Gateway Functionality Porting for Seamless Service Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face limitations in accessing a broader range of content and providers flexibly, especially with the growing demand for digital television and broadband access, as conventional systems require dedicated set-top boxes and do not seamlessly support Internet access on televisions, limiting convenience and flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for porting gateway functionality from a first gateway to one or more other gateways, enabling seamless communication and content sharing across different service domains, allowing users to access services and content through a common authorized service domain, even when devices roam, by negotiating and establishing communication links and forwarding necessary gateway functionalities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dedicated set-top boxes are used for digital television and broadband access, then service reliability is improved, but device complexity and user flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway is designed to perform multiple functions including digital television service, broadband access, and content sharing across multiple gateways. Instead of requiring separate dedicated set-top boxes for each service, a single gateway provides universal access to all services, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliability through integrated service delivery
2Stability of the object's composition
If dedicated set-top boxes are required for each service, then service stability is improved, but adaptability and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The home gateway acts as an intermediary that enables users to access services and content from visited gateways. The gateway functionality porting mechanism mediates between the user's home gateway and external service providers, allowing flexible access to multiple content providers while maintaining stable service delivery through the gateway's coordinated communication and service management
3Adaptability or versatility
If gateway functionality is ported across multiple gateways, then adaptability and content accessibility are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system copies gateway functionality information between home gateway and visited gateway to enable service porting. Instead of duplicating entire gateway systems, the invention copies essential service access information and credentials, allowing users to access services from visited gateways through their home gateway while keeping system complexity manageable through selective information replication
Data Source
AI summary
A broadband gateway, which enables communication with a plurality of devices, handles at least one physical layer connection to at least one corresponding network access service provider. The broadband gateway may operate as a home gateway to negotiate with one or more visited gateways, a common authorized service area or domain (ASD) for providing services to the visited gateways. The home gateway may establish one or more corresponding communication links with the visited gateways based on the negotiated common ASD. The home gateway communicates corresponding content for the services to the visited gateways via the established corresponding communication links. The home gateway communicates information about gateway functionalities required for the services to the visited gateways. The visited gateways may port gateway functionalities forwarded by the home gateway, or may perform gateway functionality conversion to support the services, which may be acquired via the home gateway and/or the visited gateways from networks.