Demarcation between service provider and user in multi-services gateway device at user premises

摘要

An application gateway including application service programming logically positioned on a user premises side of a network demarcation forming an edge of the wide area network at a user premises can provide managed services to a user and one or more endpoint devices associated with the application gateway. The application gateway can be controlled remotely by the application service provider through a service management center and configured to execute an application service provided from the application service provider. The application gateway executes the application service at the user premises independent of application services executing on the application service provider's network. An application service logic manager can communicate with an application service enforcement manager to verify that the request conforms with policy and usage rules associated with the application service in order to authorize execution of the application service on the application gateway, either directly or through endpoint devices.

主权项

1. An application gateway for operation at a user premises to provide a managed service to at least one of a user and one or more endpoint devices associated with the application gateway, the application gateway comprising:
a first interface for enabling bi-directional communication within the user premises, with an associated endpoint device also located within the user premises; a second interface for enabling bi-directional communications with the associated endpoint device via a wide area network, and for enabling at least some bi-directional communications via the wide area network with a service management center and an application service provider located externally to the user premises; access to an application service enforcement manager controlled by the application service provider through the service management center and configured to provide policy and usage rules associated with an application service provided by the application service provider, wherein the application service provider through the service management center provides the policy and usage rules associated with the application service to the application gateway; an application gateway programming controlled remotely by the application service provider through the service management center and configured to execute the application service provided from the application service provider, wherein the application gateway programming executes the application service at the user premises while logically positioned on a user premises side of a logical network demarcation forming an edge of the wide area network at a user premises and independent of application services executing on the application service provider's network, wherein upon receiving a request to execute the application service on the application gateway programming at the user premises, the application service logic manager communicates with the application service enforcement manager to verify that the request conforms with the policy and usage rules associated with the application service in order to authorize execution of the application service on the application gateway; a processor device coupled to the interfaces; storage coupled to the processor; a graphical user interface rendered on a display associated with at least one of the application gateway for operation at a user premises and an endpoint device, for enabling management and control of application services executed by the application gateway; and programming in the storage for execution by the processor, wherein:
(a) the programming comprises the application service received from the application service provider, the programming logically positioned on a user premises side of a logical network,(b) the programming in the storage provides delivers the application service to the associated endpoint device via the display and(c) the logical application service provider demarcation point provides a demarcation in accessibility to hardware resources of the application gateway for operation at a user premises, whereby at least some hardware resources of the application gateway for operation at a user premises are logically positioned on the application service provider side of the logical application service provider demarcation point and are inaccessible to the associated endpoint device from the user side of the logical application service provider demarcation point.