XML schema for network device configuration

• US 7,657,612 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2004
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hanlon, Bill, Krantz, Anton W., Alam, Mohammad Shabbir, Manchester, Scott, Abraham, Dalen, Duplessis, Jean-Pierre, Nick, Benjamin, Freeman, Trevor W.
• Primary Examiner(s): JEAN GILLES, JUDE
• Application Number:
  US10/806,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20050149626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,142 Days
• Field of Search: 709206-207, 709/200, 709/220, 709/226, 709/221, 709/222, 709/223, 709/203, 709/204
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/26 using dedicated tools for LAN [Local Area Network] management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

An Extensible Mark-up Language (XML) schema is used to generate configuration settings files. A wireless configuration XML schema defines an XML file for configuring wireless network settings on a wireless device. A wide area network (WAN) configuration schema defines an XML file for configuring a WAN device. A local area network (LAN) configuration schema defines an XML file for configuring a LAN device. A broadband modem configuration schema defines an XML file for configuring a broadband modem device. A device configuration schema defines an XML file for reporting the configuration of a device.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a network device using a portable, physical computer storage medium having stored thereon an Extensible Markup Language (XML) file instance conforming to an XML schema for wireless device configuration comprising:

reading in the XML schema from the portable, physical computer storage medium, wherein the XML schema includes;

a network identifier element identifying the name of the network that the network device will connect to; and

a network encryption key element used for encryption on the wireless network;

reading in a configuration setting;

generating a configuration settings XML file instance in accordance with the XML schema; and

configuring the network device using the configuration settings XML file instance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the XML schema further comprises:

a connection type element wherein the connection type element comprises a string for indicating a network connection type;

an authentication type element wherein the authentication element further comprises a string indicating the authentication protocol used by the wireless network;

an encryption type element wherein the encryption element further comprises a string indicating the encryption protocol used by the wireless network; and

a device mode indicator element wherein the device mode indicator element comprises is a string that indicates the mode in which the wireless access point is operating.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the XML schema further comprises:

a automatic key element for indicating whether a network key is provided automatically;

an 802.1x element for indicating whether a device supports IEEE 802.1x protocol; and

a frequency indicator element wherein the frequency indication represents the channel and frequency used by the network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the XML schema further comprises a time-to-live element for defining a time for which an instance of the schema is valid.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising a configuration schema wherein the configuration schema further comprises:

a configuration ID comprising a string for uniquely identifying the configuration;

a configuration hash comprising a number used test the integrity of the wireless setting file;

a configuration author ID comprises a string for identifying an author of the configuration; and

a configuration author comprises a string indicating the a name of a wireless settings file.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising an SSID wherein the SSID represents a name of the wireless network.

10. The method of claim 3, further comprising a primary profile and an operation profile.

11. The method of claim 3, further comprising a profile instance wherein the profile instance further comprises:

a network key element wherein the network key is used for encryption on the wireless network;

a key index element wherein the key index element further comprises an integer for indicating the location of the specific key used to encrypt messages;

an EAP method element wherein the element further comprises a string for indicating the Extensible Authentication Protocol used; and

a TTL element wherein the TTL element further comprises an integer for indicating a time-to-live that specifies the length of time a network key is valid.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein the authentication element further comprises one selected from a group comprising open, shared, WiFi Protected Access (WPA), WPA Pre-Shared Key (PSK), WPA-none, WPA2, or WPA2 PSK.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the encryption element further comprises one selected from a group comprising none, Wireless Encryption Protocol (WEP), Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP), and Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the LAP method element comprises one selected from a group comprising a value of EAP-TLS, PEAP-EAP-MSCHAPv2, or PEAP-EAP-TLS.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein the device mode indicator has a value selected from a group comprising infrastructure, bridge, repeater, or station.

5. A method for configuring a network device using a physical, portable computer storage medium comprising an XML file instance conforming to an XML schema for broadband modem device configuration, the method comprising:

reading in the XML schema from the portable, physical computer storage medium, wherein the XML schema includes;

a session instance identifier element defining a unique ID for the session;

a DHCP element for indicating whether DHCP is supported; and

a link modulation element for indicating a type of broadband connection

reading in a configuration setting;

generating a configuration settings XML file instance in accordance with the XML schema; and

configuring the network device using the configuration settings XML file instance.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the XML schema further comprises:

a user name element that indicates a user name for accessing the Internet through a broadband ISP; and

a password element that indicates a password for accessing the Internet through a broadband ISP.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the XML schema further comprises an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM)

encapsulation element for indicating a type of ATM encapsulation wherein the encapsulation element indicates whether ATM encapsulation is LLC or VCMUX.

16. The method of claim 5, wherein the XML schema further comprises a WAN connection element and a link configuration element.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the WAN connection element further comprises:

a link instance ID wherein the link instance ID comprises string for defining a unique ID for the session,

an IP address wherein the IP address comprises a number for indicating the IP address assigned to the modem, and

a connection type wherein the connection type indicates a network connection type.

18. The method of claim 5, wherein the link configuration element further comprises a link media type wherein the link media type defines the configuration of broadband link.