Apparatus and method for generating configuration data for a device to access a service

• US 6,587,124 B1
• Filed: 03/22/1999
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Virtual Access Technology Limited
• Original Assignee: Virtual Access Ireland Limited
• Inventors: Slaby, John
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/274,056
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 345/735, 345/736, 345/747, 345/744, 345/749, 345/762, 345/743, 345/742, 345/741, 345/737, 345/738-740, 345/780, 345/777, 345/765, 345/806-807, 707/10, 709/203, 709/300
• US Class Current: 715/735
• 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 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A system for generating sets of configuration data comprises an administrator interface allowing an administrator to enter configuration parameters for a generalized configuration and to define user specific configuration parameters necessary for the generation of a complete set of configuration data. The entered configuration parameters are stored together with information identifying the user'"'"'s specific configuration parameters. A user interface is provided allowing the user to enter the user specific configuration parameters. A configuration generator generates a set of configuration data using the stored configuration parameters and the users specific configuration parameters.

Claims

1. Apparatus for generating a set of configuration data for a device, the apparatus comprising:

an administrator interface allowing an administrator to enter configuration parameters for a generalised configuration and to define user specific configuration parameters necessary for the generation of a complete set of configuration data;

a storage device for storing the entered configuration parameters and for identifying the user specific configuration parameters;

a user interface allowing a user to enter the user specific configuration parameters, and

a configuration generator for generating a set of configuration data using said stored configuration parameters and said user specific configuration parameters;

wherein said storage device stores a set of feature meta data comprising a plurality of attributes associated with each one of a plurality of groups of said configuration parameters, each group of said configuration parameters defining a configuration feature, said administrator interface including a display and being configured in accordance with said set of feature meta data to display a series of forms for the inputting of the administrator entered configuration parameters, a form corresponding to a said group of configuration parameters, said storage device further storing the administrator entered configuration parameters organised into said groups.

2. Apparatus for generating a set of configuration data for a device, the apparatus comprising:

an administrator interface allowing an administrator to enter configuration parameters for a generalised configuration and to define user specific configuration parameters necessary for the generation of a complete set of configuration data;

a storage device for storing the entered configuration parameters and for identifying the user specific configuration parameters;

a user interface allowing a user to enter the user specific configuration parameters;

a configuration generator for generating a set of configuration data using said stored configuration parameters and said user specific configuration parameters;

wherein said storage device stores a set of parameter meta data comprising a plurality of attributes associated with each configuration parameter, said administrator interface includes a display and is configured in accordance with said set of parameter meta data to at least one of determined display parameters for the input of said configuration parameters and operate on the entered configuration parameters, said user interface being configured to operate on user entered configuration parameters in accordance with said set of parameter meta data.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said user interface includes a display and is configured to determine display parameters for the input of said configuration parameters in accordance with said set of parameter meta data.

4. Apparatus for generating configuration data for a device to access a service the apparatus comprising:

a database containing;

i. a set of feature meta data comprising attributes for a plurality of features, wherein a feature comprises a user definable characteristic of at least one of the device and service and being defined by a group of configuration parameters; and

ii. a plurality of sets of said configuration parameters, each set corresponding to a feature; and

interface means including a display and configured in dependence upon said set of feature meta data to display prompts for the input of said configuration parameters to said database, said prompts being grouped for each feature in accordance with said sets of configuration parameters in said database.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said database includes a set of parameter meta data comprising attributes for each said configuration parameter, and said interface means is configured in dependence upon said set of parameter meta data to cause the display of the respective prompt for a configuration parameter to be in accordance with the respective parameter meta data.

6. A method of generating a set or configuration data for a device, the method comprising:

receiving configuration parameters for a generalised configuration and identified user specific configuration parameters necessary for the generation of a complete set of configuration data from an administrator interface;

storing the entered configuration parameters and identifying the users specific configuration parameters required to complete the set of configuration data in a storage means;

receiving user specific configuration parameters from a user interface;

generating a set of configuration data using said stored configuration parameters and said user specific configuration parameters,

wherein a set of feature meta data is stored comprising a plurality of attributes associated with each one of a plurality of groups of said configuration parameters, each group of said configuration parameters defining a configuration feature, said administrator interface displays a series of forms in accordance with said set of feature meta data for the inputting of the administrator entered configuration parameters, a form corresponding to a said group of configuration parameters, and the administrator entered configuration parameters are stored and organised into said groups.

7. A method of generating a set of configuration data for a device, the method comprising:

receiving configuration parameters for a generalised configuration and identified user specific configuration parameters necessary for the generation of a complete set of configuration data from an administrator interface;

storing the entered configuration parameters and identifying the users specific configuration parameters required to complete the set of configuration data in a storage means;

receiving user specific configuration parameters from a user interface;

generating a set of configuration data using said stored configuration parameters and said user specific configuration parameters;

wherein a set of parameters meta data is stored comprising a plurality of attributes associated with each configuration parameter, said administrator interface is configured in accordance with said set of parameter meta data to at least one of determined display parameters for the input of said configuration parameters and operate on the entered configuration parameters, said user interface being configured to operate on the user entered configuration parameters in accordance with said set of parameters meta data.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said user interface is configured to determine display parameters for the input of said configuration parameters in accordance with said set of parameter meta data.

9. A method of generating configuration data for a device to access a service, the method comprising:

providing a database containing;

i. a set of feature meta data comprising attributes for a plurality of features, where a feature comprises a user definable characteristics of at least one of the device and service and being defined by a group of configuration parameters, and

ii. a plurality of sets of said configuration parameters, each set corresponding to a feature; and

generating a display interface configured in dependence upon said set of feature meta data thereby displaying prompts for the input of said configuration parameters to said database, said prompts being grouped for each feature in accordance with said sets of configuration parameters in said database.

10. A method according to claim 9, including providing a set of parameter meta data comprising attributes for each said configuration parameters in said database, and generating said interface configured in dependence upon said set of parameter meta data to cause the display of the respective prompt for a configuration parameter to be in accordance with the respective parameter meta data.

11. A storage medium storing computer implementable instructions for controlling a computer to carry out the method of claims 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10.

12. An electrical signal carrying a computer program to control a computer to carry out the method of claims 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10.