Method for electronic device virtualization and management

• US 10,628,186 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2014
• Issued: 04/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snap One LLC (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wirepath Home Systems LLC (Resideo Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jaber, Jaber, Liu, Simon, Pak, Victor, Guerrero, Ricardo A., Park, Eric S., Farah, Mina, Ilgen, Marc Robert, Jankov, Dusan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazaro, David R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shitayewoldetadik, Berhanu
• Application Number:
  US14/588,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20160072924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,938 Days
• Field of Search: 709223-245
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45595 Network integration; Enabling network access in virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/455 Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits

Abstract

A method for electronic device virtualization and management includes transmitting a signal to a server from a client. The signal is initiated by a user of a user interface of the client. The user interface of the client presents at least two devices to the user, which the user may interact with. The signal may include a power cycling instruction directed to at least one of the devices. When the server receives a communication back from the at least one device, it may send the information to the client, where the user interface may be updated in response to the communication. The devices may be controlled with other instructions, such as scheduling instructions, firmware update instructions, and configuration backup instructions. If a power device is virtualized, it may be controlled on a port-by-port basis.

Claims

1. A method for virtualization and management of at least two devices in a local network, comprising:

transmitting a first signal from a client to a server, the client having a user interface that presents the at least two devices in a virtualization environment based on scan information from a patroller, the first signal being activated by a user of the user interface on the client, the first signal comprising a power cycling instruction directed to at least one of the at least two devices selected by the user in a power control module presented in the virtualization environment of the user interface, the power cycling instruction to be carried out by the patroller that is on a local network with the at least two devices, wherein the server that receives the first signal from the client is not on the local network, and wherein the at least two devices are networked devices having different IP addresses;

receiving a second signal at the client from the server, the second signal comprising information obtained from the at least one device; and

updating the user interface of the client in response to the received second signal, thereby enabling management and control of the at least two devices in the virtualization environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one device is at least one of a router, an access point, and a power device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one device is a power device and wherein the power cycling instruction comprises a command to power cycle a port of the at least one device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information obtained from the at least one device comprises a port status indicator.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the at least two devices is located at a different location than another of the at least two devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the at least two devices is a different type of device than another of the at least two devices.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising routing the first and second signal through an external proxy in communication with the client and the server, the client establishing a connection with the external proxy before the server can send and receive commands, the external proxy configured to assist with tasks performed by the server.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a permissions module in the user interface, the permissions module operable by the user for managing permissions given to a network technician over at least one device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a scheduling module in the user interface, the scheduling module operable by the user for creating a schedule related to at least one device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a self-healing module in the user interface, the self-healing module operable by the user for creating self-healing instructions, the self-healing instructions comprising a command to restart at least one device if the device becomes inactive for a period of time.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a categories module in the user interface, the categories module operable by the user for creating a category.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a configuration management module in the user interface, the configuration management module operable by the user for managing the configuration of at least one device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a firmware management module in the user interface, the firmware management module operable by the user for managing the firmware of at least one device.

14. A method for virtualization and management of at least two devices in a local network, comprising:

receiving a first signal at a server from a client, the client having a user interface that presents the at least two devices in a virtualization environment based on scan information from a patroller, the first signal being activated by a user of the user interface on the client, the first signal comprising a power cycling instruction directed to at least one of the at least two devices selected by the user in a power control module presented in the virtualization environment of the user interface, the power cycling instruction to be carried out by the patroller that is on a local network with the at least two devices, wherein the server that receives the first signal from the client is not on the local network, and wherein the at least two devices are networked devices having different IP addresses;

transmitting a second signal to the patroller to carry out the power cycling instruction;

receiving a third signal from the patroller, the third signal comprising information obtained from the at least one device; and

transmitting, from the server, a fourth signal to the client, the fourth signal comprising the information obtained from the at least one device, the client updating the user interface in response to the transmitted fourth signal, thereby enabling management and control of the at least two devices in the virtualization environment.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one device is a power device and wherein the power cycling instruction comprises a command to power cycle a port of the at least one device.