System and method for establishing secure internet communication between a remote computer and a host computer via an intermediate internet computer

• US 6,711,610 B1
• Filed: 09/10/1999
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Harris, Clifford V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Wen Tai
• Application Number:
  US09/394,359
• Time in Patent Office: 1,656 Days
• Field of Search: 709/229, 709/228, 709/200, 709/217, 709/218, 709/227, 713/201, 713/200, 345/5.1, 345/5.8, 345/825
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/12 Arrangements for remote connection or disconnection of substations or of equipment thereof
• 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 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

A system and method is provided for initiating an activation script of commands that create a connection between the host system and the Internet. A user at a remote computer system initiates a request over the Internet to a intermediary computer system associated with a host system for a remote connection thereto. The intermediary computer system is geographically located in the local telephone calling area of the host computer system and has a continuous connection to the Internet. The intermediary computer system initiates an asynchronous call to the host computer system via modem to transmit the request. The host computer system receives this request to connect to the Internet from the intermediary computer system. This request contains the remote requestor'"'"'s identity for the purposes of feedback. Authentication of the remote requestor is performed and the host computer system acknowledges the request. The host computer system then disconnects from the intermediary computer system connects to the Internet. If the remote requestor is not authenticated then the host computer system disconnects from the intermediary system and does not connect to the Internet. The host computer system communicates over the Internet with the remote computer system to establish the identity feedback. If identity feedback is verified, then the remote computer system can begin normal TCPIP based communications with the host computer system.

Claims

1. A method of initiating communication between a host computer system and a remote computer system comprising:

transmitting from the remote computer system request data over an Internet;

receiving at an intermediary computer system said request data from the Internet;

transmitting from the intermediary computer system said request data outside of the Internet;

receiving at the host computer system said request data from outside of the Internet;

first authenticating an identity of the remote computer system at the host computer system;

connecting the host computer system to the Internet in response to said request data when said identity of the remote computer system is first authenticated;

communicating over the Internet between the host computer system and the remote computer system;

second authenticating said identity of the remote computer system at the host computer system in response to data received in said communicating over the Internet, and continuing said communicating over the Internet when said identity of the remote computer system is second verified;

third authenticating said identity of the remote computer system at the intermediary computer system; and

wherein said transmitting from the intermediary computer system said request data outside of the Internet comprises transmitting from the intermediary computer system said request data outside of the Internet when said identity of the remote computer system is third authenticated.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said intermediary computer system comprises an Internet service provider server system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said transmitting from the intermediary computer system said request data outside of the Internet includes initiating an asynchronous call over telephone lines using a modem at the intermediary computer system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said first authenticating comprises comparing said identity to an access list stored at the host computer system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first authenticating and said second authenticating steps utilizes a secret software key or data encryption.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said connecting the host computer system to the Internet in response to said request data comprises executing an activation script stored at the host computer system.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said request data includes an IP address for use by the host system for communicating with the remote computer system.

8. A system comprising:

a remote computer system for transmitting request data over an Internet;

an intermediary computer system receptive to said request data from the Internet and configured for transmitting said request data outside of the Internet in response to said request data;

a host computer system receptive to said request data from outside of the Internet, said host computer system configured for first authenticating an identity of said remote computer system and connecting said host computer system to the Internet in response to said request data when said identity of the remote computer system is first authenticated, said host computer system configured for communicating over the Internet between the host computer system and the remote computer system, said host computer system configured for second authenticating said identity of said remote computer system in response to data received in communications over the Internet and continuing communications with said remote computer system over the Internet when said identity of said remote computer system is second verified;

wherein said intermediary computer system is further configured for third authenticating said identity of said remote computer system, and wherein said intermediary computer system configured for transmitting said request data outside of the Internet comprises transmitting said request data outside of the Internet when said identity of the remote computer system is third authenticated.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said intermediary computer system comprises an Internet service provider server system.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said intermediary computer system includes a modem for transmitting said request data outside of the Internet includes by initiating an asynchronous call over telephone lines using said modem.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein said host computer system configured for first authenticating said identity of said remote computer system comprises comparing said identity to an access list stored at the host computer system.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein at least one of said first authenticating and said second authenticating utilizes a secret software key or data encryption.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein said host computer system configured for connecting said host computer system to the Internet in response to said request data comprises executing an activation script stored at said host computer system.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein said request data includes an IP address for use by the host system for communicating with the remote computer system.

15. A method of initiating communication between a host computer system and a remote computer system, comprising:

transmitting from the remote computer system request data over an Internet;

receiving at an intermediary computer system said request data from the Internet;

transmitting from the intermediary computer system a signal to determine if the host computer system is connected to the Internet;

transmitting from the intermediary computer system said request data (1) over the Internet when the host computer system is connected to the Internet and (2) outside of the Internet otherwise;

receiving at the host computer system said request data;

first authenticating an identity of the remote computer system at the host computer system;

communicating over the Internet between the host computer system and the remote computer system when said identity of the remote computer system is first authenticated;

second authenticating said identity of the remote computer system at the host computer system in response to data received in said communicating over the Internet, and continuing said communicating over the Internet when said identity of the remote computer system is second verified;

third authenticating said identity of the remote computer system at the intermediary computer system;

wherein said transmitting from the intermediary computer system said request data outside of the Internet comprises transmitting from the intermediary computer system said request data outside of the Internet when said identity of the remote computer system is third authenticated.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said intermediary computer system comprises an Internet service provider server system.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said first authenticating comprises comparing said identity to an access list stored at the host computer system.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein at least one of said first authenticating and said second authenticating steps utilizes a secret software key or data encryption.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein said request data includes an IP address for use by the host system for communicating with the remote computer system.

20. A system comprising:

a remote computer system for transmitting request data over an Internet;

an intermediary computer system receptive to said request data from the Internet, said intermediary computer system configured for transmitting a signal to determine if a host computer system is connected to the Internet and for transmitting said request data (1) over the Internet when said host computer system is connected to the Internet and (2) outside of the Internet otherwise;

a host computer system receptive to said request data, said host computer system configured for first authenticating an identity of said remote computer system, said host computer system further configured for communicating over the Internet between said host computer system and said remote computer system when said identity of said remote computer system is first authenticated, said host computer system configured for second authenticating said identity of said remote computer system in response to data received in communications over the Internet and continuing communications with said remote computer system over the Internet when said identity of said remote computer system is second verified;

wherein said intermediary computer system is further configured for third authenticating said identity of said remote computer system and wherein said intermediary computer system configured for transmitting said request data outside of the Internet comprises transmitting said request data outside of the Internet when said identity of the remote computer system is third authenticated.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said intermediary computer system comprises an Internet service provider server system.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein said host computer system configured for first authenticating said identity of said remote computer system comprises comparing said identity to an access list stored at the host computer system.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein at least one of said first authenticating and said second authenticating utilizes a secret software key or data encryption.

24. The system of claim 20 wherein said request data includes an IP address for use by the host system for communicating with the remote computer system.