CONFIGURING NETWORK SETTINGS USING PORTABLE STORAGE MEDIA

• US 20090254639A1
• Filed: 04/13/2009
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Manchester, Scott, Abraham, Dalen, Nick, Benjamin, Freeman, Trevor W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,930,374 B2
• 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 41/0843 based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0879 Manual configuration through operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/164 at the network 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 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/041 Key generation or derivation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/065 Continuous authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup

Abstract

A portable computer-readable media device and method of use enable automatic configuration of a computing device, such as a conventional network device or a thin client device, for operation in a network. Configuration information, including network settings and security information, is incorporated in an XML file written to the portable media device while it is installed in a first device. This configuration is then automatically transferred to a second device by installing the portable media device in the second device. The second device then writes device information, incorporated in an XML file, to the portable media device, to be uploaded to the first device.

Claims

1. A portable computer-readable media device for provisioning an electronic device with network settings, the portable computer-readable media device having stored thereon data comprising:

at least one XML file containing a network settings configuration for configuring the electronic device to join a network;

a network setup application enabled to configure the electronic device with the network settings configuration, and

an autorun file, wherein a detection of the autorun file by the electronic device triggers the electronic device to execute the network setup application.

2. The portable computer-readable media device of claim 1, further comprising a configuration application executed by the electronic device upon an attachment of the portable computer-readable media device to the electronic device, wherein the configuration program comprises a user interface for at least one of a manual transfer or a manual modification of the network settings configuration.

3. The portable computer-readable media device of claim 1, wherein the at least one XML file comprises a separate XML file corresponding to each of a local area network, a wide area network, a wireless network and a broadband modem.

4. The portable computer-readable media device of claim 1, wherein the at least one XML file comprises a separate XML file corresponding to at least one of a local area network, a wide area network, a wireless network and a broadband modem.

5. The portable computer-readable media device of claim 1, further comprising a device configuration file including at least one of:

an applied configuration of the electronic device, an indication of a presence of a fault condition detected during an execution of the network setup application on the electronic device, or an identity of the fault condition.

6. The portable computer-readable media device of claim 5, wherein a name of the device configuration file corresponds to an identifier of the electronic device.

7. The portable computer-readable media device of claim 5, wherein the device configuration file further includes an identification setting of the electronic device and wherein the applied configuration includes at least one of an applied network setting or an applied wireless setting.

8. The portable computer-readable media device of claim 5, wherein the device configuration file further includes an identification setting of the electronic device and wherein the applied configuration includes an applied network setting and an applied wireless setting.

9. The portable computer-readable media device of claim 1, wherein the network settings configuration includes an indication of a time-to-live interval and wherein the network setup application is enabled to further configure the electronic device to be denied access to the network after the time-to-live interval has passed.

10. The portable computer-readable media device of claim 9, wherein the network setup application is enabled to further configure the electronic device to be denied access to the network after the time-to-live interval has passed if the electronic device is not authenticated by an authentication scheme.

11. The portable computer-readable media device of claim 1, wherein the portable computer-readable media device is a USB flash drive.

12. The portable computer-readable media device of claim 1, further comprising a visual indicator of a completion of an execution of the network setup application.

13. A method of configuring a portable computer-readable media device for use in provisioning an electronic device with network settings to join a network, comprising:

prompting, at a display of a computing device, a user for a network name;

determining a network settings configuration for provisioning the electronic device to join a network corresponding to the network name;

prompting the user to attach the portable computer-readable media device to the computing device;

prompting the user to identify the portable computer-readable media device;

storing, on the portable computer-readable media device;

at least one XML file containing the network settings configuration,

a network setup application enabled to provision the electronic device with the network settings configuration, and

an autorun file, wherein a detection of the autorun file by the electronic device triggers the electronic device to execute the network setup application to provision the electronic device with the network settings configuration;

prompting the user to remove the portable computer-readable media device; and

upon a detection of a re-attachment of the portable computer-readable media device to the computing device, displaying a list of electronic devices wherein;

each electronic device on the list corresponds to a specific device configuration file on the portable computer-readable media device, the specific device configuration file including at least one of an applied configuration of the each electronic device, an indication of a presence of a fault condition detected during an execution of the network setup application on the each electronic device, or an identity of the fault condition.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising storing, on the portable computer-readable media device, a configuration program comprising a user interface for execution on the electronic device for at least one of a manual transfer or a manual modification of the network settings configuration.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the network settings configuration comprises determining the network settings configuration via an application program interface (API) of an operating system.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein determining the network settings configuration comprises determining the network settings configuration based on user input, wherein the user input includes a network key and an indication of a desired encryption of the network key.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising presenting a user interface element on the display of the computing device for printing the list of electronic devices and information from corresponding device configuration files.

18. A computer-readable storage medium having thereon computer-executable instructions for performing a method of configuring a portable computer-readable media device for use in provisioning an electronic device with network settings to join a network, comprising computer-executable instructions for:

prompting, at a display of a computing device, a user for a network name;

determining a network settings configuration for provisioning the electronic device to join a network corresponding to the network name;

prompting the user to attach the portable computer-readable media device to the computing device;

prompting the user to identify the portable computer-readable media device;

storing, on the portable computer-readable media device;

at least one XML file containing the network settings configuration,

a network setup application enabled to provision the electronic device with the network settings configuration, and

an autorun file, wherein a detection of the autorun file by the electronic device triggers the electronic device to execute the network setup application to provision the electronic device with the network settings configuration;

prompting the user to remove the portable computer-readable media device; and

upon a detection of a re-attachment of the portable computer-readable media device to the computing device, displaying a list of electronic devices wherein;

each electronic device on the list corresponds to a specific device configuration file on the portable computer-readable media device, the specific device configuration file including at least one of an applied configuration of the

each electronic device, an indication of a presence of a fault condition detected during an execution of the network setup application on the each electronic device, or an identity of the fault condition.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the computer-executable instructions for storing at least one XML file on the portable computer-readable media device comprises computer-readable instructions for storing a separate XML file corresponding to at least two of a local area network, a wide area network, a wireless network or a broadband modem on the portable computer-readable media device.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein:

the computer-executable instructions for determining the network settings configuration comprises computer-executable instructions for determining the network settings configuration including an indication of a time-to-live interval, and

the computer-executable instructions for storing, on the portable computer-readable media device, the network setup application comprises computer-executable instructions for storing, on the portable computer-readable media device, the network setup application enabled to configure the electronic device to be denied access to the network after the time-to-live interval has passed.