METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REMOTE CONFIGURATION OF A DEVICE

• US 20110314137A1
• Filed: 02/24/2010
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Vermoesen, Luc
• Granted Patent: US 8,812,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/022 Multivendor or multi-standard integration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/028 for synchronisation between service call and response
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration

Abstract

Method for remote configuration of a device via a network by means of a remote autoconfiguration server (ACS), wherein the configuration includes creating new data, or modifying or deleting writeable data of the device. The TR-069 CPE WAN management protocol may be used for communicating between the ACS and the device. The remote management protocol uses sessions consisting of transactions, where a transaction is a single request followed by a single response. Within a session, when writeable data has to be created, modified or deleted by the ACS, at least the writeable data to be created, deleted or modified are write-locked for other management agents at the transaction level. The write-lock is released within the session, after a successful configuration and/or after a failure.

Claims

1. Method for remote configuration of a device via a network by means of a remote autoconfiguration server (ACS), wherein the configuration comprises creating new data, or modifying or deleting writeable data of the device,

wherein preferably the TR-069 CPE WAN management protocol is used for communicating between the ACS and the device, said remote management protocol using sessions consisting of transactions, a transaction being a single request followed by a single response,

wherein within a session, when writeable data has to be created, modified or deleted by the ACS, at least the writeable data to be created, deleted or modified are write-locked for other management agents at the transaction level, and wherein the write-lock is released within said session, after a successful configuration and/or after a failure.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein within a session a begin transaction call is sent by the ACS to the device causing the device to write-lock the writeable data for other management agents, whereupon a call for creating new data, or for deleting or modifying writeable data is performed.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein after the write-locking of the device, current values of a set of writeable data are obtained by the ACS and next a call for setting this set of writeable data is sent by the ACS to the device.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein within a session a call for creating new data, or for deleting or modifying writeable data is sent from the ACS to the device, causing the device to write-lock the writeable data for other management agents, whereupon the new data is created or the writeable data is deleted or modified.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein releasing the write lock is coupled with the sending of a call from the device to the ACS to indicate the end of a transaction.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the ACS sends a set of current values of writeable data as well as a set of new values to be set to the device, whereupon the device performs the write-locking and proceeds with the setting if the device allows the setting.

7. Method according to claim 6, whereupon the device performs the write-locking and proceeds with the setting if the sent set of current values corresponds with the actual values of the writeable data.

8. Method according to claim 6, wherein if the device proceeds with the setting, and if the setting is successful, the ACS is informed of a successful setting and the device immediately releases the write-lock.

9. Method according to claim 6, wherein if the device does not proceed with the setting, the ACS is informed accordingly, a rollback is performed, and the device releases the write-lock.

10. Autoconfiguration server for remote configuration of a device, in particular for use in the method of claim 1, said ACS being adapted to instruct the device within a session, when new data has to be created in the device, or when writeable data of the device has to be modified or deleted by the ACS, to write-lock at least the writeable data to be created, modified or deleted for other management agents, at the transaction level.

11. Auto-configuration server according to claim 10, wherein the ACS is adapted to use the TR-069 CPE WAN management protocol for communicating between the ACS and the device.

12. Auto-configuration server according to claim 10, wherein the ACS is adapted to send a call to the device to indicate the begin of a transaction causing the write locking of writeable data for other agents.

13. Auto-configuration server according to claim 10, wherein the ACS is adapted to send a call to the device with a set of current values of writeable data as well as a set of new values to be set.

14. Device having writeable data, and adapted for being remotely configured via a network by means of an ACS, in particular for use in the method of claim 1, said device being further adapted

to write lock writeable data within a session with the ACS, when writeable data has to be created, modified or deleted;

to release a write-lock within a session, at the transaction level, after a successful configuration of writeable data or after a failure.

15. Device according to claim 14, wherein the device is adapted to use the TR-069 CPE WAN management protocol for communicating between the ACS and the device.