Multiple-Enclosure Residential Gateways

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide network interface devices and systems and methods for using them. For instance, a system in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention comprises a network interface device adapted to receive a plurality of sets of telecommunication information (telecommunication can include, inter alia, voice signals, Internet Protocol data, audio signals, data representing encoded audio signals, video signals and data representing encoded video signals) and distribute at least one of the plurality to a customer premises. The system can further include a control point operable to transmit configuration information to the network interface device. The configuration information can be operable to configure the behavior of the network interface device with respect to one or more of the information sets.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for providing telecommunication services to a customer premises, the system comprising:
 a first enclosure located at the customer premises, the first enclosure comprising a demarcation device that provides an interface between an external transport medium, which is external to the customer premises and part of an access network of a provider of the telecommunication services, and a first internal transport medium, which is internal to the customer premises; and   a second enclosure located at the customer premises and separate from the first enclosure, the second enclosure comprising a processing system in communication with the demarcation device via the first internal transport medium, the processing system serving as an Internet protocol (“IP”) residential gateway for the customer premises, the IP residential gateway providing connectivity between one or more second internal transport media and the external transport medium, via the first internal transport medium and the demarcation device, to exchange one or more sets of telecommunication information between one or more customer devices in the customer premises and the access network of the provider of the telecommunication services.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more sets of telecommunication information is selected from the group consisting of voice signals, Internet Protocol data, audio signals, data representing encoded audio signals, video signals, and data representing encoded video signals. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the external transport medium comprises an optical medium, and wherein the access network comprises an optical network. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the external transport medium comprises an Ethernet medium. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the external transport medium comprises coaxial cable or a copper local loop. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the external transport medium is wireless. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first internal transport medium is wireless. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , one or more of the second internal transport media is wireless. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processing system receives and stores configuration information from a control point, the configuration information configuring a behavior of the IP residential gateway. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more sets of telecommunication information comprise a plurality of sets of telecommunication information, and wherein configuring the behavior of the IP residential gateway comprises instructing the IP residential gateway to distribute, to one or more customer devices at the customer premises, at least one of the plurality of sets of telecommunication information. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one information set is associated with a particular telecommunication service. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein configuring the behavior of the IP residential gateway comprises configuring a security setting of the IP residential gateway. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the control point operated by the provider of the telecommunication services. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the control point is located at the customer premises. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the control point is located at a distribution point and wherein the distribution point is in communication with the IP residential gateway via one of the external transport medium. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the control point comprises a web browser. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the IP residential gateway submits to the control point a request for at least one telecommunication service, and the control point transmits to the IP residential gateway configuration information responsive to the submitted request. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the control point is capable of forwarding the submitted request to a telecommunication information provider that is different than the provider of the telecommunication services. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the demarcation device provides an interface between a plurality of external transport media and the first internal transport medium. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first enclosure is mounted on an external wall of a customer premises and the second enclosure is disposed within a structure of the customer premises. 
     
     
         21 . A method of providing telecommunication services to a customer premises, the method comprising:
 providing, at the customer premises, a first enclosure, the first enclosure comprising a demarcation device that provides an interface between an external transport medium, which is external to the customer premises and part of an access network of a provider of the telecommunication services, and a first internal transport medium, which is internal to the customer premises; and   providing, at the customer premises, a second enclosure separate from the first enclosure, the second enclosure comprising a processing system in communication with the demarcation device via the first internal transport medium, the processing system serving as an Internet protocol (“IP”) residential gateway for the customer premises, the IP residential gateway providing connectivity between one or more second internal transport media and the external transport medium, via the first internal transport medium and the demarcation device, to exchange one or more sets of telecommunication information between one or more customer devices in the customer premises and the access network of the provider of the telecommunication services;   receiving, at the demarcation device, telecommunication information via the external transport medium;   forwarding the telecommunication information from the demarcation device to the IP residential gateway via the first internal transport medium; and   processing the telecommunication information at the IP residential gateway.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 distributing the telecommunication information, with the IP residential gateway, to one or more customer devices at the customer premises, via the second one or more internal transport media.