements shown inFIG. 1that may reside in the user premises gateway device include the user premises-side network function or NF (switch, router or bridge) and the LAN termination for communication with the endpoint devices implementing the application client functions. Thus, with reference toFIG. 1, the first interface, as described above, for enabling bi-directional network layer communications on the user's side of the premises with one or more of the associated endpoint devices resides at the NI Layer and provides the LAN Termination referenced therein.FIG. 1also depicts the WAN termination providing connectivity to the wide area network (network-side NF—Internet or private wide area data network). The gateway device's second interface, as described above, for enabling bi-directional network layer communications for the associated endpoint devices via a wide area network resides at the NI Layer and provides the WAN Termination referenced therein. The gateway device's second interface also enables bi-directional communications between it and the service management center via the WAN.

With reference toFIG. 1, the core of the logical capacities of the service management center resides on the Service Provider Network, and is depicted as the Application Service Management (ASM) portion of the Application Service Delivery Platform in the AS Layer. The ASM function is implemented in the service management center, which is external to the user premises, and, perforce, on the network side of the Network Service Provider Demarcation. The ASL and ASE functions maintain logical connectivity or interaction with the Application Service Management (ASM) function in the service management center, typically via communication through a wide area network. This logical connectivity is established through an always-on (or on an as needed, periodic basis), secure communication channel between the User Premises AS Layer (ASL and ASE) and the Service Provider AS Layer (ASM) at the service management center. The service management center and the communications of the center with one or more of the gateway devices provides an infrastructure support and/or management of the application services offered to endpoint devices and their users by the logic implemented in the gateway device(s). Effectively, the ASD, considered in its entirety, extends all the way to the User Premises and traverses the Network and Network Service Provider Demarcation. The secure communications channel is established through the NF Layer and the NI layer.

The examples discussed herein also introduce a logical platform management layer to the user premises-side, which allows for inter-layer allocation of local resources. This function guarantees access between the Application Service Logic function on the user premises network and the applications service management function in the service management center by assuring that the local user premises hardware and software modules are functioning at a required state (CPU and memory usage, bandwidth usage, QoS settings, etc.) in order for the ASL to have the necessary resources to establish its required communications path to the ASM.

The platform management layer is also responsible for implementing that part of the managed application services to be performed by the gateway device. In that regard, the platform manager secures and manages the overall hardware platform, given that in this scenario, the NF layer and the AS layer reside on one hardware platform. This secure hardware platform provides a robust and secure operating environment for the AS Layer. So, to establish a secure and robust hardware operating environment, the platform manager must interface with all the layers above it and allow for bi-directional management information flow among all of the functions. For example, if the Application Client is a telephony application and the desired application is call processing, the application must first connect to the LAN termination interface (1). Then a connection must be established to the AS Layer through the NF layer (2). At this point the platform manager determines if there are sufficient resources available for this to take place on the routing and switching modules and if there is not sufficient resources on either the LAN Termination interface or the NF layer functions, it would take the necessary corrective measure to free up the required resources so that the application can execute properly (e.g. prioritize packets, throttle bandwidth, attempt to reduce noise on an RF interface, or free up time slices on a TDMA interface such as MoCA). Once that is done, the connection is established to the AS Layer (3), where the ASE and ASL, having been updated by the ASM in the network, respond instantaneously to the Application Client, completing the service request.

Application services represent functionalities, implemented in the higher layer(s) of the protocol or logical stack above the network layer(s) that may extend up to the top application layer (layer7of the OSI model). An application service, for example, provides application server communication with a client functionality of one or more endpoint devices, for the respective service, communicated on top of network layer communications through the interfaces. In the examples, the services are provided on a subscription service basis to users at the premises. Hence, the application service logic provides enforcement regarding authorization, authentication, configuration, and/or use of the respective service via the endpoint devices. The application service includes service and feature functions, implemented and controlled by the application service logic. Management of the application service is based on communications with the service management center via the wide area network.

The illustrated architecture of the gateway device-service management center network enables other features and capabilities that have not previously been available to the user. For instance, peer-to-peer application communication between or among gateways is possible without the need to go through, or utilize resources at, an external service management center. Communications through the service management center are also possible. In addition, given the considerable functionality present in the gateway device, and its ability to manage the various endpoint devices associated with it (as explained below), the user interface with the gateway can be presented and utilized on the home TV. Additionally, information from other endpoint devices, such as the PC, network sources (such as an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) service), may now be overlaid on the TV screen so that, for example, PC messages, or weather information, can be viewed on the TV screen, and the functionality of the PC (or other home-networked endpoint devices) can be accessed from the TV screen.

As shown by the discussion ofFIG. 1, application service programming is logically positioned on a user premises side of a logical network demarcation forming an edge of the wide area network at the user premises, that is to say on the user premises side of the Network Service Provider Demarcation. The gateway device programming however, also defines a logical service provider-user demarcation between the user premises and the application service provider, as will be described in more detail with regard toFIG. 2.

FIG. 2depicts logical and physical elements as may be deployed at a user premises. At the Physical/Network layer shown therein, the drawing shows an example of user premises hardware components required for delivering data services (i.e. Internet connectivity) along with a separate, non-integrated managed hardware used in delivering a set of managed application services (e.g. IM, VOD, IP telephony). The Network Service Provider Wide Area Network Termination Apparatus (NSP-TA) allows for a typical termination of a Wide Area Network Services connection, such as DSL, Cable, Fiber, etc, by a network services provider. The NSP-TA provides the WAN Termination in the NI Layer (FIG. 1). The NSP-TA may be an existing user-premises device, provided by the carrier supplying network services to the premises.FIG. 2also depicts the Network Service Provider Demarcation at the hardware level.

If configured as a standalone device, the NSP-TA device is required to have its own CPU, Memory, physical interfaces and logic control. In order for Network Service Providers to deliver managed services, they typically require a management element controlled by the CPU on the NSP-TA. To depict these logical elements residing on the hardware components,FIG. 2includes a representation of the user premises Application Services Layer above the hardware layer. This layer corresponds to the AS Layer ofFIG. 1, but without reference to any logical elements residing at the network services provider. The management element, represented by the Network Service Provider Managed Application, allows the network service provider to determine the status of the network hardware device and interfaces as well as maintain a certain degree of security enforcement at the customer premises.

As noted, the network service functionality is at the NI and NF Layers and generally does not extend to the AS Layer(s) beyond basic authentication, authorization and state management. As with the hardware components, the logical elements also have a Network Service Provider Demarcation as shown inFIG. 2. On the WAN side, depicted as the Network Service Provider Managed Applications side, of the Network Service Provider Demarcation, resides the applications that are managed, and under the exclusive control, of the network service provider (the Network Service Provider Logic). The User Interface to Managed Applications is present on the LAN side of the Network Service Provider Demarcation within the Application Services Layer. Within this interface resides programming and logic available to users other than the network service provider referred to as the Network User Controlled Logic. The Network User Controlled Logic, which is depicted at the Application Services Layer inFIG. 2, provides a user interface to the Network Service Provider Logic and, to the extent permitted by the Network Service Provider Logic, interaction with or communication between the user and network service provider through the Network User Controlled Logic and the Network Service Provider Logic, and to the NSP-TA hardware components. The Network User Controlled Logic allows for the User of the hardware to make certain, minimal programming changes relevant to their preferences (e.g., user name and password changes, local IP addresses changes, local interface selection). All user devices typically can only communicate with the NSP-TA through one or more of the User Premises Network Interfaces. The user can modify the Network User Controlled Logic through the User Premises Network Interface. The Network Service Provider Demarcation is typically within the NSP-TA, logically dividing the Network Service Provider Interface and the User Premises Network Interface modules. The network service provider does not have any in-depth visibility or significant responsibility beyond the Network Service Provider Demarcation.

In the example, the User Network and Application Delivery Apparatus (UNA-DA), shown on the right hand side ofFIG. 2, is a separate managed gateway device10that a managed-service provider (which may be different than the network service provider) would control in delivering a set of application services to the user premises. This device is required to have its own dedicated CPU, memory, logic control, as well as its own dedicated set of interfaces. The UNA-DA includes one or more Network Interfaces providing connectivity to the NSP-TA as well as to user premises endpoint devices. The interfaces provide the LAN Termination functionality at the NI Layer (FIG. 1). One skilled in the art will readily recognize, however, that the physical connection that connects the UNA-DA to the NSP-TA also provides connectivity for the UNA-DA to the public (WAN side) network, and is the means by which the UNA-DA accesses the public network. The end point devices connected to the LAN Interface are on the private (LAN) side of that interface. The UNA-DA also includes a switch, router or bridge for the NF Layer.

Programming elements of the UNA-DA in the gateway device10are depicted at the Application Services Layer of the UNA-DA. Certain logical elements, depicted as the Application Service Provider Managed Applications and Platform inFIG. 2, on which resides, inter alia, the programming corresponding to the ASL and ASE ofFIG. 1, are managed by the managed application service provider's network control center, e.g. by the ASM through a wide area network (WAN) by means of a control channel to the Application Service Provider Managed Applications and Platform. The Application Service Provider Managed Applications and Platform includes a platform management logic module that, with other programming in the Platform and the ASM, allows the managed application service provider to control the hardware elements of the UNA-DA in addition to any other relevant application services logic or hardware that may reside on the user premises. For example, this programming enables a managed application service provider to control and manage the hardware elements on the UNA-DA to ensure proper use and allocation of the UTA-DA's processing, memory, storage, and bandwidth, to monitor local hardware security and generate needed alarms or protection sequences, and to prioritize applications based on a set of established policies. The user would have control over specific parameters of application services obtained through the UNA-DA, through the User Interface and Platform to Managed Applications (User Controlled Logic) shown inFIG. 2. These parameters allow the user to control the local behavior of the interfaces and to configure the specific applications to accommodate the user network as configured by the user and to implement the user preferences for those applications.

Hence,FIG. 2illustrates the logical architecture of the software and hardware of the UNA-DA in the form of a multi-services applications gateway device10, together with a network service provider termination apparatus for broadband connection to a wide area network in this case implemented by the NSP-TA. The gateway device10is an application delivery apparatus, for delivering application services to endpoint devices using network layer communications through the network termination apparatus and the wide area network. The drawing also illustrates relevant demarcations between functionalities of the gateway device and termination, which delineate control/management access. The arrangement of the ASL and ASE logic between the two demarcations and the attendant logical demarcations in management access to the hardware resources at the premises result in significant management control by the application service provider and relieve the user of significant burdens in arranging and configuring the systems/services at the premises. Hence, we will consider the demarcations and the resulting relationships to the provider and the user at the various layers, in more detail.

As outlined above, the logical Network Service Provider Demarcation is formed at the edge of the wide area network (WAN) at the user premises, that is to say between the WAN and the equipment in the user premises. The arrows at the bottom ofFIG. 2show that the area covered to the LEFT of the Network Service Provider Demarcation (as depicted by the lower arrow on the left of vertical plane) is the Network Service Providers responsibility. From the perspective of a network service provider, anything to the RIGHT of that first demarcation (as depicted by the lower arrow on the right of the vertical plane) normally would be the customer's responsibility. As shown, this separation at the first demarcation includes delineation among the hardware elements for the NSP-TA.

As shown inFIG. 2, the application services layer also defines an Application Service Provider Demarcation, which extends through the hardware modules on the “Hardware Components” plane as well as the programming in the logical application services plane. In this way, the drawing depicts those modules that are under the responsibility of Application Service Provider (as depicted by the top middle bi-directional arrow). On the logic plane, the user can interact with the managed services through the Application Services Interface function140, and the Application Service Provider can interact with the Network Service Provider's managed Applications through the Network Service Provider Managed Application function. This is an optional function but it helps show how the UNA-DA can interface with Network devices from a network services provider, and provide a unified application interface to both hardware elements (NSA-TA, UNA-DA). This management relationship is represented by a dotted line on the logic layer between the Platform Management Logic module110and the network service provider management application in the NSP-TA. In effect, the application service provider can “manage” the NSP-TA for the user, even though it is not the application service provider's hardware. In the case where the application service provider is a network service provider as well (the NSP-TA is the application service provider's own hardware), then it would work in practically the same way.

FIG. 2also shows how the programming effectively partitions the hardware at the Application Service Provider Demarcation, which gives the application service provider the ability to provide a managed Peer-2-Peer private service that will enable that provider to use the UNA-DA for performing distributed computing, search, indexing, file backup, sharing, etc., all managed and controlled by the provider's service management center.

The arrows at the top ofFIG. 2thus show the delineations in management responsibility created by the two logical demarcations. As at the bottom, the area covered to the LEFT of the Network Service Provider Demarcation (as depicted by the upper arrow on the left of first vertical plane) is the Network Service Provider's responsibility. Anything to the RIGHT of that second demarcation plane (as depicted by the upper arrow on the right of the second vertical plane) would be the customer's responsibility. However, the logic and hardware in the NSP-TA between the two vertical planes (as depicted by the upper arrow on the left of second vertical plane) is the Application Service Provider's responsibility. As noted above, a logical interface may be provided to the NSP-TA may enable the Application Service Provider's to assume the user's responsibility in managing the premises side of the NSP-TA as depicted by the upper arrow on the right of the first vertical plane.

To identify the separation of, and distinguish between, the programming and hardware components subject to control by the application service provider and those subject to control by the user premises,FIG. 2identifies a dividing line across the logical elements of the UNA-DA, and a corresponding dividing line across hardware components, referred to as the Applications Service Provider Demarcation. The Applications Service Provider Demarcation is flexible in that it may extend logically through the Application Services Interface (and, in a hardware context, through the Network Interface) to other devices that are under the logical control of the Application Services Provider Managed Applications and Platform, given that “services” are not restricted to a specific hardware boundary.

There is no hard requirement for cross management between the UNDA-DA and the NSP-TA. Under this first scenario the user is responsible for making the configuration changes in the specific user controlled logic modules in order to get the two devices to communicate with each other. Optionally the two sub-systems can be combined together, either physically in one hardware device, or logically as two separate hardware devices, but having one managed interface.

As noted, the two hardware regimes described above (NSP-TA and the UNA-DA) may be combined into one managed hardware platform and, thereby, replace the need for the user to have access to the User Premises Network Interface with the logic residing in the Platform Management logic module of the Application Service Provider Managed Applications and Platform (compare to above-discussedFIG. 10). This would in effect replace the “user” access with a managed “machine” access, for aspects of the NSP-TA, as well as aspects of the application services offered through the UNA-DA. Thus, the combination creates an integral gateway device providing both network service and application services, under centralized management. Although integrated, network interconnect functions of the NSP-TA may still be managed by the network service provider, as in the example ofFIG. 2. Those skilled in the art will readily see additional combinations and configurations for the hardware comprising the NSP-TA and the UNA-DA. For example, in a further embodiment, all the hardware dedicated to the Network Service Provider Interface may reside and be integral with the hardware comprising the UNA-DA. Thus, the hardware for the WAN interface may reside on the UNA-DA.

The composition of the premises gateway device10, earlier described with reference toFIG. 2, is now described in greater detail with reference to that drawing together withFIGS. 3A-3C.FIG. 2illustrates the relationship of the demarcations to hardware and software of the gateway device10and an associated NSP-TA device providing the wide area network termination at the user premises. As shown inFIGS. 3A and 3B, the gateway device10utilizes a layered architecture, which enables the encapsulation of similar functionality and the minimization of dependencies between functions in different layers.FIG. 3Ashows the lower portion of the layered architecture, andFIG. 3Bshows the upper portion of the layered architecture. The completed set of layers can be conceptualized as ifFIG. 3Bwas combined withFIG. 3A, with the layers ofFIG. 3Babove those ofFIG. 3A.FIGS. 2,3A and3B also depict exemplary functionality (hardware and logical) resident in each of the layers.

The layers include a hardware layer102, and device driver software104for allowing the processor to operate other hardware elements of the gateway device10.FIG. 3Cis a functional block diagram illustrating interconnection of exemplary elements of the hardware layer102.

The logical elements of the NI Layer residing on the gateway device10are found in the Hardware Drivers104, which govern the operation of the Hardware Components102. The processor runs an operating system shown at layer106, which plays a role in each of the NI, NF, AS and Platform Management Layers (FIG. 1). The layered architecture100also includes software for systems services108and for the platform management layer shown at110in this drawing. Logical elements represented by the NF Layer depicted inFIG. 1are comprised of elements from the system services108. In a similar fashion, the Platform Management Layer depicted inFIG. 1is implemented in the exemplary architecture ofFIGS. 2,3A and3B by the platform modules109and the platform management layer110.

Particular logical elements comprising the ASL and ASE functionalities of the AS Layer represented inFIG. 1, and that reside on the gateway device10(predominately in the Application Service Provider Managed Applications and Platform of the UNA-DA shown inFIG. 2) are depicted inFIG. 3B, and comprise logical elements from each of services framework120and application services130. The layered architecture facilitates reuse or sharing of logic across the layers to provide a managed service framework120. The service management functionality provided by the framework120enables deployment of new services as pluggable modules comprising computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, objects, and other configuration data, in a plug and play fashion. The layered service architecture additionally provides the gateway device10with intra-process communication and inter-process communication amongst the many services and modules in the service framework layer120that enables the provisioning, management and execution of many applications and services130, depicted e.g. services A, B . . . N at the gateway device10. Additionally provided are the application service interfaces140that enable communications from user endpoint devices with service environments. In that regard, the interfaces140enable the application service logic130to act as an appropriate server with respect to client device application or service functionality of the endpoint devices. The application service interfaces140also enable corresponding interfaces for the application services with aspects of service environments implemented outside the user premises. In that regard, the interfaces140enable the application service logic130to act as an appropriate client, for extending the application or service related communications to a server accessed via the wide area network99, such as a server of the service management center50. For example, the gateway device may appear as a SIP server to a SIP client in an end point device, e.g. for a VoIP telephone service; but the gateway device will appear as a SIP client with respect to some related functions provided by a server (such as a SIP directory server) provided by the service management center50.

FIG. 2thus depicts a high level service framework upon which are built services, e.g. downloaded via the service management center network50and a wide area network as packages that are developed and offered by a service entity for customers. These services may be offered as a part of a default service package provisioned and configured at the gateway device10, or provisioned and configured subject to user subscription and may be added at any time as plug-in service modules in cooperation with the service management center, as discussed later. It is understood however, that while the gateway device10includes much of the intelligence or service logic for providing various services, it is also possible that for some services, some or all of service logic may reside in the service management center network and/or with a third party provider.

As shown, the base support layer102comprises hardware components including a processor device152, e.g. a system on chip central processing unit (“CPU”) that includes processing elements, digital signal processor resources and memory. The CPU152is also coupled to a random access memory or “RAM” (seeFIG. 3C) and additionally, non-volatile hard drive/disk magnetic and/or optical disk memory storage154. Generally, the above-identified computer readable media provide non-volatile storage of computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, objects, service configuration data and other data for use by the gateway device. The non-volatile hard drive/disk magnetic and/or optical disk memory storage154may be partitioned into a network side which is the repository for storing all of the service logic and data associated with executing services subscribed to by the user, and, is invisible to the user, and, a user side for storing user generated content and applications in which the user has visibility. Although not shown, the CPU152may be coupled to a microcontroller for controlling a display device.

Additional hardware components include one or more Ethernet LAN and WAN interface cards155,156(e.g. 802.11, T1, T3, 56 kb, X.25, DSL or xDSL) which may include broadband connections (e.g. ISDN, Frame Relay, ATM, Gigabit Ethernet, Ethernet over SONET, etc.), wireless connections, or some combination of any or all of the above. The card155referred to as the LAN interface card provides data communication connectivity within the user premises, essentially, for communication via a user premises network60with any endpoint devices operating within the premises. The card156referred to as the WAN interface card provides data communication connectivity for the gateway device10and endpoint devices communicating through the device10, with the wide area IP network99. For additional or alternative customer premises communications, the hardware components102may also include one or more USB interfaces158; and for additional or alternative communications with the wide area network, the hardware components may also include the PCMCIA EvDO interface card160.

A data encryption/decryption unit162is additionally provided as part of the architecture for providing data security features. A watchdog timer element or like timer reset element164is provided as is one or more LED devices166for indicating status and other usable information to users of the gateway device10.

The gateway device provides an in-premises footprint enabling the service connectivity and local management to client(s). The implementation of functions and the related control such as a router (with quality of service (QoS)), firewall, VoIP gateway, voice services and voice mail may be embodied and performed within the CPU152.

The discussion of the gateway hardware layer above and the illustration thereof in the drawings provides a high-level functional disclosure of an example of the hardware that may be used in the gateway device. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the gateway device may utilize other hardware platforms or configurations.

Continuing, as shown inFIG. 3A, the device driver layer104comprises a multitude of driver interfaces including but not limited to: a PCMCIA driver104a, for enabling low level communication between the gateway CPU152and the PCMCIA network interface card wireless interface, an IDE driver104bfor enabling low level communication between the gateway CPU152and the local mass memory storage element, and LAN/WAN drivers104cfor enabling low level communication between the gateway CPU152and the respective network interface cards155and156. The exemplary driver layer also includes an LED driver/controller104dfor driving LED(s)166, a USB driver104eallowing CPU152to communicate via USB interface158, and an 802.11 b/g (or n) wireless network driver104ffor allowing the CPU152to communicate via the access point62. The drivers provide the logical connectivity between the low level hardware devices102and the operating system106which controls the execution of computer programs and provides scheduling, input-output control, file and data management, memory management, and communication control and related services for the gateway device. With respect to the operating system106, the gateway computing may support any embedded operating system, any real-time operating system, any open source operating system, any proprietary operating system, or even any operating systems for mobile computing devices as long as the operational needs of the client discussed herein below can be met. Exemplary operating systems that may be employed include Windows®, Macintosh®, Linux or UNIX or even an embedded Linux operating system. For instance, the gateway device10may be advantageously provided with an embedded operating system106that provides operating system functions such as multiple threads, first-in first-out or round robin scheduling, semaphores, mutexes, condition variables, message queues, etc.

Built upon the system operating system106is a system services support layer108providing both client-like and server-like functions that enable a wide range of functionality for the types of services capable of being managed by the gateway device10. For instance, there is provided a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) client and server software modules. The DHCP client particularly requests via a UDP/IP (User Datagram Protocol/Internet Protocol (e.g. Ipv4, Ipv6, etc.) configured connection information such as the IP address that the gateway device10has been dynamically assigned by a DHCP service (not shown), and/or any the subnet mask information, the gateway device should be using. The DHCP server dynamically assigns or allocates network IP addresses to subordinate client endpoints on a leased, e.g. timed basis. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) client may communicate via a proxy server in the service control network50, according to a VPN protocol or some other tunneling or encapsulation protocol. An SMPT client handles incoming/outgoing email over TCP, in accordance with the Simple Mail Transfer protocol. A Network Time Protocol (NTP) (RFC 1305) generates and correlates timestamps for network events and generally provides time synchronization and distribution for the Internet. A Domain Name Server (DNS) client and server combination are used by the IP stack to resolve fully-qualified host or symbolic names, i.e. mapping host names to IP addresses.

An HTTP(S) server handles secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) (Secure Sockets Layer) communications and provides a set of rules for exchanges between a browser client and a server over TCP. It provides for the transfer of information such as hypertext and hypermedia, and for the recognition of file types. HTTP provides stateless transactions between the client and server.

A Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) client and server combination govern the ability for file transfer over TCP. A SAMBA server is an Open source program providing Common Internet Files Services (CIFS) including, but not limited to file and print services, authentication and authorization, name resolution, and service announcement (browsing). An EvDO/PPP driver includes a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) daemon configuration for wireless broadband services. A PPPoE (Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet) client combines the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), commonly used in dialup connections, with the Ethernet protocol; and it supports and provides authentication and management of multiple broadband subscribers in a local area network without any special support required from either the telephone company or an Internet service provider (ISP). The gateway device10is thus adapted for connecting multiple computer users on an Ethernet local area network to a remote site through the gateway and can be used to enable all users of an office or home to share a common Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), cable modem, or wireless connection to the Internet. A Secure Shell or SSH server implemented with HTTP protocol provides network protocol functionality adapted for establishing a secure channel between a local and a remote computer and encrypts traffic between secure devices by using public-key cryptography to authenticate the remote computer and (optionally) to allow the remote computer to authenticate the user.

Additionally provided as part of the system services layer108is intelligent routing capability provided by an intelligent router device185that provides Quality of Service (QoS, guaranteed bandwidth) intelligent routing services, for example, by enforcing routing protocol rules and supporting unlimited multiple input sources and unlimited multiple destinations and, particularly, for routing communications to networked digital endpoint devices subordinate to the gateway. A central database server183handles all of the database aspects of the system. For example, the database server183maintains and updates registries and status of connected digital endpoint devices, maintains and updates service configuration data, services specific data (e.g. indexes of backed-up files, other service specific indexes, metadata related to media services, etc.) and firmware configurations for the devices. The database server183may also store billing and transaction detail records and performance diagnostics. The database server logic183also satisfies all other database storage needs as will be described in greater detail herein.

Referring back toFIGS. 2 and 3A, built on top of the system services layer108is the platform module layer109. The platform module layer109provides a software framework for operating system and communications level platform functionality such as CPU management; Timer management; memory management functions; a firewall; a web wall for providing seamless WWW access over visual displays via access technologies enumerated herein, e.g. HTTP, SMS (Short Messaging Service) and WAP (Wireless Access Protocol); QoS management features, bandwidth management features, and, hard disk drive management features. The layered architecture further provides a platform management layer110as shown inFIG. 3B, which together with the platform modules109implement the platform management layer/logic discussed earlier (with regard toFIG. 1). In the layered architecture, the platform management layer110(and elements shown above it inFIG. 3B) is built upon the platform modules109.

The features/functions in the layer110include a platform manager module which will implement unique rules based notification services. On operational failure, for example, when one of the components or services fails, the platform manager would detect this failure and take appropriate action such as implement a sequence of rules to provide notification to a user. A scheduler module manages scheduled device maintenance, managing scheduled services, e.g. back-up services, etc. The layer110also includes a diagnostics module and a firmware upgrades management module for managing firmware upgrades. A resource management module manages system resources and digital contention amongst the various resources, e.g. CPU/Bandwidth utilization, etc. A display management module and a logger management module store and track gateway log-in activity of users and applications, e.g. voice call logs, at the user premises. The platform management layer110in concert with resource and service management components enforces the separation of network side managed service control and user side delegations depending upon service subscriptions and configurations. For example, the platform and resource management encompass rules and guidelines provided according to subscribed services that act to enforce, manage and control input/output operations, and use of hard drives space etc. A demarcation point, logically depicted as the Application Service Provider Demarcation inFIG. 2, is thus defined that provides a hard line between what is “owned by” the customer and what is “owned by” the application service provider.

The logical platform management layer110allows for inter-layer allocation of local resources. This function guarantees access between the application service/management logic implemented at the higher layers in the gateway device10and the applications service management function in the service management center50, by assuring that the local user premises hardware and software modules are functioning at a required state (CPU and memory usage, bandwidth usage, QoS settings, etc.). The platform manager is also responsible for implementing that part of the managed application services to be performed by the gateway device. In that regard, the platform manager secures and manages the overall hardware platform, given that in this scenario, the network function layer and the application service layer reside on one hardware platform. This secure hardware platform provides a robust and secure operating environment for the application services layer. So, to establish a secure and robust hardware operating environment, the platform management layer must interface with all the layers above it and allow for bi-directional management information flow among all of the functions.

Referring back toFIGS. 2 and 3B, built on top of the platform management layer110is the Services Framework120, which provides a library of application support service processes that facilitate data collection and data distribution to and from the multimedia endpoint devices. The application support service processes include, but are not limited to: an authentication manager for use in authenticating devices connected to the gateway device; a billing manager for collecting and formatting service records and service usage by endpoint devices, e.g. calls, back-up services etc.; a fault manager for detecting and managing determined system and/or service faults that are monitored and used for performance monitoring and diagnostics; a database manager; a control channel interface via which the gateway initiates secure communications with the operations support infrastructure; a configuration manager for tracking and maintaining device configuration; a user manager, a service manager for managing service configuration and firmware versions for subscribed services provided at the gateway device; and a statistics manager for collecting and formatting features associated with the gateway device. Statistics may relate to use of one or more services and associated time-stamped events that are tracked.

Built on top of the Services Framework layer120is the Application Services layer130providing library of user application services and application support threads including, but not limited to: file sharing functionality; backup services functionality; home storage functionality; network device management functionality; photo editing functionality; home automation functionality; media services functionality; call processing functionality; voice mail and interactive voice response functionality; presence and networking functionality; parental control functionality; and intelligent ads management functionality. The multi-services applications gateway10further provides application service interfaces140that are used to enable a variety of user applications and communications modalities.

For instance, the SIP Interface141is an interface to the generic transactional model defined by the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) that provides a standard for initiating, modifying or terminating interactive user sessions that involve one or more multimedia elements that can include voice, video, instant messaging, online games, etc., by providing access to dialog functionality from the transaction interface. For instance a SIP signaling interface enables connection to a SIP network that is served by a SIP directory server via a Session Border Controller element in the service management center.

The Web Interface142enables HTTP interactions (requests and responses) between two applications. The Web services interface149provides the access interface and manages authentication as multi-services gateway devices access the service management center via web services. The IM Interface144is a client that enables the multi-services gateway device10to connect to one or more specific IM network(s). As further shown inFIG. 3B, the UpNp (Universal Plug and Play) interface enables connectivity to other stand-alone devices and PCs from many different vendors.

The XMPP interface145is provided to implement the protocol for streaming (XML) elements via the gateway device10, in order to exchange messages and presence information in close to real time, e.g. between two gateway devices. The core features of XMPP provide the building blocks for many types of near-real-time applications, which may be layered as application services on top of the base TCP/IP transport protocol layers by sending application-specific data qualified by particular XML namespaces. In the example, the XMPP interface145provides the basic functionality expected of an instant messaging (IM) and presence application that enable users to perform the following functions including, but not limited to: 1) Exchange messages with other users; 2) Exchange presence information with other devices; 3) Manage subscriptions to and from other users; 4) Manage items in a contact list (in XMPP this is called a “roster”); and 5) Block communications to or from specific other users by assigning and enforcing privileges to communicate and send or share content amongst users (buddies) and other devices.

As noted,FIG. 3Cprovides a functional block diagram of exemplary elements of the hardware layer102. For example, a system on a chip provides the CPU152and associated system components. The CPU152is also coupled to a random access memory (“RAM”) and flash memory. The system on a chip also includes a hard drive controller for controlling a hard disk drive, and together the controller and drive form the hard disk example of the storage154. An Ethernet switch and associated LAN port(s) provide the Ethernet LAN interface155; and the Ethernet switch and associated WAN port provide a landline implementation of the WAN interface156L, for connection to a broadband modem or the like implementing the NSP-TA. The WAN interface may also be wireless, as implemented at156wfor example by a wireless WAN module and associated antenna. An example of such an interface would be the EvDO interface discussed earlier. If the gateway device uses the wireless WAN interface156w, there would be no separate NSP-TA.

In the example ofFIG. 3C, a USB controller in the system on a chip and one or more associated USB ports provide the USB interface158. The USB interface158may provide an alternate in-premises data communication link instead of or in addition to the wired or wireless Ethernet LAN communication. The system on a chip includes a security engine, which performs the functions of the data encryption/decryption unit162.

The hardware layer102may also include an option module. The UNA-DA hardware components at layer102have multiple interfaces for connection to such an option module. These interfaces, by way of example, could be a data bus (e.g. PCI, etc), network interface (e.g. Ethernet (RJ45), MoCA/HPNA (Coax)) and Power feeds. The option module allows additional functionality to be added to the base UNA-DA functionality of the gateway device. For example, this additional functionality could be everything from support for a variety of extra Wide Area Network Interfaces (e.g. xDSL, DOCSIS, Fiber (PON), Cellular Packet, WIMAX, etc.), Media Processing (e.g. Cable TV termination, Digital Video Recording, Satellite TV Termination, etc); to Voice Processing (FXS, FXO, Speech Detection, Voice to Text, etc). The option module may have its own standalone CPU, Memory, I/O, Storage, or provide additional functionality by its use of the CPU, Memory, I/O, and storage facilities off of the main hardware board. The option module may or may not be managed directly by the Platform Management of the UNA-DA.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that functions of the service management center, which reside in the Application Service Management node on the Service Provider Network, as depicted inFIG. 1, may be implemented in a variety of different ways, on one or more computer hardware platforms connected to 10 gateway devices via a wide area network.FIG. 4depicts an example wherein the implementation is on Internet or other wide area IP network99. The example uses a distributed processing approach, in which the elements/platforms implementing the service management center are interconnected for communication and for wide area communication, and in this way, those elements form a network50for implementing the service management center.

As shown inFIG. 4, the service management center network, through the logical capabilities earlier depicted inFIG. 4as the ASM module of the ASD Platform at the AS Layer, manages application services for a number of gateway devices10,101. . .10nlocated at various users' premises. These application services, shown as ASL and ASE inFIG. 1, implement their functionality within the Application Services Layer (FIG. 1), through programming that resides, at least in part, within the Application Service Provider Managed Applications and Platform of the UNA-DA (FIG. 2). As shown inFIG. 4, secure connectivity to the service management center network50is provided, in one embodiment, via a WAN Termination interface, such as Ethernet WAN53over a broadband connection via the public Internet99, or, for example, via a wireless EvDO (Evolution Data Optimized) Internet data interface embodied as a PCMCIA (personal computer memory) wireless card56. When the WAN Termination interface53is used, for example, it may provide connectivity to a broadband modem serving as the NSP-TA ofFIG. 2, either as a separate unit or on a board included within the gateway device10. If the wireless WAN interface is used, there may be no physical NSP-TA device, and the logic of the gateway device would implement functions of the NSP-TA as well.

As will be described in greater detail herein below, the service management center50generally provides a communications and processing infrastructure for supporting the variety of application services and related communications residing at the gateway devices10,101. . .10n. In an exemplary embodiment, this infrastructure may be configured to provide a secure environment and may be IP-based. Preferably, this support architecture is designed for high availability, redundancy, and cost-effective scaling.

The secure platform for building and providing multiple application services for digital endpoints associated with a gateway device requires connectivity between the gateway device10and each of a user's devices (referred interchangeably herein as “endpoint devices” or “digital endpoint devices”). This connectivity may be provided by implementation of one or more USB ports (interfaces)13, a wired Local Area Network connection such as provided by an Ethernet local area network (LAN) interface16, or, a wireless network interface via a WiFi LAN access point62provided, for example, in accordance with the I.E.E.E. 802.11 b/g/n wireless or wireless network communications standard. These physical interfaces provide the required network interconnectivity for the endpoint devices to connect to the multiple application services. Although not shown inFIG. 4, this connectivity between digital endpoint devices and the gateway device may be accomplished by other means, including, by way of example, through of a virtual private area network connection accessed through a WAN interface.

That is, the gateway device10interfaces with digital endpoint devices including, but not limited to: a home automation networking device20(e.g. X10, Z-Wave or ZigBee) for wired or wireless home network automation and control of networked home devices such as a switch controller22, sensor devices23, automatically controlled window blinds24, a controlled lighting or lamp unit25etc, individual or wired or wireless network of personal computing (PC) and laptop/mobile devices30a, . . . ,30cthat serve as file sources, control points and hosts for various other client endpoints, one or more television display devices32including associated set top boxes (STB)35aor digital media adapters (DMA)35b, one or more VoIP phone devices (e.g. SIP phones)40, or other devices (not shown) that convert IP interfaces to PSTN FXO and FXS interfaces.

As noted earlier, the gateway device10may provide an interface35bto the Digital Media Adapter (DMA) for television (TV)32, which enables bidirectional wireline or wireless communication. This interface supports several functions for multiple services including, but not limited to: media (e.g., video and music) by enabling the transfer of media (e.g., video and music) to the TV; voice services, by providing for Called Line ID and for voice mail control; and provide Home Automation Services including status and control of networked home automation devices. The DMA element35bconverts audio and video (optionally) to a format suitable for a TV. In addition, the Digital Media Adapter35bmay be capable of receiving context-sensitive commands from a remote control device (not shown) and forwarding those commands to the gateway device10. This enables the use of menus on the TV32for controlling application services and various features functions thereof, as offered by the gateway device10. For example, the Media Adapter/TV combination is able to provide the following features including, but not limited to: display of media; media control functions, when enabled (FF, REW, STOP, PAUSE, etc); display of Calling Line Identification (CLID); control of voicemail; picture viewing; control of home automation; and user functions for the gateway device10.

A Set Top Box35aas shown inFIG. 4also may handle media format conversion (for example NTSC to ATSC television RF signals), digital decryption and other DRM (digital rights management) functions; and Video On Demand Purchases, etc. The Set Top Box/TV combination may thus enable, by way of example: Media format conversion (for example NTSC to ATSC); decryption; other DRM functions (such as expiry of leases), prohibition of copying to digital outputs, function restriction, etc.; Video On Demand Purchases; and media control functions (e.g., FF, REW, STOP, PAUSE, etc.).

Whether provided by the DMA interface35band the TV32or by the set-top-box35aand the TV32, the communications to and from the TV provide a user interface for interaction with the gateway device10. The programming of the gateway device supports, among other things, a graphical user interface (GUI) via the TV, sometimes referred to as the “ten-foot” interface.

With respect to PCs interfacing with the gateway device10, PCs may serve as, among other things, file sources, control points and hosts for various software clients. Thus, the PC programming may work in conjunction with the ASL and ASE programming of the gateway device. Together, the PC programming and the ASL and ASE programming provide a more comprehensive and robust user experience: The gateway device10may further provide a bidirectional wireline or wireless interface35cto a PC device30bfor supporting the transfer of media (e.g., video and music) to the computer for storage and viewing; for supporting voice services, e.g., by providing for calls from SIP soft clients; for file sharing, file back-up and home storage and home automation control functions. The access point62offers wireless data communications with a PC30c. The gateway device interface through any PC may provide for the bidirectional moving of files, and status and control for the endpoint devices, including for example, status and control of networked home automation devices. In addition, using the PC interface, users may, for example, share files on the gateway devices, back-up or transfer files to the gateway devices or other storage; access personal page for notifications, RSS, shared photos, voicemail, etc. In addition to the IM and SIP capabilities of the gateway device, as described more below, PCs may also serve as a host for IM and SIP soft phone clients and other client devices. The client-server interaction of the PC with the application service logic of the gateway device10offers an alternative GUI for at least some of the services. The PC based GUI is sometimes referred to as the “two-foot” interface.

Although not shown inFIG. 4, other digital endpoint devices for which connectivity may be established with the gateway device10include, but are not limited to: personal music or media players, hi-fi audio equipment with media streaming capability, game stations, Internet radio devices, WiFi phones, WiFi or other wirelessly enabled digital cameras, facsimile machines, electronic picture frames, health monitors (sensor and monitoring devices), etc.

As described in greater detail herein, the gateway device10includes both a hardware and software infrastructure that enables a bridging of the WAN and LAN networks, e.g. a proxy function, such that control of any digital endpoint device at the premises from the same or remote location is possible via the gateway device10using, optionally, a secure peer and presence type messaging infrastructure or other communications protocols, e.g. HTTPS. For example, via any IM—capable device or client80a,80brespectively connected with an Instant Messaging (IM) or XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol) network messaging infrastructure, e.g. IM networks99a;99bsuch as provided by Yahoo, Microsoft (MSN), Skype, America Online, ICQ, and the like, shown for purposes of illustration inFIG. 4, a user may access any type of functionality at a subordinate digital endpoint device at the premises via the gateway device10and service management center50by simple use of peer and presence messaging protocols. In one exemplary embodiment, a peer and presence communications protocol may be used such as Jabber and/or XMPP. Particularly, Jabber is a set of streaming XML protocols and technologies that enable any two entities on the Internet to exchange messages, presence, and other structured information in close to real time. The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) has formalized the core XML streaming protocols as an approved instant messaging and presence technology under the name of XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol), the XMPP specifications of which are incorporated by reference herein as IETF RFC 3920 and RFC 3921. Thus, the gateway device is provided with functionality for enabling a user to remotely tap into and initiate functionality of a digital endpoint device or application at the premises via the IM-based messaging framework. In addition, the gateway device10and network connectivity to the novel service management center50, provides, in a preferred embodiment, a secure peer and presence messaging framework, enabling real-time communications among peers via other gateway devices101. . .10n. For instance, the device10provides the ability to construct communication paths between peers with formal communications exchanges available between, for example, one gateway device10, at a first premises and a second gateway device10nlocated at the remote premises. Thus, such an infrastructure provides for content addressing, enabling peers through remote gateway devices101. . .10n, to supply and request content such as files, media content or other resources of interest to a community of interest.

As noted above, the novel system architecture allocates the logical functionality of the ASD Platform (FIG. 1) between the gateway device10and the service management center50within an environment that enables communication and feedback at the AS Layer (FIG. 1) between the gateway device10and service management center50. Thus, the gateway device10, when operable with the service management center50, makes possible the management of services for the digital home and facilitates the easy addition of new services or modification of existing services. Such services may include, for example, facility management (home automation), media content downloading and Digital Rights Management (DRM), device updates, data backups, file sharing, media downloading and transmission, etc., without the intermediary of a plurality of external service providers who may typically provide these individual services for every digital endpoint device in the home or premises. The programming for these services resides in the Application Service Provider Managed Applications and Platform of the UNA-DA (FIG. 2). That is, as earlier shown, the gateway device10is integrated with hardware and software modules and respective interfaces that handle all aspects of home automation and digital endpoint service and management for the home in a manner without having to rely on external service providers and, in a manner that is essentially seamless to the user. This, advantageously is provided by the service management center50which is able to access regions of the gateway device10that are not accessible to the user, e.g. for controlling the transport and storing of digital content and downloading and enabling service applications and upgrades and providing largely invisible support for many tasks performed by users.

For example, with the robust capabilities of the Application Service Provider Managed Applications and Platform (FIG. 2), the gateway device10is capable of handling all aspects of the digital home communications, e.g. IP, voice, VoIP, phone connectivity. In this example, the service logic located and stored at the gateway device10may provide soft-switch functionality for implementing call-processing features at the premises (rather than the network) for voice communications, and enabling management of other service features to be described. With the provision of central office type call services and other service features provided at the gateway devices101. . .10n, a distributed soft-switch architecture is built. The ASM logical functionality of the service management center50, in cooperation with the ASE logical functionality of the gateway device, may, among other things, provide, manage and regulate, for example, service subscription/registration, authentication/verification, key management, and billing aspects of service provision, etc. With all of the service logic and intelligence residing at the gateway device, a service provider can offer customers a broad spectrum of services including, but not limited to: media services, voice services, e.g. VoIP, automated file backup services, file sharing, digital photo management and sharing, gaming, parental controls, home networking, and other features and functions within the home or premises (e.g. home monitoring and control). Users can access their content and many of the solution's features remotely. Moreover, software updates for the in-home devices that require updating are handled in an automated fashion by the system infrastructure. The service management center infrastructure additionally provides a web interface for third-party service providers to round out the service solutions provided at the gateway device for the premises. For example, a third-party service provider other than the managed service provider associated with the service management center may be allowed access through the infrastructure to particular endpoint devices to provide additional services such trouble shooting, repair and update services.

For the in-home services, the multi-services gateway device10connects the various service delivery elements together for enabling the user to experience a connected digital home, where information from one source (for example, voicemail) can be viewed and acted on at another endpoint (for example, the TV32). The multi-services gateway device10thus hosts the various in-home device interfaces, and facilitates the moving of information from one point to another. Some of the in-home endpoint device processing duties performed by the gateway device10include, but are not limited to: 1) detecting new devices and provide IP addresses dynamically or statically; 2) functioning as a (Network Address Translator) NAT, Router and Firewall; 3) providing a centralized disk storage in the home; 4) obtaining configuration files from the service management center and configuring all in-home devices; 5) acting as a Registrar for SIP-based devices; 6) receiving calls from and delivering calls to voice devices; providing voicemail services; 7) decrypting and securely streaming media having digital rights management (DRM) encoding; 8) distributing media to an appropriate in-home device; 9) compressing and encrypting files for network back-up; 10) backing-up files to the network directly from gateway device; 11) handling home automation schedules and changes in status; 12) providing in-home personal web-based portals for each user; 13) providing Parental Control Services (e.g. URL filtering, etc.); 14) creating and transmitting billing records of in-home devices including, recording and uploading multi-service billing event records; 15) distributing a PC client to PCs in the home, used in support of the various services such as monitoring events or diagnostic agents; 16) storing and presenting games that users and buddies can play; 17) delivering context-sensitive advertising to the endpoint device; and, 18) delivering notifications to the endpoint device; and, 19) enabling remote access through the web, IM client, etc. Other duties the gateway device10may perform include: service maintenance features such as setting and reporting of alarms and statistics for aggregation; perform accessibility testing; notify a registration server (and Location server) of the ports it is “listening” on; utilize IM or like peer and presence communications protocol information for call processing and file sharing services; receive provisioning information via the registration server; utilize a SIP directory server to make/receive calls via the SBC network element to/from the PSTN and other gateway device; and download DRM and non-DRM based content and facilitating the DRM key exchanges with media endpoints.

While the gateway devices10as described above are each equipped with various logic and intelligence for service features that enable the gateway devices to provide various integrated digital services to the premises, as described herein with respect toFIG. 3, the network-based elements of the service management center50supports and manages multi-services gateway devices, for instance, so as to control the accessibility to functionalities and service features provisioned in the gateway devices and the ability to communicate with other gateway devices and various digital endpoint devices connected thereto. These elements that support and manage the gateway devices10comprise the ASM module described above with reference toFIG. 1. These ASM elements may, for example, provide the necessary data to the ASE and ASL modules so that they may carry out their respective functions, oversee the overall integration and communication among all the modules and the services that are managed by the ASM, manages the overall security and integrity of the ASD, and maintains alarm, statistical, subscription and provisioning data, and data necessary for the integration of services from third-party service providers, e.g., media content aggregators.

Examples of various ASM functionalities performed at the service management center50, from the Service Provider Network regime, include but are not limited to: service initialization of the gateway devices, providing security for the gateway devices and the network support infrastructure, enabling real time secure access and control to and from the gateway devices, distributing updates and new service options to the gateway devices, providing service access to and from the gateway devices and remote access to the gateway devices, but not limited to such. In support of these services, the service management center50provides the following additional services and features: authentication; multi-service registration; subscription control; service authorization; alarm management; remote diagnostic support; billing collection and management; web services access; remote access to gateway devices (e.g. via SIP or Internet/web based communications); reachability to access challenged gateway devices; software updates; service data distribution; location service for all services; SIP VoIP service; media services; backup services; sharing services; provisioning; gateway interfaces to other service providers (Northbound and peering); load balancing; privacy; security; and network protection.

The logical network architecture for the service management center network50delivering these capabilities is illustrated and described in greater detail in U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/882,865 Filed Dec. 29, 2006 entitled “A MULTI-SERVICES APPLICATION GATEWAY AND SYSTEM EMPLOYING THE SAME,” and of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/882,862 Filed Dec. 29, 2006 entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING NETWORK SUPPORT SERVICES AND PREMISE GATEWAY SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE;” and the disclosures of the service management center network and its operations from those applications are entirely incorporated herein by reference.

With the gateway architecture implementing the Application Service Provider Demarcation (e.g.FIG. 2andFIGS. 3A-3C), the demarcation in accessibility to hardware resources of the gateway device10delineates a portion of the storage accessible by a user via an endpoint device from an application service provider portion of the storage containing the application service programming and/or data of the application service provider. For example, the user of an associated endpoint device may be able to store and retrieve data files in the user accessible portion of the storage of the gateway device10. The application service provider, in turn, can control storage and retrieval of data files in the application service provider portion via the of the wide area network as well as installation and configuration of various software/firmware logic modules. However, as outlined above, the user access to the logic and resources between the two demarcations is limited. The application service programming only provides a logical application service interface across the Applications Service Provider Demarcation, for delivery of one or more application services to an endpoint device. The user can obtain and use the application service and its features but can not access the underlying application service logic or its configuration data. For example, the user of the associated endpoint device is prevented from accessing one or more of the data files in the application service provider portion of the storage media. For some service applications, the application service provider can allow storage and retrieval of data files in the application service provider portion via the wide area network, for other gateway devices. Also, the logical location of the demarcation line separating the portions of the storage is controllable by the application service provider, from the service management center50, via the wide area network99and the second interface. To illustrate these points, it may be helpful to consider some examples.

FIG. 5Aconceptually depicts the logical demarcation in a storage media, between a portion thereof accessible by the user and a portion thereof that is accessible and controlled by the application service provider. In the example, the delineation provides isolation of downloaded service logic and associated data for implementing services from service provider and/or downloaded content from a user generated content.

As shown inFIG. 5A, the gateway device10includes functionality for logically combining the storage available from its own internal and attached hard drive(s)154, with any Network Attached Storage (NAS) device158available via the wide area network to create a single virtual file system that consumers can use like a single drive. The gateway device10will automatically detect, mount and manage the connections to the NAS devices and add them to its own file system. Users of the gateway device10are thus presented with a single consolidated storage device that they can access just like another drive on their PC. Users will not be exposed to the underlying protocols and management features required to provide such a feature. Users no longer have to use each of the storage devices separately.

However, as further shown inFIG. 5A, a virtual demarcation155is enforced at the centralized disc storage device154of the gateway device10, e.g., which may comprise one or more physical hard drives. The demarcation155is essentially the extension of the Application Service Provider Demarcation (FIG. 2) that extends through the gateway storage154. With respect to the storage154, the virtual demarcation155physically and logically isolates the storage partition or portion156where service logic and associated data for implementing services from the application service provider and/or downloaded media content controlled by that service provider are stored, from another partition or portion157where user generated data, e.g., user files, is stored. Thus, the portion156of storage154belongs to the application service provider and is accessible by the service management center50. The application service provider can use the portion156for receiving logic and intelligence for the device10, and backed-up user files, all of which is managed by the service control center50and enforced locally at the ASE logic in the gateway device10. However, the other portion157of storage154is storage that is user accessible and includes a user accessible graphic user interface (GUI) which may be accessed by a digital endpoint device, e.g., a PC, programmed to enable visibility if granted to the user. Thus, the user is enabled to skew the demarcation point depending upon the amount of control granted or authorized to the user according to subscribed features and service configurations. However, the demarcation location is controlled by the application service provider. This separation within the gateway device10is an enabler for delivery of the service logic that resides on the device on the network side of the virtual demarcation. That is, the service provider offers all of its services upstream of this demarcation point; and the customer can choose which service is selected that is within the control of the service provider's network.

While the service center50is responsible for placement of service modules and data beyond the demarcation155, the gateway device10is equipped with certain functional elements such as encryption techniques, local directory obfuscation techniques and local enforcement to prevent user visibility beyond the demarcation155that belongs to the service provider unless the user is enabled with such visibility. The intelligence and service logic that is on the gateway device10is managed by the service center50and provides the logic to limit user access.

FIG. 5Billustrates the virtual demarcation155within storage154of the gateway device10located on the customer premises, and this drawings provides examples of how the location of the demarcation155is moveable. The logic allows the customer to skew the location of the demarcation, albeit, within limits enforced by the logic managed by the application service provider. The provider also can adjust the location of the demarcation within the storage154on gateway device10. The demarcation within this device can occur on a physical storage medium, e.g., a hard disk drive154that has been sectored for different users, or in a virtual memory location, e.g. locations155a,155bor155c, based on the service levels being offered, e.g. service A, service B or service C, respectively. This approach allows the customer more flexibility in manipulating the service rendered and services offered by the provider. By allowing the demarcation closer to the customer this allows more control of features from the customer and allows the service provider closer control of the customer infrastructure without owning it all. Thus, with this device in place, the new demarcation moves based on the service.

For an example of demarcation control, if some data is required to be stored, e.g., a downloaded movie, the customer can store it locally, securely locally, or securely remotely. While it is the customer's responsibility to do storage locally and securely locally, with the virtual demarcation, the service of providing locally secure data is now part of an offering of the service provider. While the data is still on site, the data is under control of the service provider and follows service agreements for that storage of data.

As another example of demarcation control, movies may be downloaded and stored at the service provider's side beyond the demarcation155, as requested by a user via a user interface through a device connected to the device. This user interface, enabled via the user side of the Application Service Provider Demarcation of the gateway device10, is accessed through a PC, a TV, cell phone. After authentication, the user could select and prioritize movies to purchase for example, in compliance with the media content service provider. The choice of interfaces and amount of visibility by endpoint devices accessing this user interface may be optimally designed from a contention standpoint from the perspective of controls, security, network service control manageability, and cost. A selected movie is downloaded to the service center's portion156of the storage154as shown inFIG. 5A. Unless and until the user has purchased the movie for playback via an authentication process, that user will be prevented from accessing the content. Otherwise, the user may initiate streaming of the content directly to a digital endpoint device, e.g., a television, or will be granted permissions to download and play the movie according to the subscription with the media content provider as managed by the gateway device. If the user has purchased the movie, the movie may be transferred physically to the user storage portion157of the storage154. Otherwise, the content may be temporarily copied, for local storage by the user at the user accessible portion of the demarcation point for playback at the user endpoint device.

Another example of demarcation control is the manipulation of features for a given service. Currently a subscription order is processed, and these features are manipulated within the service provider's network and sent down to the customer for provisional changes to equipment at the service center's side of the demarcation point. The location of the demarcation can be adjusted to meet storage space needs on either or both sides, as needed for various services offered to this user or even services provided to other users. Via a GUI established for the endpoint device when connected with the gateway device10, when authenticated, files may be unlocked so the customer may locally manipulate services before and after the Application Service Provider Demarcation, thereby virtually shifting the point or location of the demarcation. Thus, a virtual demarcation allows the application service provider flexibility in offering different services and features. Examples of relevant services include, but are not limited to services such as: parental control, advertisement monitoring and replacement, home user habit monitoring, home channel monitoring, and back-up services.

In one service example, the gateway device10and service management center50provide a file management feature generally including functionality that enables a user to back-up files or content to a virtual memory storage area provided in the gateway device10, and then subsequently forward the backed-up files to an external wholesale service provider providing the backup service. Thus, gateway storage device10provides the protected storage for user files and user content at its side of the demarcation point in a two-stage storage process: 1) storing the content across the virtual demarcation point (partition); and then, encrypting the content; and, 2) dispersing the stored content to other gateway devices, or at another storage location provided by the service center or by a partnered third party back-up storage service provider. This could be performed automatically; on a scheduled basis, or on demand as requested by a user. The gateway device10knows where the data portions will be stored, based on the service configuration and subscription. Backup may be on a central host operated by the application service provider; or in an implementation discussed more below, the backup files and/or portions thereof may actually reside in the service provider's portion of storage in other gateway devices. The locations of devices that may back up content pieces are known at the network level, e.g., hardware IDs of each of the other gateway devices are known based on the unique identity of the device, and the mappings of the IP addresses of the devices that change dynamically are known at location servers provided by the service management center50, so the location of backed-up content for a user is always known.

In a further aspect of the file-sharing service, the gateway device10and service management center50may provide a hosted service-virtual space on the centralized disk storage at the gateway device for users. Dedicated areas of user storage may be designated as sharable—including application level sharing for any application that has data. As shown inFIG. 6, this virtual storage area159may be combined from its internal hard disc storage with any network attached storage device located at the network to create a singe virtual file system that consumers can use like a single drive.

FIG. 7depicts basic steps of an overall process800for back-up file services using a third party storage provider according to certain aspects. As shown, in a first step801, the device has been programmed to initiate an automatic back-up process at the PC endpoint. Then, at step803, the files to be stored from a user device, e.g., a PC, are first compressed, encrypted and transferred to the gateway device10. Referring back toFIG. 5A, this service may be configured to automatically implement a transfer158of user data or files from an attached user controlled portion157of storage154to be backed-up. Optionally, the gateway device10may compress and encrypt the data. After any such processing, the transferred data or files are stored at the application service provider side156of the virtual demarcation155(the encrypted partition) where the service management center50has visibility. Then, the device File Manager module of the gateway device10starts the Backup Manager module, which performs the File Backup to a Data Center which may be implemented as part of the service management center50. A Backup Manager functionality in the service management center50checks to see if the user is subscribed, and if so, proceeds to create an index of backup data and obtain an access key from the backup service provider96, as indicated at step806. Once authorized, the back-up service key is provided to the user's gateway device10at step807. Then, in stage2of the back-up process, as indicated at step810, the backed-up files are transferred with the service key to the third party storage provider96via the wide area network. Then, once successfully stored at the third party back-up storage service provider96, a positive acknowledgement is communicated from the service provider to the gateway device10as indicated at step812.

As controlled by the management service center50, in an alternate embodiment, the encrypted content to be stored is transmitted to at least one other gateway device10, for storage at a location156beyond the respective demarcation155for service provider storage in the storage154of the other gateway device(s). If multiple other gateway devices10are used for this service, the user's data or files can be back-up in a distributed, safe and redundant manner on the provider's storage portion156of the other devices10. That is, each file may be partitioned into a plurality of pieces for further transfer or storage in a redundant and secure manner, e.g., and transferred to the service provider portions156behind the virtual demarcations155. These pieces may then be encrypted and sent out externally for further storage, automatically, e.g., at time of log-in, on a scheduled basis, or, upon user initiation.

Before describingFIG. 8, some definitions are provided with respect to certain terms as they relate to peer to peer systems. A “zone” is considered an addressable space, often associated with a node, which represents the ID of the node for the purposes of a file distribution method. A “neighbor zone” is a peer node to a specific zone, or node, with the specific zone maintaining state about the neighbor zone. A “neighbor area” consists of a number of neighbor zones. The neighbor area may be defined by the coordinates of the overlay network.

FIG. 8illustrates an exemplary process demonstrating the “peer-to-peer” file backup in which files are backed up on different gateway devices10. For purposes of explanation with respect to this figure, the different gateway devices10will be referred to as Appliance1and Appliance2respectively. At1802, Appliance1determines backup files and may save the files on the Appliance1. At1804, Appliance1creates a backup file label. Such a backup file label may be, for example, a label associated with a backup file. At1806, Appliance1hashes the backup file label to generate backup file id. At1808, Appliance1routes a backup request with address backup file id to a peer-to peer node, e.g., Appliance2, whose zone covers the backup file id. This routing to another gateway device10, in this case Appliance2, in certain embodiments, uses the gateway-to-gateway peer-to-peer communication mechanism described above. At1810, Appliance2determines available backup space over its neighbor zones. This determination may also be performed by the Appliance2querying the gateway devices in its neighboring zones using the gateway-to-gateway peer-to-peer communication mechanism described above. At1812, Appliance2receives reports of disk availability from other gateway devices in its neighbor zones. At1814, Appliance1receives IP addresses of gateway devices with available storage space in the neighbor zones of Appliance2. At1816, if space reservation is not successful, steps1804to1814may be repeated to reserve storage for backup in other gateway devices (appliances). At1818, if space reservation is successful, Appliance1encrypts the backup file. In certain embodiments, Appliance1breaks up the backup file into n blocks at1820. At1822, Appliance1generates n+m blocks of erasure codes. In general, an erasure code transforms a message of n blocks into a message with greater than n blocks such that the original message can be recovered from a subset of those blocks. At1824, Appliance1transfers, for example using the secure gateway-to-gateway peer-to-peer communication mechanism described above, the blocks to n+m gateway devices (appliances), that is, those determined to have storage space available, for example, those gateway devices in the neighboring zones of Appliance2. In certain embodiments, different blocks may be transferred to different gateway devices. Further, each block may be stored redundantly, for example, on more than one gateway device. At1826, information associated with this backup, for example, Appliance1's id, backup file label, and area boundary coordinates of Appliance2and IP addresses of the gateway devices that have storage space available for backup may be reported to the support network.

FIG. 9illustrates an exemplary processing for restoring files backed up using the method described with reference toFIG. 8in certain embodiments. Again, for purposes of explanation with respect to this figure, the different gateway devices10will be referred to as appliances. At1852, Appliance1determines the backup file label associated with a file being restored and area boundary associated with the gateway appliances storing the file. At1854, Appliance1hashes backup file label and generates backup file id. At1856, Appliance1routes, for example, via peer-to-peer communication as described above with respect to gateway-to-gateway communication, a retrieval request with address backup file id and area coordinates to another gateway node, Appliance3, whose zone covers backup file id. In certain embodiments, Appliance3need not be the same Appliance2described inFIG. 8, although it can be in certain embodiments. At1858, Appliance3transmits a retrieval inquiry over neighbor gateway devices (appliances) within the area coordinates. At1860the gateway devices (appliances) in Appliance3's neighbor or area zone report whether they have one or more file blocks associated with backup file id. At1862, Appliance3reports IP addresses of the appliances holding file blocks associated with backup file id. At1864, Appliance1fetches the blocks from those gateway devices storing the file blocks, decodes erasure codes into a file at1866, and decrypts the file at1868. At1870, Appliance1may inform a user that file restore has completed successfully. At1872, old backup file blocks may be cleared.

Hence, the gateway device10interoperates with the network support to provide data backup and restore services. For instance, the gateway device10may include a user interface and application or like functionality for allowing users to select files, for example, stored on a user's PC, on the gateway device10or other endpoint devices for the backup and restore services. The term “file” as used herein comprehensively refers to files, folders, directories, any data in any format, for example, media, ASCII, etc. The gateway device10, as discussed above, may encrypt and compress, and transfer the files to a backup storage. In certain embodiments, the backup storage is a storage provided by the remote third party backup service data center96. In such embodiments, data is backed up to and restored from the backup service data center96, for instance, via interoperating with the support network, which for example, interfaces to the remote third party backup service data center96. In certain other embodiments, this backup storage may be at the gateway device10itself, for instance, on the non-user accessible region of the gateway device storage that is only accessible by the services support network, as discussed earlier. Yet in other embodiments, files are backed up in a distributed manner on the non-user accessible region of other gateway devices10, for example, which may reside at other premises. For instance, a file may be divided into multiple parts and each part may be backed up on different gateway devices. Further, one or more parts may be backed up redundantly, that is, on multiple gateway devices10. Combinations of any of the above-described embodiments may be utilized for backup and restore services. In certain embodiments, a user may provision and subscribe to the type of backup services desired with the provisioning and/or subscription service as described above.

It should be understood that in addition to backing up files originating from endpoint devices, the disclosed systems and methods back up files from the gateway device10itself, including non-user files. Such files may include, but are not limited to, configuration files, service files, billing files, as well as files that the gateway device10is backing up that came from other gateways. In other words, all of the files of the gateway device10can be backed up, to a central storage location or in a distributed manner to other gateway devices10. This redundancy in backing up files allows for easy replacement or restoration of a gateway device10at a premises, which can be catastrophically damaged, by fire for example. As all, or some selected portion of the files of the gateway device10are backed up, centrally or in a distributed fashion, it becomes relatively simple to restore the files to the gateway device10or to a new gateway device10, by pulling the backed up files from the central storage location or the distributed storage locations (e.g., other gateway devices10). Since the backing up of the gateway device10files involves files of which the user may not even be aware, the backing up of the gateway device10may be made automatic, on a scheduled basis, or on demand from the service management center50, or on demand from the user.

It is understood that, in connection with the implementation of backup services provided by partnered third party providers, for example, the gateway device is configured to communicate with the backup file service provider96via the web interface and thus requires the URL of the service provider96for where the gateway device10should communicate. Configuration data is provided to the gateway device10from the subscription manager as part of the initialization process, that queries the service providers96to obtain configuration data that can be sent back to the gateway device, and determine which versions from a configuration perspective to report back to the gateway device. For backup services this may be a version1at URL1so the gateway device10should go to this location or, based on the location of the gateway device10may be sent to URL2. For each service, configuration data is provided to the gateway device10. This is all based on handshaked communications. When the user invokes the service, the gateway device10knows all that it needs to invoke the service.

The file backup service involves file management. To receive file backup service, a user will typically be required to subscribe to such a service. The file backup service can be charged, for example, based on used storage space in the data center, on a monthly basis. The files, which can be originally stored on the user's PC or other endpoint device, or on the gateway device at the user premises, that may be selected to be backed up into the data center (i.e., storage location) is managed by the file manager of the gateway device10.

FIG. 12is a block diagram depicting certain components in an arrangement to provide file backup service. Components in this diagram that are relevant to the discussion of file backup will be discussed, while other components that are not relevant will not be described. Also, in this example, it is assumed that the file is linked up at a central storage location, such as at the backup service provider96. InFIG. 12, a backup file is encrypted and compressed before it is sent to the backup service provider96. If the backup file originates from gateway device home storage, it will be encrypted and compressed by the backup manager200. If the backup file originates from a PC30or other endpoint device, it will be encrypted and compressed by the PC30or other endpoint device.

In order to restore a backed up file from a wholesale backup provider, a reversed procedure will be performed. If a restored file is sent to the gateway device home storage, the backup manager200of the gateway device10will uncompress and decrypt the file before the file is placed in a designated home storage folder202. If the restored file is sent to the PC30or other endpoint device, the PC client30or endpoint client will uncompress and decrypt the file after ftp from the gateway device home storage, then place the file in the designated PC folder204(or other endpoint device folder). These files can be accessed by a browser, for example.

The system includes a number of databases, these databases including include system level data, file data, and file backup data. For system level data, in certain embodiments, three tables are managed by the user management module (seeFIG. 3B, Services Framework120) in the gateway device10. These tables are not illustrated specifically as the tables are conventional in structure, but their exemplary contents will be described below. One table may contain user information (the user information table), and contains the information of a PC user, for example, who is a gateway device user also. The same user can be registered on multiple PCs30. Some of the information in the user information table can include a unique id of a user, the login name of the user, and a password.

Another table is the host information table, which contains the information related to a PC30or other endpoint devices. This information can include the unique id of a host, the host name, a host MAC address, and online/offline status, for example. The third table may be a host user table, for example, that contains a mapping pair of a host and a user to handle multiple-to-multiple relation between user and host.

The file database has a file information table that contains metadata information of files that are backed up and/or shared. Each folder itself is a file and has a corresponding file information record in the table. For each folder level, file query is based on a folder id. A folder's file id is used as a folder id by the files that belong to this folder.

Certain gateway device home storage predefined folders are provided in the file table by default. When the user selects files for backup or sharing, if their home storage folders202or PC folders204do not have corresponding instances in the database, the new instances have to be inserted into the file information and file folder tables by a browser via a web server. Exemplary predefined folders may include: documents, games, movies, music, pictures, presentations, etc.

A folder information table provides a complete path of the storage folders of the gateway device and related PC or other endpoint device folders. The folders are used in file backup, restore and sharing.

A tag information file provides a description of a tag that will be attached to a selected file. The tag is used for flexible file searching.

The file backup data database includes a backup information table, which provides a part of the backup setting, identified with a backup name by the user and queried by a backup id internally. The user is able to select between backing up now, setting a one-time schedule for backing up, or setting a repeated backup schedule. When the user sets a schedule, an associated backup schedule information record is created.

A backup file information table contains file ids of selected files for backup. This can contain the file id, the backup id, the folder id and the status, for example.

A backup schedule information table contains backup schedule information of each scheduled backup setting, which is identified with its schedule name by the user and queried by its schedule id internally. The table contains attributes such as schedule id, schedule name, schedule type (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly), schedule day, schedule time and status.

A backup execution information table contains log information of each execution of each backup setting. Some of the attributes in the table include backup exec id, backup id, execution time, status, and error code.

The backup file detail stores backup history details. These include which files are backed up at what time with which file name in the data center at the backup service provider96. This table is also used by the user to select files for file restore. Some of the attributes in the table include file id, backup exec id, folder id, file size, home storage file create time, home storage file modify time, PC file create time, PC file modify time, backup time, network file name, status, and error code. When the user selects a file or folder for backup, the backup file information shall have folder id set to zero; while all files under a folder shall have their backup file information with folder id set equal to the file id of the folder.

A restore file detail table contains a history log of restores. When a file restore is executed, a new restore file detail is created to record its execution information. Some of the attributes in the table include file id, restore time, file size, backup exec id, status and error code. When the user is doing restore, the browser only displays files with folder id equal to zero, which is what the user selected when performing the backup. If the user wants to expand a folder in the list, the browser shall be able to obtain its files by using the folder id.

When a user with an endpoint device associated with a gateway device10adds backup service, a backup account for that gateway device10will be set up and secure access for the gateway device10to the backup service provider96is created. The file manager206and the backup manager200(FIG. 12) need not be notified at this time, as no active backup set is yet defined. A backup set is also known as a backup job, or an instance of a backup, and these terms may be used interchangeably. The backup manager200can obtain certificate and key information later, when a backup job is started.

Upon a user cancelling backup service, a subscription manager208at the service management center must notify the file manager206to stop all existing and scheduled backup activities before closing the user's backup account.

FIG. 13schematically depicts an exemplary subscription process. Referring also toFIG. 12, the user employs a browser210through a web server212to send a message to subscribe to the backup service at300. A subscribe to the backup service message is sent from the web server to a provisioning manager214at the service center at step302. The provisioning manager214requests the billing manager216to set up an account for backup service, step304. The billing manager216then opens the account with the backup service provider96in step306. Once the account is opened, the backup service provider96issues an account key and/or a secret key, which is received by the service management center50, in step308. The provisioning manager214sends a configuration message to the backup manager200of the service management center50(step310), which then downloads the configuration to the gateway device10at step312.

FIG. 14depicts an exemplary process to cancel a backup service. The user can specify a date to actually stop the service. The subscription manager208will stop the backup service immediately or on a specified by setting a timer. The browser210sends a cancel backup service subscription message via the web server212to the provisioning manager214of the service management center50, in steps320and322. If the service is to terminate immediately, the provisioning manager214sends a stop backup service message to the backup manager200, which sends a message to the gateway device10to stop the backup service (steps324and326). All backup is then stopped at the gateway device10, and a done signal is sent to the backup manager200(step328). A cancel account signal is provided by the backup manager200to the billing manager216after the backup manager200receives the done signal from the gateway device10(step330). The billing manager200requests and receives a last bill from the backup service provider96(steps332and334). The backup manager200sends a message to the backup service provider96closing the account (step336). If the backup service is not to terminate immediately, but at a later time, a timer is set (step338), at which time the provisioning manager214sends the stop backup service message to the backup manager200, with the rest of the procedure following as above described.

FIG. 15schematically depicts an exemplary process to stop all backup service. When the cancellation of backup service becomes effective, the subscription manager208notifies the file manager206. Upon this notification, the file manager206stops all running of the backup and restore, and stops all scheduled backup jobs. In addition, the file manager206cleans up backup data in the database of the gateway device10and a temporary folder used for backup and restore. As seen inFIG. 15, the file manager206resets backup and restore flags. For backup timers, the timer is deleted (step340). Temporary files to be backed up are depleted in step342. Backup file information is deleted in step342. Backup schedule information is deleted in step346. Backup information is deleted in step348. The log is deleted in step350.

FIG. 16depicts an exemplary process for starting the file manager206, which is started (step by the platform manager (see platform manager110inFIG. 3b) during initialization of the gateway device10. The file manager206starts the backup manager200(step354), which manages file backup to the backup service provider96. The backup manager200checks with the subscription manager208in step356to determine if this gateway device10has subscribed for backup service or not. If the gateway device10has subscribed, the backup manager200obtains the backup certificate and/or key information (step358). When the file manager206starts, it performs a number of initialization activities, including finding incomplete backup jobs that started before the file manager206restarted, and continues these incomplete backup jobs until complete (step360). The file manager206also finds incomplete restore jobs and continues them until complete (step362). Further, the file manager206initializes timers for all scheduled backup settings (step364). The file manager206queries the database for a backup schedule (step366) and receives the backup schedule (step368) The file manager206also processes timeouts (step370).

FIG. 17depicts an exemplary process to create a backup set. To backup files, the user creates a backup set (or “backup job”) using the browser210through the web server212(step380). This causes a backup information instance to be inserted into the database of the gateway device10by the browser210(step382). The database provides a backup id to the web server212(step384) The user then selects files for the created backup set (step386). The files included in the backup set will be backed up when the backup set is executed. Three backup modes include: backup now (step388), one-time schedule, and repeated schedule (steps390,392and400). In the scheduled modes, the backup schedule information is inserted in the database interface (step398) and a set timer signal is sent by the file manager206to the timer manager (step402).

FIG. 18depicts an exemplary process to add a backup file. If a single file is to be added, the browser210sends an add backup file message to the web server212(step404). If there is no file information, the web server212inserts file information into the data base in step406. Backup file information is inserted into the database in step408. Similar steps are performed for folders with multiple files, in steps410-416.

FIG. 19depicts the modifying of a backup set andFIG. 20depicts the process of deleting a backup file. The user can modify a backup set by adding and deleting backup files to and from the backup set (step420), and by changing the backup schedule (step422) and/or the backup mode. The adding of the backup file is as depicted inFIG. 18, while deleting a backup file is performed as depicted inFIG. 20. The browser210inserts or deletes corresponding backup file information and updates backup schedule information as needed.

FIG. 20depicts an exemplary process to delete a backup file. The browser210deletes backup file information and updates backup schedule information (steps424and426). This process is performed for a single file or for multiple files and folders.

A first mode of backup is the backup now mode, an exemplary process being depicted inFIG. 21. After setting a new backup set or selecting an existing backup set (such as inFIG. 19), the user is able to select “backup now” to immediately activate a backup action. This triggers the browser210to update the relevant file information status to backup and sends a backup now message (step430) to the file manager206. The file manager206retrieves file information from the database based on their status, in steps432-438. When the file manager206has more backup file information, a backup one file procedure is performed (step440), an exemplary process being show inFIG. 22.

To make the backup function more efficient, the file manager only backs up those files that have been changed since the last backup was performed.FIG. 22depicts the backup of one file. The file manager206compares the real file time stamp with its corresponding file information time stamp (step442). If the file information time stamp is older than the real file, that means this file has been changed and needs to be backed up. If the backup file is a home storage (HS) file, the file manager206directly requests the backup manager200to back the file up to the backup service provider96(step450). If the backup file is a PC file, the file manager206sends an “ftp from PC to HS” request to the PC client30(step452). After the file is copied to the home storage, the file manager206will request the backup manager200to back up the file to the backup service provider96.

As depicted inFIG. 23, a scheduled backup is triggered by a timer, at the gateway device10, for example, or at the endpoint device. If there is an ongoing execution of the same backup set as the scheduled backup set, the scheduled backup set is delayed until the current execution of the backup set is finished (Hold). The file manager206provides a process timeout signal to the timer manager (step460). If there is no existing scheduled backup of the current backup set, then a timeout handler is requested by the file manager206to the timer manager and the timer (steps462and464). The timer manager sends a handle timeout signal to the file manager (step466) which initiates the backup now process ofFIG. 21in step468.

FIGS. 24a-dshow exemplary procedures for restoring backed up files from a backup service provider to a user's gateway device10or to an endpoint device, such as a PC30. Referring now toFIG. 24a, to perform a file restore, the user selects a backed up file from a backupfiledetail list, and provides the request to restore the file in step500with the browser210via the web server212to the file manager206. The user specifies a restore location. As examples, the restore location can be the original location of the file, or a different location or folder. There are two different types of restores, either a home storage file restore (step502, shown in more detail inFIG. 24b) or a PC file restore (step504, shown in more detail inFIG. 24c). In both of the different types of restore, a restore file from backup service provider96step506is provided, corresponding to the procedure depicted inFIG. 24d.

InFIG. 24b, the restore file from backup service provider process (step506,FIG. 24d) is performed for a home storage file. Since the user wants to restore the file to a folder on the gateway device10, the file manager206will move the file to a folder of the home storage in step508. The backup file (BF) is retrieved from the data center to the user's gateway device10. The status of the restore file detail is updated in step510.

InFIG. 24c, the restore file from backup service provider process (step506,FIG. 24d) is performed for a PC file. The file manager206will request that the PC Client manager ftp (file transfer protocol) the restored file from the HS to a folder of the PC or other endpoint device, which is performed in steps512,514. After the ftp to the PC folder is completed, the restored file on the home storage (OS) is deleted in step518, and the restore file detail is updated by the PC client in the backup service provider (step516) through the database interface.

FIG. 24ddepicts an exemplary process for restoring files from a backup service provider96. The file manager206updates the backup file detail at the backup service provider96(step520) and requests the backup manager200to restore files (step522). The backup manager206: update the backup file detail (step524), connects the gateway device10to the backup service provider526, sftps a get file signal (step528), updates the backup file detail (step530), and inserts a restore file detail (step532). The retrieved backup file BF is uncompressed and decrypted to its original form (step534). The backup file is then deleted in step536.

The above processes have been described with respect to a backup service provider96. It should be understood that the processes are applicable to backups to a centralized storage location, or to distributed storage locations, such as other gateway devices external to the premises, as discussed earlier.

The gateway device10and its interactions with various endpoint devices and with the service management center50backup service provider have been described with reference to diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products. It will be understood that elements and functions illustrated in the diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions running on one or more appropriately configured hardware platforms, e.g. to operate as a gateway device10or as one or more systems implementing functions of the service management center50. Hence, operations described above may be carried out by execution of software, firmware, or microcode operating on a computer other programmable device of any type. Additionally, code for implementing such operations may comprise computer instruction in any form (e.g. source code, object code, interpreted code, etc.) stored in or carried by any computer or machine readable medium.

Program aspects of the technology may be thought of a “products,” typically in the form of executable code and/or associated data for implementing desired functionality, which is carried on or embodied in a type of machine readable medium. In this way, computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, embedded processor or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, so as to implement functions described above.

Terms regarding computer or machine “readable medium” (or media) as used herein therefore relate to any storage medium and any physical or carrier wave transmission medium, which participates in providing instructions or code or data to a processor for execution or processing. Storage media include any or all of the memory of the gateway device or associated modules thereof or any of the hardware platforms as may be used in the service management center, such as various semiconductor memories, tape drives, disk drives and the like, which may provide storage at any time for the software programming. All or portions of the software may at times be communicated through the Internet or various other telecommunication networks. Such communications, for example, may enable loading of the software from one computer into another computer, for example, from the updater51a hardware platform for a gateway device10or from another source into an element of the service management center50. Thus, another type of media that may bear the software elements includes optical, electrical and electromagnetic waves, such as used across physical interfaces between local devices, through wired and optical landline networks and over various air-links. The physical elements that carry such waves, such as wired or wireless links, optical links or the like, also may be considered as media bearing the software. Hence, the broad class of media that may bear the instructions or data encompass many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile storage media, volatile storage media as well as carrier wave and physical forms of transmission media.