Systems and methods for enhanced network access

• US 20060075467A1
• Filed: 06/27/2005
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Japan Communications Inc.
• Original Assignee: Japan Communications Inc.
• Inventors: Laves, Edward W., Johnston, Robert L., Gurgone, Raymond T., Fukuda, Naohisa, Tidwell, Justin Owen, Robins, David S., Zeitz, Karlton Mark, Worthington, Laura J., Sanda, Frank Seiji
• Application Number:
  US11/167,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20060075467A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5016 based on statistics of service availability, e.g. in percentage or over a given time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5067 Customer-centric QoS measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/11 Identifying congestion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/22 Traffic shaping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0263 Rule management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 : using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0869 : for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 : by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/145 : the attack involving the propagation of malware through the network, e.g. viruses, trojans or worms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/162 : at the data link layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 : at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 : for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 : specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 : Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 : Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 : taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/321 : involving a third party or a trusted authority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3273 : for mutual authentication network architectures or network communication protocols for achieving mutual authentication in a packet data network H04L63/0869
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 : using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 : Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

Systems and methods for enhanced network access are described. One aspect of one described embodiment includes receiving a request to connect to a network, the request associated with a user, determining a policy associated with the user, identifying at least one available network connection, determining at least one property of the at least one available network connection, evaluating the property based at least in part on the policy, and selecting the at least one available network connection based on the evaluation. In another embodiment, a computer-readable medium (such as, for example random access memory or a computer disk) includes code for carrying out such a method.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request to connect to a network, the request associated with a user;

determining a policy associated with the user;

identifying at least one available network connection;

determining at least one property of the at least one available network connection;

evaluating the property based at least in part on the policy; and

selecting the at least one available network connection based on the evaluation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy comprises a list of allowed connections.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy comprises a list of disallowed connections.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the property comprises a property selected from the group consisting of security, reliability, speed, and cost.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one property comprises a plurality of properties and further comprising applying a normalization algorithm to the plurality of properties.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the policy comprises retrieving the policy from a central policy repository.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one available network connection comprises a public connection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one available network connection comprises a private connection.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a quality of service datum associated with the at least one available network connection.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one available network connection comprises a plurality of available network connections.

11. A method comprising:

receiving an indication that a new network connection is available for a client device associated with a user;

determining at least one first property associated with the new network connection;

determining at least one second property associated with an existing network connection;

determining a policy associated with the user;

evaluating the at least one first property based at least in part on the policy;

evaluating the at least one second property based at least in part on the policy;

disconnecting from the existing network connection; and

connecting to the new network connection.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising signaling that the new network connection is available.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising before disconnecting from the existing network connection, opening a data cache for buffering data during a disconnection.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising after connecting to the new network connection:

receiving data from the data cache; and

closing the data cache.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving a measure for determining the size of the data cache.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the measure comprises an estimated disconnection duration.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the indication that a new network connection is available comprises a signal from a hardware device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the hardware device comprises an adapter selected from the group consisting of a WiFi adapter, a LAN adapter, a cellular adapter (WWAN), and a dial-up (WAN) adapter.

19. A computer-readable medium on which is encoded program code, the program code comprising:

program code for receiving a request to connect to a network, the request associated with a user;

program code for determining a policy associated with the user;

program code for identifying at least one available network connection;

program code for determining at least one property of the at least one available network connection;

program code for evaluating the property based at least in part on the policy; and

program code for selecting the at least one available network connection based on the evaluation.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, further comprising program code for receiving a quality of service datum associated with the at least one available network connection.

21. A computer-readable medium on which is encoded program code, the program code comprising:

program code for receiving an indication that a new network connection is available;

determining at least one first property associated with the new network connection;

determining at least one second property associated with an existing network connection;

determining a policy associated with a user;

evaluating the at least one first property based at least in part on the policy;

evaluating the at least one second property based at least in part on the policy;

disconnecting from the existing network connection; and

connecting to the new network connection.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising signaling that the new network connection is available.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising before disconnecting from the existing network connection, opening a data cache for buffering data during a disconnection.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, further comprising after connecting to the new network connection:

receiving data from the data cache; and

closing the data cache.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, further comprising receiving a measure for determining the size of the data cache.

26. A system comprising:

a policy reader operable to determine a policy associated with a user;

a connection manager operable to;

receive a request to connect to a network, the request associated with a user;

identify at least one available network connection;

determine at least one property of the at least one available network connection;

evaluate the property based at least in part on the policy; and

select the at least one available network connection based on the evaluation.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising a quality of service collector operable to receive a quality of service datum associated with the at least one available network connection.

28. A system comprising:

a policy reader operable to determine a policy associated with a user;

a connection manager operable to;

receive an indication that a new network connection is available;

determine at least one first property associated with the new network connection;

determine at least one second property associated with an existing network connection;

evaluate the at least one first property based at least in part on the policy;

evaluate the at least one second property based at least in part on the policy;

disconnect from the existing network connection; and

connect to the new network connection.