Out-of-band signaling for network based computer session synchronization

• US 6,907,034 B1
• Filed: 04/08/1999
• Issued: 06/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Begis, Glenn
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABELSON, RONALD B
• Application Number:
  US09/289,305
• Time in Patent Office: 2,259 Days
• Field of Search: 370351-356, 370400-401, 370/238, 370/392, 370/410, 370/522
• US Class Current: 370/354
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/101 using crossbar or matrix
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215

Abstract

Establishing a network connection. In one aspect, establishing a network connection includes: establishing a connection across a first communication network that carries audio signals; encoding a computer network address for a specified network different from the first network into an encoded network address and sending the encoded network address across the first network; and using the network address to establish a network connection on the second network. In one implementation, network connectivity functionality of a computer can be automatically accessed using telephone connectivity. Out-of-band signaling provides a spontaneous network collaboration capability by sending an Internet protocol (“IP”) address across a public switched telephone network (“PSTN”) connection.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a network connection, the method comprising:

establishing a connection across a first communication network configured to carry an audio signal, wherein the first communication network comprises a calling telephone and a receiving telephone;

encoding a computer network address for a second network different from the first network into an encoded network address and sending the encoded network address across the first network, wherein the second network comprises a calling computer and a receiving computer;

using the network address that is sent over the first network to establish a network connection on the second network;

maintaining the first connection across the first communication network while the second network connection is being established;

providing encryption capabilities, wherein providing the encryption capabilities comprise encrypting the audio signal using an encryption key; and

verifying that the calling computer is coupled to the calling telephone by sending a signal from the receiving telephone to the calling telephone across the first communication network and sending the signal from the calling computer to the receiving computer across the second network, wherein verifying the calling computer is coupled to the calling telephone comprises;

generating a random number;

sending the random number to the calling telephone across the first communication network;

receiving an encrypted random number at the receiving computer across the second network;

decrypting the encrypted random number using a public cryptographic key; and

comparing the random number with the decrypted random number.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transferring a secret key across at least one of the network connections; and

allowing network users to converse across the first communication network while encrypting and decrypting audio signals for each user.

3. The method of claim 1, where the encoded network address is configured to be encoded using dual tone multi-frequency signals.

4. The method of claim 1, where the encoded network address is configured to be appended to telephone network signaling data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second network comprises an Internet, wherein the computer network address comprises an Internet protocol address.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a stream of audio signals;

sending the audio signals through the connection across the first telephone network prior to using the network address to establish a network connection; and

sending the audio signals through the connection across the second network after using the network address to establish the network connection.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the encryption capabilities further comprise:

receiving a stream of audio signals;

encrypting the audio signals using the calling computer that is connected to the second network to form encrypted audio signals; and

sending the encrypted audio signals across the first communication network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the encryption capabilities further comprise:

transmitting the encryption key across the second network;

encrypting the audio signal using the encryption key to form an encrypted audio signal; and

transmitting the encrypted audio signal across the first communication network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein using the network address that is sent over the first network to establish a network connection on the second network comprises:

translating the encoded network address to a computer network address.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

supporting simultaneous network connections for the first network and the second network.

11. A program stored on a machine-readable medium for establishing a network connection, the program including instructions operable to cause a machine to:

establish a connection across a first communication network configured to carry an audio signal;

encode a computer network address for a second network different from the first network into an encoded network address and send the encoded network address across the first network;

use the network address that is sent over the first network to establish a network connection on the second network;

maintain the first connection across the first communication network while the second network connection is being established;

provide encryption capabilities, wherein providing the encryption capabilities comprise encrypting the audio signal using an encryption key; and

verify that a calling computer is coupled to a calling telephone by sending a signal from a receiving telephone to the calling telephone across the first communication network and sending the signal from the calling computer to the receiving computer across the second network, wherein verifying the calling computer is coupled to the calling telephone comprises;

generating a random number;

sending the random number to the calling telephone across the first communication network;

receiving an encrypted random number at the receiving computer across the second network;

decrypting the encrypted random number using a public cryptographic key; and

comparing the random number with the decrypted random number.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the receiving computer comprises a computer-controlled interactive voice response system.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising authenticating the calling computer.

14. A method of authenticating a telephone call between a calling telephone and a receiving telephone, the method comprising:

establishing a connection across a voice communication network between the calling telephone and the receiving telephone;

establishing a connection across a computer network between a calling computer and a receiving computer by using a computer network address sent on the voice communication network to establish the connection on the computer network; and

verifying that the calling computer is coupled to the calling telephone by sending a signal from the receiving telephone to the calling telephone across the voice communication network and sending the signal from the calling computer to the receiving computer across the computer network where verifying the calling computer is coupled to the calling telephone comprises;

generating a random number;

sending the random number to the calling telephone across the voice communication network;

receiving an encrypted random number at the receiving computer across the computer network;

decrypting the encrypted random number using a public cryptographic key; and

comparing the random number with the decrypted random number.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising authenticating the calling computer.

16. The method of claim 14, where establishing a connection across a computer network comprises:

encoding the computer network address into an encoded network address;

sending the encoded network address across the voice telephone network; and

receiving a network connection request to establish a connection across the computer network, where the network connection request uses the computer network address.

17. The method of claim 14, where establishing a connection across a computer network comprises:

receiving the encoded network address across the voice telephone network;

translating the encoded network address to a computer network address; and

sending a network connection request to establish a connection across the computer network, where the network connection request uses the computer network address.

18. A method of authenticating a telephone call between a calling telephone and a receiving telephone, the method comprising:

establishing a connection across a voice communication network between a calling telephone and a receiving telephone;

establishing a connection across a computer network between a calling computer and a receiving computer; and

verifying that the receiving computer is coupled to the receiving telephone by sending a signal from the calling telephone to the receiving telephone across the voice communication network and sending the signal from the receiving computer to the calling computer across the computer network, wherein verifying the receiving computer is coupled to the receiving telephone comprises generating at least one random number to send to the receiving telephone across the voice telephone network and comparing the at least one random number to a random number received at the calling computer across the computer network.

19. A method of authenticating a telephone call between a calling telephone and a receiving telephone, the method comprising:

establishing a connection across a voice communication network between the calling telephone and the receiving telephone;

establishing a connection across a computer network between a calling computer and a receiving computer by using a computer network address sent on the voice communication network to establish the connection on the computer network; and

verifying that the calling computer is coupled to the calling telephone, wherein the verifying comprises;

generating a random number;

sending the random number to the calling telephone across the voice communication network;

encrypting the random number at the calling computer;

sending the random number from the calling computer to the receiving computer;

decrypting an encrypted random number sent by the calling computer across the computer network using a public cryptographic key; and

comparing the random number with the decrypted random number to enable the receiving computer to verify that the calling computer is coupled to the calling telephone.

20. A method comprising:

establishing a connection across a voice communication network using a receiving telephone;

establishing a connection across a computer network with a receiving computer by using a computer network address sent on the voice communication network to establish the connection on the computer network; and

sending a signal from the receiving telephone across the voice communication network and sending the signal to the receiving computer across the computer network, wherein the sending comprises;

generating a random number at the receiving computer;

sending the random number across the voice communication network;

receiving an encrypted random number at the receiving computer across the computer network;

decrypting the encrypted random number using a public cryptographic key; and

comparing the random number with the decrypted random number.