Managing actions of a network device based on policy settings corresponding to a removable wireless communication device

• US 10,204,073 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2015
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pismo Labs Technology Limited
• Original Assignee: Pismo Labs Technology Limited
• Inventors: Chan, Alex Wing Hong, Leung, Wan Chun, Chan, Ho Ming, Sung, Patrick Ho Wai
• Primary Examiner(s): Myers, Eric
• Application Number:
  US14/930,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20170126494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4068 Electrical coupling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4282 on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0873 Checking configuration conflicts between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management

Abstract

A method and system for configuring a network device according to the identity of a plurality of removable wireless communications devices (RWCDs), the method comprising the steps of: determining the identities of the plurality of RWCDs; determining whether the network device is capable of using the plurality RWCDs; retrieving policy settings from an authorized party or a storage medium of the network device according to the identities of the plurality of RWCDs, determining priority of policy settings; and configuring the network device according to the policy settings. The priority of policy settings are based on the positions of the RWCDs when there are conflict among policy settings. The plurality of RWCDs are plugged to the network device and the network device provides wireless wide area network (WAN) connectivity through the plurality of RWCDs.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a network device according to the identity of a plurality of removable wireless communications devices (RWCDs), the method comprising the steps of:

(a) determining the identities of the plurality of RWCDS, wherein identities are based on one or more of International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), Media Access Control (MAC) address, a telephone number, a user account, and a user profile;

(b) determining whether the network device is capable of using the plurality of RWCDs;

(c) retrieving policy settings from an authorized party or a storage medium of the network device according to the identities of the plurality of RWCDs;

(d) determining whether there are conflicts among groups of the policy settings;

(e) determining priorities of groups of the policy settings when there are conflicts among the groups of the policy settings;

wherein the priorities of the groups of the policy settings are based on at least one of the following;

information retrieved from the authorized party, physical positions of the plurality of RWCDs at the network device, pre-determined settings inputted into the storage medium, chronological order in which the plurality of RWCDs were connected with the network device, and the identities of the plurality of RWCDs; and

(f) configuring the network device according to at least one of the groups of the policy settings;

wherein the plurality of RWCDs are plugged to the network device; and

wherein the network device provides wireless wide area network (WAN) connectivity through the plurality of RWCDs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network device is wireless access point.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the policy settings include settings to configure one or more service set identification (SSIDs) and passwords associated with the SSIDs.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of RWCD are capable of being plugged in or removed from the network device while the network device is in operation.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising confirming which at least one group of policy settings, from the policy settings retrieved, to use for configuring the network device in step (f).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the network device comprises one or more network interfaces.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein when the identities of the plurality of RWCDs is based on an IMEI, the IMEI is determined using AT commands or by using device driver;

and wherein when the identities of the plurality of RWCD is a telephone number, the telephone number is determined using AT commands or by using device driver.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the policy settings after a pre-defined period of time from the storage medium of the network device and submitting a request to the authorized party for policy settings corresponding to the identities of the plurality of RWCDs.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

not using a first RWCDs for any other communication purposes other than performing step (c) when policy settings of the first RWCDs are corrupted.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of RWCDs are plugged to universal serial bus (USB) interface of the network device.

11. A network device, comprising:

at least one device interface, which is used to connect to at least one removable wireless communication device (RWCD);

at least one network interface;

at least one processing unit; and

at least one storage medium comprising program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for configuring the network device according to the identity of the plurality of removable wireless communications devices (RWCDs), comprising the steps of;

(a) determining the identities of the plurality of RWCDs;

wherein identities are based on one or more of International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), Media Access Control (MAC) address, a telephone number, a user account, and a user profile;

(b) determining whether the network device is capable of using the plurality of RWCDs;

(c) retrieving policy settings from an authorized party or the at least one storage medium of the network device according to the identities of the plurality of RWCDs;

(d) determining whether there are conflicts among groups of the policy settings;

(e) determining priorities of groups of the policy settings when there are conflicts among the groups of the policy settings;

wherein the priorities of the groups of the policy settings are based on at least one of the following;

information retrieved from the authorized party, physical positions of the plurality of RWCDs at the network device, pre-determined settings inputted into the storage medium, chronological order in which the plurality of RWCDs were connected with the network device, and the identities of the plurality of RWCDs; and

(f) configuring the network device according to at least one of the groups of the policy settings;

wherein the plurality of RWCDs are plugged to the network device; and

wherein the network device provides wireless wide area network (WAN) connectivity through the plurality of RWCDs.

12. The network device of claim 11, wherein the network device is wireless access point.

13. The network device of claim 12, wherein the policy settings include settings to configure one or more service set identification (SSIDs) and passwords associated with the SSIDs.

14. The network device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of RWCDs are capable of being plugged in or removed from the network device while the network device is in operation.

15. The network device of claim 11, the at least one storage medium further comprising program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for confirming which at least one group of policy settings, to use for configuring the network device in step (f).

16. The network device of claim 11, wherein when the identities of the plurality of RWCDs is based on an IMEI, the IMEI is determined using AT commands or by using device driver;

and wherein when the identities of the plurality of RWCD is a telephone number, the telephone number is determined using AT commands or by using device driver.

17. The network device of claim 11, the at least one storage medium further comprising program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for removing the policy settings after a pre-defined period of time from the at least one storage medium of the network device and submitting a request to the authorized party for policy settings corresponding to the identities of the plurality of RWCDs.

18. The network device of claim 11, the at least one storage medium further comprising program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for:

not using a first RWCDs for any other communication purposes other than performing step (c) when policy settings of the first RWCDs are corrupted.

19. The network device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of RWCDs are plugged to universal serial bus (USB) interface of the network device.