Using an authentication server to obtain dial-out information on a network

• US 6,141,687 A
• Filed: 05/08/1998
• Issued: 10/31/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blair, Dana L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SALAD, ABDULLAHI ELMI
• Application Number:
  US09/074,498
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/225, 709/238, 709/223, 713/200, 713/201
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2874 Processing of data for distribution to the subscribers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

A method for using an authentication server to obtain dial-out information about a network including the steps of receiving a destination network address to the authentication server; obtaining a network number and a corresponding network mask from a database; applying said network mask to said destination network address and comparing the result to said network number; retrieving a profile corresponding to said network number and network mask from a database if said network number matches the result of applying said network mask to said destination network address; and repeating said obtaining, applying, and retrieving steps if said network number does not match the result of applying said network mask to said destination network address.

Claims

1. A method for using an authentication server to obtain dial out information about a network, including the steps of:

receiving a destination network address;

obtaining a network number and a corresponding network mask from a database;

applying said network mask to said destination network address and comparing the result to said network number;

retrieving a profile from a server, said profile corresponding to said network number and network mask from a database if said network number matches the result of applying said network mask to said destination network address, wherein said profile includes a phone number; and

repeating said obtaining, applying, and retrieving steps if said network number does not match the result of applying said network mask to said destination network address.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said obtaining step includes the steps of:

removing a profile from a database; and

obtaining a network number and a corresponding network mask from said profile.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said profile from said removing step and said profile from said retrieving step are the same profile.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said profile may contain more than one pair of network numbers and corresponding network masks.

5. The method of claim 1, further including the step of:

locating dial out information in said profile.

6. The method of claim 5, further including the step of:

forwarding said dial out information to an access server.

7. The method of claim 1, further including the step of:

forwarding said profile to an access server.

8. A method for using an authentication server, including the steps of:

receiving information;

determining if said information is a destination network address or a username;

obtaining a network number and a corresponding network mask from a database if said information is a destination network address;

applying said network mask to said destination network address and comparing the result to said network number if said information is a destination network address;

retrieving a profile from a server, said profile corresponding to said network number and network mask from a database if said network number matches the result of applying said network mask to said destination network address and if said information is a destination network address, wherein said profile includes a phone number;

repeating said obtaining, applying, and retrieving steps if said network number does not match the result of applying said network mask to said destination network address and if said information is a destination network address; and

extracting a profile from a server, said profile corresponding to said username from a database if said information is a username.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said retrieving step includes the steps of:

removing a profile from a database; and

obtaining a network number and a corresponding network mask from said profile.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said profile from said removing step and said profile from said retrieving step are the same profile.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said profile may contain more than one pair of network numbers and corresponding network masks.

12. The method of claim 8, further including the step of:

locating dial out information in said profile.

13. The method of claim 12, further including the step of:

forwarding said dial out information to an access server.

14. The method of claim 8, further including the step of:

forwarding said profile to an access server.

15. An computer network including:

an authentication server;

an access server which passes a destination network address to an authentication server;

said authentication server including;

a first database searcher which obtains a network number and a corresponding network mask from a database;

a de-masker which applies said network mask to said destination network address and compares the result to said network number;

a second database searcher which retrieves a profile from a server, said profile corresponding to said network number and network mask from a database if said network number matches the result of applying said network mask to said destination network address, wherein said profile includes a phone number; and

a repeater which activates said first database searcher, said de-masker, and said second database searcher continuously until said network number matches the result of applying said network mask to said destination network address.

16. The computer network of claim 15, wherein said first database searcher includes:

a profile remover which removes a profile from a database; and

a profile reader which obtains a network number and a corresponding network mask from said profile.

17. The computer network of claim 16, wherein said first database searcher and said second database searcher retrieve the same profile.

18. The computer network of claim 15, wherein said profile may contain more than one pair of network numbers and corresponding network masks.

19. The computer network of claim 15, wherein said authentication server further includes:

a profile reader which locates dial out information in said profile.

20. The computer network of claim 19, wherein said authentication server further includes:

an information forwarder which forwards said dial out information to said access server.

21. The computer network of claim 15, wherein said authentication server further includes:

a profile forwarder which forwards said profile to an access server.

22. A computer network including:

an authentication server;

an access server which passes a destination network address to an authentication server;

said authentication server including;

a determiner which determines if said information is a destination network address or a username;

a first database searcher which obtains a network number and a corresponding network mask from a database if said information is a destination network address;

a de-masker which applies said network mask to said destination network address and compares the result to said network number if said information is a destination network address;

a second database searcher which retrieves a profile from a server, said profile corresponding to said network number and network mask from a database if said network number matches the result of applying said network mask to said destination network address and if said information is a destination network address, wherein said profile includes a phone number;

a repeater which activates said first database searcher, said de-masker, and said second database searcher continuously if said information is a destination network address until said network number matches the result of applying said network mask to said destination network address; and

a profile extractor which extracts a profile from a server, said profile corresponding to said username from a database if said information is a username.

23. The computer network of claim 22, wherein said first database searcher includes:

a profile remover which removes a profile from a database; and

a profile reader which obtains a network number and a corresponding network mask from said profile.

24. The computer network of claim 23, wherein said first database searcher and said second database searcher retrieve the same profile.

25. The computer network of claim 22, wherein said profile may contain more than one pair of network numbers and corresponding network masks.

26. The computer network of claim 22, wherein said authentication server further includes:

a profile reader which locates dial out information in said profile.

27. The computer network of claim 26, wherein said authentication server further includes:

an information forwarder which forwards said dial out information to said access server.