SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING NETWORK SUPPORT SERVICES AND PREMISES GATEWAY SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE

1 . A gateway device for operation at a user premises to provide and manage services for one or more endpoint devices associated with the gateway device, the gateway device comprising:

a first interface for enabling bi-directional communications, within the user premises, with one or more of the endpoint devices;

a second interface for enabling bi-directional communications between the one or more endpoint devices and a remotely located application service management center external to the user premises, wherein the communications are via a wide area network;

a processor coupled to the first and second interfaces;

storage coupled to the processor for storing programming which, when executed in relation to an application service by the processor, causes the gateway device to provide functions in relation to the application service for the one or more endpoint devices, the functions including:

(1) communication functionality for the one or more endpoint devices in relation to the application service, wherein the communication functionality utilizes one or both of the first or second interfaces;

(2) operations providing authorization, authentication, configuration, or any combination thereof, by the one or more endpoint devices for the application service;

(3) management of the application service based upon the communications with the remotely located application service management center; and

(4) (a) assessment of availability of resources for the application service, wherein the assessment is in response to a request by one of the endpoint devices for gateway services and (b) allocation of the resources such that the request can be implemented without causing other gateway services to function below a required functional state when accessed by other endpoint devices.

2 . The gateway device of claim 1 ,

wherein the resources comprise one or more of CPU availability, memory usage, bandwidth, or any combination thereof; and

wherein the required functional state:

is a measurement of the CPU availability, memory usage, bandwidth, or any combination thereof; or

is a quality of service setting.

3 . The gateway device of claim 1 , wherein the resources for the application service include network bandwidth.

4 . The gateway device of claim 3 , wherein the allocation of the network bandwidth to implement the request comprises storing network traffic in a message queue or buffer.

5 . The gateway device of claim 1 , further comprising a third interface,

wherein the group comprising the first interface, the second interface, and the third interface includes each of a wired network interface, a USB interface, and a wireless interface.

6 . The gateway device of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first interface or the second interface utilizes X10, Z-Wave, or ZigBee communications.

7 . The gateway device of claim 1 , wherein the application service is related to automation or control of networked home devices including one or more of:

a sensor device;

an automatic window;

window blinds;

lighting or a lamp unit;

a digital picture frame;

a web cam; or

any combination thereof.

8 . The gateway device of claim 1 , wherein the allocation, of the resources for the application service to implement the request, is based on a resource allocation instruction from the remotely located application service management center.

9 . The gateway device of claim 1 , wherein the allocation of the resources comprises:

determining an amount of required resources for one or more applications to execute properly; and

taking corrective measures to free up the amount of required resources.

10 . The gateway device of claim 9 , wherein the corrective measures comprise one or more of:

prioritizing packets;

throttling bandwidth;

performing operations to reduce noise on an RF interface;

freeing up time slices on a TDMA interface; or

any combination thereof.

11 . The gateway device of claim 1 , wherein the gateway device is configured for peer to peer type communications between the gateway device and another gateway device, with respect to the application service.

12 . The gateway device of claim 11 , wherein the other gateway device is a device that is in communication with the remotely located application service management center.

13 . The gateway device of claim 1 , wherein the allocation of the resources comprises implementing rate limiting for one or more devices communicating with the gateway device via one or both of the first or second interfaces.

14 . The gateway device of claim 1 , wherein the assessment of availability of resources for the application service comprises monitoring for excessive resource utilization by at least one endpoint device.

15 . A device comprising:

a first interface for enabling bi-directional communications, within a premises, with one or more endpoint devices;

a second interface for enabling bi-directional communications between the one or more endpoint devices and a remotely located application service management center external to the premises, wherein the communications are via a wide area network;

a processor coupled to the first and second interfaces; and

a machine-readable medium storing programming, executable by the processor, that comprises:

logic for a plurality of application services;

logic for interfaces for the application services;

logic for managing resources at the device;

logic for a services framework; and

logic for platform management;

wherein execution of the programming:

configures the device for interaction and interoperability with the one or more endpoint devices, wherein the application services logic, the services framework logic, and the platform management logic are managed responsive to the communications, with the remotely located application service management center, via the wide area network and through the second interface; and

causes the resource management logic:

to assess availability of resources based on a request, by one of the endpoint devices, for service; and

to allocate the resources to implement the request without causing other gateway services to function below a required functional state when accessed by other endpoint devices.

16 . The device of claim 15 , wherein:

the second interface uses a signaling channel through the wide area network; and

the device maintains a communication session with the remotely located application service management center when the device is operable and authenticated by the remotely located application service management center.

17 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the device conducts communications, via the signaling channel through the wide area network and using a peer and presence messaging protocol, without utilizing the resources of the remotely located application service management center.

18 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the management responsive to communications with the remotely located application service management center includes installing programming logic, at the device, received from the remotely located application service management center via the wide area network through the second interface.

19 . The device claim 15 ,

wherein the resources include network bandwidth; and

wherein the allocation of the resources to implement the request comprise allocating network traffic to a message queue or buffer.

20 . The device claim 15 ,

wherein the first interface is a USB interface; and

wherein the second interface is a wireless interface to a LAN.

21 . The device of claim 15 , further comprising a third interface,

wherein each of the first interface, the second interface, and the third interface comprise one of: a wired network interface, a USB interface, or a wireless interface; and

wherein the group comprising the first interface, the second interface, and the third interface includes each of a wired network interface, a USB interface, and a wireless interface.

22 . The device of claim 15 , wherein the allocation of the resources comprises:

determining an amount of required resources for one or more applications to execute properly; and

taking corrective measures to free up the amount of required resources, wherein the corrective measures comprise one or more of:

prioritizing packets;

throttling bandwidth;

performing operations to reduce noise on an RF interface;

freeing up time slices on a TDMA interface; or

any combination thereof.

23 . The device of claim 15 ,

wherein the allocation of the resources comprises implementing rate limiting for one or more devices communicating with the gateway device via the first and/or second interface; or

wherein the assessment of availability of resources for the application service comprises monitoring for excessive resource utilization by at least one endpoint device.

24 . A gateway device for operation at a user premises having at least one endpoint device associated with the gateway device, the gateway device being in communication with a remote service management center, the gateway device comprising:

an application service module providing at least one application, wherein the at least one application is managed by the remote service management center via a network connection;

an interface that enables bi-directional communications between the gateway device and the at least one endpoint device;

a network interface implementing the network connection, wherein the network connection enables bi-directional communications with the remote service management center;

a processor coupled to the interface, application service module, network interface, and a management module;

a storage device coupled to the processor operable to store operational information generated by the gateway device; and

the management module operable to generate summary information, on a per application basis, based on the operational information;

wherein the summary information is provided to the remote service manager through the network connection.

25 . The gateway device claim 24 ,

wherein the interface module enables the bi-directional communications between the gateway device and the at least one endpoint device by utilizing X10, Z-Wave, or ZigBee communications; and

wherein the at least one application is related to automation or control of networked home devices including one or more of:

a sensor device;

an automatic window;

window blinds;

lighting or a lamp unit;

a digital picture frame;

a web cam; or

any combination thereof.

26 . A method comprising:

accessing a first interface for enabling communications, within a premises, with the one or more devices;

accessing a second interface for enabling communications between the one or more devices and a remotely located application service management center external to the premises, wherein the communications are via a wide area network;

providing, in relation to an application service, functions for the one or more devices, the functions including:

1) communication functionality for the one or more devices in relation to the application service, wherein the communication functionality utilizes one or both of the first or second interfaces;

(2) operations providing authorization, authentication, configuration, or any combination thereof, of the application service by the one or more devices;

(3) management of the application service based upon the communications with the remotely located application service management center; and

(4) (a) assessment of availability of resources for the application service, wherein the assessment is in response to a request by one of the devices for gateway services and (b) allocation of the resources such that the request can be implemented without causing other gateway services to function below a required functional state when accessed by other devices.

27 . The method of claim 26 further comprising supporting a plurality of different user interfaces via different devices, with respect to one or more services provided via the computing system.