Method, system and device for automatically configuring a communications network

• US 20040133689A1
• Filed: 12/22/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samrat Vasisht
• Original Assignee: Samrat Vasisht
• Inventors: Vasisht, Samrat
• Granted Patent: US 9,363,709 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2836 Protocol conversion between an external network and a home network controlling appliance services of a home automation network from a device located outside the home and the home network H04L12/2818; protocol conversion H04L69/08; adaptation of digital video signals for transport over a specific home network H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2843 Mains power line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0859 by keeping history of different configuration generations or by rolling back to previous configuration versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0883 Semiautomatic configuration, e.g. proposals from system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/162 at the data link layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters

Abstract

A system, method, device, and computer program product for configuring a communications network for a user, including assigning a network identifier to a communications network of a user, the network identifier being unique to an instantiation of the communications network; and automatically generating a plurality of unique network configuration settings for one or more network devices of the communications network based on the network identifier.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for configuring a communications network for a user, the method comprising:

assigning a network identifier to a communications network of a user, the network identifier being unique to an instantiation of the communications network; and

automatically generating a plurality of unique network configuration settings for one or more network devices of the communications network based on the network identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network configuration settings include at least one of a plurality TCP/IP networking settings, a plurality of service provider networking settings, a plurality of local area network (LAN) protocol settings, a plurality of operating system networking settings, and a plurality of one of a TCP/IP networking setting, a service provider setting, a local area network (LAN) protocol setting, and an operating system network setting, and the method further comprises:

configuring the network devices on the communications network based on the network configuration settings.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the configuration settings on a network device are at least one of similar and compatible to configuration settings on another network device on the communications network, based on configuring the communications network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications network comprises a home network of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the communications network comprises one of a single subnet TCP/IP communications network, and a single router communications network.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

automatically configuring the network devices based on the configuration settings.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

automatically configuring the communications network of the user, including writing at least one network configuration setting of the plurality of the network configuration settings to a memory of one or more of the network devices.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the memory comprises a registry of one or more of the network devices.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

reading the network configuration setting from the memory of one or more of the network devices.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

sending the read network configuration setting from one or more of the network devices to other of the network devices.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving the sent network configuration setting at one or more of the network devices from other of the network devices.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

transmitting the read, sent, and received network configuration setting in a format including one of an HTTP-based format, an HTML file-based format, an FTP-based format, a TFTP-based format, and a character string-based format.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein the network comprises a plurality of network devices.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of network devices comprise a gateway device and at least one node device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of network devices comprise a plurality of node devices.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the communications network comprises a peer to peer network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the node devices are configured for ad-hoc networking.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the communications network comprises a TCP/IP-based LAN communications network, the node device comprise DHCP client on the LAN communications network, and the gateway comprises a DHCP server on the LAN communications network.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the gateway device connects the LAN communications network to a WAN communications network.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the WAN communications network comprises the Internet.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the gateway bridges or switches between different LAN protocols used on the communications network.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the network configuration settings comprise a plurality of LAN protocol settings, and the method further comprises:

configuring LAN protocol parameters for the communications network based on the LAN protocol settings.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the communications protocols comprise at least one of a wired communications protocol and a wireless communications protocol.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one of the LAN protocol settings is based on at least one of the network identifier, a programmatic default network setting, and a manually set network setting.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the LAN protocol settings for the wired communications network include at least one of power line networking protocols, phone line networking protocols, coaxial cable networking protocols, fiber optic cable networking protocols, and twisted pair wire networking protocols.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the wireless communications network comprises a 802.11x communications network, and the method further comprises:

setting at least one of Network Name parameters, SSID parameters, WEP parameters, and WPA parameters on the wireless communications network based on the on the LAN protocol settings.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the 802.11x communications network comprises one of an 802.11a communications network, an 802.11b communications network, an 802.11g communications network, an 802.11e communications network, and an 802.11i communications network.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the WEP parameters include a WEP encryption key.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the WEP encryption key comprises one of a 64-bit WEP encryption key, and 128-bit WEP encryption key.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein LAN communications network comprises a HomePlug communications network, and the method further comprises:

setting corresponding HomePlug communications network parameters based on the on the LAN settings.

31. The method of claim 13, wherein the network configuration settings comprise a plurality TCP/IP networking settings, and the method further comprises:

configuring the network devices for TCP/IP networking on the communications network based on the TCP/IP networking settings.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one of the TCP/IP networking settings on the communications network is based on at least one of the network identifier, a programmatic default network setting, and a manually set network setting.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

setting the network devices to be one of a DHCP client and DHCP server based on the TCP/IP networking settings.

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

generating a pool of allowable DHCP IP addresses based on the TCP/IP networking settings.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

setting an allowable subnet mask for the communications network based on the TCP/IP networking settings.

36. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

generating one or more static IP addresses for the TCP/IP networking settings.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

issuing the static IP addresses to the network devices based on a serialized number or alphabetical sequence association of static IP addresses, such that the static IP addresses are compliant with the TCP/IP networking settings.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the static IP addresses are compliant with the LAN communications network TCP/IP networking settings, and a corresponding mapping of the static IP addresses on one or more of the network devices.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the corresponding mapping includes one of employing preset routing tables in at least one of the network devices, and employing corresponding serialized number or alphabetical sequence association of the static IP addresses on at least one of the network devices.

40. The method of claim 3, wherein the network configuration settings comprise an operating system networking setting, and the method further comprises:

configuring networking on an operating system based on the operating system networking setting.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the operating system comprises a Microsoft Windows operating system.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the operating system networking setting comprises a Windows Workgroup name.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the operating system networking setting comprises a file and print sharing setting.

44. The method of claim 42, further comprising;

generating the Windows Workgroup name based on the network identifier.

45. The method of claim 2, wherein at least one of the operating system networking settings is based on at least one of the network identifier, a default setting, and a manual user input.

46. The method of claim 40, wherein the operating system comprises a Macintosh operating system, and the method further comprises:

setting the corresponding Macintosh operating system setting based on the operating system networking setting.

47. The method of claim 40, wherein the operating system comprises a Linux operating system, and the method further comprises:

setting the corresponding Linux operating system setting based on the operating system networking setting.

48. The method of claim 14, wherein the network configuration settings comprise at least one service provider networking setting and at least one LAN communications network setting, and the method further comprises:

configuring networking between the LAN communications network and a communications network of a service provider based on the network configuration setting.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the service provider networking setting includes a service provider TCP/IP network configuration setting.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein the network configuration settings comprise service provider networking settings, and at least one of the service provider networking settings is determined by the service provider.

51. The method of claim 48, wherein the service provider networking setting comprises the network identifier.

52. The method of claim 48, wherein the network identifier comprises the service provider setting.

53. The method of claim 48, wherein the network configuration settings comprise service provider networking settings, and the method further comprises:

downloading at least one of the service provider networking settings to the gateway by a service provider over a WAN communications link.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the downloaded networking setting comprises the network identifier.

55. The method of claim 49, wherein the service provider TCP/IP networking setting includes one of a DNS setting, a default gateway IP address setting, a Host ID, network identifier, and at least one WAN IP address of the service provider for one or more of the network devices.

56. The method of claim 48, wherein the network configuration setting includes a networking setting for the gateway, and the method further comprises:

storing the gateway networking setting on at least one node device in a backup file; and

configuring the gateway based on the gateway networking setting.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the gateway networking setting comprises the service provider networking setting.

58. The method of claim 56 wherein the gateway networking setting comprises a LAN communications network setting for the communications network.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein the one node device is connected to the service provider communications network, and the method further comprises:

reading the service provider networking setting from the one node device prior to an installation of the communications network of the user; and

saving the setting in a backup file on the node device.

60. The method of claim 59, further comprising:

sending the service provider networking setting from the one node device to the gateway, upon initial setup of the communications network of the user, over the communications network or a non-network link; and

configuring the gateway to communicate with the communications network of the service provider based on the gateway networking setting.

64. The method of claim 56, further comprising:

entering manually or programmatically at least one of the network configuration settings on a backup configuration file on a device.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the device comprises a network device.

66. The method of claim 64, wherein the device comprises a non-networked device.

67. The method of claim 64, wherein the backup configuration file comprises an editable file.

68. The method of claim 64, further comprising:

reading the entered settings from the backup configuration file stored on the device.

69. The method of claim 68, further comprising:

formatting and sending the read settings to the gateway over the communications network or a non-networked connection; and

configuring the gateway to communicate with at least one the communications network of the service provider and the communications network of the user based on the settings sent to the gateway.

70. The method of claim 56, wherein at least one of the node devices reads the gateway networking settings from the gateway and stores the settings in memory in a backup file over the LAN communications network.

71. The method of claim 3, wherein the network identifier comprises a set of characters uniquely assigned to each instantiation of the communications network.

72. The method of claim 3, wherein the network devices comprise a plurality of node devices with no gateway device.

73. The method of claim 3, wherein one or more of the network configuration settings comprise the network identifier.

74. The method of claim 3, wherein the network identifier comprises a network setting.

75. The method of claim 3, wherein the network identifier comprises one of a serial number and MAC address of one or more of the network devices.

76. The method of claim 3, wherein the network identifier comprises a serial number of a software application.

77. The method of claim 3, wherein the network identifier comprises a unique customer registration code, and the method further comprises:

assigning the unique customer registration code to a user of the communications network by a vendor of network equipment or a communications network service provider.

78. The method of claim 3, wherein the network identifier comprises a probabilistic unique network identifier, and the method further comprises:

generating the network identifier algorithmically based on one or more user chosen inputs, wherein the generated network identifier is probabilistically unique to each instantiation of the communications network.

79. The method of claim 78, wherein the user chosen inputs comprise a user name and password.

80. The method of claim 78, wherein the user chosen inputs comprise a pass phrase.

81. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a prompt for inputting of the network identifier or activating the network identifier resident on a device.

82. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

basing other network configuration settings on at least one of default network settings, manually input network settings, predetermined network settings, service provider determined settings, and programmatically generated network settings.

83. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

generating the network configuration settings by applying a series of algorithms to the network identifier, wherein each algorithm generates at least one predetermined network configuration setting of the plurality of network configuration settings, such that the same network identifier causes the same or compatible network configuration setting to be generated for a plurality of devices on the communications network using the network identifier.

84. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

grouping a plurality of the network identifiers into tiers, wherein groupings comprise network identifiers with similar properties for generating similar functionality on similar devices of the network devices; and

enabling different levels of functionality on the communications network based on applying the network identifiers belonging to different groupings of the tiered groupings.

85. The method of claim 1, wherein the network identifier includes a subordinate network identifier comprising an extension or subset of characters of the network identifier, and the method further comprises:

enabling predetermined features on one or more of the network devices based on the subordinate network identifier.

86. The method of claim 1, wherein the network identifier includes a subordinate network identifier comprising a subset of the network identifier for one or more of the network devices having a device type employing the subordinate network identifier.

87. The method of claim 86, wherein the subordinate network identifier enables at least one of additional and reduced functionality of the network devices based on application of the subordinate network identifier.

88. The method of claim 3, wherein the network identifier is embodied in an SNMP MIB, such that the network identifier can be read or written to one or more of the network devices using SNMP.

89. The method of claim 88, wherein the network identifier is written to or read from the one or more network devices using SNMP to control or monitor the communications network through the one or more network devices.

90. The method of claim 89, wherein the one or more network devices include a gateway device, and the network identifier is written to or read from over the communications network or WAN of a service provider.

91. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

transmitting the network identifier between the network devices for configuring the communications network.

92. The method of claim 3, wherein the network identifier includes a predetermined format having specified and unspecified characters, and the method further comprises:

specifying the unspecified characters by a user of the communications network.

93. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

providing a configuration manger software program for performing one or more of the steps for configuring the communications network for the user.

94. The method of claim 93, wherein the configuration manger software program comprises at least one configuration script.

95. The method of claim 94, wherein the configuration script comprises at least one algorithm.

96. The method of claim 95, further comprising:

generating the network configuration settings with the algorithm using the network identifier.

97. The method of claim 96, further comprising:

extracting registry settings from one or more of the network devices and creating an editable backup file of the extracted registry settings via the configuration script.

98. The method of claim 94, further comprising:

manually or programmatically entering one or more of the network configuration settings in an editable backup file via the configuration script.

99. The method of claim 94, further comprising:

writing the network configuration settings to a memory of one or more of the network devices for networking the devices via the configuration script.

100. The method of claim 94, further comprising:

sending the network configuration settings from one or more of the network devices to other of the network devices over the communications network or over a non-networked link in a predetermined format via the configuration script.

101. The method of claim 100, wherein the network configuration settings include partial or complete network configuration settings.

102. The method of claim 94, further comprising:

receiving the network configuration settings at one or more of the network devices from other of the network devices over the communications network or over a non-networked communications link in a predetermined format via the configuration script of the sending device; and

writing the received network configuration settings in a memory of the receiving network device, wherein the network configuration settings are written via the configuration script of the receiving network device, or using a pre-existing interface on the receiving device.

103. The method of claim 102, further comprising:

providing one or more of the configuration scripts specific to respective of the one or more network devices.

104. The method of claim 102, wherein the network configuration settings include partial or complete network configuration settings.

105. The method of claim 94, further comprising:

discarding one or more of the generated network configuration settings received at one or more of the networked devices based on an absence of required hardware on the receiving network device via the configuration script.

106. The method of claim 94, further comprising:

generating the network configuration settings automatically based on a predetermined communications network architecture or a user selected communications network architecture via the configuration script.

107. The method of claim 106, wherein the predetermined architecture is based on the network identifier.

108. The method of claim 106, wherein the predetermined architecture is based on default settings.

109. The method of claim 94, further comprising:

generating a sequence of operations automatically to implement the network configuration settings into a workable network through a command sequence of reading settings, writing settings, setting device modes, and soliciting user inputs via the configuration script.

110. The method of claim 93, wherein the network devices include a processor, a memory, and operating software for running the configuration manager application program, and the network devices further include a network interface card having physical data ports for connecting to the communications network.

111. The method of claim 93, wherein the network devices include a gateway and node devices including a primary node device, or a plurality of node devices without a gateway, and the method further comprises:

running a same or different configuration manager software on each of the network devices.

112. The method of claim 111, wherein the primary node device is connected to a service provider over a modem prior to establishing the communication network of the user, and includes service provider settings for connecting to the service provider, and the method further comprises:

reading from registry or a memory of the primary node device the service provider settings by the configuration manager software running on the primary node device and storing the service provider settings in an editable backup configuration file, wherein in the absence of the service provider settings on the primary node device, the configuration manager software running on the primary node device making corresponding manual entries of the service provider settings into the backup configuration file.

113. The method of claim 111, wherein the configuration manager of the gateway uses a MAC address of the gateway as the network identifier for the communications network of the user, the method further comprising:

generating network settings automatically on the gateway using the MAC address as the network identifier.

114. The method of claim 112, further comprising:

requesting input of the network identifier, if the network identifier is not already associated with the configuration manager or resident on the device by the configuration manager running on the primary node device.

115. The method of claim 114, further comprising:

presenting a plurality of user selectable options for configuring the communications network by the configuration manager running on the primary node device.

116. The method of claim 115, wherein the plurality of selectable options for configuring the communications network include at least one of an option to configure a gateway and the primary node device, an option to configure a secondary node device, and a option to configure a peer to peer network without a gateway.

117. The method of claim 116, wherein upon selection of the option to configure the gateway and the primary node device, the method further comprises:

reading the service provider settings from the backup file and performing the step of generating the network configuration settings by the configuration manager, wherein upon the user disconnecting the primary node device from the modem and connecting to the gateway, and further connecting the gateway to the modem, transmitting of the generated network configuration settings, the service provider settings, and configuration commands over the communications network or a non-networked connection to the gateway in a predetermined format is carried out by the configuration manager.

118. The method of claim 117, further comprising:

receiving the transmitted settings and configuration commands in a recognizable format at the gateway and writing the received setting into memory or registry, thereby configuring the gateway for connection to at least one of the communications network of the service provider and connection to the node devices of the communication network of the user.

119. The method of claim 118, further comprising:

switching the gateway to a DHCP server mode of operation on the LAN communication network.

120. The method of claim 119, further comprising:

saving the network settings, including the original service provider settings in a backup file on the primary node device, and setting the primary node device to be a networked device on the communications network of the user via the configuration manager.

121. The method of claim 120, further comprising:

setting the primary node device to a DHCP client mode of operation, and requesting IP network settings from the DHCP server of the gateway over the connection.

122. The method of claim 111, further comprising:

requesting input of the network identifier by the configuration manager running on a node device other than the primary node device, if the network identifier is not already associated with the configuration manager or resident on the other node device.

123. The method of claim 122, further comprising:

presenting a plurality of user selectable options for configuring the other node device on the communications network.

124. The method of claim 122, further comprising:

defaulting to the secondary node device option automatically by the configuration manager.

125. The method of claim 123, wherein upon selection of the option to configure the other node device comprising one of a secondary node device and a peer to peer network device without the gateway, the method further comprising:

detecting an available network interface card on the other node device, prompting for selection of a network interface card if more than one bound network interface card is detected on the other node device, generating the network configuration settings for the other node device, and writing the generated network configuration settings to a memory or a registry on the node device via the configuration manager.

126. The method of claim 125, further comprising:

performing a series of commands to set default settings on the node device based on a predetermined or user selected network architecture of the communications network.

127. The method of claim 126, wherein the predetermined network architecture is based on the network identifier.

128. The method of claim 111, further comprising:

receiving the service provider settings by the gateway from a backup configuration file created on the primary node device.

129. The method of claim 111, further comprising:

receiving the service provider settings by the gateway from a backup file created on a node device.

130. The method of claim 129, wherein the node device is other than a primary node device.

131. The method of claim 111, further comprising:

receiving the network identifier by the gateway over a WAN communications network of the service provider.

132. The method of claim 131, further comprising:

receiving at least one of the network identifier and another network configuration setting from the gateway by a node device over the communications network or a non-networked communications link.

133. The method of claim 131, further comprising:

writing to or reading the network identifier from the gateway by the service provider over the communications network of the service provider.

134. The method of claim 133, further comprising:

embodying the network identifier as an SNMP MIB, wherein SNMP is used for reading and writing the network identifier.

135. The method of claim 131, further comprising:

generating the network configuration settings based on the network identifier by the configuration manager of the gateway upon receipt of the network identifier.

136. The method of claim 111, further comprising:

receiving settings from another of the network devices over the communications network or a non-networked communications link by a node device.

137. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

replacing the network identifier at the communications network to change network functionality.

138. The method of claim 3, wherein the network identifier defines a maximum limit on a number of the network devices that can be connected to the communications network of the user.

139. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining from the network identifier by a service provider over a communications network of the service provider a maximum number of network devices that can be connected to the communications network of the user.

140. The method of claim 139, wherein the network identifier determines a size of a DHCP IP address pool of a DHCP server on the communications network of the user.

141. The method of claim 129, further comprising:

performing a partial configuration of the gateway device by transmitting WAN network settings from the node device to the gateway device to configure the gateway device to communicate with a WAN of a service provider.

142. The method of claim 129, further comprising:

performing a partial configuration of the gateway device by transmitting LAN network settings from the node device to the gateway device to configure the gateway device to communicate on the communications network of the user.

143. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

making manual changes to the configuration of the communications network.

144. The method of claim 3, wherein one or more of the network devices are configured to behave as manually configured network devices when not employing the network identifier, and are automatically configured when the network identifier is employed.

145. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

prohibiting one or more of the network devices from joining the communications network based on the network identifier.

146. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the devices is configured manually, and the method further comprises one of:

configuring all the settings manually; and

configuring at least one of the settings automatically based on the network configuration settings.

147. The method of claim 94, further comprising:

reading the network configuration settings of one or more of the other network devices over the communications network or over a non-networked link via the configuration script.

148. The method of claim 126, wherein the predetermined network architecture is based on default settings.

149. The method of claim 57, further comprising:

reading the service provider networking setting from the backup file in memory of one of the network devices.

150. A system configured to perform the steps recited in claim 1.

151. A device configured to perform the steps recited in claim 1.

152. A storage medium storing a computer program for performing the steps recited in claim 1.

61. The method of 58, further comprising:

generating the LAN communications network setting for the gateway on the node device and storing the setting in a backup file on the node device.

62. The method of claim 61, further comprising:

reading the LAN communications networking setting from a memory of one of the network devices.

63. The method of claim 62, further comprising:

formatting, and sending the read gateway networking setting to the gateway over the communications network or a non-network connection; and

configuring the gateway to communicate with the communications network of the user based on the gateway networking setting.

153. A system for configuring a communications network for a user, comprising:

means for assigning a network identifier to a communications network of a user, the network identifier being unique to an instantiation of the communications network; and

means for automatically generating a plurality of unique network configuration settings for one or more network devices of the communications network based on the network identifier.

154. The system of claim 153, wherein the means for assigning, and the means for generating comprise devices of a computer system.

155. The system of claim 153, wherein the means for assigning, and the means for generating comprise computer readable instructions recorded on a computer readable medium.

156. A device for configuring a communications network for a user, comprising:

means for assigning a network identifier to a communications network of a user, the network identifier being unique to an instantiation of the communications network; and

means for automatically generating a plurality of unique network configuration settings for one or more network devices of the communications network based on the network identifier.

157. The system of claim 156, wherein the means for assigning, and the means for generating comprise computer readable instructions recorded on a computer readable medium.