The Directv Group, Inc.

David B Donahue

Benn Bollay

Patrick D Ross

Thomas J Obenhuber

Vinai Kolli

A packet containing a request for content is initially received at a content filtering router. The packet comprises a destination Internet Protocol (IP) address of a content server that stores the content and a bogus IP address. It is ascertained that the destination IP address is on a list of approved destination IP address. Alternatively, it is ascertained that the destination IP address is on a list of probably unapproved destination IP addresses and the packet is routed in accordance with an alternative IP address to a content filtering server. In this alternative, at the content filtering server the bogus IP address is used to determine a content filtering category and it is ascertained whether the destination IP address with the content filtering category should be filtered based upon a list of IP addresses and associated content filtering categories.

System and method for content filtering using static source routes

A packet containing a request for content is initially received at a content filtering router. The packet comprises a first destination Internet Protocol (IP) address of a content server that stores the content and a second destination IP address of the content filtering router. It is then ascertained that the first IP address is on a list of destination IP addresses to be filtered and the packet is, therefore, routed someplace other than the first destination IP address, such as to a port that discards the packet.

Content filtering using static source routes

During manufacturing, a unique bi-directional IP communication device identifier, such as a gateway serial number, is assigned to a each bi-directional IP communication device, preferably a DSL gateway. Once an order for such a device is received from a user, the unique bi-directional IP communication device identifier is associated with the unique user that the device is shipped to. A request for basic configuration details is then broadcast, preferably to a DHCP server. The request contains the unique bi-directional IP communication device identifier. The user's basic configuration details are then determined based on the unique bi-directional IP communication device identifier. These basic configuration details, which preferably include an IP address, are then received from the DHCP server. The bi-directional IP communication device is then configured with these basic configuration details.

System and method for automatic configuration of a bi-directional IP communication device

A packet containing a request for content is initially received at a content filtering router. The packet comprises a destination Internet Protocol (IP) address of a content server that stores the content and a bogus IP address. It is ascertained that the destination IP address is on a list of approved destination IP addresses and the packet is routed in accordance with the destination IP address. Alternatively, it is ascertained that the destination IP address is on a list of probably unapproved destination IP addresses and the packet is routed in accordance with an alternative IP address to a content filtering server. In this alternative, at the content filtering server the bogus IP address is used to determine a content filtering category and it is ascertained whether the destination IP address with the content filtering category should be filtered based upon a list of IP addresses and associated content filtering categories.

A method for communicating across divergent network segments in a network. The network has a first network segment and a second network segment. The first network segment includes a switch that is controlled by a module that has instructions encoding a method. In the method, an ARP request packet is received from a first device. The ARP request packet includes a request to locate a second device. The first device is coupled to the first network segment and the second device is coupled to the second network segment. The ARP request packet is broadcast to the network segments outside of the first network segment and, as a result, a reply from the second network segment is received. The reply is transmitted to the first device, such that in use, ARP tables are modified on the first device and the second device so that future communication between said first device and said second device is enabled using a layer two communication protocol without any requirement for a layer three communication protocol.

Method and apparatus for communicating between divergent networks using media access control communications

A first publically routable IP address and a second publically routable IP address (bypass IP address) is firstly received from an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that forms part of a public network. An instruction to assign the second publically routable IP address to the host computer is then received. The first publically routable IP address is assigned to a Network Address Translation (NAT) service on the gateway and the second publically routable IP address is allocated to the host computer. Finally, the second publically routable IP address is allocated to the host computer. This allows the host computer to be configured to enable it to receive unsolicited packets from the public network through the gateway. A gateway and computer program product are also provided.

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

David B Donahue