System and method for managing virtual user domains

Abstract

The present invention addresses the previous of lack of subscriber identity tracking and management for residential broadband lines and provides customized access and enhanced IP services for a subscriber's household members (virtual user domain) and his/her circle of extended families, relatives, and friends (multiple virtual user domains). Rather than treating a broadband link as a single connection with a single set of services and quality constraints, the present invention enables the subscriber to create multiple user profiles per broadband link; tailor activities such as web services to a specific user and group profile; provide restricted access to minors (e.g. allow only age appropriate content to be viewed); and facilitate connection at multiple access points on a carrier's edge network.

1 . A method of providing user-centric data services across a single broadband communications link, the method comprising:
 establishing a virtual user domain for the single broadband communications link that includes usage characteristics from plural users;   authenticating a first user of the plural users to a controller of the virtual user domain in order to provide a first user-specific data access control to the first user across the single broadband communications link; and   providing a second user-specific data access control to the first user across the single broadband communications link.