Systems and methods for redirecting users having transparent computer access to a network using a gateway device having redirection capability

• US 6,636,894 B1
• Filed: 12/08/1999
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nomadix, Inc. (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nomadix, Inc. (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Logan, Mark F., Delley, Frederic, Pagan, Florence C. I., Short, Joel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Geckil, Mehmet B.
• Application Number:
  US09/458,569
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 709/225, 709/226, 709/227, 709/229, 709/249, 707/1, 713/200, 713/201
• US Class Current: 709/225
• 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 12/2872 Termination of subscriber connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Systems and methods for dynamically creating new users having transparent computer access to a destination network, wherein the users otherwise have access to a home network through home network settings resident on the users'"'"' computers, and wherein the users can access the destination network without altering the home network settings. The system includes a gateway device for receiving a request from a user for access to the destination network, a user profile database comprising stored access information and in communication with the gateway device, and an Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server in communication with the gateway device and user profile database. The AAA server determines if user is entitled to access the destination network based upon the access information stored within the user profile database, and wherein the AAA server redirects the user to a login page where the access information does not indicate the user'"'"'s right to access the destination network. The systems and methods of the present invention can also redirect users having transparent computer access to a destination network, wherein the users otherwise have access to a home network through home network settings resident on the users'"'"' computers, and wherein the users can access the destination network without altering the home network settings.

Claims

1. A method for redirecting an original destination address access request to a redirected destination address, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a gateway device, all original destination address access requests originating from a computer;

determining, at the gateway device, which of the original destination address requests require redirection;

storing the original destination address if redirection is required;

modifying, at the gateway device, the original destination address access request and communicating the modified request to a redirection server if redirection is required;

responding, at the redirection server, to the modified request with a browser redirect message that reassigns the modified request to an administrator-specified, redirected destination address;

intercepting, at the gateway device, the browser redirect message and modifying it with the stored original destination address; and

sending the modified browser redirect message to the computer, which automatically redirects the computer to the redirected destination address.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of directing the computer to the stored original destination address after the computer has been automatically redirected to the redirected destination address.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of directing the computer to the stored original destination address occurs after a predetermined length of time.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of directing the computer to the stored original destination address occurs after a predetermined computer input event has occurred.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of responding, at the redirection server, to the modified request with a browser redirect message that reassigns the modified request to an administrator-specified, redirected destination address further comprises responding, at the redirection server, to the modified request with a browser redirect message that reassigns the modified request to a redirected destination address associated with a login page.

6. A system for redirecting an original destination address access request to a redirected destination address, the system comprising:

a computer that initiates original destination address requests;

a gateway device in communication with the computer, that receives the original destination address requests from the computer, determines if redirection of any of the original destination address requests is required, stores the original destination address request if redirection is required and modifies the original destination address request if redirection is required, and

a redirection server in communication with the gateway device that receives the modified request from the gateway device and responds with a browser redirect message that reassigns the request to an administrator-specified, redirect destination address,

wherein the gateway device intercepts the browser redirect message and modifies the response with the stored original destination address before forwarding the browser redirect message to the computer and wherein the computer receives the modified browser redirect message and the computer is automatically redirected to the redirect destination address.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a user profile database in communication with the gateway device that includes stored user-access information.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising an Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) server in communication with the gateway device and user profile database, the AAA server determines if a user of the computer is entitled to access the original destination address requests based upon the user-access information stored within the user profile database.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the redirection server is located within the gateway device.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the user-profile database is located within the gateway device.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the AAA server is located within the gateway device.