SECURE MOBILE INTERFACE ACCESS SYSTEM

• US 20130191885A1
• Filed: 01/23/2012
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zentry LLC (Synchronoss Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: HUBNER, Paul V., Clavenna, Robert A. II, Pate, Kristopher A., Archer, Steven T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,129,127 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5061 characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management

Abstract

A method performed by one or more server devices connected to a mobile device via a network, the mobile device being connected to an electronic device is provided that can include sending, by the one or more server devices and to the mobile device, data initiating a session between the one or more server devices and the mobile device; sending a request for information about the electronic device; receiving the requested information about the electronic device; identifying device credentials for the electronic device and communication protocols for communicating with the electronic device; providing the device credentials for the electronic device and the communication protocols for communicating with the electronic device; automatically gathering information about the electronic device from data stored on the electronic device using the communication protocols and the mobile device; and providing support to the electronic device via the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method performed by one or more server devices connected to a mobile device via a network, the mobile device being connected to an electronic device, the method comprising:

sending, by the one or more server devices and to the mobile device, data initiating a session between the one or more server devices and the mobile device;

sending, by the one or more server devices and to the mobile device, a request for information about the electronic device;

receiving, by the one or more server devices from the mobile device, the requested information about the electronic device;

identifying, by the one or more server devices, device credentials for the electronic device and communication protocols for communicating with the electronic device;

providing, by the one or more server devices and to the mobile device, the device credentials for the electronic device and the communication protocols for communicating with the electronic device;

automatically gathering information, by the one or more server devices, about the electronic device from data stored on the electronic device using the communication protocols and the mobile device; and

providing support to the electronic device via the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a secure, encrypted connection between the one or more server devices and the mobile device via a cellular network.

3. The method of claim 1, where the providing support to the electronic device includes:

providing instructions to the electronic device from a technician through the mobile device; and

/or

providing an executable file to be executed by the electronic device through the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating security information;

storing security information;

sending security information to the mobile device;

receiving security information from the mobile device;

comparing the received security information and the stored security information; and

authenticating the mobile device when the received security information matches the stored security information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a request for connecting the electronic device to the mobile device via a wired serial port.

6. The method of claim 1, where the electronic device is a stand-alone electronic device, and where providing the support includes sending instructions from a technician or sending a file from the one or more server devices via the mobile device, and where the stand-alone electronic device operates without network connectivity and does not connect to the network on its own.

7. The method of claim 1, where the electronic device is an orphaned electronic device, and where the method further comprises authorizing the orphaned electronic device to connect to the network, where the orphaned electronic device is capable of being connected to the network, but is not connected to the network without the mobile device.

8. A system including a stand-alone electronic device connected to a mobile device, the system comprises:

one or more server devices, where the mobile device connects the stand-alone electronic device to the one or more servers via a network, where the stand-alone electronic device operates without network connectivity and does not connect to the network on its own, and where the one or more server devices is to;

send data initiating a session between the one or more server devices and the mobile device;

send a request for information about the electronic device;

receive the requested information about the electronic device;

identify device credentials for the electronic device and communication protocols for communicating with the electronic device;

provide the device credentials for the electronic device and the communication protocols for communicating with the electronic device;

gather information about the electronic device from data stored on the electronic device using the communication protocols and the mobile device; and

provide instructions to the electronic device via the mobile device, where the electronic device is to execute the instructions to provide support to the electronic device.

9. The system of claim 8, where the one or more server devices is further to:

establish a secure, encrypted connection between the one or more server devices and the mobile device via a cellular network.

10. The system of claim 8, when providing the instruction, where the one or more server devices is to:

provide, through the mobile device, instructions to the stand-alone electronic device from a technician; and

/or

provide, through the mobile device, an executable file to be executed by the stand-alone electronic device.

11. The system of claim 8, where the one or more server devices is further to:

generate security information;

store security information;

send security information to the mobile device;

receive security information from the mobile device;

compare received security information and the stored security information; and

authenticate the mobile device when the received security information matches the stored security information.

12. The system of claim 8, where the mobile device is connected to the stand-alone electronic device via a wired serial port, and where the mobile device gathers information from the stand-alone electronic device via the wired serial port.

13. The system of claim 10, where the mobile device is connected to the stand-alone electronic device via a wireless connection, and where the mobile device gathers information from the stand-alone electronic device via the wireless connection.

14. The system of claim 8, where the stand-alone electronic device comprises an appliance, where the mobile device comprises a smart phone, where the appliance includes a set-top box, a smart television, a dishwasher, a laundry machine, a refrigerator, a water heater, or pool hardware, and where the one or more server devices provides support to the appliance through the smart phone.

15. A system including an electronic device connected to a mobile device, the system comprising:

one or more server devices, where the mobile device connects the electronic device to the one or more server devices via a network, where the electronic device is capable of being connected to the network, but does not independently have a network connection, and where the one or more server devices is to;

store security information;

send security information to the mobile device,

receive security information from the mobile device,

authenticate the mobile device by comparing the stored security information to the received security information, and

provide the electronic device with access to a network independent from the mobile device.

16. The system of claim 15, where the one or more server devices is further to:

send data initiating a session between the one or more server devices and the mobile device;

send a request for information about the electronic device;

receive the requested information about the electronic device;

identify device credentials for the electronic device and communication protocols for communicating with the electronic device;

provide the device credentials for the electronic device and the communication protocols for communicating with the electronic device;

gather information about the electronic device from data stored on the electronic device using the communication protocols and the mobile device; and

provide instructions to the electronic device via the mobile device, where the electronic device is to execute the instructions to provide support to the electronic device.

17. The system of claim 16, where, when gathering the information, the one or more server devices is to automatically download data from the electronic device after the mobile device is authenticated.

18. The system of claim 15, where the mobile device is connected to the electronic device via a wired serial port, and where the mobile device gathers information from the electronic device via the wired serial port.

19. The system of claim 15, where the mobile device is connected to the electronic device via a wireless connection, and where the mobile device gathers information from the stand-alone electronic device via the wireless connection.

20. The system of claim 15, where the electronic device comprises a router or a modem, and where the mobile device comprises a smart phone.