System and method for facilitating communication between a CMTS and an application server in a cable network
View Patent ↗A system and method for facilitating communication between a CMTS and an application sever in a cable network. Customer premises equipment (CPE) generates packets that are sent through a cable modem (CM) to a cable modem termination system (CMTS). A packet is parsed by CMTS and the destination IP address and port number compared to the destination IP address-port tuples received by the CMTS from a datastore. A packet that is directed to an IP address-port tuple on the target list (a “service request packet”) is modified to incorporate CMTS-identifying information and subscriber-identifying information in the packet header. When the application server communicates with the CMTS to reserve the network resources, the application server provides the CMTS with the CM MAC and CM IP addresses to facilitate resource allocation, subscriber identification and billing.
1. A system for facilitating communication between a CMTS and an application server in a cable network comprising:
an application server datastore, wherein the application server datastore comprises IP address-port number tuples of targeted application servers;
a customer premises equipment (CPE) connected to the cable network via a cable modem, wherein the cable modem (CM) comprises subscriber-identifying information; and
a cable modem termination system (CMTS) comprising a CMTS interface and CMTS-identifying information, wherein the CMTS comprises instructions for:
receiving IP address-port number tuples of the targeted application servers from the application server datastore;
receiving at the CMTS interface a packet from the CPE, wherein the packet comprises a header comprising a destination IP address-port number tuple;
determining if the destination IP address-port number tuple of the packet matches an IP address-port number tuple of a targeted application server; and
if the destination IP address-port number tuple of the packet matches the IP address-port number tuple of a targeted application server, then:
modifying the header of the packet by adding the CMTS-identifying information and the subscriber-identifying information; and
sending the modified packet to the destination IP address-port number tuple.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the application server datastore comprises instructions for pushing the application server IP address-port number tuples to the CMTS.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the CMTS further comprises instructions for pulling the application server IP address-port number tuples from the application server datastore.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the CPE is selected from the group consisting of a computer, a media terminal adapter, a VoIP-enabled telephone, a VoIP gateway, and a multimedia terminal.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the targeted application server is selected from a group consisting of a VoIP application server, a digital telephone application server, a game application server, a bandwidth-on-demand application server, an audio programming application server, and a video programming application server.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein subscriber-identifying information comprises a CM MAC address and a CM IP address.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the CMTS-identifying information comprises an IP address of the CMTS interface.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the CMTS-identifying information further comprises a gateway interface address (giaddr) of the CMTS.
9. A method for facilitating communication between a CMTS and an application server in a cable network:
receiving at a cable modem termination system (CMTS) IP address-port number tuples of targeted application servers from an application server datastore, wherein the CMTS comprises CMTS-identifying information;
receiving at a CMTS interface a packet from a customer premises equipment (CPE) via a cable modem, wherein the packet comprises a header comprising a destination IP address-port number tuple and wherein the cable modem comprises subscriber-identifying information;
determining if the destination IP address-port number tuple of the packet matches an IP address-port number tuple of a targeted application server; and
if the destination IP address-port number tuple of the packet matches the IP address-port number tuple of the targeted application server, then:
modifying the header of the packet by adding the CMTS-identifying information and the subscriber-identifying information; and
sending the modified packet to the destination IP address-port number tuple.
10. The method for facilitating communication between a CMTS and an application server over a cable network of claim 9 , wherein receiving at a cable modem termination system (CMTS) address-port number tuples of targeted application servers from an application server datastore comprises pulling the IP address-port number tuples of targeted application servers from an application server datastore to the CMTS.
11. The method for facilitating communication between a CMTS and an application server over a cable network of claim 9 , wherein receiving at a cable modem termination system (CMTS) address-port number tuples of targeted application servers from an application server datastore comprises pushing the IP address-port number tuples of targeted application servers from an application server datastore to the CMTS.
12. The method for facilitating communication between a CMTS and an application server over a cable network of claim 9 , wherein the CPE is selected from the group consisting of a computer, a media terminal adapter, a VoIP-enabled telephone, a VoIP gateway, and a multimedia terminal.
13. The method for facilitating communication between a CMTS and an application server over a cable network of claim 9 , wherein the targeted application server is selected from the group consisting of a VoIP application server, a digital telephone application server, a game application server, a bandwidth-on-demand application server, an audio programming application server, and a video programming application server.
14. The method for facilitating communication between a CMTS and an application server over a cable network of claim 9 , wherein subscriber-identifying information comprises a CM MAC address and a CM IP address.
15. The method for facilitating communication between a CMTS and an application server over a cable network of claim 9 , wherein the CMTS-identifying information comprises an IP address of the CMTS interface.
16. The method for facilitating communication between a CMTS and an application server over a cable network of claim 15 , wherein the CMTS-identifying information further comprises a gateway interface address (giaddr) of the CMTS.
17. A system for facilitating communication between a CMTS and an application server over a cable network comprising:
an application server datastore, wherein the application server datastore comprises IP address-port number tuples of targeted application servers;
a customer premises equipment (CPE) connected to the cable network via a cable modem, wherein the cable modem comprises subscriber-identifying information;
a trusted proxy server comprising proxy-identifying information; and
a cable modem termination system (CMTS) comprising a CMTS interface and instructions for:
receiving IP address-port number tuples of the targeted application servers from the application server datastore;
receiving at the CMTS interface a packet from the CPE, wherein the packet comprises a header comprising a destination IP address-port number tuple;
determining if the destination IP address-port number tuple of the packet matches an IP address-port number tuple of a targeted application server;
if the destination IP address-port number tuple of the packet matches the IP address-port number tuple of the targeted application server, then:
modifying the header of the packet by adding the proxy-identifying information and the subscriber-identifying, information; and
sending the modified packet to the destination IP address-port number tuple.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the application server datastore comprises instructions for pushing the application server IP address-port number tuples to the CMTS.
19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the CMTS further comprises instructions for pulling the application server IP address-port number tuples from the application server datastore.
20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the CPE is selected from the group consisting of a computer, a media terminal adapter, a VoIP-enabled telephone, a VoIP gateway, and a multimedia terminal.
21. The system of claim 17 , wherein the targeted application server is selected from the group consisting of a VoIP application server, a digital telephone application server, a game application server, a bandwidth-on-demand application server, an audio programming application server, and a video programming application server.
22. The system of claim 17 , wherein the proxy-identifying information comprises an IP address of the trusted proxy server.
23. The system of claim 17 , wherein the subscriber-identifying information comprises a MAC address token representing the MAC address of the cable modem, and an IP address token representing the IP address of the cable modem.
24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the MAC address token is selected from the group consisting of ciphertext produced by applying an encryption algorithm to the CM MAC address, a hash value produced by applying a hash algorithm to the CM MAC address, and a database location where the CM MAC address is stored.
25. The system of claim 23 , wherein the IP address token is selected from the group consisting of ciphertext produced by applying an encryption algorithm to the CM IP address, a hash value produced by applying a hash algorithm to the CM IP address, and a database location where the CM IP address is stored.
26. A method for facilitating communication between a CMTS and an application server over a cable network comprising:
receiving at a cable modem termination system (CMTS) IP address-port number tuples of targeted application servers from an application server datastore, wherein the CMTS comprises CMTS-identifying information;
receiving at a CMTS interface a packet from a customer premises equipment (CPE) via a cable modem, wherein the packet comprises a header comprising a destination IP address-port number tuple and wherein the cable modem comprises subscriber-identifying information;
determining if the destination IP address-port number tuple of the packet matches an IP address-port number tuple of a targeted application server; and
if the destination IP address-port number tuple of the packet matches the IP address-port number tuple of the targeted application server, then:
modifying the header of the packet by adding proxy-identifying information of a trusted proxy server and the subscriber-identifying information; and
sending the modified packet to the destination IP address-port number tuple.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the application server datastore comprises instructions for pushing the application server IP address-port number tuples to the CMTS.
28. The method of claim 26 , wherein the CMTS further comprises instructions for pulling the application server IP address-port number tuples from the application server datastore.
29. The method of claim 26 , wherein the CPE is selected from the group consisting of a computer, a media terminal adapter, a VoIP-enabled telephone, a VoIP gateway, and a multimedia terminal.
30. The method of claim 26 , wherein the targeted application server is selected from the group consisting of a VoIP application server, a digital telephone application server, a game application server, a bandwidth-on-demand application server, an audio programming application server, and a video programming application server.
31. The method of claim 26 , wherein the proxy-identifying information comprises an IP address of the trusted proxy server.
32. The method of claim 26 , wherein the subscriber-identifying information comprises a MAC address token representing the MAC address of the cable modem and an IP address token representing the IP address of the cable modem.
33. The method of claim 32 , wherein the MAC address token is selected from the group consisting of ciphertext produced by applying an encryption algorithm to the CM MAC address, a hash value produced by applying a hash algorithm to the CM MAC address, and a database location where the CM MAC address is stored.
34. The method of claim 32 , wherein the IP address token is selected from the group consisting of ciphertext produced by applying an encryption algorithm to the CM IP address, a hash value produced by applying a hash algorithm to the CM IP address, and a database location where the CM IP address is stored.
35. The system of claim 1 wherein the CMTS further comprises instructions for:
if the destination IP address-port number tuple of the packet matches the IP address-port number tuple of a targeted application server, then determining whether a subscriber associated with the subscriber-identifying information is qualified to communicate with the target;
if the subscriber is not qualified to communicate with the targeted application server, then rejecting the packet; and
if the subscriber is qualified to communicate with the targeted application server, then:
modifying the header of the packet by adding the CMTS-identifying information and the subscriber-identifying information; and
sending the modified packet to the destination IP address-port number tuple.
36. The system of claim 35 , wherein the instruction for determining whether the subscriber is qualified to communicate with the targeted application server comprises determining whether a subscriber has subscribed to a particular service and whether the subscriber has met conditions to receive the particular service.
37. The method for facilitating communication between a CMTS and an application server over a cable network of claim 9 further comprising:
if the destination IP address-port number tuple of the packet matches the IP address-port number tuple of a targeted application server, then determining whether a subscriber associated with the subscriber-identifying information is qualified to communicate with the target;
if the subscriber is not qualified to communicate with the targeted application server, then rejecting the packet; and
if the subscriber is qualified to communicate with the targeted application server, then:
modifying the header of the packet by adding the CMTS-identifying information and the subscriber-identifying information; and
sending the modified packet to the destination IP address-port number tuple.
38. The method for facilitating communication between a CMTS and an application server over a cable network of claim 37 , wherein determining whether the subscriber is qualified to communicate with the targeted application server comprises determining whether a subscriber has subscribed to a particular service and whether the subscriber has met conditions to receive the particular service.
39. The system of claim 17 wherein the CMTS further comprises instructions for:
if the destination IP address-port number tuple of the packet matches the IP address-port number tuple of a targeted application server, then determining whether a subscriber associated with the subscriber-identifying information is qualified to communicate with the target;
if the subscriber is not qualified to communicate with the targeted application server, then rejecting the packet; and
if the subscriber is qualified to communicate with the targeted application server, then:
modifying the header of the packet by adding the proxy-identifying information and the subscriber-identifying information; and
sending the modified packet to the destination IP address-port number tuple.
40. The system of claim 39 , wherein the instruction for determining whether the subscriber is qualified to communicate with the targeted application server comprises determining whether a subscriber has subscribed to a particular service and whether the subscriber has met conditions to receive the particular service.
41. The method for facilitating communication between a CMTS and an application server over a cable network of claim 26 further comprising:
if the destination IP address-port number tuple of the packet matches the IP address-port number tuple of a targeted application server, then determining whether a subscriber associated with the subscriber-identifying information is qualified to communicate with the target;
if the subscriber is not qualified to communicate with the targeted application server, then rejecting the packet; and
if the subscriber is qualified to communicate with the targeted application server, then:
modifying the header of the packet by adding the proxy-identifying information and the subscriber-identifying information; and
sending the modified packet to the destination IP address-port number tuple.
42. The method for facilitating communication between a CMTS and an application server over a cable network of claim 41 , wherein determining whether the subscriber is qualified to communicate with the targeted application server comprises determining whether a subscriber has subscribed to a particular service and whether the subscriber has met conditions to receive the particular service.