Method and apparatus for configuration of an internet appliance

• US 6,161,133 A
• Filed: 10/19/1998
• Issued: 12/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Lextron Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Kikinis, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRELL, ROBERT B
• Application Number:
  US09/175,871
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220
• 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 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0883 Semiautomatic configuration, e.g. proposals from system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4557 Directories for hybrid networks, e.g. including telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A network server is adapted to connect on the network with Internet appliances, and to fully configure such appliances over a network connection to access and operate on the Internet. In a preferred embodiment the appliances have first control routines adapted to cooperate with second routines at the server, and also a network address for connection. An initiation signal by a user at a network-connected appliance launches the first routines, causing the appliance to invoke the network address and to establish network communication with the server and to initiate configuration interaction. In some cases special telephone numbers are provided with new appliances, and the dial-up server, through Destination Number Information Service (DNIS) uses the dial-up number in conjunction with a data repository to select appropriate software for interfacing with and configuring a connecting appliance. A full range of services may be provided, including value-added services, such a browsers and browser configuration.

Claims

1. A system for configuring Internet appliances, comprising:

a server having a connection to a network;

a data repository accessible by the server, and comprising data related to Internet appliances to be configured, the data associated with specific appliances by a telephone number or address used to access the system; and

control routines for configuring Internet appliances via the network connection;

wherein, upon receiving a request from an Internet appliance via the network connection the control routines consult the database for correct procedure, finding the correct procedure by the association with the telephone number or address used to contact the system, and interact with the appliance via the network connection to configure the appliance for Internet access and operation.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein a telephone number is used to access the system, and the associative telephone number is rendered in the system by Destination Number Information Service (DNIS) provided by a network provider.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein further association of configuration routines is provided by Automatic Number Identification (ANI) provided by a network provider.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the control routines in the server interact with compatible control routines pre-programmed in the Internet appliance during configuration.

5. An Internet appliance comprising:

a network connection port; and

pre-programmed configuration routines, including a preprogrammed telephone number or address for use by the device to contact a configuration server,

wherein, upon connection to the network the appliance dials the preprogrammed number or address, initiating a communication with the configuration server connected to the network, and interacts with compatible routines executing on the server to configure the appliance.

6. The Internet appliance of claim 5 wherein the network is a connection-type telephone network.

7. The Internet appliance of claim 6 wherein based on the initiation of the connection the server selects the appropriate routines to service the particular Internet appliance.

8. A method for configuring an Internet appliance, comprising steps of:

(a) pre-programming the Internet appliance having a network port with first configuration routines adapted to interact with a remote network configuration server having second configuration routines, the first configuration routines including a telephone number or address to be used by the device to access the remote configuration server;

(b) connecting the Internet appliance by the network port to a compatible network;

(c) asserting the preprogrammed telephone number or address by the appliance, establishing communication with the remote configuration server; and

(d) configuring the Internet appliance for Internet access by interaction of the first and second configuration routines, the second configuration routines selected by the configuration server according to the telephone number or address used to access the configuration server.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein, in step (d) the server additionally uses the telephone number of the location from which the appliance calls the server in selection configuration routines.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein in step (d) the configuration server uses Automatic Number Identification (ANI) and Destination Number Information Service (DNIS) to select specific configuration routines for the particular appliance.