CONFIGURATION OF IP TELEPHONY AND OTHER SYSTEMS

• US 20090013032A1
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RingCentral Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
• Inventors: Blatherwick, Peter, Gray, Thomas A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,819,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams

Abstract

A method for configuring a network device is provided comprising connecting the device to a local area network that is connected to a wide area network and detecting that the device has not been configured. The method also comprises accessing within the device a pre-defined address of a configuration server located on the wide area network and sending a configuration request for a service. The configuration request is sent from the telephone to the configuration server. The configuration request includes a network identifier locating the device on the local area network within the wide area network. The method also comprises receiving the configuration request at the configuration server and preparing a configuration profile for the device at the configuration server. The configuration profile includes i) a service address for the device, ii) a wide are network address for a service provider that will provide the service. The method also comprises sending the profile to the device from the configuration server activating the profile in the device such that the device is configured access the service via the service provider.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a network device comprising:

connecting said device to a network;

accessing within said device a pre-defined address of a configuration server located on said network;

sending a configuration request for a service;

said configuration request sent from said device to said configuration server;

said configuration request including a device identifier unique within said network;

receiving said configuration request at said configuration server;

preparing a configuration profile for said device at said configuration server and at least one additional configuration server in communication with said configuration server;

said configuration profile contains an address on said network for a service provider that will provide said service; and

sending said profile to said device from either of said configuration servers,

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said device is a telephone.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said network is the Internet.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said device communicates with said service via the Session Initiation Protocol (“

SIP”

).

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said device identifier is a uniform resource identifier (“

URI”

).

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said configuration server is operably associated with a STUN server.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said configuration server is operated by a provider of said device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said configuration server is operated by said service provider.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said request for service includes a plurality of service options.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein one of said service options include a selection of said service provider from a plurality of service providers.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein one of said service options includes a telephone calling plan.

12. The method for of claim 1 wherein said network is a combination of a small business network and a wide area network.

13. The method for of claim 1 wherein said network is a combination of a home network and a wide area network.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said network is situated within an enterprise office and said service provider is operated as part of the enterprise.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said network is part of an enterprise network and said service is one of a communication service and a device configuration service;

said service being provided by said service provider.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein said device identifier is a MAC address.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said device identifier is pre-registered with said configuration server prior to performance of said method such that when said configuration request is received said configuration server recognizes said device identifier.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said device identifier is pre-registered and one of a block of unique device identifiers supplied to a plurality of said devices such that when said configuration request is received said configuration server recognizes said device identifier.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein a user enters said device identifier as part of said sending said configuration request.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said configuration request includes a device identifier unique to said device that is sent from said service provider to said configuration server.

21. The method of claim 9 wherein, after receiving said configuration request, said configuration server presents a plurality of options in a service plan at said device for selection by a user and receives a selection of said options, and wherein said configuration server prepares said configuration profile based on said selection of options.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said plurality of options are presented via a voice dialogue.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein said plurality of options are presented via form text.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein said plurality of options are presented via a combination of voice and text form dialogue.

25. The method of claim 1 including a plurality of configuration servers and wherein a portion of said configuration profile is prepared by one of said configuration servers and a remainder of said configuration profile is prepared by another one of said configuration servers.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein one of said configuration servers is operated by a provider of said device and another one of said configuration servers is operated by said service provider.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein said configuration profile includes customization of software for said device that is unique to said service provider.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein said configuration servers manage a billing system that cooperates to generate service invoices for service accessed by said device through said service provider.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said billing system is based on a unique device identifier.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein said billing system is based on said configuration server operated by said device provider receiving a unique device identifier from said configuration server operated by said service provider.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein said device communicates with said service via the Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

32. The method of claim 25 wherein communications between said configuration servers is encrypted.

33. The method of claim 28 wherein communications between said configuration servers is encrypted.

55. The method of claim 1 wherein said configuration profile includes customization of configuration data specific to said service provider.

56. The method of claim 1 wherein said configuration profile includes customization a service plan.

57. The method of claim 1 wherein said wide area network is a an enterprise operated WAN

58. The method of claim 29 wherein exchanged unique ids are encrypted for purpose of non-repudiation.

60. The method of claim 1 wherein further comprising modifying said configuration profile to specify a different service provider from said service provider such that provision of said service is handed-off from said service provider to said different service provider.

61. The method of claim 60 wherein part of said configuration profile as modified contains an new configuration server address of a new configuration server;

and wherein upon receipt of said new configuration server address said device subscribes to said new configuration server.

62. The method of claim 1 wherein said configuration server is associated with a device provider and said additional configuration server is associated with said service provider;

said method further comprising modifying said configuration profile to specify either said service provider instead of said device provider or said service provider instead of said device provider.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein said service is a configuration service that is handed-off from said device provider configuration server to said service provider configuration server.

64. The method of claim 62 wherein said service is a configuration service that is handed-off from said from said service provider to said device provider.

65. The method of claim 63 wherein said configuration profile includes customization of device profile data that is specific to service provider.

66. The method of claim 64 wherein said configuration profile includes customization of device profile data that is specific to a selected service plan.

34. A method for providing configuration information to a device attached to a network comprising:

receiving a first portion of said configuration information at said device from a first network configuration server;

receiving a second portion of said configuration information at said device from a second network configuration server; and

,

wherein a network address of said second server is supplied to said device by said first server.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein said second network configuration server is selected from one of a plurality of additional network configuration servers.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein each of said configuration servers are operated by different entities.

37. The method of claim 34 wherein said device is a communication device.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein said communication device is a telephone.7

39. The method of claim 38 wherein said data structure associates said unique identifier to a block of unique identifiers, said block being associated with said network address.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein said data structure associates said unique identifier directly to said network address.

41. The method of claim 34 wherein one of said network configuration servers can register a unique identifier associated with said device.

42. The method of claim 41 in which the unique device identifier is the MAC address

43. The method of claim 41 in which the unique device identifier is supplied by the owner of the second server

44. The method of claim 34 in which the first server will identify the second server by submitting a query addressed to a user situated at the device

45. The method of claim 44 in which the query is verbal

46. The method of claim 44 in which the query is in text.

47. The method of claim 44 in which the query is a combination of voice and text.

48. The method of claim 44 in which a response to said query is submitted by said user using dual tone multifrequency signals.

49. The method of claim 34 in which the first server will act as a relay between the device and the second server.

50. The method of claim 34 in which the device contacts the second server directly for its portion of said configuration information.

51. The method of claim 34 in which the first server will assume the functions of the second server in supplying the configuration to the device.

52. The method of claim 34 in which the second server will supply the first server with an indication of said second server'"'"'s actions when said device is referred to said second server.

53. The method of claim 52 in which the indication is non-repudiateable.

59. The method of claim 34 wherein said device is operated by a teleworker.

54. A method for providing configuration information to a device attached to a network comprising:

receiving a first portion of said configuration information at said device from a first network configuration server;

receiving a second portion of said configuration information at said device from a second network configuration server; and

,

sending information about said device from said first network configuration server to said second network configuration server.