LOCATION-AWARE CONFIGURATION

• US 20100191837A1
• Filed: 01/26/2010
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WatchGuard Technologies Incorporated (Gladiator Corporation)
• Original Assignee: WatchGuard Technologies Incorporated (Gladiator Corporation)
• Inventors: Linden, Thomas, Reams, Gerry, Cattin, Gerard, Stults, George
• Granted Patent: US 8,560,645 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 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0869 Validating the configuration within one network element
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/344 Out-of-band transfers

Abstract

A networking device may operate according to a first configuration profile adapted to cause the device to conform to restrictions applicable within a plurality of different locations. The networking device may obtain a second, location-aware configuration profile, which may include restrictions applicable to the location where the device is deployed. The second, location-aware configuration profile may be provided by a location-aware configuration service responsive to a request from the device. The service may determine a location of the device from the request. The service may identify restrictions applicable within the region the device is located.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a request from a networking device for a location-aware configuration profile;

determining a location of the networking device using the request;

identifying a restriction based upon the location of the device; and

transmitting a location-aware configuration profile configured to cause the device to conform to the identified restriction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a wireless networking device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the restriction relates to a frequency used by the device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the restriction relates to a channel used by the device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the restriction relates to a transmission power of the device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the restriction relates to a transmission mode of the device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a networking device, and wherein the restriction relates to encryption algorithms used by the device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is associated with an Internet Protocol (IP) address, and wherein the location of the device is determined using the IP address.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the restriction is configured to cause the device to comply with a restriction imposed by the country in which the device is located.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the restriction is configured to cause the device to comply with a restriction imposed by the country in which the device was manufactured.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the restriction is configured to cause the device to comply with a restriction imposed by an international authority on networking devices operating in the location.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a globalization parameter based on the location, wherein the location-aware configuration profile includes the globalization parameter.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the globalization parameter relates to a language used by the device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the globalization parameter relates to an input layout used by the device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a privacy restriction based upon the location.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising storing a record of the location of the device when permitted by the privacy restriction.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising storing a record of the location of the device when permitted by a user of the device.

18. A location-aware configuration service, comprising:

a communications interface to receive a request for a location-aware configuration profile from a networking device via a network; and

a computer-readable storage medium comprising a location-aware data store, the location-aware data store comprising configuration profile data adapted to configure the networking device to conform to a plurality of different restrictions, each restriction being associated with a respective location;

wherein the location-aware configuration service is configured to determine a location of the networking device using the request, to select a restriction from the location-aware data store based upon the location, and to transmit a configuration profile comprising the selected restriction to the networking device using the communications interface.

19. The location-aware configuration service of claim 18, wherein the location-aware configuration service is configured to determine the location of the networking device using an Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with the request.

20. The location-aware configuration service of claim 18, wherein the networking device comprises a wireless transmitter, and wherein the selected restriction relates to a frequency used by the networking device.

21. The location-aware configuration service of claim 18, wherein the networking device comprises a wireless transmitter, and wherein the selected restriction relates to transmission power of the networking device.

22. The location-aware configuration service of claim 18, wherein the network device comprises a wireless transmitter, and wherein the selected restriction relates to transmission modes of the networking device.

23. The location-aware configuration service of claim 18, wherein the restriction is configured to cause the networking device to comply with a restriction imposed by an authority having jurisdiction over the location of the networking device.

24. The location-aware configuration service of claim 18, wherein the restriction is configured to cause the networking device to comply with a restriction imposed by an authority having jurisdiction over a provider of the networking device.

25. The location-aware configuration service of claim 18, wherein the location-aware configuration profile includes a globalization parameter selected using the location of the networking device.

26. The location-aware configuration service of claim 18, wherein the globalization parameter relates to a language used by the device.

27. The location-aware configuration service of claim 18, wherein the location-aware configuration service is configured to store a record of the request comprising an identifier of the networking device and the location of the networking device.

28. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions configured to cause a computing device to perform a method, comprising:

receiving a request from a networking device for a location-aware configuration profile;

determining a location of the networking device using the request;

identifying a restriction based upon the location of the device; and

transmitting a location-aware configuration profile configured to cause the device to conform to the identified restriction.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the restriction relates to an encryption feature of the networking device.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the device is a wireless networking device, and wherein the restriction relates to a transmission power of the networking device.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the device is a wireless networking device, and wherein the restriction defines which channels may be used by the networking device.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the request is associated with an Internet Protocol (IP) address, and wherein the location of the device is determined using the IP address.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the restriction is configured to cause the networking device to comply with a restriction imposed by the country in which the networking device is located.

34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the restriction is configured to cause the device to comply with a restriction imposed by the country in which the device was manufactured.

35. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the restriction is configured to cause the device to comply with a restriction imposed by an international authority to networking devices operating in the determined location.

36. computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, further comprising determining a globalization parameter based on the location, wherein the location-aware configuration profile includes the globalization parameter.

37. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 34, wherein the globalization parameter relates to a language used by the networking device.

38. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein the globalization parameter relates to an input layout used by the device.

39. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, further comprising:

determining a privacy setting of the device based upon the location; and

storing a record of a location of the device with a device identifier when permitted by the privacy setting.

40. A method for operating a networking device deployed at a location, comprising:

operating a networking device according to a first configuration profile, the first configuration profile configured to cause the device to conform to restrictions of a plurality of locations;

transmitting a request for a location-aware configuration profile on a network;

receiving a second, location-aware configuration profile responsive to the request, wherein the second, location-aware configuration profile is configured to cause the device to conform to restrictions corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of locations; and

operating the networking device according to the second, location-aware configuration profile.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the request comprises an identifier of the networking device.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising authenticating the second, location-aware configuration profile, wherein the networking device is operated using the second, location-aware configuration profile when the second, location-aware configuration profile is authenticated.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the second, location-aware configuration profile is authenticated using a digital signature associated therewith.

44. The method of claim 40, wherein the second, location-aware configuration profile determines a user interface language of the networking device.

45. The method of claim 40, wherein the second, location-aware configuration profile is configured to cause the networking device to conform to a restriction imposed by an authority having jurisdiction over networking devices operating in a particular location.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the second, location-aware configuration profile is configured to cause the networking device to conform to a restriction imposed by an authority having jurisdiction over a provider of the networking device.