Apparatus, Method and System for a Tunneling Client Access Point

• US 20140172958A1
• Filed: 08/06/2013
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IOENGINE, LLC
• Original Assignee: IOENGINE, LLC
• Inventors: McNulty, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,059,969 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/76 Proxy, i.e. using intermediary entity to perform cryptographic operations network architectures or network communication protocols using hop-by-hop encryption H04L63/0464
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

The disclosure details the implementation of a tunneling client access point (TCAP) that is a highly secure, portable, power efficient storage and data processing device. The TCAP “tunnels” data through an access terminal'"'"'s (AT) input/output facilities. In one embodiment, the TCAP connects to an AT and a user employs the AT'"'"'s user input peripherals for input, and views the TCAP'"'"'s activities on the AT'"'"'s display. This enables the user to observe data stored on the TCAP without it being resident on the AT, which can be useful to maintain higher levels of data security. Also, the TCAP may tunnel data through an AT across a communications network to access remote servers. The disclosure also teaches a plug-n-play virtual private network (VPN).

Claims

1. A portable device configured to communicate with a terminal comprising a processor, an input component, an output component, a network communication interface, and a memory configured to store executable program code, including first program code which, when executed by the terminal processor, is configured to present an interactive user interface on the terminal output component, and second program code which, when executed by the terminal processor, is configured to provide a communications node on the terminal to facilitate communications to the portable device and to a communications network node through the terminal network communication interface, the portable device comprising:

(a) an external communication interface configured to enable the transmission of communications between the portable device and the terminal;

(b) a processor; and

(c) a memory having executable program code stored thereon, including;

(1) third program code which, when executed by the portable device processor, is configured to provide a communications node on the portable device to coordinate with the communications node on the terminal and establish a communications link between the portable device and the terminal, and facilitate communications to the terminal and to a communications network node through the terminal network communication interface; and

(2) fourth program code which is configured to be executed by the portable device processor in response to a communication received by the portable device resulting from user interaction with the interactive user interface;

wherein the portable device is configured to facilitate communications through the communication node on the terminal and the terminal network interface to a communications network node.

2. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the fourth program code which, when executed by the portable device processor, is configured to cause a communication to be transmitted to the communication network node.

3. The portable device according to claim 2, wherein the communication caused to be transmitted to the communication network node facilitates verification of the portable device.

4. The portable device according to claim 2, wherein the communication caused to be transmitted to the communication network node facilitates the transmission of encrypted communications from the communication network node to the terminal.

5. The portable device according to claim 2, wherein the communication network node comprises a database and the communication caused to be transmitted to the communication network node facilitates access to the communication network node database.

6. The portable device according to claim 2, wherein the communication network node comprises a database and the communication caused to be transmitted to the communication network node facilitates the download of content on the communication network node database to the terminal.

7. The portable device according to claim 2, wherein the communication network node comprises a database and the communication caused to be transmitted to the communication network node facilitates the download of program code on the communication network node to the terminal.

8. The portable device according to claim 2, wherein the communication network node comprises a database and the communication caused to be transmitted to the communication network node facilitates the upload of content on to the communication network node database.

9. The portable device according to claim 2, wherein the communication network node comprises a database and the communication caused to be transmitted to the communication network node facilitates the upload of program code on to the communication network node database.

10. The portable device according to claim 2, wherein the communication network node comprises a database and the communication caused to be transmitted to the communication network node facilitates synchronizing content on the portable device with content on the communication network node database.

11. The portable device according to claim 2, wherein the communication network node comprises a database and the communication caused to be transmitted to the communication network node facilitates the download of a live data feed to the terminal.

12. The portable device according to claim 11, wherein the live data feed is presented on the terminal output component.

13. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the portable device is further configured to affect the presentation of the interactive user interface on the terminal output device.

14. The portable device according to claim 13, wherein the portable device memory has fifth program code stored thereon, which, when executed, is configured to affect the presentation of the interactive user interface on the terminal output device.

15. The portable device according to claim 13, wherein the portable device is configured to provide the terminal with access to content stored on the portable device memory which affects the presentation of the interactive user interface on the terminal output device.

16. The portable device according to claim 15, wherein the content comprises a user name and/or a portable device identifier, and the interactive user interface is affected to present the user name and/or portable device identifier.

17. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the second program code is stored on the portable device memory and the portable device is configured to provide the terminal with access to the second program code.

18. The portable device according to claim 17, wherein the portable device is configured to load the second program code on to the terminal.

19. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the portable device is configured to cause the terminal to execute the second program code and present an interactive user interface on the terminal output component.

20. The portable device according to claim 19, wherein the portable device memory has fifth program code stored thereon, which, when executed by the portable device processor, is configured to cause the terminal to execute the second program code and present an interactive user interface on the terminal output component.

21. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the interactive user interface comprises a graphic user interface.

22. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the first program code is stored on the portable device memory and the portable device is configured to provide the terminal with access to the first program code.

23. The portable device according to claim 22, wherein the portable device is configured to load the first program code on to the terminal.

24. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the portable device memory comprises one or more of the group consisting of flash memory, read only memory, random access memory, micro hard drives and the like.

25. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the communications network node comprises a server.

26. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the external communication interface comprises a universal serial bus interface.

27. The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the external communication interface comprises a wireless communication interface.

28. A method implemented on a portable device comprising a processor, a memory having executable program code stored thereon, and an external communication interface for enabling the transmission of a plurality of communications between the portable device and a terminal comprising a processor, an input component, an output component, a network communication interface, and a memory configured to store executable program code, including first program code which, when executed by the terminal processor, is configured to present an interactive user interface on the terminal output component, and second program code which, when executed by the terminal processor, is configured to provide a communications node on the terminal to facilitate communications to the portable device and to a communications network node through the terminal network communication interface, the method comprising:

(a) causing the terminal to execute the first program code to present an interactive user interface on the terminal output component;

(b) executing third program code stored on the portable device memory to provide a communications node on the portable device configured to coordinate with the communications node on the terminal and establish a communications link between the portable device and the terminal, and to facilitate communications to the terminal and to a communications network node through the terminal communication interface;

(c) executing fourth program code stored on the portable device memory in response to a communication received by the portable device resulting from user interaction with the interactive user interface; and

(d) facilitating a communication to be transmitted through the terminal network interface to a communications network node.

29. A system implementing a terminal having a processor, an input component, an output component, a network communication interface, and a memory configured to store executable program code, including first program code which, when executed by the terminal processor, is configured to present an interactive user interface on the terminal output component, and second program code which, when executed by the terminal processor, is configured to provide a communications node on the terminal to facilitate communications to and from the terminal, the system comprising:

(a) a communications network node; and

(b) a portable device comprising an external communication interface for enabling the transmission of a plurality of communications between the portable device and the terminal, a processor, and a memory, wherein the memory has executable program code stored thereon, the portable device configured to;

(1) cause the terminal to execute the first program code to present an interactive user interface on the terminal output component;

(2) execute third program code stored on the portable device memory to provide a communications node on the portable device configured to coordinate with the communications node on the terminal and establish a communications link between the portable device and the terminal, and to facilitate communications to the terminal and to a communications network node through the terminal communication interface;

(3) execute fourth program code stored on the portable device memory in response to a communication received by the portable device resulting from user interaction with the interactive user interface; and

(4) facilitate a communication to be transmitted through the terminal network interface to a communications network node.