Bridging a gaming console with a wireless network

• US 7,412,542 B1
• Filed: 11/26/2003
• Issued: 08/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zotto, Benjamin O., Young, Robert D., Newson, Paul E., Malik, Neel R. S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn; Nathan J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MURRAY, DANIEL C
• Application Number:
  US10/722,958
• Time in Patent Office: 1,721 Days
• Field of Search: 709/249
• US Class Current: 709/249
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

Apparatus and system for configuring a wireless bridge for a computing device such as a game console. The wireless bridge must include a key (not known to the public) employed in producing a digest. The digest is passed to the game console to authenticate that the wireless bridge is compatible and can thus be configured by the game console. Once the wireless bridge proves its compatibility, a configuration procedure included in an operating system on the game console configures the wireless bridge to connect to a wireless network so that the game console can communicate through the wireless bridge with a gaming site that is accessed over the Internet. The configuration is done without using a web browser program or a configuration program that is specific to a particular model and manufacturer of the wireless bridge.

Claims

1. A bridge for connecting a gaming console to a wireless network wherein the gaming console is incapable of displaying a web page that includes hypertext markup language code, the bridge comprising:

(a) a memory in which are stored authentication data, machine instructions, and a medium access control address, said authentication data being included to enable the bridge to be recognized as compatible for configuration through a gaming console, the authentication data comprising a key that is not publicly known;

(b) a port adapted to couple the bridge to the gaming console through a wire connector;

(c) a radio that includes a wireless receiver and a wireless transmitter that are coupled to an antenna system;

(d) a processor coupled to the memory, the port, and the radio, said processor executing the machine instructions to carryout a plurality of functions to connect the gaming console to a wireless network, wherein the gaming console is incapable of configuring the bridge through an interface that requires the display of a web page that includes hypertext markup language code, the functions including;

(i) receiving a discover request from the gaming console that is coupled to the bridge, wherein the discover request includes a one-time variable that is generated by the gaming console;

(ii) combining the one-time variable with the medium access control address to form a single concatenated component;

(iii) applying a one-way hashing algorithm to the single concatenated component producing a digest, the hashing algorithm using the key;

(iv) responding to the discover request from the gaming console by returning the digest and the medium access control address to the gaming console via the port to enable the gaming console to confirm a compatibility of the bridge for being configured with properties sent to the bridge by the gaming console;

(v) responding to a command received from the gaming console to set properties of the bridge so as to enable the bridge to subsequently communicate data to and from the gaming console over the wireless network; and

(vi) communicating data between the gaming console and the wireless network.

2. The bridge of claim 1, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to respond to a request received from the gaming console to enumerate all available wireless networks by scanning for available wireless networks and returning a response to the gaming console that identifies an address for each access point of an available wireless network, and other parameters for each available network enumerated by scanning.

3. The bridge of claim 2, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to respond to the subsequent command received from the gaming console by setting the properties of the bridge as needed to communicate with an available network identified by scanning.

4. A method for automatically configuring a bridge to communicate over a wireless network, where the bridge is coupled through a wire connection to a gaming console, wherein the gaming console is incapable of displaying a web page that includes hypertext markup language code, the method comprising the steps of:

a gaming console sending a discover request over the wire connection to a bridge, wherein the discover request includes a one-time variable that is generated by the gaming console, the gaming console being incapable of configuring the bridge through an interface that requires the display of a web page that includes hypertext markup language code;

the bridge combining the one-time variable with a medium access control address to form a single concatenated component;

the bridge applying a one-way hashing algorithm to the single concatenated component producing a first digest, the hashing algorithm using a key that is not publicly known;

the bridge returning the digest and the medium access control address to the gaming console via the port to enable the gaming console to confirm a compatibility of the bridge for being configured with properties sent to the bridge by the gaming console;

the gaming console combining the one-time variable with the medium access control address received from the bridge and applying the one-way hashing algorithm using the key to produce a second digest;

comparing the second digest to the first digest received from the bridge such that upon determining that the first and second digest are equal, the gaming console verifies that the bridge is compatible with being configured using the properties sent by the gaming console;

upon confirming that the bridge is compatible, the gaming console sending a command to the bridge to set properties of the bridge so as to enable the bridge to subsequently communicate data to and from the gaming console over the wireless network; and

the bridge communicating data between the gaming console and the wireless network.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

sending a request from the gaming console to the bridge to scan for available wireless networks;

in response to the request to scan, scanning and enumerating all available wireless networks with the bridge; and

returning a response from the bridge to the gaming console that identifies an address for each access point of each available wireless network enumerated in the step of scanning, and other parameters for each available network enumerated by the step of scanning.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of selecting an available wireless network on the gaming console and specifying the properties sent to the bridge for the wireless network that is selected.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of enabling a user to initiate configuration of the bridge by selecting an option in a program executed on the gaming console.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of enabling a user of the gaming console to selectively send a status request to the bridge, said status request indicating whether the bridge is connected in communication with a wireless network and if so, indicating a signal strength of wireless signals received by the bridge over the wireless network.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of enabling a user to selectively query the bridge for the properties with which the bridge is currently configured.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein after the bridge responds to the discover request, the bridge and the gaming console employ a unicast communication, based upon a media access control access address for the bridge and the gaming console.

11. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of enabling a user to change selected properties of the bridge in a user interface displayed by the gaming console.

12. One or more memory media that store machine instructions for carrying out the method of claim 4.

13. A gaming console for setting up a bridge to communicate over a wireless network, wherein the gaming console is incapable of displaying a web page that includes hypertext markup language code, the gaming console comprising:

(a) a memory in which machine instructions are stored;

(b) a network interface and port used for connecting through a wire lead to a bridge;

(c) a processor coupled to the memory and the network interface, said processor executing the machine instructions to carry out a plurality of functions to connect the gaming console to a wireless network, wherein the gaming console is incapable of configuring a bridge through an interface that requires the display of a web page that includes hypertext markup language code, the functions including;

(i) sending a discover request to the bridge that is connected to the network interface through the port, wherein the discover request includes a one-time variable that is generated by the gaming console;

(ii) receiving a response from the bridge consisting of a first digest and a medium access control address;

(iii) combining the one-time variable with the medium access control address received from the bridge to form a single concatenated component;

(iv) applying a one-way hashing algorithm to the single concatenated component producing a second digest, the hashing algorithm using a key that is not publicly known;

(v) comparing the second digest to the first digest received from the bridge such that upon determining that the first and second digest are equal, the gaming console verifies that the bridge is compatible with being configured using the properties sent by the gaming console;

(vi) upon confirming that the bridge is compatible, sending a command to the bridge to set properties of the bridge so as to enable the bridge to subsequently communicate data to and from the gaming console over the wireless network; and

(vii) communicating data over the wireless network through the bridge.

14. The gaming console of claim 13, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to send a request to the bridge to scan for available wireless networks.

15. The gaming console of claim 14, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to select an available wireless network and specify the properties sent to the bridge for configuring the bridge to communicate over the wireless network that is selected.

16. The gaming console of claim 13, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to enable a user to initiate configuration of the bridge by selecting an option in an operating system executed on the gaming console.

17. The gaming console of claim 13, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to enable a user of the gaming console to selectively send a status request to the bridge, said status request indicating whether the bridge is connected in communication with a wireless network and if so, indicating a signal strength of wireless signals received by the bridge over the wireless network.

18. The gaming console of claim 13, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to enable a user to selectively query the bridge for the properties with which the bridge is currently configured.

19. The gaming console of claim 13, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to enable a user to change selected properties of the bridge in a user interface displayed by the gaming console.