Patent ID: 7792963

Claim:
A system for providing data filtering from a cable modem termination system (CMTS) in a cable data network consisting essentially of: the CMTS, wherein the CMTS comprises a packet counter, wherein the packet counter determines a number of packets sent to a subscriber device from the CMTS (herein, “downstream packets”) and a number of packets originating from the subscriber device and sent to the CMTS (herein, “upstream packets”), and a data gateway agent; a datastore accessible to the data gateway agent for storing a data transfer rule selected by a subscriber, wherein the selected data transfer rule comprises filtering criteria selected by the subscriber, and wherein the data gateway agent comprises instructions that cause the CMTS to: receive a packet prior to receipt of the packet by the packet counter; access the data transfer rule stored in the datastore; use the filtering criteria to determine whether the packet violates the data transfer rule; forward the packet to the packet counter for counting when the packet does not violate the data transfer rule; and apply a corrective measure to the packet when the packet violates the data transfer rule.