Cable system providing SIP-based proxy services

1. Multimedia terminal adapter apparatus comprising:

a host processor;

a network interface for coupling to a cable modem termination system via a cable transceiver;

a plurality of device ports;

an open cable applications platform (OCAP) executed on said host processor for providing standardized application program interfaces for allowing compliant application programs to access network services via said network interface to provide multimedia content to at least one of said device ports;

a SIP proxy separate from said OCAP for responding to interconnection of a SIP-compatible device to one of said device ports and for intermediating access to SIP-based services via said network interface; and

a logic block for detecting network service requests from said device ports and for activating said SIP proxy for handling each of said network service requests that corresponds to one of said SIP-based services.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said logic block includes a table for mapping respective network service requests to either said SIP proxy or said applications platform.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said plurality of device ports includes a dedicated SIP device port, and wherein said logic block monitors said SIP device port in order to detect said network service requests corresponding to one of said SIP-based services.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said SIP device port comprises a voice telephone port.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said SIP device port comprises an Ethernet port for coupling to a SIP client device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said host processor cooperates with said SIP proxy to provide a selected Quality of Service (QoS) to network service requests for accessing said SIP-based services.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said QoS is selected in response to a type of said SIP-based services being requested.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said SIP proxy is executed on said host processor.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said SIP-based services are selected from the group comprising VoIP, voice conferencing, video conferencing, messaging, and multimedia delivery.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus is configured as an enhanced multimedia terminal adapter including an integrated cable modem.

11. A method of providing network services to a user connected via a multimedia terminal adapter to a cable modem termination system, said multimedia terminal adapter including an applications platform for providing standardized application program interfaces for allowing compliant application programs to access network services via a network interface and a SIP proxy for intermediating access to SIP-based services via said network interface, said method comprising the steps of:

said user initiating a network service request via a user device;

said multimedia terminal adapter classifying said network service request as a SIP-based service request or an applications platform service request;

if said network service request is classified as said SIP-based service request, then interfacing said user device with said SIP proxy for handling said network service request; and

if said network service request is classified as said applications platform service request, then interfacing said user device with said application program interfaces for handling said network service request.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein if said network service request is classified as said SIP-based service request then said method further comprises the steps of:

identifying a SIP-based service type; and

prioritizing transmission of network packets associated with said network service request in response to said SIP-based service type.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said multimedia terminal adapter includes a plurality of device ports, said method further comprising the step of:

monitoring said device ports to detect said network service request.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein one of said device ports comprises a voice telephone port for coupling to an analog telephone instrument, and wherein said monitoring step comprises detecting an off-hook condition of said analog telephone instrument.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein one of said device ports comprises a SIP telephone port for coupling to a SIP telephone, and wherein said monitoring step comprises detecting a transmission of a network packet by said SIP telephone.