SE520933C2 - Telecommunications network for delivering information in wide band format via residential gateway to local area network - Google Patents

Abstract

The residential gateway connecting a local area network (LAN) in the home to public and private networks, e.g. television, internet or telephone services, includes intelligence in the form of a home server that enables processor power to be distributed to the clients or communications devices connected to the LAN. The network comprises a subscriber connection to a telecommunications network formed by a LAN connected to one or more public and/or private networks delivering television, internet and telephone information via a residential gateway. Functions in the central unit allow wide band information to be delivered to a device connected to the LAN.

Description

lO l5 20 25 30 | | @ - 4. 520 933 -n- v »When it comes to connection to the internet, the user has almost exclusively his connection to the network via a WWW server which is located in the operator's network and interacts with a user's computer and works as below with the specified functions.

The World Wide Web (WWW) thus works with client-server technology.

This means that the user apparently works on his own computer all the time, although he retrieves information from sources online.

The client-server communication in the WWW is which "state-less", means that the client and server do not maintain any communication link between the transactions - you are connected again each time. Although the client program is running continuously, the client and the server only have contact with each other during the time it takes to deliver a document between them.

A WWW service consists of a collection of hypertext documents that are linked to each other, as well as a program that can send these to clients. The service can be compared to a catalog or a magazine, but with built-in links to other sources of information. But unlike a printed catalog, a WWW service can also be interactive - it can offer opportunities to search for information, send messages and order materials directly online.

The protocol used when dispatching WWW documents over the Internet is called HTTP - Hypertext Transfer Protocol.

The server program that handles document distribution is called httpd - the HTTP daemon, in UNIX languages. The httpd program is constantly listening for HTTP calls from the web, ready to deliver documents to clients. When it receives a request for a document, it checks that the request is legitimate, that 10 15 20 25 MJ <3 | . <. f. 520 933 »« G ~. » the file exists and then the document is sent to the client's IP Illmmmer.

The functions of the WWW server can be summarized as follows. 0 Download and return HTML documents to client software 0 Translate URLs to server file system (mapping) 0 Send information about file type, date and size according to MIME (typing) 0 Generate and send graphic file directories with README files 0 Send users' HTML pages via / ~ username / 0 Redirect HTTP requests to other WWW servers (redirection) 0 Keep a log file with data about which computers requested which documents I Launch external programs to retrieve data and generate dynamic documents 0 Include external files in HTML ~ documents (server side includes, end. NCSA) 0 Act as proxy server and cache files.

The most important part that exists in all transmission of communication services to the home is a bridge that acts as an interface between the network in the home and the access network.

Technical problem. The object of the invention is to create a general structure which enables a consumer to connect in principle all his home electronic equipment to a central in the home and to the bridge or unit (residential gateway) 10 15 20 25 30. . =. ;. 520 955 equipment connected to this can consist of "small" terminals.

In the current situation, in principle, all communication equipment that is used in the home contains all the functionality required for it to function as intended. Computer memories, processing power, data, application programs, etc. are delivered by the same supplier who delivered the equipment.

Developing the communication equipment takes quite a long time and is very costly.

Technical solution.

The technical solution is described in what is stated in claim 1.

Benefits.

The present invention improves the general communication network by making it more customized.

The invention also simplifies the introduction of new services that can be created partly by the person who intends to communicate via the network and the operator or operators who operate the network.

The invention also allows the possibility of connecting communication equipment to the network which in itself does not have to contain all the functionality needed for the equipment to function in a good way. This means that the equipment can be made smaller in size, which reduces and costs. Furthermore, the time for modifications, addition of functionality, of the devices connected to the local network is reduced. The communication equipment can thus consist of "small terminals". 10 15 20 25 30 -. . . u 520 953 By changing the structure of the service in such a way that the intelligence is moved or perhaps better expressed shared by special network function and customer-specific equipment, a higher customer satisfaction is obtained for the subscriber and a network with greater flexibility and a faster and more efficient way to change control logic or intelligence.

List of figures Fig. 1 shows a principle solution according to the invention.

Fig. 2 shows a part of the telecommunications network according to Fig. 1.

Detailed description.

To facilitate understanding of the present invention, an explanation of abbreviations is used.

LAN Local Area Network. Local network. A network of computers interconnected in a limited space, usually at a company. The most common standards for LAN are Ethernet and Token Ring.

ADSL Asymetric Digital Subscriber Line.

A modem technology that makes it possible to send 2-6 Mbit / s in one direction through ordinary copper wires. Provides the ability to transmit video signals.

ATM Asynchronous Transfer Mode, is a l0 15 20 25 30 | . . K,. 520 953 ¿n; ¿; multiplexing and switching technology that packs information in fixed-length packets, so-called cells.

Broadband VPN A VPN at speeds above 2Mbit / s.

Ethernet A standard for communication in local area networks. One of many IEEE 802 standards. Speeds up to 10 Mbit / s.

SDH Synchronous Digital Hierarchy. A standard that makes it possible for public telecom operators to build efficient, secure and easy-to-handle transmission with very high ie Gbit / s.

SDH is a better complement to transmission speeds, ATMs than previous technologies for linking the telephone network.

The invention is a fundamental solution where the central unit (residential gateway) contains, in addition to known functionality, intelligence in the form of a home server which is located in the central unit and which allows a service provider to create general services and specific services dedicated to a individual consumer.

In the not-too-distant future, homes will have access to information via so-called broadband transmission, which will require a separation of the information and a control of the information to the communication equipment located in, for example, an ordinary home. lO 15 20 25 30 9 ». .. .. ... ,. k ...,. ,. . . . ... = m ..... .. _,. . . . .i -. .- »i,. . .

. . . .,. . . . . ,. 'I - -. - h »H,., Broadband is the definition of transmission capacity with speeds above 2Mbit / s. Broadband provides the capacity to send large amounts of information over long and short distances. Information of different origins can be sent simultaneously and quickly. Broadband technology is therefore used to send audio, data and video via the same cable, where each application uses a limited part of the total bandwidth.

Usually the transmission takes place via optical fiber, but transmission via copper cable is also possible.

In the field of broadband, there are a variety of technologies, each with its own role and use. Some common transmission technologies in this context are: ATM, broadband VPN, Fast Ethernet, SDH, Switched LAN and ADSL / VDSL.

The home fills more and more functions - eating, playing, relaxing, working and studying. And with broadband access all the way into sleep, connecting the home shrinks the geographical distance even further. It will be e.g. possible to quickly and conveniently order home videos, do advanced information searches on the Internet or study and work remotely.

Unlimited access to TV channels, HDTV, "video-on-demand", "home theater" are just some of the offerings that emerge when the media industry is digitized and standardized.

And with high-speed transmission - broadband - a new infrastructure is also emerging. Previously, you had to first decide what type of information you wanted to send and then figure out which transmission technology was applicable.

Calling required a phone, watching a video, a video and word processing a computer. Technology decided and limited.

Telephone and data signals can now speak the same language. Just decide the addressee - and so on with the information.

With broadband technology, the right information can be sent, received or stored in a flash. »_, .. l0 l5 20 25 30 - Q | . Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the invention and is explained below.

The information sent via the broadband network home to a consumer can according to the invention consist of all types of sound, image, data, then received in the home by a central unit l. Information such as e.g. video, etc. and This central unit consists of a network terminal which is arranged to receive broadband information in order to redistribute it via a LAN present in the home, which is designed to transmit the information, to the communication equipment 2 connected in the local network. This LAN covers in basically all places where you normally have communication equipment in the home. The information coming from the public communications network is interpreted and processed in a known manner by functions that normally occur in a network terminal and by a home server depending on the information coming from the public network.

The telecommunications network thus includes all types of subscriber equipment such as television, video, telephone etc. The connection to the internal telecommunication network takes place in a known manner through standardized protocols, which forms an internal network that connects all communication equipment that is normally found in the home. The internal or local network is further connected to the public or public network via a bridge or residential gateway that connects the local network with the fixed and / or mobile network that is normally accessible to most subscribers. The public and / or private network from which information and broadcasts of the type television, internet, telephone, etc. are delivered by one or more operators, via a central unit, which comprises 10 15 20 25 30. . . . .. 520 953 «> 1 | m functions for delivering broadband information to a central unit consisting of a night terminal and a home server.

The home server contains all or most of the features previously mentioned on a conventional WWW server.

The home server's proxy function interacts in such a way that certain components, which are included in the information, sound, image, data, video, are stored in the proxy present in the home server.

Other components are stored in corresponding servers in the public communications network. This means that you get more efficient storage and that certain cases of end-to-end authentication can be solved in a more efficient way. Proxy servers are in this case on a number of levels where information is temporarily stored in a structured way so that the access time is shortened while double storage of information is avoided.

Placing the home server in direct connection to or centrally in the home allows the user to directly via computer terminal connect to the home server to reprogram and set up functionality in the home server that both directly and indirectly affects the equipment connected to the local network in the home. This means that the user can to some extent create and / or modify the services provided, via the web, to the home.

It is also possible for the operator who delivers and / or distributes services to reprogram or change functionality in the home server centrally via the network.

There is thus an opportunity to create dedicated services for a specific subscriber.

The equipment connected to the local network, which can be printers, cameras, telephones, VCRs, TVs interact with the home server in such a way that all "intelligence" in the form of data power etc. needed for its function is retrieved from l0 15 20 25 30, . n .. 520 953 10 the home server located in the central unit. This then takes place in a conventional manner. The system structure that we have regarding the local network is then a client ~ server system where the equipment connected to the local network constitutes clients of the server in the central unit and the servers and equipment that are in the public communication network.

The invention is limited only to what is stated in the claims, so the idea of the invention is applicable to all modifications of the basic concept.

Claims (4)

10 15 20 25 30 520 935 H PATENT REQUIREMENTS Telecommunication network comprising subscriber equipment connected to a local telecommunication network which constitutes a LAN, which LAN is connected to one or several different public and / or private networks from which information and broadcasts of the type television, internet, telephone etc., of one or fl era are delivered operators, via a central unit (1), which includes functions for delivering broadband information to equipment (2) connected to the local network (LAN), characterized in that the central unit (1) contains a homeserver arranged to distribute processing power to clients or equipment (2) connected to said LAN, and that said homeserver includes means that allow both an operator and a user to change the functionality of the homeserver. Telecommunication network according to claim 1, characterized in that the central unit is located adjacent to a subscriber's home and comprises a network terminal and a home server. Telecommunication network according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the home server contains proxies for interim storage of information in cooperation with other proxy servers in public and / or private networks in such a way that certain components, which are included in the information, sound, image, data, video cached in the proxy located in the homeservem. Telecommunication network according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the home server located in the central unit constitutes the home service node, that the home server is directly accessible to the subscriber / user via a computer terminal for programming and setting functionality affecting the connected equipment, and centrally accessible from an operator via the connected public and / or private network to create dedicated services for the subscriber.