Configuration of a peer group

• US 7,689,700 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2008
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: van der Bogert, Giles, Oliver, Daniel, Ramasubramanian, Ram, McCormack, Michael, Davidson, Andrew V., McNeil, Brian, Schultz, Tracy, Sheldon, Michael G., Rawat, Anshul, Koh, Jerry K., Seixeiro, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): SALAD, ABDULLAHI ELMI
• Application Number:
  US11/971,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20090177790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-207, 713155-181
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1046 Joining mechanisms

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for configuring computing devices to join a peer group. A peer group may be created on a subnetwork by a computing device. When a new computing device enters the subnetwork, it may join the peer group and be given access to the shared resources on the peer group and associated computing devices, using a communications layer and an authorization layer. Allowing a new computing device to join a peer group includes inviting the new device to join and then challenging the device for a passkey of the peer group. After joining the peer group, the computing device will be able to access and share resources with the peer group and other computing devices associated with the peer group.

Claims

1. One or more computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for performing a method for configuring a peer group, wherein an existing user device is a member of the peer group, the peer group resides on a subnetwork, and the subnetwork is a home location of the existing user device, the method comprising:

determining that a new user device is located on the subnetwork and that the new user device has designated the subnetwork as a home location;

sending a request to join the peer group to the new user device, wherein the peer group includes one or more computing devices that share an internet protocol (IP) address;

challenging the new user device for a passkey;

receiving the passkey from the new user device;

determining whether the received passkey is correct; and

when the passkey received from the new user device is correct and the new user device has designated the subnetwork as the home location, allowing the new user device to join the peer group.

2. The computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises creating credentials on the new user device.

3. The computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the invitation is sent by the existing user device.

4. The computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the existing user device challenges the new user device for the passkey.

5. The computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises accessing resources within the peer group.

6. The computer storage media of claim 5, wherein the resources comprise one or more computer readable media.

7. The computer storage media of claim 5, wherein the resources include one or more printing devices.

8. A computer system with computer readable media for performing computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, the system comprising:

an existing user device in a peer group residing on a subnetwork, wherein the subnetwork is a home location of the existing user device and the peer group includes one or more computing devices that share an internet protocol (IP) address; and

a new user device residing on the subnetwork and designating the subnetwork as the home location of the new user device,

wherein the existing user device determines that the new user device has designated the subnetwork as the home location, authenticates a passkey received from the new user device via an authorization layer and allows the new user device to join the peer group, and wherein a communications layer connects the new user device to the peer group.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the authorization layer authenticates the new user device by challenging the new user device for the passkey.

10. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the communications layer allows the new user device to access shared resources from the peer group.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the shared resources are associated with the existing user device.

12. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the shared resources include one or more computer readable media.

13. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the shared resources include one or more printing devices.

14. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the communications layer communicates an invitation to the new user device to join the peer group.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the new user device accepts the invitation to join the peer group.

16. One or more computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for performing a method for configuring a new user device to join a peer group, the method comprising:

designating a subnetwork as a home location;

receiving a request to join a peer group of computing devices from an existing user device in the peer group, wherein the peer group includes one or more computing devices that share an internet protocol (IP) address and a network connection, the peer group resides on the subnetwork, and the subnetwork is designated as the home location of the existing user device;

sending an acceptance to the request to the existing user device;

receiving a challenge for a passkey from the existing user device;

sending the correct passkey to the existing user device;

joining the peer group with the existing user device;

receiving credentials associated with the peer group;

creating a local user account that includes a username and a password, wherein the local user account allows the new user device to maintain an association with the peer group regardless of a particular user utilizing the new user device; and

sharing resources with the peer group and the existing user device associated with the peer group, wherein the resources include one or more of a printing device and a computer-readable media.