Systems and methods for managing out-of-band device connection

• US 7,386,275 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2005
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Quinn, Liam B., Pirzada, Fahd B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham; Tuan
• Application Number:
  US11/078,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20060205354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 455/39, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 340/568.1, 340/426.1, 340/539.1, 340/572.1, 340/586
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/42 using separate channels for security data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing connection of devices to a wireless network using out-of-band communications.

Claims

1. A method of managing in-band connection of information handling systems configured as wireless devices operating in a given network environment, comprising at least one of:

using out-of-band wireless communication to manage in-band wireless connection of one or more wireless devices based at least in part on one or more wireless device profiles, wherein each of said one or more wireless device profiles contains the identity of one or more wireless devices selected to fit one or more characteristics of said given network environment;

or

using out-of-band wireless communication to perform device profile configuration management, wherein said device profile configuration management comprises adding one or more wireless devices to each of said one or more wireless device profiles, deleting one or more wireless devices from each of said one or more wireless device profiles, or a combination thereof based on one or more characteristics of said given network environment;

or

a combination thereof;

wherein said method further comprises managing in-band wireless connection of one or more of said wireless devices based at least in part on one or more wireless device profiles by;

creating at least one wireless device profile by negotiating out-of-band authentication with at least one wireless device of said wireless device profile using in-band wireless communication, and

activating said at least one wireless device profile by authenticating said at least one wireless device using out-of-band wireless communication communicated from said at least one wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said out-of-band wireless communication comprises radio frequency identification (RFID) communication.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing device configuration management using out-of-band wireless communication.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising performing said device profile configuration management using out-of-band wireless communication, wherein said device profile configuration management comprises adding one or more wireless devices to each of said one or more wireless device profiles, deleting one or more wireless devices from each of said one or more wireless device profiles, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing authentication for in-band wireless connection of said wireless devices based on proximity of said wireless devices by only activating at least one wireless device for in-band wireless connection when said at least one wireless device is authenticated using out-of-band wireless communication communicated from said at least one wireless device;

and wherein said out-of-band wireless communication has a communication range that is shorter than a communication range of said in-band wireless communication.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling in-band wireless connection between said wireless devices using an in-band wireless security mechanism.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising using an information handling system to manage said in-band wireless connection of said wireless devices using said out-of-band wireless communication.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising using radio frequency identification (RFID) communication to authenticate at least one of said wireless devices for in-band wireless connection.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

using RFID communication to authenticate a first of said wireless devices for in-band wireless connection with a second of said wireless devices; and

activating said first wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said second wireless device after said first wireless device is authenticated using said out-of-band wireless communication;

wherein said RFID communication comprises RFID communication between an RFID tag associated with said first wireless device and an RFID reader associated with said second wireless device; and

wherein said RFID communication has a communication range that is shorter than a communication range of said in-band wireless communication.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising controlling in-band wireless connection between said first wireless device and said second wireless device using an in-band wireless security mechanism.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more characteristics of said given network environment comprise a physical location of said given network environment.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more characteristics of said given network environment comprise a selected usage of said given network environment.

13. A method of managing in-band connection of information handling systems configured as wireless devices operating in a given network environment, comprising at least one of:

using out-of-band wireless communication to manage in-band wireless connection of one or more wireless devices based at least in part on one or more wireless device profiles, wherein each of said one or more wireless device profiles contains the identity of one or more wireless devices selected to fit one or more characteristics of said given network environment;

or

using out-of-band wireless communication to perform device profile configuration management, wherein said device profile configuration management comprises adding one or more wireless devices to each of said one or more wireless device profiles, deleting one or more wireless devices from each of said one or more wireless device profiles, or a combination thereof based on one or more characteristics of said given network environment;

or

a combination thereof;

wherein said method further comprises using radio frequency identification (RFID) communication to authenticate at least one of said wireless devices for in-band wireless connection;

wherein said method further comprises;

using RFID communication to authenticate a first of said wireless devices for in-band wireless connection with a second of said wireless devices, and

activating said first wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said second wireless device after said first wireless device is authenticated using said out-of-band wireless communication,

wherein said RFID communication comprises RFID communication between an RFID tag associated with said first wireless device and an RFID reader associated with said second wireless device, and

wherein said wherein said RFID communication has a communication range that is shorter than a communication range of said in-band wireless communication; and

wherein said method further comprises;

creating at least one wireless device profile on said information handling system that contains the identity of said first wireless device by negotiating RFID authentication with said first wireless device of said wireless device profile using in-band wireless communication, and

activating said at least one wireless device profile by authenticating said at least one wireless device using RFID wireless communication communicated from said first wireless device to said second wireless device, and activating said first wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said second wireless device after said first wireless device is authenticated.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said first wireless device is authenticated by communicating identification information from said at least one first wireless device to said second wireless device using said RFID communication, said identification information identifying said first wireless device;

and matching said identification information to corresponding identification information contained in said at least one wireless device profile on said second wireless device.

15. A method of managing in-band connection of information handling systems configured as wireless devices operating in a given network environment, comprising at least one of:

using out-of-band wireless communication to manage in-band wireless connection of one or more wireless devices based at least in part on one or more wireless device profiles, wherein each of said one or more wireless device profiles contains the identity of one or more wireless devices selected to fit one or more characteristics of said given network environment;

or

using out-of-band wireless communication to perform device profile configuration management, wherein said device profile configuration management comprises adding one or more wireless devices to each of said one or more wireless device profiles, deleting one or more wireless devices from each of said one or more wireless device profiles, or a combination thereof based on one or more characteristics of said given network environment;

or

a combination thereof;

wherein said method further comprises using radio frequency identification (RFID) communication to authenticate at least one of said wireless devices for in-band wireless connection;

wherein said method further comprises;

using RFID communication to authenticate a first of said wireless devices for in-band wireless connection with a second of said wireless devices, and

activating said first wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said second wireless device after said first wireless device is authenticated using said out-of-band wireless communication,

wherein said RFID communication comprises RFID communication between an RFID tag associated with said first wireless device and an RFID reader associated with said second wireless device, and

wherein said wherein said RFID communication has a communication range that is shorter than a communication range of said in-band wireless communication; and

wherein said method further comprises;

creating two or more wireless device profiles on said information handling system, a first one of said two or more wireless device profiles containing the identity of said first wireless device, and a second one of said two or more wireless device profiles containing the identity of a third wireless device,

choosing a first wireless profile of said two or more wireless device profiles on said second wireless device for activation, and

activating said first wireless profile on said second wireless device by authenticating at least one respective wireless device of said first wireless profile using RFID wireless communication communicated from said at least one respective wireless device to said second wireless device, and

activating said at least one respective wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said second wireless device after said at least one respective wireless device is authenticated.

16. A wireless networking connection management system, comprising a first information handling system configured to operate within a given network environment and configured to at least one of:

use out-of-band wireless communication to manage in-band wireless connection to one or more other information handling systems configured as secondary wireless devices based at least in part on one or more secondary wireless device profiles, wherein each of said one or more secondary wireless device profiles contains the identity of one or more secondary wireless devices selected to fit one or more characteristics of said given network environment;

or

use out-of-band wireless communication to perform device profile configuration management, wherein said device profile configuration management comprises adding one or more information handling systems configured as secondary wireless devices to each of said one or more secondary wireless device profiles, deleting one or more wireless devices from each of said one or more secondary wireless device profiles, or a combination thereof based on one or more characteristics of said given network environment;

or

a combination thereof;

wherein said out-of-band wireless communication comprises radio frequency identification (RFID) communication; and

wherein said first information handling system is configured to;

use said RFID communication to authenticate at least one secondary wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said first information handling system, and

activate said at least one secondary wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said first information handling system after said at least one secondary wireless device is authenticated using said RFID communication,

wherein said RFID communication comprises RFID communication between an RFID tag associated with said at least one secondary wireless device and an RFID reader associated with said first information handling system, and

wherein said RFID communication has a communication range that is shorter than a communication range of said in-band wireless communication; and

wherein said first information handling system is configured as a profile manager, said profile manager being configured to;

create at least one secondary wireless device profile on said first information handling system that contains the identity of said at least one secondary wireless device by negotiating RFID authentication with said at least one secondary wireless device of said secondary wireless device profile using in-band wireless communication, and

activate said at least one secondary wireless device profile by authenticating said at least one secondary wireless device using RFID wireless communication communicated from said at least one secondary wireless device to said first information handling system, and activating said at least one secondary wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said first information handling system after said at least one secondary wireless device is authenticated.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said in-band wireless connection between said at least one secondary wireless device and said first information handling system is controlled using an in-band wireless security mechanism.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said first information handling system is configured to authenticate said at least one secondary wireless device by:

receiving identification information communicated from said at least one secondary wireless device to said first information handling system using said RFID communication, said identification information identifying said at least one secondary wireless device; and

matching said identification information communicated from said at least one secondary wireless device to corresponding identification information contained in said at least one secondary wireless device profile on said first information handling system.

19. A wireless networking connection management system, comprising a first information handling system configured to operate within a given network environment and configured to at least one of:

use out-of-band wireless communication to manage in-band wireless connection to one or more other information handling systems configured as secondary wireless devices based at least in part on one or more secondary wireless device profiles, wherein each of said one or more secondary wireless device profiles contains the identity of one or more secondary wireless devices selected to fit one or more characteristics of said given network environment;

or

use out-of-band wireless communication to perform device profile configuration management, wherein said device profile configuration management comprises adding one or more information handling systems configured as secondary wireless devices to each of said one or more secondary wireless device profiles, deleting one or more wireless devices from each of said one or more secondary wireless device profiles, or a combination thereof based on one or more characteristics of said given network environment;

or

a combination thereof;

wherein said out-of-band wireless communication comprises radio frequency identification (RFID) communication; and

wherein said first information handling system is configured to;

use said RFID communication to authenticate at least one secondary wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said first information handling system, and

activate said at least one secondary wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said first information handling system after said at least one secondary wireless device is authenticated using said RFID communication,

wherein said RFID communication comprises RFID communication between an RFID tag associated with said at least one secondary wireless device and an RFID reader associated with said first information handling system, and

wherein said RFID communication has a communication range that is shorter than a communication range of said in-band wireless communication; and

wherein said first information handling system is further configured to;

allow creation of two or more secondary wireless device profiles on said first information handling system, a first one of said two or more secondary wireless device profiles containing the identity of said at least one secondary wireless device, and a second one of said two or more secondary wireless device profiles containing the identity of a second secondary wireless device that is different from said at least one secondary wireless device,

allow a first wireless profile of said two or more secondary wireless device profiles on said first information handling system to be chosen for activation, and

activate said first wireless profile on said first information handling system by authenticating at least one respective secondary wireless device within said first wireless profile using RFID wireless communication communicated from said at least one respective secondary wireless device to said first information handling system, and activating said at least one respective secondary wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said first information handling system after said at least one respective secondary wireless device is authenticated.

20. A method of managing in-band connection of information handling systems configured as wireless devices, comprising at least one of:

using out-of-band wireless communication to manage in-band wireless connection of said wireless devices based at least in part on one or more wireless device profiles;

or

using out-of-band wireless communication to perform device configuration management;

or

using out-of-band wireless communication to perform device profile configuration management;

or

any combination thereof; and

wherein said method comprises managing in-band wireless connection of one or more of said wireless devices based at least in part on one or more wireless device profiles by;

creating at least one wireless device profile by negotiating out-of-band authentication with at least one wireless device of said wireless device profile using in-band wireless communication, and

activating said at least one wireless device profile by authenticating said at least one wireless device using out-of-band wireless communication communicated from said at least one wireless device.

21. A method of managing in-band wireless connection of information handling systems configured as wireless devices, comprising using radio frequency identification (RFID) communication to authenticate at least one of said wireless devices for in-band wireless connection;

and

wherein said method further comprises;

using RFID communication to authenticate a first of said wireless devices for in-band wireless connection with a second of said wireless devices, and

activating said first wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said second wireless device after said first wireless device is authenticated using said out-of-band wireless communication,

wherein said RFID communication comprises RFID communication between an RFID tag associated with said first wireless device and an RFID reader associated with said second wireless device, and

wherein said wherein said RFID communication has a communication range that is shorter than a communication range of said in-band wireless communication; and

wherein said method further comprises;

creating at least one wireless device profile on said information handling system that contains the identity of said first wireless device by negotiating RFID authentication with said first wireless device of said wireless device profile using in-band wireless communication, and

activating said at least one wireless device profile by authenticating said at least one wireless device using RFID wireless communication communicated from said first wireless device to said second wireless device, and activating said first wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said second wireless device after said first wireless device is authenticated.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said first wireless device is authenticated by communicating identification information from said at least one first wireless device to said second wireless device using said RFID communication, said identification information identifying said first wireless device;

and matching said identification information to corresponding identification information contained in said at least one wireless device profile on said second wireless device.

23. A method of managing in-band wireless connection of information handling systems configured as wireless devices, comprising using radio frequency identification (RFID) communication to authenticate at least one of said wireless devices for in-band wireless connection;

and

wherein said method further comprises;

using RFID communication to authenticate a first of said wireless devices for in-band wireless connection with a second of said wireless devices, and

activating said first wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said second wireless device after said first wireless device is authenticated using said out-of-band wireless communication,

wherein said RFID communication comprises RFID communication between an RFID tag associated with said first wireless device and an RFID reader associated with said second wireless device, and

wherein said wherein said RFID communication has a communication range that is shorter than a communication range of said in-band wireless communication; and

wherein said method further comprises;

creating two or more wireless device profiles on said information handling system, a first one of said two or more wireless device profiles containing the identity of said first wireless device, and a second one of said two or more wireless device profiles containing the identity of a third wireless device;

choosing a first wireless profile of said two or more wireless device profiles on said second wireless device for activation; and

activating said first wireless profile on said second wireless device by authenticating at least one respective wireless device of said first wireless profile using RFID wireless communication communicated from said at least one respective wireless device to said second wireless device; and

activating said at least one respective wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said second wireless device after said at least one respective wireless device is authenticated.

24. A wireless networking connection management system, comprising a first information handling system configured to use RFID communication to manage in-band wireless connection to one or more other information handling systems configured as secondary wireless devices;

wherein said first information handling system is configured to;

use said RFID communication to authenticate at least one secondary wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said first information handling system; and

activate said at least one secondary wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said first information handling system after said at least one secondary wireless device is authenticated using said RFID communication;

wherein said RFID communication comprises RFID communication between an RFID tag associated with said at least one secondary wireless device and an RFID reader associated with said first information handling system;

wherein said RFID communication has a communication range that is shorter than a communication range of said in-band wireless communication; and

wherein said first information handling system is configured as a profile manager, said profile manager being configured to;

create at least one secondary wireless device profile on said first information handling system that contains the identity of said at least one secondary wireless device by negotiating RFID authentication with said at least one secondary wireless device of said secondary wireless device profile using in-band wireless communication, and

activate said at least one secondary wireless device profile by authenticating said at least one secondary wireless device using RFID wireless communication communicated from said at least one secondary wireless device to said first information handling system, and activating said at least one secondary wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said first information handling system after said at least one secondary wireless device is authenticated.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said first information handling system is configured to authenticate said at least one secondary wireless device by:

receiving identification information communicated from said at least one secondary wireless device to said first information handling system using said RFID communication, said identification information identifying said at least one secondary wireless device; and

matching said identification information communicated from said at least one secondary wireless device to corresponding identification information contained in said at least one secondary wireless device profile on said first information handling system.

26. A wireless networking connection management system, comprising a first information handling system configured to use RFID communication to manage in-band wireless connection to one or more other information handling systems configured as secondary wireless devices;

wherein said first information handling system is configured to;

use said RFID communication to authenticate at least one secondary wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said first information handling system; and

activate said at least one secondary wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said first information handling system after said at least one secondary wireless device is authenticated using said RFID communication;

wherein said RFID communication comprises RFID communication between an RFID tag associated with said at least one secondary wireless device and an RFID reader associated with said first information handling system;

wherein said RFID communication has a communication range that is shorter than a communication range of said in-band wireless communication; and

wherein said first information handling system is further configured to;

allow creation of two or more secondary wireless device profiles on said first information handling system, a first one of said two or more secondary wireless device profiles containing the identity of said at least one secondary wireless device, and a second one of said two or more secondary wireless device profiles containing the identity of a second secondary wireless device that is different from said at least one secondary wireless device,

allow a first wireless profile of said two or more secondary wireless device profiles on said first information handling system to be chosen for activation, and

activate said first wireless profile on said first information handling system by authenticating at least one respective secondary wireless device within said first wireless profile using RFID wireless communication communicated from said at least one respective secondary wireless device to said first information handling system, and activating said at least one respective secondary wireless device for in-band wireless connection with said first information handling system after said at least one respective secondary wireless device is authenticated.