GATEWAY DEVICE HAVING AN XML INTERFACE AND ASSOCIATED METHOD

摘要

A gateway device and associated method are provided that facilitate communications with external devices by utilizing a uniform communications format. The gateway device includes a subscriber interface for adapting to a subscriber computer that is connected to the gateway device. The subscriber interface facilitates communications between the subscriber computer and at least one network or on-line service without requiring the subscriber computer to be reconfigured and without requiring the subscriber computer to support XML commands and responses. The gateway device also includes an XML interface for communicating with an external device via a series of XML commands and responses. The XML commands and responses can relate to a variety of matters, including various subscriber management matters. Typically, the XML interface includes a parser front end, a parser section and a building section for appropriately handling XML commands that are received by the gateway device and for sending appropriate responses. The gateway device can also include an internal web server for communicating with both the XML interface and the internet to thereby facilitate XML-based communications between the gateway device and external devices connected to the internet. The subscriber computer can therefor enjoy the advantages of XML without having to be reconfigured to support XML.