Network and interface selection on a computing device capable of establishing connections via multiple network communications media
First Claim
1. A computing system supporting network selection based upon network information spanning multiple communication media, the system comprising:
- a rules data store for maintaining network selection criteria;
a media specific module interface for providing accumulated network interface information spanning multiple communication media, the accumulated network interface information being associated with a set of networks and a set of network interfaces, each network interface for connecting the computing system to a network in the set of networks;
a rules engine, comprising at least one processor, for designating one of the set of networks by applying a network selection criterion from the rules data store to the accumulated network interface information spanning multiple media; and
a plurality of media specific modules configured to acquire network interface information pertaining to network interfaces associated with particular media types, and to receive network interface configuration commands, from the rules engine, to connect to one of the set of networks, each of the media specific modules configured to acquire network interface information from media specific drivers associated with particular interfaces,wherein the media specific module interface comprises a normalization module that converts standardized communication requests it receives from the rules engine into media specific communications that meet media specific implementation requirements, the normalization module further configured to direct the media specific communications to respective network interfaces.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for carrying out network and interface selections across multiple media is disclosed. The disclosed system facilitates automated network interface configuration decision-making that spans a set of networks supporting communications via differing media. A set of media specific modules associated with differing communications media acquire network interface status/capabilities information. A rules engine thereafter applies a designated network selection rule(s) to the acquired network interface status/capabilities information, and any other appropriate parameters attributable to either an interface or network, to select one or more networks and interfaces with which to establish/maintain a connection.
-
Citations
37 Claims
-
1. A computing system supporting network selection based upon network information spanning multiple communication media, the system comprising:
-
a rules data store for maintaining network selection criteria; a media specific module interface for providing accumulated network interface information spanning multiple communication media, the accumulated network interface information being associated with a set of networks and a set of network interfaces, each network interface for connecting the computing system to a network in the set of networks; a rules engine, comprising at least one processor, for designating one of the set of networks by applying a network selection criterion from the rules data store to the accumulated network interface information spanning multiple media; and a plurality of media specific modules configured to acquire network interface information pertaining to network interfaces associated with particular media types, and to receive network interface configuration commands, from the rules engine, to connect to one of the set of networks, each of the media specific modules configured to acquire network interface information from media specific drivers associated with particular interfaces, wherein the media specific module interface comprises a normalization module that converts standardized communication requests it receives from the rules engine into media specific communications that meet media specific implementation requirements, the normalization module further configured to direct the media specific communications to respective network interfaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for selecting a network and interface combination, to which a computing system will initiate a connection via the network interface, based upon network information spanning multiple communication media, the method comprising:
-
maintaining network selection criteria in a rules data store; with at least one processor; accumulating network interface information spanning multiple communication media, the accumulated network interface information being associated with a set of networks and a set of network interfaces, each network interface for connecting the computing system to a network in the set of networks; at a rules engine, designating one of the set of networks by applying a network selection criterion from the network selection criteria in the rules data store to the accumulated network interface information; at a plurality of media specific modules, acquiring network interface information pertaining to network interfaces associated with particular media types, the network interface information acquired from media specific drivers associated with particular interfaces; at the plurality of media specific modules, receiving network interface configuration commands from the rules engine to connect to one of the set of networks; at a media specific module interface comprising a normalization module, converting standardized communication requests into media specific communications that meet media specific implementation requirements; and at the media specific module interface, directing the media specific communications to respective network interfaces. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A computer storage medium including computer-executable instructions for facilitating selecting a network and interface combination, to which a computing system will initiate a connection via the network interface, based upon network information spanning multiple communication media, the computer-executable instructions facilitating:
- maintaining network selection criteria in a rules data store;
at a plurality of media specific modules, acquiring network interface information pertaining to network interfaces associated with a set of networks and a plurality of media types, the network interface information acquired from media specific drivers associated with particular interfaces, each network interface for connecting the computing system to a network in the set of networks;at a rules engine, designating one of the set of networks by applying the network selection criteria from the rules data store to the accumulated network interface information; sending standardized communication requests from the rules engine to a media specific module interface comprising a normalization module, the standardized communication requests related to the designation of the one of the set of networks; at the normalization module, converting standardized communication requests into media specific communications that meet media specific implementation requirements; and at the media specific module interface, directing the media specific communications to respective media specific modules. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
- maintaining network selection criteria in a rules data store;
Specification