CMTS Gateway Agent Blocking Unauthorized Cable Data Traffic
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Solution Overview
Problem
In a consumption-based billing environment for cable Internet services, subscribers are charged for unwanted and unauthorized data traffic, leading to discontent and increased costs, as existing filtering methods only block data at the customer premises equipment level, not preventing charges for data that has already been transferred.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a cable modem termination system (CMTS) with a gateway agent that filters and blocks unauthorized data traffic, allowing subscribers to enforce their data transfer settings directly, using methods like packet filtering, hybrid stateful packet filtering, content screening, and time-based filtering, ensuring only authorized data is charged for.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If filtering is performed only at the customer premises equipment level, then device complexity at subscriber end is reduced, but subscribers are charged for unwanted and unauthorized data traffic that has already been transferred
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements filtering at the CMTS gateway agent before data traffic is transferred and billed to subscribers. The gateway agent proactively blocks unauthorized and unwanted data traffic at the network edge, preventing it from being transmitted to subscriber premises and included in consumption-based billing. This preliminary filtering action eliminates the contradiction by stopping unwanted traffic before it can be charged to subscribers, while maintaining simple subscriber equipment.
2Reliability
If multiple filtering methods (packet filtering, hybrid stateful packet filtering, content screening, time-based filtering) are implemented at the CMTS, then authorization control is improved, but device complexity of the CMTS increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the filtering functionality into a separate gateway agent component within the CMTS architecture. This gateway agent is specifically responsible for enforcing subscriber authorization settings and filtering data traffic according to multiple methods (packet filtering, hybrid stateful packet filtering, content screening, time-based filtering). By segmenting the filtering function into a dedicated gateway agent, the system achieves high authorization control accuracy while managing CMTS complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway agent acts as an intermediary between the CMTS core system and subscriber data traffic. It receives data traffic from the CMTS, applies multiple filtering methods to authorize or block traffic according to subscriber settings, and forwards only authorized traffic to subscribers. This intermediary role enables complex multi-method filtering to be implemented without directly complicating the core CMTS system, as the gateway agent handles the filtering complexity in an isolated layer.
3Ease of operation
If unauthorized data traffic is blocked at the CMTS level, then subscriber satisfaction is improved by eliminating unwanted charges, but network load for processing and filtering increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality filtering by applying different filtering methods at different stages of data traffic processing. The gateway agent uses packet filtering and hybrid stateful packet filtering for basic authorization, content screening for deeper inspection when needed, and time-based filtering for specific time windows. This localized application of filtering quality according to traffic characteristics and authorization needs enables the system to block unauthorized traffic and improve subscriber satisfaction while optimizing network processing load by not applying all filtering methods uniformly to all traffic.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention teaches methods and systems for subscriber blocking of unauthorized network traffic in a cable data network. The cable modem termination system (CMTS) incorporates a data gateway agent that filters unauthorized traffic thereby eliminating consumption based subscribers from being responsible for related service charges. Embodiments incorporate the use of packet filtering, hybrid stateful packet filtering, content filtering, application layer filtering and time based filtering. Greater acceptance of consumption based billing is achieved by having the filter settings directed by the subscriber.