Configuring a network device

• US 8,130,769 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2006
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuze, Inc. (8X8, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Whaleback Systems Corp. (8X8, Inc.)
• Inventors: West, Julian Wray, Mishra, Rajesh K., Martin, Eric J.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBERTS, BRIAN S
• Application Number:
  US11/580,540
• Publication Number:
  US 20070133567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,971 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]

Abstract

A method performed by a device adapted for communication over a network includes establishing a presence on the network, obtaining default configuration information for the device via the network, the default configuration information identifying a service on the network, receiving a request for validation information from the service, providing the validation information to the service, the service generating device-specific information in response to the validation information, and obtaining the device-specific information.

Claims

1. A method performed by a device adapted for communication over a network, the method comprising:

establishing a presence on the network by;

sending a communication to a first network node; and

receiving, from the first network node, a network address and an identity of a second network node from which to obtain first device-specific information;

obtaining default configuration information for the device via the network, the default configuration information for connecting to a service on the network;

wherein obtaining the default configuration information comprises checking the second network node for the first device-specific information; and

wherein, if the second network node does not contain the first device-specific information, the default configuration information is obtained from the second network node;

connecting to the service using the default configuration information;

receiving a request for identification information from the service;

providing the identification information to the service, the service providing the first device-specific information following receipt of the identification information;

configuring the device using the first device-specific information;

requesting second device-specification information from the service while connected to the network;

receiving the second device-specific information from the service if the service has the second device-specific information; and

reconfiguring the device using the second device-specific information;

wherein the first device-specific information and the second device-specific information are associated with a same user of the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for identification information comprises a prompt that is generated in response to a communication from the service.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the prompt comprises at least one of an audio prompt, a video prompt, a text prompt, and an electronic query;

and

wherein the identification information is provided via at least one of a keypad input, a keyboard input, a key input, and an electronic response.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is configured using the first or second device-specific information so that the device is distinguishable from other like devices on the network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein connecting to the service is effected by sending data to the service, the service generating the first device-specific information using the data;

and wherein configuring the device comprises;

receiving, from the service, an instruction to re-boot; and

re-booting in response to the instruction.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first or second device-specific information is obtained from the second network node.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the data comprises an address corresponding to the device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a telephone.

9. A method of configuring a device adapted for communication over a network, the method comprising:

storing configuration information for the device, the configuration information comprising first data that corresponds to the device;

receiving a communication from the device;

obtaining second data that corresponds to the device using the communication;

retrieving the configuration information using the first data and the second data;

generating a first configuration file for the device using the configuration information;

storing the first configuration file on the network so that the first configuration file is retrievable by the device;

sending a signal to the device, responsive to which the first configuration file is retrievable;

receiving a subsequent communication from the device while the device is on the network; and

updating the first configuration file to produce a second configuration file for the device, the second configuration file being different from the first configuration file, the first and second configuration files being associated with a same user of the device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving the configuration information from an administrative computer, the configuration information corresponding, at least in part, to a type of the device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the second data comprises an Internet protocol (IP) address, a media access control address (MAC), a serial number, or any other unique identifier.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the signal comprises an instruction to re-boot the device.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

requesting a response from the device, the response comprising the communication, the communication comprising an address of the device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the address comprises an Internet protocol (IP) address;

and

wherein obtaining the second data comprises using reverse address resolution protocol to obtain a media access control (MAC) address of the device using an IP address of the device.

15. A system comprising:

a telephone adapted for use with voice over Internet protocol (VoIP); and

a central server configured to execute a service that is adapted to control configuring the telephone over a network;

wherein the telephone is adapted to;

(a) establish a presence on the network by;

sending a communication to a first network node; and

receiving, from the first network node, a network address and an identity of a second network node from which to obtain first device-specific information;

(b) obtain default configuration information via the network, the default configuration information for connecting to the service;

wherein obtaining the default configuration information comprises checking the second network node for the first device-specific information; and

wherein, if the second network node does not contain the first device-specific information, the default configuration information is obtained from the second network node;

(c) receive a request for validation information from the service;

(d) provide the validation information to the service, the service for generating the first device-specific information in response to the validation information;

(e) configure the telephone using the first device-specific information;

(f) request second device-specification information from the service while connected to the network;

(g) receive the second device-specific information from the service if the service has the second device-specific information; and

(h) reconfigure the telephone using the second device-specific information;

wherein the first device-specific information and the second device-specific information are associated with a same user of the telephone.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a first server adapted to identify services on the network; and

a second server adapted to provide the first device-specific information and the second device-specific information to the telephone;

wherein the telephone is adapted to obtain an address of the second server from the first server, and to request the first device-specific information or the second device-specific information from the second server using the address.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

an administrative computer adapted to provide at least some of the first device-specific information or the second device-specific information to the central server.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the validation information comprises identification information.

19. One or more non-transitory machine-readable media storing instructions that are executable to configure a communication device adapted for communication over a network, the instructions for causing one or more processing devices to:

store configuration information for the communication device, the configuration information comprising first data that corresponds to the communication device;

receive a communication from the communication device;

obtain second data that corresponds to the communication device using the communication;

retrieve the configuration information using the first data and the second data;

generate a first configuration file for the communication device using the configuration information;

store the first configuration file on the network so that the first configuration file is retrievable by the communication device;

send a signal to the communication device, responsive to which the first configuration file is retrievable;

receive a subsequent communication from the communication device; and

update the first configuration file to produce a second configuration file for the communication device, the second configuration file being different from the first configuration file, the first and second configuration files being associated with a same user of the communication device.

20. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 19, further comprising instructions for causing one or more processing devices to:

receive the configuration information from an administrative computer, the configuration information corresponding, at least in part, to a type of the communication device.

21. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 19, wherein the second data comprises an Internet protocol (IP) address, a media access control address (MAC), a serial number, or any other unique identifier.

22. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 19, wherein the signal comprises an instruction to re-boot the communication device.

23. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 19, further comprising instructions for causing one or more processing devices to:

request a response from the communication device, the response comprising the communication, the communication comprising an address of the communication device.

24. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 23, wherein the address comprises an Internet protocol (IP) address;

and

wherein obtaining the second data comprises using reverse address resolution protocol to obtain a media access control (MAC) address of the communication device using an IP address of the communication device.

25. One or more non-transitory machine-readable media storing instructions that are executable by a communication device adapted for communication over a network, the instructions for causing one or more processing devices to:

establish a presence on the network by;

sending a communication to a first network node; and

receiving, from the first network node, a network address and an identity of a second network node from which to obtain first device-specific information;

obtain default configuration information for the communication device via the network, the default configuration information for connecting to a service on the network;

wherein obtaining the default configuration information comprises checking the second network node for the first device-specific information; and

wherein, if the second network node does not contain the first device-specific information, the default configuration information is obtained from the second network node;

connect to the service using the default configuration information;

receive a request for identification information from the service;

provide the identification information to the service, the service providing the first device-specific information following receipt of the identification information;

configure the communication device using the first device-specific information;

request second device-specification information from the service while connected to the network;

receive the second device-specific information from the service if the service has the second device-specific information; and

reconfigure the communication device using the second device-specific information;

wherein the first device-specific information and the second device-specific information are associated with a same user of the communication device.

26. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 25, wherein the request for identification information comprises a prompt that is generated in response to a communication from the service.

27. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 26, wherein the prompt comprises at least one of an audio prompt, a video prompt, a text prompt, and an electronic query;

and

wherein the identification information is provided via at least one of a keypad input, a keyboard input, a key input, and an electronic response.

28. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 25, wherein the communication device is configured using the first or second device-specific information so that the communication device is distinguishable from other like communication devices on the network.

29. The one or non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 25, wherein connecting to the service is effected by sending data to the service, the service generating the first device-specific information using the data;

and wherein configuring the communication device comprises;

receiving, from the service, an instruction to re-boot; and

re-booting in response to the instruction.

30. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 29, wherein the first or second device-specific information is obtained from the second network node.

31. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 29, wherein the data comprises an address corresponding to the communication device.

32. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 25, wherein the communication device comprises a telephone.