Method of connecting to a remote computer

• US 20030051002A1
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Bross, Kevin, Bogia, Douglas P.
• Application Number:
  US09/952,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20030051002A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method of connecting a remote computer to a network comprises receiving a request to access the remote computer, automatically sending a callback request to the remote computer in response to the access request, and establishing a connection between the remote computer and the network. In one embodiment, the method allows data stored on a remote computer to be accessed on demand from a network, such as the Internet, an Intranet, or other wide area network.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a connection between a remote computer and a network comprising:

receiving an access request to access the remote computer;

sending a callback request to the remote computer;

establishing a connection between the remote computer and the network in response to the callback request;

publishing a network address to the network; and

using the network address to connect to the remote computer or through the remote computer to a client computer that is networked to the remote computer.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

re-publishing the network address to the network when the network address of the remote computer changes.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the network address is a dynamic IP address.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the network address is a static IP address.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a web page stored on the remote computer.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

performing FTP accesses between the remote computer and the network.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

performing VPN accesses between the remote computer and the network.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the callback request to the remote computer further comprises:

initiating a phone call from the network to the remote computer to prompt a call back from the remote computer.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the callback request to the remote computer further comprises:

using a paging service to prompt a call back from the remote computer.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein sending the callback request to the remote computer further comprises:

signaling the remote computer via a wire protocol to prompt a call back from the remote computer.

11. A method of coupling a remote computer to a network comprising:

receiving an access request to access the remote computer;

automatically sending a callback request to the remote computer in response to the access request; and

establishing a connection between the remote computer and the network.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein automatically sending the callback request to the remote computer further comprises:

initiating a phone call from the network to the remote computer to prompt a call back from the remote computer.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein automatically sending the callback request to the remote computer further comprises:

using a paging service to prompt a call back from the remote computer.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein automatically sending the callback request to the remote computer further comprises:

sending a signal to a modem coupled to the remote computer to prompt a call back from the remote computer.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein automatically sending the callback request to the remote computer further comprises:

signaling the remote computer via a wire protocol to prompt a call back from the remote computer.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein establishing the connection between the remote computer and the network further comprises:

re-establishing a DSL connection to the network.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein establishing the connection between the remote computer and the network further comprises:

re-establishing a cable modem connection to the network.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the access request is generated in response to a user accessing a web page.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the access request is generated in response to receiving an email.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the access request is generated in response to an access to a remote IP address or file.

21. The method of claim 11 further comprising

determining that the remote computer is not connected to the network prior to automatically sending the callback request.

22. The method of claim 11, wherein the network is part of a worldwide Internet.

23. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

authenticating the access request via a security protocol prior to automatically sending the callback request.

24. A method of connecting to a network comprising:

receiving a callback request from the network;

establishing a connection with the network; and

publishing a network address to the network.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the network address is a dynamic IP address.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the network address is a static IP address.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein the callback request is received via a phone call.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein the callback request is received via a paging service.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein the callback request is received via a wire protocol.

30. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

re-publishing the network address to the network when the network address of the remote computer changes.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein establishing a connection with the network further comprises:

re-establishing a DSL connection to the network.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein establishing a connection with the network further comprises:

re-establishing a cable modem connection to the network.

33. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

authenticating the callback request prior to establishing the connection with the network.

34. A method of connecting a remote computer to a network comprising:

publishing a network address of a remote computer to the network; and

updating the network address when the network address changes;

providing data to a user accessing the remote computer via the network address.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the network address is a dynamic IP address.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the publishing is done to a predetermined web site.

37. An article comprising a computer-readable medium which stores computer-executable instructions, the instructions causing a computer to:

determine that a remote computer is not connected to a network;

automatically initiate a callback mechanism in the remote computer responsive to a user accessing a first web page stored on the network; and

establish a connection between the network and the remote computer.

38. The article of claim 37, wherein the article further comprises instructions to:

redirect the user to a remote web page stored on the remote computer.

39. The article of claim 38, wherein the article further comprises instructions to:

wait for the remote computer to establish the connection between the network and the remote computer.

40. The article of claim 38, wherein the article further comprises instructions to:

re-establish a DSL or cable modem connection between the network and the remote computer.

41. An article comprising a computer-readable medium which stores computer-executable instructions, the instructions causing a computer to:

publish a network address of a remote computer to the network; and

update the network address when the network address changes.

42. The article of claim 41, wherein the article further comprises instructions to:

provide data to a user accessing the remote computer via the network address.

43. The article of claim 42, wherein the network address is a dynamic IP address.