U.S. patent application number 10/419699 was filed with the patent office on 2003-12-04 for method and apparatus for providing a connection to a data network.
Invention is credited to Hartmaier, Peter J..
Application Number | 20030223437 10/419699 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22369040 |
Filed Date | 2003-12-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030223437 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hartmaier, Peter J. |
December 4, 2003 |
Method and apparatus for providing a connection to a data
network
Abstract
A local access node, such as a cable television network node, is
configured to recognize a subscriber terminal wishing to gain
access to a data network. The locals access node obtains subscriber
information, including an identification of a data network service
provider, from the subscriber terminal. The subscriber information
is forwarded to the data network service provider identified by the
subscriber information for authentication purposes. If
authenticated, the subscriber terminal is connected to the data
network via the local access node. Upon termination of the
connection, the local access node sends data network connection
information to the data network service provider for billing and
revenue sharing purposes.
Inventors: |
Hartmaier, Peter J.;
(Woodinville, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FULBRIGHT & JAWORSKI L.L.P.
2200 ROSS AVENUE
SUITE 2800
DALLAS
TX
75201
US
|
Family ID: |
22369040 |
Appl. No.: |
10/419699 |
Filed: |
April 21, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10419699 |
Apr 21, 2003 |
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09116760 |
Jul 16, 1998 |
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6553022 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
370/401 ;
370/252 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 9/40 20220501; H04M
1/2473 20130101; H04M 1/2535 20130101; H04L 63/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
370/401 ;
370/252 |
International
Class: |
H04L 012/56 |
Claims
1. A method for connecting a computer to a data network,
comprising: detecting when the computer establishes a connection to
the data network; connecting the computer to an authentication
platform; requesting information from the computer, wherein said
requested information identifies a requested Internet Service
Provider (ISP) and authentication information; receiving the
requested information from the computer; authenticating the
computer with the requested ISP; authorizing the computer to
connect to the data network; monitoring a connection time for the
computer; and reporting the connection time to the ISP after the
connection is terminated.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the authentication information
comprises: a user identification; and a password.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said steps of requesting
information and authenticating said information are performed by
the authentication platform.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said data network is associated
with a cable television network.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein multiple users each having unique
authentication information access the data network using a single
computer.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer is connectable to the
data network at different geographical locations.
7. A system for connecting a computer to a data network,
comprising: an authentication platform connected to the computer,
wherein the authentication platform determines whether the computer
is authorized to connect to the data network, and wherein the
authentication platform detects when the computer disconnects from
the data network to generate billing information to be provided to
an Internet Service Provider selected by the computer.
8. The system of claim 7 further comprising: a cable modem
connected to the computer; and a cable television network node
linking the cable modem to the authentication platform.
9. The system of claim 7 wherein multiple users each having unique
authentication information access the data network using a single
computer.
10. The system of claim 7 wherein the computer is connectable to
the data network at different geographical locations.
11. A system for connecting a computer to a data network,
comprising: means for requesting authentication information from
the computer, wherein the requested authentication information
includes a designated Internet Service Provider (ISP) and
authentication information; means for authenticating the computer
with the designated ISP to determine whether the computer is
authorized to be connected to the data network; means for
connecting the computer to the data network when the authenticating
means determines that the computer is authorized to be connected to
the data network; and means for monitoring a connection time for
the computer and for reporting the connection time to the ISP after
the connection is terminated.
12. The system of claim 11 wherein the data network is accessed via
a cable television network.
13. The system of claim 11 wherein the authentication information
includes a user identification and a password.
14. The system of claim 11 wherein the connection time is reported
to the ISP as part of billing information.
15. The system of claim 11 wherein multiple users each having
unique authentication information access the data network using a
single computer.
16. The system of claim 11 wherein the computer is connectable to
the data network at different geographical locations.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No.
09/116,760, filed Jul. 16, 1998, and issued as U.S. Pat. No.
6,553,022 on Apr. 22, 2003, the disclosure of which is hereby
incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to providing a
connection to a data network and, more particularly, to providing a
connection between a calling station and a data network via a local
access node.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The Internet is a data network which is greatly increasing
in popularity. There are various ways of connecting to the
Internet. Many larger businesses have local area networks which are
directly connected to the Internet such that computers on the local
area network can gain access to the Internet. However, such a
direct connection to the Internet is expensive and therefore not
available to small businesses and individuals. As an alternative to
the direct connection, there are Internet Service Providers (ISP),
which provide access to the Internet via dial-up connections.
Currently, an ISP will have a point of presence (POP), which is a
network node directly connected to the Internet. The POP is
accessible by subscribers to the ISP by a dial-up connection. Thus,
a person wanting to connect to the Internet places a modem call to
a telephone number assigned to the POP, the call gets routed to the
POP, and the POP acts as the gateway to the Internet for the
subscriber's computer. The ISP stores information regarding
connection time for each of its subscribers for billing purposes.
ISP subscribers are generally billed on a flat rate basis, a
connection time basis, or some combination of flat rate and
connection time.
[0004] If the POP is within the subscriber's local calling area,
then the subscriber is charged for a local telephone call and the
dial-up connection is generally routed from the local telephone
company switch to the POP. However, when a subscriber is traveling
away from home, the telephone call to the POP may result in a long
distance call which will result in higher long distance charges.
Further, the dial-up call may be routed via several telephone
network switches prior to reaching the POP, thus tying up valuable
telephone network resources. This long distance routing is
generally inefficient for the telephone network, because there is
often an Internet connection available to the traveling subscriber
which is closer than the subscriber's home POP. However, since
these POPs are operated by other ISPs, the subscriber does not have
access to them. In some instances, the traveling subscriber's ISP
may have a POP which is local to the location of the traveling
subscriber. However, in order to access such a local POP, the
subscriber must know the telephone number for dial-up access to
that POP. It is inconvenient for the subscriber to remember the
different telephone numbers of all the POPs operated by his/her
ISP.
[0005] The problem of multiple telephone numbers for information
service providers has been addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,524,146.
That patent describes a method for automatically routing calls to
customer selected information sources using a dedicated short
access number (e.g., 3-digit N11 number). When an N11 number is
received by the telephone switch, it triggers special processing of
the call. Based on prestored selection data and/or interaction with
the user, the call is routed to an appropriate information service
provider. This technique is limited to the problem of connecting to
information service providers which are directly connected to the
telephone network. Thus, the technique described in the '146 patent
merely automates the step of determining the correct telephone
number to call to access a particular information service provider.
Once the telephone number is determined, the call is routed to that
information service provider via the telephone network in a
conventional manner. In contrast, in one aspect, the present
invention is concerned with the problem of connecting a subscriber
calling from the telephone network to a separate data network, such
as the Internet. The Internet information service providers are not
directly available via a telephone call as are the service
providers described in the '146 patent.
[0006] Thus, there is a need for an improved technique for
connecting a computer to a data network via the telephone network,
or via another type of local access node, such as a cable
television network node.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a
voice network node is configured to recognize the receipt of a data
network access number (e.g., Internet access number) from a
subscriber terminal, and in response, to initiate a connection
between the subscriber terminal and a data network (e.g.,
Internet). The data network access number may be a non-routable
number of the format X11. The voice network node may initiate the
connection to the data network by connecting to the data network
from one of its own output ports, or by routing the call to one or
more other voice network nodes and connecting to the data network
from an output port of one of the other voice network nodes.
[0008] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, upon
receipt of the data network access number, the subscriber is
requested to enter subscriber information for authentication
purposes. Only if the subscriber is authenticated does the voice
network node initiate a connection to the data network. In
accordance with one advantage of the invention, part of the
subscriber information entered by the subscriber is an
identification of the data network service provider with which the
subscriber has a data network access account. The voice network
node performing the authentication uses this identification to
determine the correct data network service provider with which to
authenticate the current subscriber. In this manner, various
subscribers can access the data network via this voice network
node, even if these various subscribers have data network access
accounts with different data network service providers.
[0009] The invention also provides for advantageous billing
arrangements. In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the
voice network node records connection information for each data
network access session for which it is providing, or for which it
has initiated, a physical connection to the data network. Upon
termination of the connection, the connection information is sent
to the subscriber's data network service provider. This allows for
the proper billing of the subscriber by the data network service
provider. It also allows for revenue sharing between the data
network service provider and the company operating the nodes which
provided the physical connection to the data network.
[0010] In various embodiments, the steps to be performed in
accordance with the inventive technique are performed by a single
network node or in a distributed fashion by multiple network nodes.
The single network node, or one or more of the nodes in the
multiple network node embodiment, may be a local telephone switch.
Further, multiple local telephone switches may be configured to
recognize the data network access number and upon receipt, to
initiate a connection to the data network. In this manner, a
subscriber may request connection to the data network using the
same data network access number even if the subscriber is away from
home.
[0011] In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the
subscriber terminal can obtain access to the data network via a
local connection to another type of network, such as a cable
television network. In this embodiment, the subscriber terminal
does not place a telephone call, so the aspects of the invention
related to the data network access number do not apply to this
embodiment. However, the authentication and billing aspects of the
invention apply to this embodiment.
[0012] These and other advantages of the invention will be apparent
to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following
detailed description and the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 shows a high level block diagram illustrating the
principles of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of network elements
illustrating a telephone network embodiment of the invention;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the steps performed in
accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and
[0016] FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of network elements
illustrating a cable television network embodiment of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] FIG. 1 shows a high level block diagram illustrating the
principles of the present invention. In accordance with one aspect
of the invention, a subscriber computer 110 is connected to a local
telephone switch 120 via communication link 112. Link 112 may be a
standard twisted pair POTS (plain old telephone service) line. The
local switch 120 is connected to the Internet 130 via direct link
122. As used herein, the term Internet is used to refer to any data
network. The local switch 120 would also be connected to other
telephone network switches (not shown) in a conventional manner. An
Internet Service Provider (ISP) 140 is shown connected to the
Internet 130. The ISP provides Internet access accounts to
subscribers wishing to access the Internet 130. In accordance with
the invention, the ISP is an administrative, authentication, and
billing entity, and may not provide subscribers with a physical
connection to the Internet 130.
[0018] In order to gain access to the Internet 130, a subscriber
using computer 110 places a dial-up telephone call from computer
110 by dialing an Internet Access Number (IAN). The IAN is a
predetermined number which, in an advantageous embodiment, is a
non-routable three digit number in the form of X11 (e.g. 511). The
local switch 120 is configured to recognize the IAN as an
indication that computer 110 is requesting access to the Internet
130. The local switch 120 sends a message to computer 110 via line
112 requesting that the subscriber enter an ISP Identification
(ISP-ID), username, and password. Upon receipt of this information
from the subscriber, the local switch 120 sends an authorization
request message to the ISP identified by the ISP-ID. Assume that
the ISP-ID entered by the subscriber corresponds to ISP 140. Upon
receipt of the authorization request message, the ISP 140 looks up
the account information of the subscriber identified by the
username to determine if such a user is a subscriber of ISP 140 and
if the password entered by the subscriber matches the password
associated with the account information stored in ISP 140. If the
ISP 140 determines that the subscriber is authorized, the ISP 140
sends an appropriate authorization message to the local switch via
the Internet 130. Upon receipt of the appropriate authorization
message, the local switch 120 connects the dial-up telephone call
received from computer 110 to the Internet 130. The local switch
monitors the connection time of computer 110 and reports the
information to ISP 140 for billing and revenue sharing
purposes.
[0019] The invention is described in further detail in FIG. 2 which
shows one embodiment of the invention. A subscriber wanting to
access the Internet is using computer 202 connected to modem 204.
Although modem 204 is shown external to computer 202, modem 204
could also be internal to computer 202. The modem 204 is connected
to a local switch 208 via POTS line 206. The local switch 208 is an
intelligent switch which includes a computer processor 210
connected to a memory 214 and database 212. The functions of switch
208 are controlled by processor 210 executing computer program
instructions stored in memory 214 and/or database 212.
[0020] Local switch 208 is connected to authentication platform
218. Authentication platform 218 includes computer processor 220
connected to modem pool 210, memory 222, and database 224.
Authentication platform 218 is an intelligent network node which
functions under control of computer processor 220 executing
computer program instructions stored in memory 222 and/or database
224. The authentication platform 218 is connected to the Internet
226. Also connected to the Internet 226 is ISP 228 and ISP 236. ISP
228 functions under control of processor 230 executing computer
program instructions stored in memory 232 and/or database 234.
Similarly, ISP 236 functions under control of processor 238
executing computer program instructions stored in memory 240 and/or
database 244.
[0021] Also shown in FIG. 2 is another computer 250 connected to
modem 252. Modem 252 is connected to another local switch 244.
Local switch 244 includes a computer processor 254 connected to
memory 256 and database 258. The functions of switch 244 are
controlled by processor 254 executing computer program instructions
stored in memory 256 and/or database 258. Local switch 244 is
connected to authentication platform 248 which includes computer
processor 262 connected to modem pool 260, memory 264, and database
266. Authentication platform 248 is an intelligent network node
which functions under control of computer processor 262 executing
computer program instructions stored in memory 264 and/or database
266. Authentication platform 248 is connected to the Internet 226.
Interexchange switch 242 is shown connecting local switch 208 and
local switch 244.
[0022] The method steps performed in accordance with the present
invention in order to provide computer 202 with access to the
Internet 226 are described below in accordance with the flowchart
of FIG. 3. In step 302 a subscriber using computer 202 places a
dial-up modem call utilizing modem 204 to an Internet access number
(IAN). For purposes of this example, the IAN is 511. The IAN digits
are transmitted from modem 204 to local switch 208 via POTS line
206. In step 304 the local switch 208 recognizes the IAN as a
non-routable telephone number and as a request for access to the
Internet, as distinguished from a request to place an ordinary
telephone call. Upon recognizing the IAN, the local switch 208 is
configured to connect the call to the authentication platform 218.
The call is received by the authentication platform 218 and is
assigned to one of the available modems in the modem pool 210. In
step 306 the authentication platform 218 sends a message to
computer 202 requesting authentication information, including an
ISP-ID, userid, and password, from the subscriber. In step 308 the
subscriber transmits the ISP-ID, userid, and password to the
authentication platform 218.
[0023] The ISP-ID entered by the subscriber will identify the ISP
with which the subscriber has an Internet access account. For
purposes of this example, assume that the subscriber has an
Internet access account with ISP 228, and that the ISP-ID entered
by the subscriber identifies ISP 228. In step 310 the
authentication platform 218 sends an authentication request,
including the username and password entered by the subscriber, to
ISP 228 via the Internet 226. The ISP 228 has an Internet address
which the authentication platform 218 looks up in a database using
the ISP-ID. This database could be internal to the authentication
platform 218, or it could be external to the authentication
platform (e.g. connected to the Internet).
[0024] Upon receipt of the authorization request, in step 312 the
ISP 228 determines whether the supplied username and password
correspond to an authorized subscriber who has an Internet access
account with ISP 228 by performing a database lookup. The ISP 228
stores subscriber profile records in database 234. These subscriber
profile records contain usernames, passwords, and billing
information for each subscriber who has an Internet access account
with the ISP228. Thus, if the supplied username and password
correspond to a valid subscriber profile record stored in database
234, the ISP 228 determines that the subscriber is authorized. In
step 314, the ISP 228 returns an authentication response to the
authorization platform 218 indicating whether the subscriber is an
authorized subscriber to ISP 228. In step 316 the authentication
platform 218 receives the authentication response.
[0025] In step 318 the authentication platform 218 determines
whether the subscribe is authorized based on the response received
from the ISP 228. If the authentication message received from the
ISP 228 indicates that the subscriber is not authorized, then in
step 330 the authentication platform 218 sends a message to the
computer 202 indicating that access to the Internet is refused and
the method ends in step 328. If the authentication message received
from the ISP 228 indicates that the subscriber is authorized, then
in step 320 the authentication platform 218 connects the subscriber
to the Internet 226 via an output port of authentication platform
218.
[0026] In step 322 the authentication platform 218 begins recording
connection information for the subscriber. When the subscriber
terminates the connection with local switch 208 (i.e. hangs up),
the authentication platform 218 recognizes that the communication
link has been terminated and the test in step 324 is YES and
control passes to step 326. In step 326 the authentication platform
218 sends billing information to the ISP 227 via the Internet 226.
Such billing information includes the username, connection time,
and an identification of the telecommunication company operating
the local switch 208 and authentication platform 218. The method
ends in step 328.
[0027] The billing information sent to the ISP 228 in step 326
allows for revenue sharing between the ISP 228 and the company
operating authentication platform 218 and local switch 208. As
described above, the ISP 228 is an administrative, authentication,
and billing entity, and does not provide subscribers with a
physical connection to the Internet. The physical connection is
provided by local switch 208 and authentication platform 218, which
would typically be operated by a local telephone company. The
billing information sent to the ISP 228 allows the ISP 228 to bill
the subscriber for access to the Internet. Since the billing
information sent to the ISP 228 includes an identification of the
telecommunication company operating the local switch 208 and
authentication platform 218, it allows the ISP 228 to share the
subscriber revenue with the company providing the physical access
to the Internet.
[0028] In accordance with one advantage of the invention, the
subscriber could travel to a different location and still gain
access to the Internet in the same manner as if the subscriber were
using his/her home computer 202. The invention also allows for
beneficial billing and revenue sharing as follows. Consider now
that the same subscriber that was using computer 202 to connect to
the Internet 226 from home is traveling and is using computer 250
which is located outside the area serviced by local switch 208 and
authentication platform 218. Instead, computer 250 is connected to
modem 252 which is connected to local switch 244. Assume that local
switch 244 is configured in a manner similar to that of local
switch 208 such that it recognizes the dialing of the IAN (e.g.
511) as a request for connection to the Internet 226. In accordance
with the steps described above in connection with FIG. 3, the
subscriber now at computer 250 will initiate a dial-up call to the
LAN from computer 250. Upon receipt of the IAN digits, the local
switch 244 will recognize that the call is requesting access to the
Internet 226. Thus, local switch 244 connects the call to
authentication platform 248. The call is received by the
authentication platform 248 and is assigned to one of the available
modems in the modem pool 260. The authentication platform 248 will
request authorization information from the subscriber now using
computer 250. The subscriber enters in the same ISP-ID, userid, and
password, as was entered when using computer 202. Thus, even though
the subscriber is at a different computer, he/she dials the same
IAN and enters the same authentication information, making
accessing the Internet more convenient. In a manner similar to that
described above, the authentication information is sent to ISP 228,
the ISP 228 authenticates the subscriber and sends an
authentication message to authentication platform 248, and the
subscriber using computer 250 is connected to the Internet.
[0029] When the Internet access session is terminated, the
authentication platform 248 sends billing information to the ISP
228. Since the billing information includes the identification of
the telecommunication company operating the local switch 244 and
authentication platform 248, the ISP 228 can now share the billing
revenue from this Internet access session with the appropriate
telecommunications company which provided the physical access to
the Internet.
[0030] Thus, as can be seen, even though the subscriber has
traveled to a different geographic location and is gaining physical
access to the Internet from a different local telephone company,
the subscriber's steps to access the Internet are the same as when
accessing the Internet from the subscriber's home computer 202.
Even the telephone number dialed, the IAN, remains the same. The
subscriber uses the same ISP and thus billing is simplified.
Further, the ISP is able to engage in revenue sharing with the
appropriate local telephone company providing physical access to
the Internet.
[0031] In accordance with another advantage of the Invention,
different subscribers having accounts with different ISPs, can use
the same computer to connect to the Internet in the same manner,
and correct billing will take place. Assume that computer 202 is
now being used by another subscriber having an Internet access
account with ISP 236 instead of ISP 228. The subscriber establishes
a connection to the Internet 226 in the same way as described above
by dialing the IAN. When the subscriber is requested to enter
his/her authentication information, the subscriber enters his/her
username, password, and ISP-ID identifying ISP 236 as this
subscriber's ISP. The subscriber is authenticated using ISP 236 and
is provided with access to the Internet as described above. When
the subscriber terminates the connection, the authentication
platform 218 sends billing information to ISP 236, so that ISP 236
can correctly bill the subscriber and share the revenue with the
local telephone company operating local switch 208 and
authentication platform 218.
[0032] The principles of the present invention may be implemented
in many different embodiments by one skilled in the art. For
example, referring back to the example discussed above in
connection with FIG. 3, it is possible that in step 304
authentication platform 218 may not have any available modems in
the modem pool 210 such that no modem can be assigned for use by
the subscriber connecting to the Internet. In this case, the
authentication platform 218 would send an appropriate message back
to the local switch 208. The local switch could then re-route the
call in a conventional manner to another authentication platform,
such as an authentication platform 248, via IXC switch 242 and
local switch 244.
[0033] In another alternate embodiment, the authentication
platforms 218, 248 could be integrated into the local switches 208,
244 respectively. Thus, the appropriate computer program
instructions could be included in the memory (214, 256) and
database (212, 258) of local switches 208, 244 respectively, such
that the functions of the authentication platforms are performed by
the local switches. As would be understood by one skilled in the
art, the functions to be performed in accordance with the present
invention may be performed by one network node, or in a distributed
fashion by multiple network nodes.
[0034] In yet another alternate embodiment, although the modem
pools 210, 260 are shown to be components of authentication
platforms 218, 248 respectively, such modem pools could be included
as components of the local switches 208, 244, or the modem pools
could be external to both the authentication platforms 218, 248 and
the local switches 208, 244.
[0035] In yet another alternate embodiment, although the ISPs 228,
236 are shown to be separate entities, since these ISPs provide
administrative, authentication, and billing functions, and not
physical connection to the Internet, they could be placed anywhere
within the telecommunication network or within the Internet 226.
All that is needed to provide these functions is an appropriately
configured computer system including a computer processor executing
appropriate computer program instructions to carry out the ISP
functions and appropriate storage (e.g. memory and database). In
fact, multiple ISPs could share a single computer system, as long
as the information for each ISP is logically separate from the
other ISP within such shared computer system. Alternatively, the
ISP functions could be integrated into other network nodes.
[0036] In another embodiment of the invention, the subscriber
terminal is connected to the Internet via a local connection to a
cable television network node. Such an embodiment is shown in FIG.
4. A subscriber wanting to access the Internet 412 is using
computer 402 connected to cable modem 404. Cable modem 404 is
connected to cable television network node 408 via coax cable 406.
It is noted that cable 406 could also be a combination of coax
cable and fiber optic cable. Cable television network node 408 and
coax cable 406 are part of the cable television network. Cable
television network node 408 is connected to authentication platform
410. The authentication platform is connected to the Internet 412.
Also connected to the Internet 412 is ISP 414 and ISP 416. FIG. 4
also shows computer 426 connected to cable modem 424. Cable modem
424 is connected to cable television network node 420 via coax
cable 424. Cable television network node 420 is also connected to
authentication platform 418 which is connected to the Internet
412.
[0037] The elements of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 are very
similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 except that the local
telephone switches 208 and 244 of FIG. 2 are replaced with cable
television network nodes 408 and 420 respectively. Although not
shown in FIG. 4, each of the cable television network nodes 408 and
420 would contain a processor, memory, and database, similar to the
local switches 208 and 244 of FIG. 2. Of course, cable television
network nodes 408 and 420 would also contain other elements
appropriate for a cable television node. Each of the authentication
platforms 410 and 418 would also contain a modem pool, processor,
memory, and database, similar to the authentication platforms 218
and 248 of FIG. 2. The modem pools of authentication platforms 410
and 418 would contain cable modems in order to properly communicate
via the cable television network. ISP 414 and ISP 416 are
configured, and operate, the same as ISPs 228 and 236 of FIG. 2.
Thus, in the embodiment of FIG. 4, the computers 402 and 426 are
connected to the cable television network via cable modems 404 and
424 respectively. The use of cable modems to connect computers to a
cable television network is well known in the art.
[0038] The method steps performed in accordance with the present
invention in order to provide computer 402 with access to the
Internet 412 are the same as those described above in accordance
with the flowchart of FIG. 3. However, in the embodiment of FIG. 4,
steps 302 and 304 would not be performed because computer 402 is
not required to place a dial-up call when connecting to the
Internet via a cable modem and cable television network. Instead,
when computer 402 properly establishes a connection with cable
television network node 408, the cable television network node 408
recognizes that a computer is connecting and the computer 402 is
automatically connected to the authentication platform 410.
Otherwise, the steps of FIG. 3 are performed in a similar manner in
the embodiment shown in FIG. 4.
[0039] As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the
mobility, authentication, billing, and revenue sharing benefits of
the invention, as described above in connection with the embodiment
described in connection with FIG. 2, will apply in a similar manner
to the embodiment of FIG. 4.
[0040] The foregoing Detailed Description is to be understood as
being in ever respect illustrative and exemplary, but not
restrictive, and the scope of the invention disclosed herein is not
to be determined from the Detailed Description, but rather from the
claims as interpreted according to the full breadth permitted by
the patent laws. It is to be understood that the embodiments shown
and described herein are only illustrative of the principles of the
present invention and that various modifications may be implemented
by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention. For example, although the subscriber
terminals are shown connected to the voice and cable networks via
wired communication links, these connections could also be provided
via wireless communication links.
* * * * *