Method and apparatus for providing mobile and other intermittent connectivity in a computing environment
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for enabling secure data communication with a computing device that roams among plural data communication networks or subnetworks of the type that carry Internet Protocol (IP) data, said method comprising:
- establishing access to at least one data communications network or subnetwork carrying IP data;
using said network or subnetwork to institute secure data communications between said computing device and another computing device;
upon said computing device roaming while operational to a further network or subnetwork carrying IP data, establishing access at the computing device with said further network or subnetwork to enable said computing device to communicate over said further network or subnetwork;
participating in a DHCP process with said further network or subnetwork;
learning, at least in part in response to said DHCP process, that said computing device is enabled to communicate over said further network or subnetwork;
based at least in part on said learning, informing said another computing device that said computing device has roamed and has access to said further network or subnetwork; and
using said access to said further network or subnetwork to continue said secure data communications between the computing device and said another computing device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A seamless solution transparently addresses the characteristics of nomadic systems, and enables existing network applications to run reliably in mobile environments. The solution extends the enterprise network, letting network managers provide mobile users with easy access to the same applications as stationary users without sacrificing reliability or centralized management. The solution combines advantages of existing wire-line network standards with emerging mobile standards to create a solution that works with existing network applications. A Mobility Management Server coupled to the mobile network maintains the state of each of any number of Mobile End Systems and handles the complex session management required to maintain persistent connections to the network and to other peer processes. If a Mobile End System becomes unreachable, suspends, or changes network address (e.g., due to roaming from one network interconnect to another), the Mobility Management Server maintains the connection to the associated peer task—allowing the Mobile End System to maintain a continuous connection even though it may temporarily lose contact with its network medium. In one example, Mobility Management Server communicates with Mobile End Systems using Remote Procedure Call and Internet Mobility Protocols.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. A method for enabling secure data communication with a computing device that roams among plural data communication networks or subnetworks of the type that carry Internet Protocol (IP) data, said method comprising:
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establishing access to at least one data communications network or subnetwork carrying IP data;
using said network or subnetwork to institute secure data communications between said computing device and another computing device;
upon said computing device roaming while operational to a further network or subnetwork carrying IP data, establishing access at the computing device with said further network or subnetwork to enable said computing device to communicate over said further network or subnetwork;
participating in a DHCP process with said further network or subnetwork;
learning, at least in part in response to said DHCP process, that said computing device is enabled to communicate over said further network or subnetwork;
based at least in part on said learning, informing said another computing device that said computing device has roamed and has access to said further network or subnetwork; and
using said access to said further network or subnetwork to continue said secure data communications between the computing device and said another computing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method, performed by a computing device while the computing device is operational, for enabling secure data communication over at least one data communication network or subnetwork of the type that carries Internet Protocol (IP) data, said method comprising:
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establishing access to at least one data communications network or subnetwork carrying IP data;
using said network or subnetwork access to establish secure data communications with another computing device;
disassociating access from said network or subnetwork;
subsequent to said disassociating step, reestablishing access to said network or subnetwork;
participating in a DHCP process with said network or subnetwork;
learning, at least in part in response to said DHCP process, that said computing device has reestablished access to said network or subnetwork;
based at least in part on said learning, informing said another computing device of said reestablished access; and
using said reestablished access to continue said secure data communications with said another computing device. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method for allowing a mobile computing device to move between plural IP-based networks, comprising:
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connecting the mobile computing device to at least one network;
using a dynamically-supplied IP address to enable secure data communications providing application and/or transport layer sessions between said mobile computing device and another computing device;
then migrating the mobile computing device to a further network while said mobile computing device is operational;
determining, based at least in part on a DHCP process performed on said further network, that said mobile computing device may have moved; and
in response to said determining, taking further action to continue said secure data communications including said application and/or transport layer sessions between said moved mobile computing device and said another computing device over said further network without terminating said application and/or transport layer sessions.
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53. A method for allowing a mobile computing device to roam across IP-based networks, comprising:
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connecting the mobile computing device to at least one network medium used for data communications;
using a network layer address to facilitate secure IP-based data communications including application and/or transport layer sessions between said mobile computing device and another computing device at least in part via said network medium;
then connecting the mobile computing device to a further network medium without first rebooting said mobile computing device;
performing a DHCP process over said further network medium;
discovering, based at least in part on said DHCP process, that said mobile computing device has roamed; and
based at least in part on said discovering, using a further network layer address to continue said secure IP-based data communications between said mobile computing device and said another computing device without terminating application and transport layer sessions therebetween.
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54. A system for enabling secure data communication comprising:
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plural data communication networks or subnetworks of the type that carry Internet Protocol (IP) data;
a mobile computing device that, while operational, roams among said plural data communication networks or subnetworks; and
another computing device that communicates with said mobile computing device via said plural data communications networks or subnetworks, wherein said mobile computing device comprises;
at least one wireless data communications device for establishing access to said at least one data communications network or subnetwork carrying IP data and for using said network or subnetwork to institute secure wireless data communications with said another computing device, and upon said mobile computing device wirelessly roaming while operational to a further network or subnetwork carrying IP data, for establishing access with said further network or subnetwork to enable said mobile computing device to communicate over said further network or subnetwork, a listener that participates in a DHCP process with said further network or subnetwork;
a detector coupled to said listener, said detector learning, at least in part in response to said DHCP process, that said mobile computing device is enabled to communicate over said further network or subnetwork and, based at least in part on said learning, using said access to said further network or subnetwork to continue said secure data communications between the mobile computing device and said another computing device.
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55. A computing device comprising:
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data communicators that establishes access to at least one data communications network or subnetwork carrying Internet Protocol (IP) data over at least one data communication network or subnetwork, and which uses said access to said network or subnetwork to establish secure data communications with another computing device;
a DHCP listener that participates in a DHCP process with said network or subnetwork upon said computing device disassociating access from said network or subnetwork and then reestablishing access to said network or subnetwork, said DHCP listener learning, at least in part in response to said DHCP process, that said computing device has reestablished access to said network or subnetwork;
wherein said data communicator informs said another computing device, based at least in part on said learning, of said reestablished access and uses said reestablished access to continue said secure data communications with said another computing device.
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Specification