Patent ID: 7480724

Claim:
A method for managing network-based access to computer applications, comprising: communicating with a residential communications gateway executed from a portal webpage; including in the portal webpage a link to a first application on a residential network and another link to a single second application on a service provider network; receiving a request for service from a residential user; associating the user to a primary account subscriber; searching a services database for services that the primary account subscriber has authorized the residential user to access; executing an application programming interface that associates multiple users of a communications device in the residential network with at least one available application on the residential network and with at least one available application on the service provider network; identifying the residential user from the multiple users and differentiating service offerings for the residential user; when the residential user is not authorized to access the requested service, retrieving a destination web page specified by the primary account subscriber, and redirecting the request for service to the destination web page to deny the requested service; when the residential user is authorized to access the requested service, creating an entry in the service database that links the requested service to the residential user and creating a website link on the portal webpage associated with the primary account subscriber, the website link accessing the first application that provides the requested service; associating the first application with the residential user; associating the second application with the residential user; determining a first access address of the first application; determining a second access address of the second application; and providing access to the second access address via a second website link on the portal webpage.