Abstract: Wireless communication techniques are useful for controlling access granted by a security device (22). In a disclosed example, a communication portion (24) comprises a residential gateway that is capable of communicating with a mobile station (30) over a local network (32). The communication portion (24) is also capable of communicating with a remotely located server (40) over a secure network connection (42) such as over the internet. The mobile station (30) identifies itself to the security device (22). The mobile station identifier is verified to determine authorization to gain the requested access. The security device (22) provides the mobile station identifier to the remote server (40) which provides a security code to the mobile station (30) and a pass code to the security device (22). The security device (22) uses the pass code to verify the security code received from the mobile station (30) and controls access accordingly.

Abstract: The invention includes a method and apparatus for providing programs to a client device. The method includes providing a first video program stream over a first channel where the first video program stream conveys a first video program having a first quality level, and providing a plurality of second video program streams over a second channel where each of the second video program streams conveys a second video program having a second quality level below the first quality level. The first video program stream and second video program streams are adapted for use by the client device in locally switching from presenting the first video program at the first quality level to presenting a selected one of the second video programs at the second quality level.

Abstract: The invention includes a method and apparatus for policing a home network having a plurality of terminals. At a gateway between the home network and an access network, a method includes monitoring bandwidth usage associated with intra-network traffic, determining bandwidth requirements associated with inter-network traffic, and, in response to a determination that the bandwidth usage prevents satisfaction of one of the bandwidth requirements, transmitting data adapted to reduce intra-network traffic.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining network topology includes adapting a single sniffer to collect information from nodes associated with at least two selected areas of the network and determining a topology of at least a portion of the network using the collected information.

Abstract: A wireless communication arrangement (20) includes a plurality of mobile stations (22, 24, 26) and a remotely located server (28). A local group connection (44) among the mobile stations and individual wireless links (32, 34, 36) between the mobile stations and the server (28) facilitate realizing a higher effective bandwidth for communicating between the server (28) and any one of the mobile stations. In a disclosed example, a high bandwidth communication is divided into a plurality of portions that are each transmitted over one of the wireless links between a corresponding mobile station and the server. When the mobile stations divide up a communication and transmit it to the server, the server combines the portions into the entire communication. The local group connection among the mobile stations facilitates dividing up the communication in this manner.

Abstract: A mobile station device (22) includes a camera (24) and a calling module (40) that uses information regarding images captured by the camera (24) for automatically placing a call from the mobile station device (22). An example method includes determining a number to call based on an image captured by the camera (24) and automatically calling the number.

Abstract: Wireless communication techniques are useful for controlling access granted by a security device (22). In a disclosed example, a communication portion (24) comprises a residential gateway that is capable of communicating with a mobile station (30) over a local network (32). The communication portion (24) is also capable of communicating with a remotely located server (40) over a secure network connection (42) such as over the internet. The mobile station (30) identifies itself to the security device (22). The mobile station identifier is verified to determine authorization to gain the requested access. The security device (22) provides the mobile station identifier to the remote server (40) which provides a security code to the mobile station (30) and a pass code to the security device (22). The security device (22) uses the pass code to verify the security code received from the mobile station (30) and controls access accordingly.

Abstract: The invention includes a method and apparatus for policing a home network having a plurality of terminals. At a gateway between the home network and an access network, a method includes monitoring bandwidth usage associated with intra-network traffic, determining bandwidth requirements associated with inter-network traffic, and, in response to a determination that the bandwidth usage prevents satisfaction of one of the bandwidth requirements, transmitting data adapted to reduce intra-network traffic.

Abstract: The invention includes a method and apparatus for providing programs to a client device. The method includes providing a first video program stream over a first channel where the first video program stream conveys a first video program having a first quality level, and providing a plurality of second video program streams over a second channel where each of the second video program streams conveys a second video program having a second quality level below the first quality level. The first video program stream and second video program streams are adapted for use by the client device in locally switching from presenting the first video program at the first quality level to presenting a selected one of the second video programs at the second quality level.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining network topology includes adapting a single sniffer to collect information from nodes associated with at least two selected areas of the network and determining a topology of at least a portion of the network using the collected information.