Remote home router communication via set-top box

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11115225-B2
Application number	US-201916689601-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2019
Priority date	Nov 20, 2019
Publication date	Sep 7, 2021
Grant date	Sep 7, 2021

Abstract

A set-top box (STB) receives a router reboot or reset activation code generated by an Operations Support System (OSS) that manages a first network. The STB activates a router reboot or reset function based on the received activation code, and identifies, upon activation of the router reboot or reset function, a model of a router connected to the STB. The STB generates a router reboot or reset command based on the identified model of the router and sends the generated router reboot or reset command to the router to cause the router to perform a reboot or reset process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by a set-top box (STB), a router reboot or reset activation code generated by an Operations Support System (OSS) that manages a first network;
activating, at the STB, a router reboot or reset function based on the received activation code;
identifying, by the STB upon activation of the router reboot or reset function, a model of a router connected to the STB;
generating, by the STB, a router reboot or reset command based on the identified model of the router; and
sending, by the STB, the generated router reboot or reset command to the router to cause the router to perform a reboot or reset process.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the STB and the router are integrated as a single device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein sending the generated reboot or reset command further comprises:
sending, via a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) Device Management 2 (DM2) connection, the reboot or reset command to the router.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the router is connected to the STB via a second network and wherein the router reboot or reset command is sent by the STB to the router via the second network.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the reboot or reset activation code is generated by the OSS based on a reboot or reset request originating from a remote device that is not connected to the second network.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the second network comprises a local area network (LAN) and wherein the router comprises a home router residing at a customer premises.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the STB comprises a device that receives an external signal and obtains, from the signal, content for display by a display device.

8. A set top box (STB), comprising:
a memory device; and
a processing unit, or logic, to:
receive a router reboot or reset activation code generated by an Operations Support System (OSS) that manages a first network,
activate a router reboot or reset function based on the received activation code;
identify, upon activation of the router reboot or reset function, a model of a router connected to the STB,
generate a router reboot or reset command based on the identified model of the router, and
send the generated router reboot or reset command to the router to cause the router to perform a reboot or reset process.

9. The STB of claim 8 , wherein the STB and the router are integrated as a single device.

10. The STB of claim 8 , wherein, when sending the generated reboot or reset command, the processing unit, or logic is further to:
send the reboot or reset command to the router via a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) Device Management 2 (DM2) connection.

11. The STB of claim 8 , wherein the router is connected to the STB via a second network and wherein the router reboot or reset command is sent by the STB to the router via the second network.

12. The STB of claim 11 , wherein the reboot or reset function activation code is generated by the OSS based on a reboot or reset request originating from a remote device that is not connected to the second network.

13. The STB of claim 11 , wherein the second network comprises a local area network (LAN) and wherein the router comprises a home router residing at a customer premises.

14. The STB of claim 8 , wherein the STB comprises a device that receives an external signal and obtains, from the signal, content for display by a display device.

15. A non-transitory storage medium storing instructions executable by a set top box (STB), wherein the instructions comprise instructions to cause the STB to:
receive a router reboot or reset activation code generated by an Operations Support System (OSS) that manages a first network;
activate a router reboot or reset function based on the received activation code;
identify, upon activation of the router reboot or reset function, a model of a router connected to the STB;
generate a router reboot or reset command based on the identified model of the router; and
send the generated router reboot or reset command to the router to cause the router to perform a reboot or reset process.

16. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the STB and the router are integrated as a single device.

17. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions to cause the STB to send the generated reboot or reset command further instructions to cause the STB to:
send the reboot or reset command to the router via a Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) Device Management 2 (DM2) connection.

18. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the router is connected to the STB via a second network and wherein the router reboot or reset command is sent by the STB to the router via the second network.

19. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the reboot or reset activation code is generated by the OSS based on a reboot or reset request originating from a remote device that is not connected to the second network.

20. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the second network comprises a local area network (LAN) and wherein the router comprises a home router residing at a customer premises.

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Moore Matthew
• Rompala Alan
• Madonna Alex M
• Ndungu Eric M
• Foster Kevin
• Yelamarti Srinivasu
• Azizi Hashmatullah
• Chaluvadi Venkata

Classifications

• H04L2012/2849

  Audio/video appliances · CPC title

• H04L12/4616

  LAN interconnection over a LAN backbone · CPC title

• H04N21/6543 Primary

  for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording {(remote booting in general G06F9/4416)} · CPC title

• H04L45/04

  Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing · CPC title

• H04N21/43615

  Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals (home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805) · CPC title