Method and apparatus for network connection registration and selection

• US 20040003060A1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Matsunaga, Kozo, Hatori, Masahiko, Itoh, Masaharu, Fujii, Kazuo, Uno, Shunya, Asoh, Junichi
• Application Number:
  US10/185,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20040003060A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities

Abstract

A system is provided with a location profile for storing adapter information, which is physical change information corresponding to location information, and network configuration information, which is logical change information corresponding to this adapter information; an adapter changing device for changing an adapter to another according to the adapter information received from the location profile according to a specified location received from the user; and a network configuration updating device for updating a network configuration according to the network configuration information received from the location profile according to the received specified location.

Claims

1. A computer enabled to select a predetermined network connection so as to communicate externally with a system connected to a plurality of networks, said computer comprising:

a setup device for setting up a logical network configuration corresponding to a predetermined network adapter selected by the user from among a plurality of network adapters employed for said system;

an identification information registering device for registering predetermined identification information according to a logical network configuration set up by said setup device; and

a storing device for storing information of said selected network adapter and information of said logical network configuration so as to be related to said identification information registered by said identification information registering device.

2. The computer according to claim 1, wherein said logical network configuration set up by said setup device includes registering of an IP (Internet Protocol), a DNS (Domain Name System) of said network adapter, and an Internet browser.

3. The computer according to claim 2, wherein a proxy server configuration is set up in accordance with said Internet browser'"'"'s configuration.

4. The computer according to claim 1, wherein said identification information registered by said identification information registering device includes location information of a place where said computer is used.

5. A computer enabled to select a predetermined network connection so as to communicate externally with a system connected to a plurality of networks, said computer comprising:

a connection request receiving device for receiving a network connection request from a user according to predetermined identification information;

an adapter changing device for changing a network adapter to another according to adapter information received from a database and corresponding to said predetermined identification information; and

a network configuration updating device for updating a network configuration in accordance with a change of said network adapter according to said network configuration information corresponding to said predetermined identification information received from said database.

6. The computer according to claim 5, further comprising an application executing device for executing an application program for said network adapter changed by said adapter changing device.

7. The computer according to claim 5, wherein said computer is used by said user at different places, and said predetermined identification information is registered with a location name selected by said user.

8. A computer enabled to select a predetermined network connection so as to communicate externally with a system connected to a plurality of networks, said computer comprising:

a database for storing adapter information, which is physical change information, and network configuration information, which is logical change information corresponding to said adapter information, both adapter information and network configuration information being registered for each of a plurality of said network connections;

a connection request receiving device for receiving a network connection request from a user;

an adapter changing device for changing an adapter to another according to said adapter information received from said database in response to a network connection request received by said connection request receiving device; and

,

a network configuration updating device for updating a network configuration according to said network configuration information received from said data base in response to a network connection request received by said connection request receiving device.

9. A computer, comprising:

a device for storing a registered profile that includes network configuration setting-up information corresponding to a predetermined identifier;

a device for scanning an identifier that identifies an object to be operatively connected with said computer; and

a device for reading a registered profile corresponding to said identifier resulting from said scanning by said scanning device to set up the configuration of a network according to the information of said registered profile.

10. The computer according to claim 9, wherein said reading device selects a predetermined registered profile to set up the configuration of said network when a plurality of identifiers are scanned by said scanning device.

11. The computer according to claim 10, wherein said computer further includes priority registering device that registers priority for each of said plurality of identifiers, and wherein said reading device selects said predetermined registered profile according to said priority registered by said priority registering device.

12. A computer, comprising:

a device for generating information of a registered profile that includes an identifier used to connect a network;

a device for storing information of said registered profile generated by said generating device; and

a device for assigning connection priority to a connectable network with use of said selected profile information.

13. The computer according to claim 12, wherein said generating device generates information of said registered profile so as to be corresponded to location information, and said priority assigning device assigns said priority so as to be corresponded to said location information.

14. A portable information apparatus enabled to select a predetermined network connection so as to communicate externally with a system connected to a plurality of networks, said portable information apparatus comprising:

a database for storing information of changeable network adapters and network configuration information corresponding to predetermined identification information;

a display device for displaying a list of said identification information items stored in said database;

an input device for entering a user'"'"'s selection of specific identification information from said list displayed on said display device; and

a network changing unit for reading both network adapter information and network configuration information from said database according to said user'"'"'s selection of said specific identification information entered to said input device so as to change a network connection to another.

15. The portable information apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said network changing unit comprises:

an adapter changing device for changing a network adapter to another according to the adapter information received from said data base;

a network configuration updating device for updating a network configuration according to the application information received from said database and browser configuration information; and

an application executing device for executing an application program according to the application information received from said data base.

16. The portable information apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said database stores information of usable network adapters, said network configuration information, and information of said executable application programs corresponding respectively to a location name entered by said user as identification information.

17. A network connection registering method for enabling a computer to select a predetermined network connection so as to communicate externally with a system connected to a plurality of networks, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving an input from the user about location information related to a place where said computer is possibly used;

displaying a list of usable network adapters selected from a plurality of network adapters employed for said system;

receiving a user'"'"'s selection of a network adapter usable in said location;

receiving a logical network configuration input required for connecting said network adapter to a network; and

registering said selected network adapter and said entered logical network configuration information corresponding to said location information.

18. The network connection registering method according to claim 17, wherein said step of receiving an input of said logical network configuration information receives inputs of network adapter IP (Internet Protocol) information, network adapter DNS (Domain Name System) information, and browser information.

19. A network connection registering method for enabling a computer to select a predetermined network connection so as to communicate externally with a system connected to a plurality of networks, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving registered identification information used by the user to identify a network connection so as to change said network connection to another;

receiving selection of a network adapter in accordance with said registered identification information;

receiving inputs of IP (Internet Protocol) information and DNS (Domain Name System) information of said network adapter selected in accordance with said registered identification information; and

receiving an input of a specified proxy server in accordance with said registered identification information.

20. A network connection selecting method for enabling a computer to select a predetermined network connection so as to communicate externally with a system connected to a plurality of networks, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying a list of identification information items registered corresponding to respective places to which said computer is possibly moved and used;

receiving information of a network adapter corresponding to selected identification information and information of said network adapter in response to a user'"'"'s selection of said identification information from said displayed list; and

changing a network adapter to another according to said received network adapter information and connecting said changed network adapter to a network according to said received configuration information.

21. The network connection selecting method according to claim 20, wherein said method further includes the steps of:

receiving an application program used to connect a network corresponding to said selected identification information; and

executing said application program so as to establish external communication.

22. A network connection selecting method for enabling a computer to select a predetermined network connection so as to communicate externally with a system connected to a plurality of networks, said method comprising the steps of:

storing adapter information, which is physical change information, and network configuration information, which is logical change information corresponding to said adapter information for each of a plurality of network connections;

receiving a network connection request from a user;

changing an adapter to another according to predetermined adapter information selected from stored adapter information according to said received network connection request; and

updating a network configuration according to predetermined network configuration information selected from stored network configuration information according to said received network connection request.

23. A network configuration setting-up method employed in a computer, said method comprising the steps of:

obtaining an identifier used to identify an object to be operatively connected to said computer by scanning identifiers;

retrieving a registered profile that includes said identifier resulting from said scanning step among a plurality of profiles registered and stored beforehand; and

setting up a configuration of a network according to said registered profile resulting from said retrieving step.

24. The network configuration setting-up method according to claim 23, wherein said method further includes a step of selecting an identifier with higher priority from among a plurality of identifiers resulting from said scanning.

25. A recording medium for storing a program to be read and executed by a computer, wherein said program enables said computer to execute one or more processing steps for:

receiving an input of identification information related to an information of a place to which said computer is possibly moved and used;

displaying a list of usable network adapters selected from a plurality of network adapters employed for a system;

receiving a selected network adapter used according to said entered identification information;

receiving an input of logical network configuration information required so as to connect said selected network adapter to a network; and

registering said selected network adapter and said entered logical network configuration information corresponding to said entered identification information.

26. A recording medium for storing a program to be read and executed by a computer, wherein said program enables said computer to execute one or more processing steps for:

displaying a list of identification information items registered so as to be related respectively to information of a place to which said computer is possibly moved and used;

receiving information of a network adapter corresponding to said selected identification information and configuration information of said network adapter according to selected identification information by a user to the display of said list; and

changing a network adapter to another according to said received network adapter information and connecting said selected adapter to a network according to said received network configuration information.

27. A recording medium that stores a computer readable program enabling said computer to execute one or more processing steps for:

obtaining an identifier used to identify an object to be operatively connected with said computer by scanning identifiers;

retrieving a registered profile that includes said identifier resulting from said scanning among a plurality of profiles registered and stored beforehand; and

setting up a configuration of a network according to said registered profile resulting from said retrieving step.

28. A program for enabling a computer to execute a plurality of functions, said computer being enabled to select a predetermined network connection so as to communicate externally with a system connected to a plurality of networks, wherein said plurality of functions include:

a function for selecting a predetermined network adapter from among a plurality of network adapters employed for said system so as to set up a logical network configuration corresponding to said selected network adapter;

a function for specifying predetermined identification information so as to select said network adapter and set up said logical network configuration; and

a function for storing information of said selected network adapter and said logical network configuration corresponding to said set up identification information.

29. A program for enabling a computer to execute a plurality of functions in a system connected to a plurality of networks, said computer being enabled to select a predetermined network connection so as to communicate externally, wherein said plurality of functions include:

a function for receiving a network connection request from the user according to predetermined identification information;

a function for changing an adapter to another according to the adapter information received from said data base and corresponding to said predetermined identification information; and

a function for updating a network configuration according to the network configuration information received from said database and corresponding to said predetermined identification information.

30. The program according to claim 29, wherein said program enables said computer to further execute a function for executing an application program corresponding to said changed adapter.

31. A program for enabling a computer to execute:

a function for obtaining an identifier used to identify an object to be operatively connected with said computer by scanning identifiers;

a function for retrieving a registered profile that includes said identifier resulting from said scanning among a plurality of profiles registered and stored beforehand; and

a function for setting up a configuration of a network according to said registered profile resulting from said retrieving.

32. The program according to claim 31, wherein said program further enables said computer to execute a function for selecting an identifier with higher priority from among a plurality of identifiers resulting from said scanning.

33. A program for enabling a computer to execute:

a function for generating information of a registered profile that includes an identifier used to connect a network;

a function for storing said generated information of said registered profile in a data base; and

a function for reading specific information of said registered profile according to said identifier, selected from among information of said profile registered and stored in said database.

34. The program according to claim 33, wherein said program further enables said computer to execute a function for registering priority set for each of said plurality of profile information items registered and stored in said data base.

35. The program according to claim 33, wherein said function for generating information of said registered profile generates information of said registered profile that includes identifier information that can be decided by a user.