Method and system for supporting visitor access via a broadband gateway

Abstract

A method and system are provided in which a broadband gateway may enable a guest or visitor to access content available to the broadband gateway. The content may be received by the broadband gateway through one or more of a plurality of network access service providers that may provide separate physical layer access to the broadband gateway. After a visitor's device is connected to the broadband gateway, the broadband gateway may classify the device. Based on the classification, the device may be authorized to access a portion of the content received. Once the authorization process is complete, the appropriate content may be made available and transferred to the device. The authorization process may include the authentication of a device identifier and/or a user identifier. The authorized access may be time-limited, but may be renewed or enabled when a request is received within a determined period of time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 classifying, by a broadband gateway configured to enable communication with a plurality of devices and to handle a plurality of physical layer connections to at least one network access service provider, a device communicatively coupled to the broadband gateway;   assigning, by the broadband gateway to the device, a first level of access from a plurality of levels of access according to the classification of the device and to a first distance of the device from the broadband gateway at a first instance of time;   controlling, by the broadband gateway according to the assigned first level of access, access by the device to content received through the at least one network access service provider; and   assigning, by the broadband gateway to the device, a second level of access from the plurality of levels of access in response to determining at a second instance of time that the device has moved away from or closer to the broadband gateway relative to the first distance while the device is communicatively coupled to the broadband gateway.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the device comprises a wireless device; and   assigning to the device the second level of access comprises assigning to the wireless device the second level of access from a plurality of levels of access according to one or both of a signal strength and a link quality between the broadband gateway and the wireless device.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein individual ones of the plurality of levels of access indicate at least one of:
 a type of content for which access is to be provided;   a service or a content provider associated with the content;   an authorization procedure for granting access to the content;   a number of devices that may concurrently access the content;   a time limit for an authorized access to the content;   whether the assigned first level of access to the content may be enabled once the assigned first level of access has expired; and   a condition that, when satisfied, permits the first level of access to be re-enabled after the assigned first level of access has expired.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device is communicatively coupled to the broadband gateway via a wireless or wired connection. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, according to the classification, the device is pre-authorized to access a particular portion of the content received through the at least one network access service provider. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining which portion of the content received through the at least one network access service provider is to be accessed by the device according to the first level of access assigned to the device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein assigning the second level of access further comprises assigning the second level of access in response to determining that the device has moved away from or closer to the broadband gateway relative to the first distance for at least a predefined amount of time while the device is communicatively coupled to the broadband gateway. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disabling the first level of access assigned to the device on or after a determined time from a time when the first level of access was assigned, the determined time being based on the classification of the device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device is authorized to access a particular amount of the content received through the at least one network access service provider. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from an entity associated with providing the content received through the at least one network access service provider, an indication of a reward associated with at least the first level of access or the second level of access assigned to the device; and   processing the indication of the reward to enable the reward to be redeemed.   
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising:
 a broadband gateway configured to enable communication with a plurality of devices and to handle a plurality of physical layer connections to at least one network access service provider, the broadband gateway comprising circuitry configured to:   classify a device communicatively coupled to the broadband gateway;   assign to the device a first level of access from a plurality of levels of access according to the classification of the device and to a first distance of the device from the broadband gateway at a first instance of time;   control access by the device to content received through the at least one network access service provider, according to the assigned first level of access; and   assign to the device a second level of access from the plurality of levels of access in response to determining at a second instance of time that the device has moved away from or closer to the broadband gateway relative to the first distance while the device is communicatively coupled to the broadband gateway.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the device comprises a wireless device; and   the circuitry is configured to assign to the wireless device the second level of access from a plurality of levels of access according to one or both of a signal strength and a link quality between the broadband gateway and the wireless device.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein individual ones of the plurality of levels of access indicate at least one of:
 a type of content for which access is to be provided;   a service or a content provider associated with the content;   an authorization procedure for granting access to the content;   a number of devices that may concurrently access the content;   a time limit for an authorized access to the content;   whether the assigned first level of access to the content may be enabled once the assigned first level of access has expired; and   a condition that, when satisfied, permits the first level of access to be re-enabled after the assigned first level of access has expired.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the device is communicatively coupled to the broadband gateway via a wireless or wired connection. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein, according to the classification, the device is pre-authorized to access a particular portion of the content received through the at least one network access service provider. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the circuitry is configured to determine which portion of the content received through the at least one network access service provider is to be accessed by the device according to the first level of access assigned to the device. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the circuitry is configured to assign the second level of access in response to determining that the device has moved away from or closer to the broadband gateway relative to the first distance for at least a predefined amount of time while the device is communicatively coupled to the broadband gateway. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the circuitry is configured to disable the first level of access assigned to the device on or after a determined time from a time when the first level of access was assigned, the determined time being based on the classification of the device. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
 receive, from an entity associated with providing the content received through the at least one network access service provider, an indication of a reward associated with at least the first level of access or the second level of access assigned to the device; and   process the indication of the reward to enable the reward to be redeemed.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having a program that, when executed by circuitry located within a broadband gateway configured to handle a plurality of physical layer connections to a plurality of corresponding network access service providers, causes the circuitry to:
 classify a device communicatively coupled to the broadband gateway;   allow the device a first level of access from a plurality of levels of access according to the classification of the device and to a first distance of the device from the broadband gateway at a first instance of time;   control access by the device to content received through the at least one network access service provider, according to the allowed first level of access; and   allow the device a second level of access from the plurality of levels of access in response to determining at a second instance of time that the device has moved relative to the first distance from the broadband gateway while the device is communicatively coupled to the broadband gateway.