Broadband wireless network

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus for operating and deploying a broadband wireless network having at least one data transmission node and a plurality of CPE units, wherein there is a wireless data link at least in part between the data transmission node and the CPE units, and further wherein the management and configuration of the network is managed centrally and at least one of authorization, authentication, data stream prioritization or queuing is accomplished through the operation of the CPE units. According to one embodiment there is provided a user group manager that provides a user interface for at least one local service provider to manage information about end users served by the local service provider. In another embodiment, management and configuration of the network is managed using a device that communicates with CPE units and the data transmission nodes. The system and method further provides a data transmission node that includes routing capability, wherein the data transmission node is located with at least one CPE unit. In another embodiment, a network supervision and management device holds an original configuration file for each CPE unit wherein each CPE unit further includes a configuration file that includes an address reference to one or more of the supervision and management devices thereby providing for connectivity to the supervision and management devices and capability of redundancy when more than one supervision and management device is referenced.

1 . A method comprising deploying a broadband wireless network having at least one data transmission node and a plurality of CPE units, wherein there is a wireless data link at least in part between the data transmission node and the CPE units, and further wherein the management and configuration of the network is managed centrally and at least one of authorization, authentication, data stream prioritization or queuing is accomplished through the operation of the CPE units.  
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the data transmission node routes data packets between a CPE unit and a target data transmission node, and further wherein the data transmission node is capable of prioritizing certain ones of the data packets for routing through the data transmission node.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the CPE units automatically upgrade one or more of their software components from a software source.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the data transmission node is adapted to route data packets between a CPE unit and a target data transmission node, and further wherein the data transmission node is adapted to prioritize certain ones of the data packets for routing through the data transmission node.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the CPE units include a configuration file that is stored in non-volatile memory such that the CPE units do not require the end user to re-authenticate the system account if there is a loss of power to the CPE units.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  further including providing a set of distinct policies for end users each comprising fixed parameterization of at least two of data stream prioritization, queuing, quality of service, bandwidth or class of service.  
   
   
       7 . A method comprising deploying a broadband wireless network having at least one data transmission node and a plurality of CPE units, wherein there is a wireless data link at least in part between the data transmission node and the CPE units, and further wherein the management and configuration of the network is managed centrally and at least one of authorization, authentication, data stream prioritization or queuing is accomplished through the operation of the CPE units, and further including a data transmission node acting as a bridge between other data transmission nodes and a network point of presence.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 7  further wherein the bridge data transmission node communicates with the network point of presence and the other data transmission nodes and is not configured to service end user CPE units.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 7  further wherein the data bridge transmission node communicates using encrypted data thereby safeguarding the content of the data stream.  
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 7  further wherein the data bridge transmission node receives from another data transmission node data encrypted by a CPE and forwards that data to a network point of presence.  
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 7  further wherein the data bridge transmission node can automatically direct communication over one or more wireless links.  
   
   
       12 . An apparatus comprising a broadband wireless carrier managing a broadband wireless network using at least one data transmission node and a plurality of CPE units, wherein there is a wireless data link at least in part between the data transmission node and the CPE units, wherein each of a plurality of the CPE units provide a respective subscriber access to a broadband wireless network in communication with the data transmission node, and further comprising: 
 at least one subscriber of a first type having a first set of access needs; and    at least one other subscriber of a second type having a second set of access needs that differ in some way from the first set of access needs, wherein the subscriber of the first type and the subscriber of the second type have at least one of quality of service, data rate, class of service or data stream priority and queuing of their network access controlled at least in part by their respective CPE unit.