APPARATUS AND ACCOMPANYING METHODS FOR PROVIDING, THROUGH A CENTRALIZED SERVER SITE, AN INTEGRATED VIRTUAL OFFICE ENVIRONMENT, REMOTELY ACCESSIBLE VIA A NETWORK-CONNECTED WEB BROWSER, WITH REMOTE NETWORK MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT CAPABILITIES
First Claim
1. Apparatus which interacts with and is communicatively connected to a device for remotely configuring itself to the device through a wide area network connection between the apparatus and an administrative web site, the apparatus comprising:
- a processor;
a memory, connected to the processor, for storing computer executable instructions therein;
wherein, in response to the executable instructions, the processor;
detects whether only a default profile for the device is then stored within the memory;
if only the default profile is so stored, establishes a first secured network connection, through the WAN, to the administrative web site using specific predefined login parameters stored within the apparatus and valid for the administrative web site but unrelated to a customer of the apparatus, wherein the apparatus identifies itself, through a unique identifier associated therewith, to the administrative web site so as to invoke a management session, over the WAN, with the administrative web site;
once the management session has been established, obtains customer-specific login parameters associated with an account for accessing the WAN by the customer who is to use the apparatus in conjunction with the device;
after receiving the customer-specific login parameters, tears down the first secured connection and establishes a second secured network connection, through the WAN but over a network modality different from the first secured network connection, to the administrative web site and then, using the customer-specific login parameters, re-establishes the management session with the administrative web site;
once the management session has been re-established, downloads a profile, from the administrative web site, that characterizes the device; and
in response to the profile, configures constituent components of the apparatus so as to conform operation of the apparatus to corresponding characteristics of the device as defined in the profile such that the apparatus can properly interact with the device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and accompanying methods for use therein for implementing an integrated, virtual office user environment, through an office server(s), through which a remotely stationed user can access typical office network-based applications, including e-mail, file sharing and hosted thin-client programs, through a remotely located network, e.g., WAN, connected web browser. Specifically, a front end, namely a service enablement platform (SEP), to one or more office servers on a LAN is connected to both the WAN and LAN and acts both as a bridge between the user and his(her) office applications and as a protocol translator to enable bi-directional, web-based, real-time communication to occur between the browser and each such application. During initial operation, the SEP, operating under a default profile, establishes, over an analog connection to the WAN, a management session with the site to obtain customer WAN access information, then tears down the analog connection and establishes a broadband WAN connection through which the SEP re-establishes its prior session and obtains a client certificate and its customized profile. The SEP then re-initializes itself to that particular profile.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. Apparatus which interacts with and is communicatively connected to a device for remotely configuring itself to the device through a wide area network connection between the apparatus and an administrative web site, the apparatus comprising:
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a processor;
a memory, connected to the processor, for storing computer executable instructions therein;
wherein, in response to the executable instructions, the processor;
detects whether only a default profile for the device is then stored within the memory;
if only the default profile is so stored, establishes a first secured network connection, through the WAN, to the administrative web site using specific predefined login parameters stored within the apparatus and valid for the administrative web site but unrelated to a customer of the apparatus, wherein the apparatus identifies itself, through a unique identifier associated therewith, to the administrative web site so as to invoke a management session, over the WAN, with the administrative web site;
once the management session has been established, obtains customer-specific login parameters associated with an account for accessing the WAN by the customer who is to use the apparatus in conjunction with the device;
after receiving the customer-specific login parameters, tears down the first secured connection and establishes a second secured network connection, through the WAN but over a network modality different from the first secured network connection, to the administrative web site and then, using the customer-specific login parameters, re-establishes the management session with the administrative web site;
once the management session has been re-established, downloads a profile, from the administrative web site, that characterizes the device; and
in response to the profile, configures constituent components of the apparatus so as to conform operation of the apparatus to corresponding characteristics of the device as defined in the profile such that the apparatus can properly interact with the device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for use in apparatus which interacts with and is communicatively connected to a device for remotely configuring itself to the device through a wide area network connection between the apparatus and an administrative web site, the apparatus having a processor and a memory, connected to the processor, for storing computer executable instructions therein, wherein the method comprises the steps, performed by the processor in response to execution of the stored instructions, of:
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detecting whether only a default profile for the device is then stored within the memory;
if only the default profile is so stored, establishing a first secured network connection, through the WAN, to the administrative web site using specific predefined login parameters stored within the apparatus and valid for the administrative web site but unrelated to a customer of the apparatus, wherein the apparatus identifies itself, through a unique identifier associated therewith, to the administrative web site so as to invoke a management session, over the WAN, with the administrative web site;
once the management session has been established, obtaining customer-specific login parameters associated with an account for accessing the WAN by the customer who is to use the apparatus in conjunction with the device;
after receiving the customer-specific login parameters, tearing down the first secured connection and establishing a second secured network connection, through the WAN but over a network modality different from the first secured network connection, to the administrative web site and then, using the customer-specific login parameters, re-establishing the management session with the administrative web site;
once the management session has been re-established, downloading a profile, from the administrative web site, that characterizes the device; and
in response to the profile, configuring constituent components of the apparatus so as to conform operation of the apparatus to corresponding characteristics of the device as defined in the profile such that the apparatus can properly interact with the device. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification