Conditional data delivery to remote devices

• US 8,156,542 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2008
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huotari, Allen J., Harrington, Kendra S.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIA, SYED
• Application Number:
  US12/062,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20090254976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5084 Providing for device mobility network addressing or numbering for mobility support in wireless networks H04W8/26; mobile IP H04W80/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels

Abstract

In one embodiment a method comprises enrolling a mobile device in a local area network by setting a variable to a mobile device identifier and authenticating the mobile device using a network gateway and the mobile device identifier. A request for data is received from the mobile device and the data is delivered from a service provider to the mobile device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, at a first instance, that a mobile device is disposed locally with respect to a Residential Gateway of a local area network based on an identification that said mobile device connects to said Residential Gateway while said mobile device is physically disposed within said local area network;

allowing said mobile device to enroll in said local area network by setting a variable to a mobile device identifier to correspond to said mobile device while said mobile device is disposed locally with respect to said Residential Gateway, wherein setting of said variable to said mobile device identifier is limited to mobile devices determined to be disposed locally with respect to said Residential Gateway;

receiving a request for data originating from said mobile device at a second instance subsequent to said first instance when said mobile device is disposed remotely with respect to said Residential Gateway; and

delivering said data from a service provider to said mobile device, when said mobile device is disposed remotely with respect to said Residential Gateway based on said enrollment of said mobile device while physically disposed within said local area network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said variable is a Universal Plug and Play ExternalClient variable.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said mobile device identifier is stored in said mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said enrolling comprises said mobile device setting said variable to said mobile device identifier.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said enrolling comprises setting a cookie on said Residential Gateway to a random identifier.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said enrolling comprises said Residential Gateway writing said variable into said mobile device, said variable being a random identifier stored in said Residential Gateway.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating said mobile device, wherein said Residential Gateway transmits said mobile device identifier to said service provider.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating said mobile device, wherein said service provider sends a device confirmation request to said Residential Gateway.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating said mobile device, wherein said mobile device sends a request for authorization to said Residential Gateway.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving a request comprises said service provider receiving said request for data from said mobile device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving a request comprises:

said Residential Gateway receiving said request for data from said mobile device, and

said Residential Gateway redirecting said request for data to said service provider.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said receiving a request comprises:

said Residential Gateway receiving said request for data from said mobile device, and

said Residential Gateway routing said request for data to said service provider.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said delivering said data comprises sending data in response to said request from said service provider to said mobile device.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said delivering said data comprises sending data in response to said request from said service provider to said Residential Gateway and redirecting said data from said Residential Gateway to said mobile device.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said delivering said data comprises sending data in response to said request from said service provider to said Residential Gateway, and routing said data from said Residential Gateway to said mobile device.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, in response to receiving the request for data, that an address of said mobile device corresponds to a value of said set variable;

identifying a random identifier included in the request for data;

determining that said random identifier corresponds to a particular random identifier paired to said variable, wherein said particular random identifier was paired to said variable during enrollment of said mobile device; and

wherein delivering said data from said service provider to said mobile device is further based on the determining that said random identifier corresponds to said particular random identifier paired to said variable.

21. The method of claim 2, wherein said Residential Gateway maintains the Universal Plug and Play ExternalClient variable and a Universal Plug and Play InternalClient variable, wherein the Universal Plug and Play InternalClient variable is locked.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a mobile device identified by a mobile device identifier; and

a network gateway connected to a service provider through a local area network, wherein;

said mobile device is enrolled in said local area network by setting a Universal Plug and Play ExternalClient variable in said network gateway to said mobile device identifier,

wherein enrolling said mobile device in said local area network includes;

determining that said mobile device is disposed locally with respect to said network gateway; and

allowing said mobile device to enroll in said local area network by setting a variable to said mobile device identifier to identify said mobile device while said mobile device is disposed locally with respect to said network gateway, wherein setting of said variable to said mobile device identifier is limited to mobile devices determined to be disposed locally with respect to said network gateway;

said mobile device is authenticated using said mobile device identifier; and

data is delivered to said mobile device in response to a request for said data from said mobile device.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said network gateway is a Residential Gateway.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said Universal Plug and Play ExternalClient variable is an Internet Protocol address.

19. An article comprising non-transitory, machine-readable media storing instructions operable to cause at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

determining, at a first instance, that a mobile device is disposed locally with respect to a Residential Gateway of a local area network based on an identification that said mobile device connects to said Residential Gateway while said mobile device is physically disposed within said local area network;

allowing said mobile device to enroll in said local area network by setting a variable to a mobile device identifier to correspond to said mobile device while said mobile device is disposed locally with respect to said Residential Gateway, wherein setting of said variable to said mobile device identifier is limited to mobile devices determined to be disposed locally with respect to said Residential Gateway;

receiving a request for data originating from said mobile device at a second instance subsequent to said first instance when said mobile device is disposed remotely with respect to said Residential Gateway; and

delivering said data from a service provider to said mobile device, when said mobile device is disposed remotely with respect to said Residential Gateway based on said enrollment of said mobile device while physically disposed within said local area network.