System, method and apparatus for providing multiple access modes in a data communications network
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method comprising:
- at a network access device communicably coupled to a network, sensing a user device coupled to a port of the network access device;
determining, by the network access device, if the user device supports a user authentication protocol used by the network, the user authentication protocol comprising a protocol to validate the identity of a user of the user device; and
placing, by the network access device, the port into a semi-authorized access state if the determining indicates that the user device does not support the user authentication protocol, the semi-authorized access state providing the user device with limited network access.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system, method and apparatus for providing multiple access modes in a data communications network includes a network access device having a plurality of input ports, a plurality of output ports, and a switching fabric for routing data received on the plurality of input ports to at least one of the plurality of output ports. Control logic within the network access device is adapted to determine whether a user device coupled to one of the plurality of input ports supports a user authentication protocol used by a host network. If the user authentication protocol is not supported, then the input port to which the network access device is coupled is placed in a semi-authorized access state that limits access to a pre-configured network accessible via the host network.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method comprising:
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at a network access device communicably coupled to a network, sensing a user device coupled to a port of the network access device; determining, by the network access device, if the user device supports a user authentication protocol used by the network, the user authentication protocol comprising a protocol to validate the identity of a user of the user device; and placing, by the network access device, the port into a semi-authorized access state if the determining indicates that the user device does not support the user authentication protocol, the semi-authorized access state providing the user device with limited network access. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A network access device comprising:
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a switching fabric for routing data received on one or more of input ports of the device to one or more output ports of the device; and control logic configured to determine, by the network access device, whether a user device coupled to one of the one or more input ports supports a user authentication protocol used by a network, and to place, by the network access device, the one of the input ports in a semi-authorized access state if the determination indicates the authentication protocol is not supported, the semi-authorized access state providing the user device with limited network access, the user authentication protocol comprising a protocol to validate the identity of a user of the user device. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus comprising:
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means for sensing a user device coupled to a port of a network access device; means for determining, by the network access device, if the user device supports a user authentication protocol used by the network, the user authentication protocol comprising a protocol to validate the identity of a user of the user device; and means for placing, by the network access device, the port into a semi-authorized access state if the determining indicates that the user device does not support the user authentication protocol, the semi-authorized access state providing the user device with limited network access.
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17. A computer implemented method comprising:
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at a network access device communicably coupled to a network, sensing a user device coupled to a port of the network access device; and at the network access device, allowing the user device limited access to a network via the network access device if it is determined that the user device is unable to communicate using a particular user authentication protocol, the user authentication protocol comprising a protocol to validate the identity of a user of the user device. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A network access device comprising:
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a memory; a switching fabric configured to route data received on one or more input ports of the device to one or more output ports of the device; and control logic configured to allow the user device limited access to a network if it is determined that the user device is unable to communicate using a particular user authentication protocol, the user authentication protocol comprising a protocol to validate the identity of a user of the user device. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. An apparatus comprising:
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a memory; means at a network access device for sensing a user device coupled to a port of the network access device; and means at the network access device for allowing the user device limited access to a network via the network access device if it is determined that the user device is unable to communicate using a particular user authentication protocol, the user authentication protocol comprising a protocol to validate the identity of a user of the user device.
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Specification