Home gateway architecture and its implementation

In this paper, we propose home network architecture, which integrates heter ogeneous home network environments. Our architecture incorporates various h ome network technologies into the gateway technology. We use link-layer dep endent protocols within a single network communication, and, in contrast, w e use the gateway technology when the communication is over multiple networ ks. We also propose home gateway architectures, which are the key component of the residential network. The home gateway interconnects the home networ ks and the public (access) network. We show the requirements of the home ga teway and its software design. We implemented the experimental home gateway system, which is based on the Web server enhanced with Java facilities. Th e home gateway interconnects the Internet on the public network side, and t he home networks (IEEE1394 AV network and the home automation power line ne twork). It also has a realtime MPEG4 transcoding function which transcodes AV data on IEEE1394 into MPEG4 video that is suitable for transmitting thro ugh the Internet. The home gateway provides the capability of remote contro l of the connected appliances on the home networks from the Internet, and t he AV data transmission/translation capabilities.