Controlling usage of network resources by a user at the user's entry point to a communications network based on an identity of the user
First Claim
1. A method of controlling usage, by a user, of network resources of a communications network beyond a network entry device of the communications network that serves as the user'"'"'s entry point to the communications network, the method comprising acts of:
- (A) configuring a port module of the network entry device with one or more packet rules corresponding to an identity of the user;
(B) receiving, at the port module, a packet from a user device; and
(C) before using, by the user, any of the network resources beyond the network entry device, applying the one or more packet rules to the received packet to control usage, by the user, of any of the network resources beyond the network entry device.
20 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A user'"'"'s usage of network resources is controlled, after the user has been authenticated, without using any network resources beyond the user'"'"'s entry point to the network. Packet rules may be provisioned to the user'"'"'s entry point to the network, and the packet rules may be applied to each packet received from the user before any network resources beyond the entry point are used. These packet rules may be associated with an identity of the user and then provisioned to the user'"'"'s entry point in response to the user being authenticated. Usage of network resources of a communications network by a user beyond a network device of the communications network that serves as the user'"'"'s entry point to the communications network is controlled. The port module of the network device is configured with one or more packet rules corresponding to an identity of the user. A packet is received from a device used by the user at the port module, and, before using any of the network resources beyond the network device, the one or more packet rules are applied to the received packet. Another embodiment is provided for controlling usage of network resources of a communications network by a user. The user has an assigned role with respect to the communications network, and the assigned role is associated with one or more packet rules, each packet rule including a condition and action to be taken if a packet received at a device satisfies the condition. A packet including identification information of the user is received from a device of the user at a port module of a network device. The assigned role of the user is determined based on the identification information, and the port module is configured with the one or more packet rules associated with the assigned role of the user.
143 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A method of controlling usage, by a user, of network resources of a communications network beyond a network entry device of the communications network that serves as the user'"'"'s entry point to the communications network, the method comprising acts of:
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(A) configuring a port module of the network entry device with one or more packet rules corresponding to an identity of the user;
(B) receiving, at the port module, a packet from a user device; and
(C) before using, by the user, any of the network resources beyond the network entry device, applying the one or more packet rules to the received packet to control usage, by the user, of any of the network resources beyond the network entry device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A network entry device serving as an entry point to a communications network for a user and operative to control usage of network resources by the user beyond the network entry device, the network entry device comprising:
a port module including port configuration logic to configure the port module with one or more packet rules corresponding to an identity of the user, the port module further including a physical port to receive a packet from at least one user device and rule application logic to apply the one or more packet rules to the received packet before using, by the user, any of the network resources beyond the network entry device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A network entry device serving as an entry point to a communications network for a user, the network entry device operative to control usage of network resources beyond the network entry device by the user and comprising:
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a port module including a physical port to receive a packet from a device used by the user and rule application logic to apply one or more packet rules to the received packet before using, by the user, any of the network resources beyond the network entry device; and
means for configuring the port module with the one or more packet rules based on an identity of the user.
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36. A computer program product, comprising:
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a computer-readable medium; and
computer-readable information stored on the computer-readable medium that define instructions that, as a result of being executed by a computer, instruct the computer to perform a process of controlling usage of network resources, by a user, of a communications network beyond a network entry device that serves as the user'"'"'s entry point to the communications network, the process comprising acts of;
(A) configuring a port module of the network entry device with one or more packet rules corresponding to an identity of the user;
(B) receiving, at the port module, a packet from the user device; and
(C) before using, by the user, any of the network resources beyond the network entry device, applying the one or more packet rules to the received packet to control the usage, by the user, of any of the network resources beyond the network entry device.
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37. A method of controlling network resource usage by a user at a network entry device of the communications network that serves as the user'"'"'s entry point to the communications network, wherein the user has an assigned role with respect to the communications network, and the assigned role is associated with one or more packet rules, each packet rule including a condition and action to be taken if a packet received at the network entry device satisfies the condition, the method comprising acts of:
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(A) receiving a packet including identification information of the user from a device of the user at a port module of the network entry device before using, by the user, any of the network resources beyond the port module of the network entry device;
(B) determining the assigned role of the user based on the identification information; and
(C) configuring the port module of the network entry device with the one or more packet rules associated with the assigned role of the user to control usage, by the user, of any of the network resources beyond the port module of the network entry device. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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41. A system for controlling network resource usage by a user at a network entry device of the communications network that serves as the user'"'"'s entry point to the communications network, wherein the user has an assigned role with respect to the communications network, and the assigned role is associated with one or more packet rules, each packet rule including a condition and action to be taken if a packet received at the network entry device satisfies the condition, the system comprising:
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a port module of the network entry device, the port module including a physical port to receive a packet including identification information of the user from a device of the user before using, by the user, any of the network resources beyond the port module of the network entry device and port configuration logic to configure the port module with the one or more packet rules associated with the assigned role of the user to control usage, by the user, of any of the network resources beyond the port module of the network entry device; and
an authentication module to determine the assigned role of the user based on the identification information. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44)
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45. A system for controlling usage of network resources of a communications network by a user at a network entry device of the communications network that serves as the user'"'"'s entry point to the communications network, wherein the user has an assigned role with respect to the communications network, and the assigned role is associated with one or more packet rules, each packet rule including a condition and action to be taken if a packet received at the network entry device satisfies the condition, the system comprising:
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a port module of the network entry device, the port module including a physical port to receive a packet including identification information of the user from a device of the user before using, by the user, any of the network resources beyond the port module of the network entry device and port configuration logic to configure the port module with the one or more packet rules associated with the assigned role of the user to control usage, by the user, of any of the network resources beyond the port module of the network entry device; and
means for determining the assigned role of the user based on the identification information.
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46. A computer program product, comprising:
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a computer-readable medium; and
computer-readable information stored on the computer-readable medium that define instructions that, as a result of being executed by a computer, instruct the computer to perform a process of controlling network resource usage by a user at a network entry device of the communications network that serves as the user'"'"'s entry point to the communications network, wherein the user has an assigned role with respect to the communications network, and the assigned role is associated with one or more packet rules, each packet rule including a condition and action to be taken if a packet received at the network entry device satisfies the condition, the process comprising acts of;
(A) receiving a packet including identification information of the user from a device of the user at a port module of a network entry device before using, by the user, any of the network resources beyond the port module of the network device;
(B) determining the assigned role of the user based on the identification information; and
(C) configuring the port module with the one or more packet rules associated with the assigned role of the user to control usage, by the user, of any of the network resources beyond the port module of the network entry device.
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Specification