Electrical device configuration system and method

• US 20090013094A1
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Vanderhoff, Rebecca, Reay, Robert, Chen, Li-Ter, Hoard, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,761,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/575 Secure boot
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A system (100) capable of configuring an electrical device (101) coupled to a computer (102), the system includes: (a) a computer communications component (111) of the electrical device configured to communicate with the computer; and (b) an installation component (120) of the electrical device capable of an initial configuration the electrical device. In this embodiment, the installation component is configured to automatically begin the initial configuration of the electrical device as soon as the installation component detects the electrical device is not configured and the computer communications component establishes a data connection between the electrical device and the computer. Furthermore, the initial configuration of the electrical device includes an initial configuration of either a dynamic or non-dynamic network connection between the electrical device and a network provider.

Claims

1. A system capable of configuring an electrical device coupled to a computer, the system comprising:

a computer communications component of the electrical device configured to communicate with the computer; and

an installation component of the electrical device capable of an initial configuration of the electrical device,

wherein;

the initial configuration of the electrical device comprises an initial configuration of either a dynamic or non-dynamic network connection between the electrical device and a network provider; and

the installation component is configured to automatically begin the initial configuration of the electrical device as soon as the installation component detects the electrical device is not configured and the computer communications component establishes a data connection between the electrical device and the computer.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a network provider detection component configured to detecting the dynamic or non-dynamic network connection between the electrical device and the network provider.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the installation component comprises;

a status component capable of determining whether the electrical device has been initially configured.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the installation component is configured to receive installation information from a user; and

the installation component uses the installation information received during the initial configuration of the electrical device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

an internet browser is operating in the computer; and

the computer communications component is configured to receive the installation information from the user through the internet browser and communicating the installation information to the installation component.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user communication interface of the electrical device,

wherein;

the user communication interface is configured to receive the installation information from the user and communicating the installation information to the installation component.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the installation component comprises;

a reboot component configured to reboot all of the electrical device or a portion of the electrical device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein:

the reboot component reboots the electrical device or the portion of the electrical device when electrical device cannot connect to the network provider.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the electrical device is a modem.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the electrical device is a router.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the electrical device is a modem-router.

12. A system for configuring a network connection from a computer to a network provider, the system comprising:

a status component in a network device capable of determining if the network device is configured to provide the network connection from the computer to the network provider; and

a configuration component in the network device capable of initially configuring the network device to provide the network connection from the computer to the network provider,

wherein;

the configuration component is configured to automatically begin initially configuring the network device to provide the network connection as soon as the status component determines the network device is not configured to provide the network connection from the computer to the network provider; and

the configuration component is capable of initially configuring both a dynamic network connection and a non-dynamic network connection.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a connection component in the network device configured to facilitate communications between the network device and the computer and between the network device and the network provider,

wherein;

the configuration component is further configured to receive information from a user regarding initially configuring the network device from the connection component.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein:

an internet browser is operating in the computer; and

the connection component is configured to receive information from the user through the internet browser in the computer.

15. A system in an electrical device for configuring a network connection from the electrical device to a network provider, the system comprising:

a status component capable of determining whether the electrical device has been initially configured; and

a configuration component in the electrical device capable of initially configuring the electrical device to provide the network connection from the electrical device to the network provider,

wherein;

the configuration component is configured to automatically initially configure the electrical device without the electrical device being coupled to the computer when the network connection is a dynamic network connection and the status component detects the electrical device is not configured; and

when the network connection is a non-dynamic network connection, the configuration component is configured to automatically begin initially configuring the electrical device as soon as the status component detects the electrical device is not configured.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a connection component in the electrical device configured to receive information from the network provider and communicating the information received from the network provider to the configuration component; and

the configuration component is further configured to use the information received from the network provider when initially configuring the electrical device.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a computer communications component configured to receive installation information from a user and communicating the installation information to the configuration component,

wherein;

the configuration component is further configured to use the installation information received from the user when initially configuring the electrical device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein:

an internet browser is operating in the computer; and

the computer communications component is configured to receive the installation information from the user through the internet browser in the computer.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a user communication interface in the electrical device,

wherein;

the user communication interface is configured to receive installation information from a user and communicating the installation information to the configuration component; and

the configuration component is further capable of using the installation information received from the user when initially configuring the electrical device.

20. A method of configuring an electrical device comprising:

coupling the electrical device to a computer;

coupling the electrical device to a network provider;

establishing a data connection between the computer and the electrical device; and

after establishing the data connection, initially configuring the electrical device,

wherein;

the initially configuring the electrical device comprises;

automatically executing software in the electrical device capable of initially configuring both a dynamic network connection and a non-dynamic network connection between the electrical device and the network provider.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein:

initially configuring the electrical device further comprises;

attempting to detect a network connection between the electrical device and the network provider.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein:

coupling the electrical device to the network provider comprises;

coupling the electrical device to a modem; and

coupling the modem to the network provider.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein:

initially configuring the electrical device comprises;

receiving installation information from a user.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein:

receiving installation information from the user comprises;

receiving installation information from the user through the computer.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

using the network device.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein:

the electrical device is a gateway device.

27. A method of configuring an network device comprising:

coupling the network device to a network provider;

attempting to initially configure a dynamic network connection between the network device and the network provider by automatically executing software in the network device if the network device is not configured; and

if the network device is not configured and the dynamic network connection was not configured, initially configuring a non-dynamic network by automatically executing the software in the network device, the initial configuring of the non-dynamic network comprises;

beginning initial configuration of the non-dynamic network;

receiving installation information from a user; and

finishing the initial configuration of the non-dynamic network using the installation information received from the user.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

after attempting to establish a dynamic network connection and before the initially configuring the non-dynamic network, coupling the network device to a computer; and

after the coupling the network device to the computer and before the initially configuring the non-dynamic network, establishing a data connection between the computer and the network device.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein:

receiving installation information from a user comprises;

receiving information from the user through a computer.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein:

receiving installation information from a user comprises;

receiving information from the user through a user communications interface in the network device.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein:

attempting to initially configure a dynamic network connection comprises;

sending a request to the network provider to assign an internet protocol address.