Universal broadband network access device

Currently, with the exception of the computer, the devices that can be used to access broadband services are not network aware. We refer to the devices for accessing broadband services (e.g. computers, televisions, and telephones) as information appliances. While future information appliances will be network ready, near-term support for existing information appliances is required. The lack of network-aware information appliances creates the need for a general-purpose access device that allows any existing information appliance to access broadband services. To satisfy this need, we present an approach for designing an access device that implements all necessary broadband network access functions as well as appliance-specific functions such as MPEG decoders in credit-card-sized PCI-bus adapters. The proposed device, referred to as the Universal Broadband Network Access Device (UBNAD), provides a reconfigurable platform for delivery of broadband services to the customer premises network (CPN). Depending on the nature of the service delivery network and the nature of the information appliances connected to the CPN, the UBNAD at a customer premise can be configured with appropriate adapters. By supporting an open interface for network-specific as well as information-appliance-specific adapters, the UBNAD can potentially support a cost-effective migration path to broadband services for the existing customer base.