PTO/SB/38 (06-09)
`Approved for use through 07/31/2009. 0MB 0651-0031
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid 0MB control number.
`"I
`
`r
`
`Request to Retrieve Electronic
`Priority Application(s)
`
`Application Number
`
`Filing Date
`
`COMPLETE IF KNOWN
`N/A
`July 30, 2009
`Robert Visser
`First Named Inventor
`N/A
`Art Unit
`N/A
`Examiner Name
`Attorney Docket Number 09-810
`
`Send completed form to: Commissioner for Patents
`\..P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA22313-1450
`
`~
`
`The undersigned hereby requests the USPTO retrieve an electronic copy of each of the following foreign applications for which priority
`has been claimed under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) from a foreign intellectual property office participating with the USPTO in a bilateral or
`multilateral priority document exchange agreement:
`
`Please retrieve (check all that apply)
`~ From EPO, JPO, or KIPO (participating foreign intellectual property office) a priority application
`Column A. Participating office where application was originally filed
`Column B. Application number and filing date of the application
`From WIPO (participating foreign intellectual property office) a DAS registered priority application
`Column A. DAS Depositing Office where application was originally filed
`Column B. Application number and filing date of the application
`
`D Copy of certified copy of non-participating office priority document from within a participating foreign intellectual property
`
`office application (EPO or JPO)
`Column A. Participating office where certified copy of priority document is located
`Column B. Application number and filing date of the EPO/JPO application
`Column C. Two letter country code and application number of the non-EPO/JPO priority document
`
`B
`Application to be retrieved
`or application containing the
`non-participatina Jrioritv application
`App. No.
`Filinq Date
`July 31, 2008
`08013735.9
`Auqust 5, 2008
`08161850.6
`
`C
`Non-participating priority application to be
`retrieved
`
`Country Code
`
`App. No.
`
`A
`Participating Office
`(e.g., EPO, JPO,KIPO)
`or DAS Depositing Office
`(e.g., IB)
`
`EPO
`EPO
`
`1
`2
`3
`4
`5
`6
`
`This Request to Retrieve Electronic Priority Application(s) (Request) should be filed within the later of four months from the date of filing
`of the above-identified U.S. application claiming foreign priority, or sixteen months from the filing date of the foreign application to which
`priority is claimed.
`
`This Request should be submitted concurrently with the claim for priority, or thereafter. The USPTO will not attempt to retrieve the
`identified priority application(s) until applicant indicates the identified priority application(s) on the oath or declaration or an application
`data sheet in compliance with 37 CFR 1.63(c).
`
`Applicants are advised to consult Private PAIR (accessed through www.uspto.gov) to assure that the retrieval has been successful. The
`applicant remains ultimately responsible for the submission of the certified copy of the foreign application(s) within the period set forth in
`37 CFR 1.SS(a) (before the U.S. application issues as a patent) if the USPTO does not timely retrieve the identified priority application(s).
`
`I hereby declare that I have the authority to grant access to the above-identified foreign application(s).
`
`/Daniel R. Bestor/
`Signature
`
`Daniel R. Bestor
`Printed or Typed Name
`
`Patent Attorney
`Title
`
`July 30, 2009
`Date
`
`312-913-0001
`Telephone Number
`
`58,439
`Registration Number, if applicable
`
`This collection of information is required by 37 CFR 1.55(d). The information is required to obtain or retain a benefit by the public which is to file (and by the
`USPTO to process an application). Confidentiality is governed by 35 U.S.C. 122 and 37 CFR 1.11 and 1.14. This collection is estimated to take 8 minutes to
`complete, including gathering, preparing, and submitting the completed application form to the USPTO. Time will vary depending upon the individual case.
`Any comments on the amount of time you require to complete this form and/or suggestions for reducing this burden, should be sent to the Chief Information
`Officer, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, U.S. Department of Commerce, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450. DO NOT SEND FEES OR
`COMPLETED FORMS TO THIS ADDRESS. SEND TO: Commissioner for Patents, P.O. Box 1450,Alexandria,VA 22313-1450.
`American LegalN et, Inc. A
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`If you need assistance in completing the form, ca/11-800-PTO-9199 and select option 2.
`
`wv,/\v.F0nns\.Vork.Fl0w.c0rn ~~
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`

`

`PTOISB/08a (06-09)
`Doc code: IDS
`Approved for use through 07/31/2009. 0MB 0651-0031
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`Application Number
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`2009-07-30
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`First Named Inventor
`
`I Robert Visser
`
`Art Unit
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`N/A
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`Examiner Name
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`IN/A
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`09-810
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`20070011301
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`A1
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`2007-01-11
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`Pin Pin Ong et al
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`T5
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`1
`
`1940077
`
`EP
`
`A1
`
`2008-07-02
`
`Alcatel Lucent and
`Motive, Inc.
`
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`EFS Web 2.1.5
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`INFORMATION DISCLOSURE
`STATEMENT BY APPLICANT
`( Not for submission under 37 CFR 1.99)
`
`Application Number
`
`Filing Date
`
`2009-07-30
`
`First Named Inventor
`
`I Robert Visser
`
`Art Unit
`
`N/A
`
`Examiner Name
`
`IN/A
`
`Attorney Docket Number
`
`09-810
`
`1
`
`2
`
`Valcourt, Scott A., "DSL-From A to V and Back Again (Invited Paper)", Access Networks & Workshops, 2007,
`Accessnets '07, Second International Conference ON, IEEE, Pl, August 1, 2007, pages 1-5.
`
`DSLHOME-TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP, "Appendix C. Signed Vouchers", CPE WAN Management Protocol,
`Internet Citation, [Online], XP002316355, Chapter 3.1, pp. 91-109.
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`INFORMATION DISCLOSURE
`STATEMENT BY APPLICANT
`( Not for submission under 37 CFR 1.99)
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`Application Number
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`Filing Date
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`2009-07-30
`
`First Named Inventor
`
`I Robert Visser
`
`Art Unit
`
`N/A
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`Examiner Name
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`IN/A
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`Attorney Docket Number
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`09-810
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`

`(19)
`
`(12)
`
`Europilsches
`Patentamt
`European
`Patent Office
`Office europeen
`des brevets
`
`I IIIIIII II IIIII II Ill II Ill lllll II Ill II Ill II Ill II Ill lllll II Ill 111111111111111
`EP 1 940 077 A1
`
`(11)
`
`EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION
`
`(43) Date of publication:
`02.07.2008 Bulletin 2008/27
`
`(21) Application number: 06291916.2
`
`(22) Date of filing: 13.12.2006
`
`(51) lntCI.:
`H04L 12124 <2006·01J
`
`(84) Designated Contracting States:
`AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES Fl FR GB GR
`HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC NL PL PT ROSE SI
`SKTR
`Designated Extension States:
`ALBA HR MK RS
`
`(71) Applicants:
`• Alcatel Lucent
`75008 Paris {FR)
`• Motive, Inc.
`Austin, TX 78759-2247 {US)
`
`(72) Inventors:
`• Bose, Arabinda c/o Motive, Inc.
`Austin, Texas {US)
`• Remington, Jeremy c/o Motive, Inc.
`Austin, Texas {US)
`• de Clercq, Jeremy c/o Alcatel Lucent
`75008 Paris {FR)
`• Roelens, Wim c/o Alcatel Lucent
`75008 Paris {FR)
`
`(74) Representative: Louiset, Raphael
`Dejade & Biset
`35, rue de Chateaudun
`75009 Paris {FR)
`
`(54)
`
`Remote activation of home devices
`
`(57)
`Method for remote management of a home de-
`vice (3), said method comprising:
`- a connection step wherein the home device (3) connects
`to a remote walled garden home device management
`(WG_HDM) server (10);
`- a pre-activation cycle wherein a pre-activation policy is
`
`run on the home device (3) from the WG_HDM server
`(10);
`- a transfer step wherein the home device (3) is redirected
`by the WG_HDM server (10) to a remote public home
`device management (P _HDM) server (14);
`- an activation cycle wherein an activation policy is run
`on the home device (3) from the P _HDM server (14).
`
`CPE
`
`DSLA_M &
`BRAS
`
`Walled Garden
`HD:-.1 Server
`
`Public
`HDM Server
`
`FIG.2
`
`I Pre-activation cycle I
`
`106
`
`Dev Req Req {CPE WG I?)
`
`Pubhc CPE Cred
`(Unique PPP U/P, Sub __ ID,
`Service lD UDef Ta s'
`
`Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR)
`
`T"""
`
`<C
`......
`......
`0
`0 ""' O')
`a.
`w
`
`T"""
`
`

`

`EP 1940077 A1
`
`2
`
`Description
`
`[0001] The present invention relates to the remote
`management of home devices from a remote network.
`[0002] Recent times have witnessed the wide spread
`of the Internet, not only for professional purpose, but also
`at home. Consumers are offered more and more home
`electronic devices equipped with Internet connect capa(cid:173)
`bilities, such as digital subscriber line (DSL) modems.
`residential gateways (RGW), set-top boxes (STB) for dig(cid:173)
`ital television (DTV), Voice over the Internet Protocol
`(VoIP) terminal adapters, etc. Such devices are common(cid:173)
`ly called "home devices" or "customer premise equip(cid:173)
`ment" (CPE) and are linked together to form a local area
`or home network (LAN) connected to a wide area network
`(WAN) such as the Internet.
`[0003] CPEs have become such advanced devices
`that it is more and more difficult for the average user to
`undertake any configuration change, firmware upgrade,
`backup, restore or other management operations without
`the help of a skilled technician.
`[0004]
`In addition, there is unquestionably a need from
`users to avoid manual management operations on CPEs.
`Although such operations were considered acceptable
`in the near past (see e.g. US patent No. 6 901 439 to
`Bonasia), they are now considered by the users as time
`consuming and therefore unacceptable.
`[0005] These are reasons why many network opera(cid:173)
`tors now propose, in addition to the classic Internet pro(cid:173)
`vider's services, management services for remotely
`managing LAN CPEs. Such services advantageously al(cid:173)
`low operators to save costs by reducing truck rolls (i.e.
`a technician is actually sent to the user's premises to do
`the required or necessary management operations).
`[0006] However, a consequence of such a policy is
`that operators have the duty to manage a large number
`of CPEs for the entire life cycle of the devices. Over a
`period of time the device population grows and so is the
`number of the device types which the operator's system
`must adapt to.
`[0007] The devices may arrive at the subscriber's
`premises via multiple means, for example from the CPE
`manufacturer directly, from a retail store or from the op(cid:173)
`erator. It is extremely difficult. time consuming and error(cid:173)
`prone for operators to get all information concerning each
`CPE and store them in the operator's database or in
`home device management servers prior to the device
`first contacting its management server.
`[0008] For the operator. pre-provisioning the CPE in(cid:173)
`formation is pretty significant. On the one hand, it reduces
`the opportunity for the operator to grow its subscriber
`population quickly. On the other hand, it adds computing
`overhead (and related costs) for the operator's system
`to be able to learn all the details about each and every
`new purchased and connected CPE, before the latter
`gets in position to be activated in the network.
`[0009] Management policies are disclosed in "CPE
`WAN Management Protocol", a technical report from the
`
`5
`
`DSL Forum TR-069, produced by the DSLHome-Tech(cid:173)
`nical Working Group in 2004.
`[001 0] Remote management/control methods are also
`disclosed in US patent applications no. 2006/0168178
`(Hwang), 2005/0038875 (Park) and 2004/0010327 (Te(cid:173)
`rashima).
`[0011] The known C PE management metohods fail to
`overcome
`the drawbacks mentioned hereinbefore.
`Therefore, there is still a need for improving the remote
`10 management of CPEs, allowing operators to reduce CPE
`information retrieval and database storing operations.
`[0012]
`In order to achieve the above and other objects,
`there is provided a method for remote management of a
`home device, said method comprising:
`
`15
`
`20
`
`25
`
`a connection step wherein the home device connects
`to a remote walled garden home device manage(cid:173)
`ment (WG_HDM) server;
`a pre-activation cycle wherein a pre-activation policy
`is run on the home device from the WG_HDM server;
`a transfer step wherein the home device is redirected
`by the WG_HDM server to a remote public home
`device management (P _HOM) server;
`an activation cycle wherein an activation policy is run
`on the home device from the P _HOM server.
`In the connection step, the home device may connect
`to the WG_HDM using default HTTP credentials.
`
`[0013]
`In one preferred embodiment, there is provided,
`30 before the connection step:
`
`a step of the home device connecting a broadband
`remote access server (BRAS) using default point-to(cid:173)
`point protocol credentials, and
`a step of the BRAS directing the home device to the
`WG_HDM server.
`
`35
`
`-
`
`[0014] The method as claimed in any of the preceding
`claims, wherein the pre-activation cycle comprises a step
`40 of the WG_HDM server registering home device default
`information in a WG HOM data store.
`[0015] Connection request credentials may be either
`generated or retrieved from the home device by the WG_
`HOM server.
`[0016]
`In one preferred embodiment, the pre-activa(cid:173)
`tion cycle comprises the steps of:
`
`45
`
`the WG_HDM server contacting an operational sup(cid:173)
`port system (OSS);
`the WG_HDM server retrieving subscriber data from
`the OSS;
`the WG_HDM server implementing subscriber data
`(e.g. including at least one of the following: subscrib(cid:173)
`er ID. service tags, user tags, public HTTP username
`and password) in the home device.
`
`[0017] The retrieved subscriber data are preferably
`stored in a WG_HDM data store.
`
`50
`
`-
`
`55
`
`2
`
`

`

`3
`
`EP 1940077 A1
`
`4
`
`[0018] Home device activation parameters (e.g. in(cid:173)
`cluding correct point-to-point protocol (PPP) and HTTP
`credentials, and P _HOM server uniform resource locator
`(URL)) may be either retrieved or generated by the WG_
`HOM server. Preferably, there is provided a further step
`of the WG_HOM server provisioning the home device
`with these activation parameters.
`[0019]
`In one preferred embodiment, the transfer step
`includes the following substeps:
`
`a step of the home device connecting a broadband
`remote access server (BRAS) using the correct PPP
`credentials, and
`a step of the BRAS directing the home device to the
`P _HOM server based on the correct P _HOM URL.
`
`[0020] The above and other objects and advantages
`of the invention will become apparent from the detailed
`description of preferred embodiments, considered in
`conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
`
`FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a telecommuni(cid:173)
`cation environment for deployment of a remote man(cid:173)
`agement method according to an embodiment of the
`present invention;
`FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating signal flow in a man(cid:173)
`agement method according to an embodiment of the
`present invention.
`
`[0021] Turning now to the drawings and with particular
`attention to FIG. 1, there is shown a telecommunication
`system or environment 1 including customer (also called
`subscriber) premises 2 where at least one customer
`premises equipment (CPE) 3, such as a residential gate(cid:173)
`way (RGW) is installed and connected to a digital sub(cid:173)
`scriber line (OSL) 4. The OSL line 4 links the CPE 3 to a
`wide area network (WAN) 5 such as the Internet. Before
`it reaches the Internet 5, the signal goes through a digital
`subscriber line access multiplexer (OSLAM) 6 for aggre(cid:173)
`gating the data streams and a broadband remote access
`server (BRAS) 7 for authenticating the subscriber's cre(cid:173)
`dentials and routing the data to the Internet 5.
`[0022] For purposes which will become apparent here(cid:173)
`inafter, the telecommunication environment 1 also in(cid:173)
`cludes a weblogic server domain 8 connected to the In(cid:173)
`ternet 5 and partitioned in:
`
`a restricted or walled garden area network 9 com(cid:173)
`prising at least one (and preferably a cluster of)
`walled garden home device management (WG_
`HOM) server(s) 10 connected to the Internet 5
`through a load balancer 11 behind a firewall 12, and
`a public area network 13 comprising at least one
`( and preferably a clusterof) public home device man(cid:173)
`agement (P _HOM) server(s) 14 also connected to
`the Internet 5 through a load balancer 15 behind a
`firewall 16.
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`[0023] Both WG_HO servers 10 and P _HOM servers
`14 have connection capabilities, through a load balancer
`17, 18 behind a firewall 19, 20, to a provider's operational
`support system (aSS) 1 containing subscriber data such
`as subscriber I 0, service tags, user tags, public HTTP
`username and password.
`[0024] As in a classical architecture, ass 21 may in(cid:173)
`clude a billing system 22, a workflow management sys(cid:173)
`tem 23, a subscriber management system 24, a back
`10 office system 25 and an inventory system 26.
`[0025] Such telecommunication environment architec(cid:173)
`ture is suitable for CPE remote management, and more
`specifically for CPE automatic or "zero-touch" activation,
`as will be described hereinafter with reference to FIG. 2.
`[0026] Before the zero-touch activation process is con(cid:173)
`ducted, it is assumed that:
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`The subscriber has received a new CPE 3 (for ex(cid:173)
`ample, after having purchased it from a retail store)
`and has plugged it into the OSL line 4.
`ass 21 contains subscriber data, but no CPE infor(cid:173)
`mation.
`The HOM servers 10, 14 contain neither CPE nor
`subscriber data. In particular, the HOM servers 10,
`14 are not pre-provisioned with subscriber data from
`the ass 21.
`CPE 3 is pre-provisioned with a default, temporary
`auto configuration server (ACS) uniform resource lo(cid:173)
`cator (URL) that enables it to communicate with a
`WG_HOM server 10.
`CPE 3 is pre-provisioned with default point-to-point
`protocol (PPP) credentials and default hypertext
`transfer protocol (HTTP) credentials.
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`[0027] When connected to the OSL line 4, the CPE 3
`uses the default PPP credentials to connect to the BRAS
`7 (step 100).
`[0028] The BRAS 7 then directs the CPE 3 to a WG_
`HOM server 1 O within the walled garden area network 9
`(step 101).
`[0029] Next, CPE 3 connects to the WG_HOM server
`10 using its own default HTTP credentials (step 102).
`[0030] A pre-activation cycle begins, wherein a pre(cid:173)
`activation policy is run on the CPE 3 from the WG_HOM
`45 server 10, as will now be described.
`[0031] The WG_HOM server 10 begins with register(cid:173)
`ing the CPE information in its WG_HOM data store (step
`103).
`[0032] The WG_HOM server 10 then identifies that
`50 CPE 3 is not yet ready for activation, and retrieves the
`correct connection request (CR) credentials. If the correct
`CR credentials are not available, the WG_HOM server
`10 automatically generates them (step 104).
`[0033]
`It is to be noted that, when CR credentials are
`55 auto-generated, the username is defined using a combi(cid:173)
`nation of the organizationally unique identifier (aUI), se(cid:173)
`rial number and product class of the CPE 3. If the product
`class is not available, the username is defined using the
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`EP 1940077 A1
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`combination of OUI and serial number.
`[0034] Next, the WG_HDM server 10 creates set pa(cid:173)
`rameter value (SPV) actions to provision the CPE 3 with
`the correct CR credentials (step 105). The WG_HDM
`server 10 then posts a java messaging service (JMS)
`queue event to OSS 21, which contains the identity if the
`new CPE 3 (OUI, product class, serial number), its IP
`address and a device correlator, in order to request sub(cid:173)
`scriber data from the OSS 21 (step 106).
`[0035]
`In reaction, OSS 21 uses the BRAS 7, IP ad(cid:173)
`dress and DSL number to identify the subscriber, and
`then retrieves subscriber data from the OSS subscriber
`management system, e.g. subscriber ID, service tags,
`user tags, and the public HTTP username and password
`(step 107).
`[0036] Thereafter, the OSS 21 sends this information
`to the WG_HDM server 10 using the WG_HDM north(cid:173)
`bound interface (NBI). It also sends the source IP address
`and the WG_HDM device correlator that was sent in the
`WG_HDM request (step 108).
`[0037] The WG_HDM server 1 0 then stores the sub(cid:173)
`scriber data in the WG_HDM data store (step 109).
`[0038] Once the OSS 21 has sent its response to the
`WG_HDM server 10, the WG_HDM server 10 identifies
`thatthe CPE 3 is still not ready for activation, and retrieves
`the CPE activation parameters. e.g. the correct PPP and
`HTTP credentials and the P _HOM server URL. If the cor-
`rect HTTP credentials are not available, the WG_HDM
`server 1 O automatically generates them.
`[0039]
`It is to be noted that, when HTTP credentials
`are auto-generated, the username is defined using a
`combination of the OUI, serial number and product class
`of the CPE 3. If the product class is not available, the
`username is defined using the combination of OUI and
`serial number.
`[0040] The WG_HDM server 10 creates SPV actions
`to provision the CPE 3 with the correct PPP, HTTP cre(cid:173)
`dentials and the P _HOM server URL (step 110), thereby
`ending the pre-activation cycle.
`[0041] The CPE 3 is now ready for activation. As the
`CPE 3 was just provided with new PPP credentials, a
`new PPP session is established (step 111) with the BRAS
`7 which, being informed of the P _HOM server URL (pro(cid:173)
`vided at stage 110) by the CPE 3, directs the CPE 3 to
`a P _HOM server 14 within the public area network 13
`(step 112).
`[0042] An activation cycle then begins. As CPE 3 is
`now configured to communicate with the P _HOM server
`14, the CPE 3 authenticates with the P _HOM server 14
`using the correct HTTP credentials, and sends an inform
`or bootstrap message to the P _HOM server 14 (step
`113).
`[0043] The P _HOM server 14 then determines that the
`CPE 3 has been prepared for activation (pre-activated)
`by checking the current state of the CPE 3 (step 114).
`[0044] Based on the CPE type, the P _HOM server 14
`retrieves and executes one ore more activation policies
`on the CPE 3 (steps 115) (more precisely, the P _HOM
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`5
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`server 14 executes enabled activation policies).
`[0045] The P _HOM server 14 stores the result of the
`CPE activation in its P _HOM data store, posts a result
`to a JMS topic for use by external systems ( e.g. the OSS),
`and marks the CPE 3 activated with a timestamp of ac(cid:173)
`tivation in the P _HOM data store.
`[0046] The activation cycle is the complete, although
`it may comprise a further step, wherein the P _HOM serv(cid:173)
`er 14 operates configuration changes and firmware up-
`10 grades on the CPE 3 (step 116).
`[0047] Once the activation policy has run successfully,
`the CPE 3 is considered registered, activated, and ready
`for use in a fully operational manner in the provider's
`network.
`[0048] One advantage of the disclosed management
`method and environment is that it makes it possible for
`operators to activate CPEs without having to learn CPE
`information before the device is plugged into the opera(cid:173)
`tor's network. A further advantage is that the CPEs no
`longer need to be configured with all the operator's spe(cid:173)
`cific configuration parameters out of the factory or retail.
`Therefore, a large number of new (and even unknown)
`CPEs can quickly, often and safely be added to the op(cid:173)
`erator's environment.
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`Claims
`
`1. Method for remote management of a home device
`(3), said method comprising:
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`- a connection step wherein the home device (3)
`connects to a remote walled garden home de(cid:173)
`vice management (WG_HDM) server (10);
`- a pre-activation cycle wherein a pre-activation
`policy is run on the home device (3) from the
`WG_HDM server (10);
`- a