Method and system for providing directory services for peer-to-peer communications

Abstract

A broadband gateway, which enables communication with a plurality of devices and handles at least one physical layer connection to at least one corresponding network access service provider. A user may be associated with one or more of the plurality of devices. A directory may be generated by the broadband gateway for the peer-to-peer communications based on the identified one or more individuals. The directory may comprise name information, location information, contact information, communication device information, and/or content sharing information. The broadband gateway may communicate the directory to one or more network access service providers and/or one or more content providers. Peer-to-peer exchanges and/or network resource allocations for the peer-to-peer communications may be controlled and/or monitored by the network access services providers and/or the content providers based on information in the directory.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of communication between a plurality of devices, the method comprising,
 identifying a first device of the plurality of devices for peer-to-peer communication;   identifying a second device of the plurality of devices for the peer-to-peer communication;   generating by a gateway a directory supporting the peer-to-peer communications, the directory comprising at least one of name information, location information, contact information, communication device information, or content sharing information associated with the first device and at least one of name information, location information, contact information, communication device information, or content sharing information for the second device; and   communicating, by the broadband gateway, the directory to at least one network access service provider, for allocating at least one network resource to support the peer-to-peer communications.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gateway is a broadband gateway configured to handle at least one physical layer connection associated with the at least one network access service provider. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the network access service provider comprises a plurality of corresponding network access service providers, and the at least one of the physical layer connection comprises a plurality of physical layer connections, and each of the plurality of physical layer connections corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of corresponding network access service providers. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating the directory based at least in part on at least one input received from the first device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating the directory based at least in part on at least one input from at least one other gateway. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating the directory based on at least in part on at least one input from at least one network access service provider. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating the directory based on at least in part on at least one input from at least one content provider. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating, by the gateway, the directory to comprise the name information, the gateway being a broadband gateway. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating, by the gateway, the directory to comprise the content storing information, the gateway being a broadband gateway. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising communicating the directory to at least one content provider. 
     
     
         11 . A system for communication, the system comprising:
 a device interface for communication with a plurality of devices;   a provider interface for communication with at least one network access service provider;   a directory service module for generating a directory supporting communications between a first device and a second device, the directory comprising at least one of name information, location information, contact information, communication device information, or content sharing information for the first device and at least one of name information, location information, contact information, communication device information, or content sharing information for the second device; and   wherein the directory is communicated to at least one network access service provider via the provider interface for allocating at least one network resource to support the communications between the first device and the second device.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one physical layer connection is coupled to the provider interface. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the directory service module is configured to generate the directory based at least in part on the at least one input associated with the first device. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the directory service module is configured to generate said the directory based at least in part on at least one input from at least one other broadband gateway. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the directory service module is configured to generate the directory at least in part on at least on input from the at least one network access service provider. 
     
     
         16 . A method for communication, the method comprising:
 receiving by a network access service provider a directory supporting peer-to-peer communications between a first device and a second device, the directory comprising at least one of name information, location information, contact information, communication device information, or content sharing information for the first device and at least one of name information, location information, contact information, communication device information, or content sharing information for the second device; and   allocating by the network access service provider, based at least in part on the directory, at least one network resource to support peer-to-peer communications between the first device and the second device.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the network service provider is coupled to at least one physical layer connection. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising communicating the directory to the at least one network resource. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  where the at least one network resource comprises a content provider. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the network access service provider receives the directory from a broadband gateway.