Customer-Aware L3 Router for Cable Network Service Differentiation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cable networks face challenges in providing differentiated services to individual subscribers, as existing Cable Modem Termination Systems (CMTS) are not customer-aware and lack the capability to deliver advanced services like video telephony and web conferencing without significant capital investment.
Innovation Solution
Deploying a customer-aware layer three (L3) router within the cable network that intercepts and analyzes network communications to apply subscriber-specific differentiated services, such as deep packet inspection and video conferencing, by mapping CPE addresses to CM addresses and retrieving configuration files from the backend network, allowing for transparent and efficient service provisioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If CMTS is upgraded to provide advanced layer three services (video telephony, web conferencing), then service capability is improved, but capital investment cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the service provisioning function by introducing a separate customer-aware router that handles advanced layer three services independently from the CMTS. This allows the CMTS to maintain its existing capabilities while the router provides additional services like video telephony and web conferencing, avoiding the need for expensive CMTS upgrades.
Solution Approach 2:
The customer-aware router acts as an intermediary device between the CMTS and customer premises equipment. It intercepts network communications, extracts subscriber information, and applies differentiated services without requiring modifications to the existing CMTS infrastructure, thereby providing advanced services at lower cost.
2Adaptability or versatility
If CMTS is made customer-aware to provide differentiated services, then service differentiation capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the customer-awareness function into a dedicated router component that works alongside the CMTS. This router independently handles subscriber identification, configuration file retrieval, and service differentiation, preventing complexity from burdening the CMTS while still achieving comprehensive service differentiation.
Solution Approach 2:
The customer-aware router serves as an intermediary that bridges the gap between the non-customer-aware CMTS and the requirement for differentiated services. It performs snooping on network communications to extract subscriber information and applies appropriate services without requiring the CMTS itself to become complex and customer-aware.
3Productivity
If customer-aware router is deployed to provide differentiated services, then service provisioning efficiency is improved, but network device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The customer-aware router functions as an intermediary that efficiently provisions services by intercepting DHCP requests and responses between CMs and the backend network. It extracts necessary subscriber information, retrieves configuration files, and applies differentiated services in real-time without disrupting existing network operations or requiring complex reconfiguration of existing devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The router autonomously performs service provisioning tasks by snooping on network communications, automatically extracting subscriber information from DHCP exchanges, retrieving appropriate configuration files from the backend network, and applying differentiated services without manual intervention, thereby improving provisioning efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
In general, techniques are described to increase customer awareness within a network device of a cable network. Based on this increased awareness, a layer 3 network device, such as a router, may apply services that augment services applied by a Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS). The network device may be positioned between the CMTS and a backend network of the cable network. The network device may include a control unit to access the CMTS to determine network information and at least one network interface that receives network traffic. The control unit may apply at least one of a plurality of services provided by the network device to the network traffic based on the network information learned from the CMTS. Often, at least one of the differentiated services may comprise a service not provided by the CMTS and, consequently, a service that may augment those services currently provided by the CMTS.