Patent ID: 7933970

Claim:
A method for managing network-based access to computer applications, comprising: identifying by a web server a first application executing within a residential network; determining by the web server a residential address in the residential network for accessing the first application; creating a portal webpage comprising a first link to the residential address in the residential network home and a second link to a second application executing outside the residential network on a service provider network; storing the portal webpage in memory of a residential communications gateway communicating with the residential network and with the service provider network; storing a services database in the residential communications gateway that associates services to users and to devices; registering the users in the services database to associate each user of the users to a device and to a service offered by a service provider over the service provider network; receiving a request for service at the residential communications gateway identifying a requested service for a requesting user at a requesting device; searching the services database for the requesting user; determining the requesting user is authorized to access the requested service from the requesting device; executing an application programming interface by a processor in the residential communications gateway that associates multiple users of the communications device with at least one available application on the residential network and with at least one available application on the service provider network; creating an entry in the service database that links the requested service to the requesting user when the requesting user is authorized to access the requested service; and displaying a website link in the portal webpage that provides access to the requested service.