Network connection manager

• US 20100174820A1
• Filed: 02/04/2009
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Phoenix Technologies TLD
• Inventors: Rajendran, Vishwanathan, Pemmasani, Giridhar, Banga, Gaurav
• Granted Patent: US 8,364,825 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/385 for adaptation of a particular data processing system to different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

Methods, systems, apparatuses and program products are disclosed for managing connections to telecommunications networks, especially networks that deploy Internet Protocols and the like.

Provision is made for colligating a connectivity ruleset, interconverting status data to form a dataset of candidate communication links, and supplicating a network connection. Also for forming physical location profiles and selecting a network on that basis and upon a basis of a present physical location of the respective computer.

Claims

1. A method of operating a computer for data communications comprising:

colligating a connectivity ruleset comprising a plurality of connectivity rules;

mutually updating status data for at least a first network data connection and a second network data connection with respective connectivity rules in the connectivity ruleset to form a dataset that represents a plurality of candidate communication links; and

supplicating a network connection for a selected one of the candidate communication links.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the selected one of the candidate communication links is selected according to contents of the dataset.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

forming a physical location profile for at least one of the candidate communication links wherein

the selected one of the candidate communication links is selected according to the physical location profile.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein:

the selected one of the candidate communication links is selected dependent upon a present physical location of the computer.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

adaptively updating the ruleset responsive to a sequella of the supplicating step.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the colligating step comprises providing a graphical user interface for maintenance of connectivity data under user guidance.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein:

the connectivity data comprises data to specify link type and link characteristics for the connectivity rules.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein:

the connectivity data comprises data to specify a protocol and to specify an encryption technique for a respective communication link.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein:

the connectivity data further includes access data to be re-propagated within the supplicating step.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein:

the data to be re-propagated within the supplicating step further includes an internet protocol address of a Domain Name System server.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the connectivity data further includes data to specify IPv 6 (internet protocol version six) capabilities for selected ones of the connectivity rules.

12. A method of operating a computer for data communications comprising:

supplicating a first and a second network connection for a plurality of communication links;

initially emulating a virtual network connection to an operating system program running under a hypervisor program wherein data is propagated between the first network and the virtual network connection; and

in response to a changed condition on a network connection selected from the first and the second network connections, further emulating the virtual network wherein data is propagated between the second network and the virtual network connection.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the first and the second networks are each selected for propagation according to network status data and policy rules colligated into a connectivity ruleset comprising a plurality of connectivity rules.

14. A computer program product comprising:

at least one computer-readable medium having instructions encoded therein, the instructions when executed by at least one processor cause said at least one processor to

operate for context based virtualization by steps comprising the acts of;

colligating a connectivity ruleset comprising a plurality of connectivity rules;

interconverting status data for at least a first network data connection and a second network data connection with respective connectivity rules in the connectivity ruleset to form a dataset that represents a plurality of candidate communication links; and

supplicating a network connection for a selected one of the candidate communication links.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein:

the selected one of the candidate communication links is selected according to contents of the dataset.

16. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the acts further include:

adaptively updating the ruleset responsive to a sequella of the supplicating step.

17. A method comprising:

an act of modulating a signal onto an electromagnetic carrier wave impressed into a tangible medium, or of demodulating the signal from the electromagnetic carrier wave, the signal having instructions encoded therein, the instructions when executed by at least one processor causing said at least one processor to

operate for context based virtualization by steps comprising the acts of;

colligating a connectivity ruleset comprising a plurality of connectivity rules;

interconverting status data for at least a first network data connection and a second network data connection with respective connectivity rules in the connectivity ruleset to form a dataset that represents a plurality of candidate communication links; and

supplicating a network connection for a selected one of the candidate communication links.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein:

reinstating the permission responsive to a second change of context.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the acts further include:

adaptively updating the ruleset responsive to a sequella of the supplicating step.

20. An electronic device comprising:

a controller; and

a memory having instructions encoded therein, the instructions when executed by the controller cause said controller to

operate for context based virtualization by steps comprising the acts of;

colligating a connectivity ruleset comprising a plurality of connectivity rules;

interconverting status data for at least a first network data connection and a second network data connection with respective connectivity rules in the connectivity ruleset to form a dataset that represents a plurality of candidate communication links; and

supplicating a network connection for a selected one of the candidate communication links.

21. The electronic device of claim 20 wherein the selected one of the candidate communication links is selected according to contents of the dataset.

22. The electronic device of claim 20 wherein the acts further include:

adaptively updating the ruleset responsive to a sequella of the supplicating step.

23. The electronic device of claim 20 wherein the memory is a non-volatile memory.