Client device configuration with hooks

• US 8,639,784 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2012
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bodin, William K., Burkhart, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): BURGESS, BARBARA N
• Application Number:
  US13/495,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20120259959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/220, 709/221, 709/222
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2805 Home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Some embodiments include a method for configuring a client device. The method includes associating a hook in a configuration bundle with customized programming. The method includes downloading the configuration bundle for a client device to a services gateway, including downloading a generic configuration bundle to the services gateway. The method also includes executing the configuration bundle on the services gateway, including calling the hook and executing the generic configuration bundle. The executing of the generic configuration bundle further includes reading, from the client device, a configuration prompt stored on the client device, providing the configuration prompt to a user, receiving configuration parameters from the user, and writing the configuration parameters to the client device.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a client device, the method comprising associating a hook in a configuration bundle with customized programming;

downloading the configuration bundle for a client device to a services gateway, including downloading a generic configuration bundle to the services gateway, wherein the services gateway is configured to provide data communication between a network on which the client device is communicating and other devices coupled to an external network; and

executing the configuration bundle on the services gateway to configure the client device, including calling the hook and executing the generic configuration bundle on the services gateway to configure the client device, wherein executing the generic configuration bundle further comprises;

reading, from the client device, a configuration prompt stored on the client device, providing the configuration prompt to a user, receiving configuration parameters from the user, and writing the configuration parameters to the client device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein associating a hook in a configuration bundle with customized programming comprises receiving a description of the hook from a manufacturer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein associating a hook in a configuration bundle with customized programming comprises integrating the customized programming with the configuration bundle through the hook in dependence upon the description.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a client device and requesting a configuration bundle for the client device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at a vendor, the configuration bundle for a client device.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving, at a vendor, user-provided configuration parameters for the client device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising associating the user-provided configuration parameters with the configuration bundle.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at a configuration services provider, a configuration bundle for a client device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving, at a configuration services provider, user-provided configuration parameters for the client device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising associating the user-provided configuration parameters with the configuration bundle.

11. A system for configuring a client device, the system comprising:

a computer processor operatively coupled to computer memory, the computer memory comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by the computer processor, cause the system to perform operations including;

associating a hook in a configuration bundle with customized programming;

downloading the configuration bundle for a client device to a services gateway, including downloading a generic configuration bundle to the services gateway, wherein the services gateway is configured to provide data communication between a network on which the client device is communicating and other devices coupled to an external network; and

executing the configuration bundle on the services gateway to configure the client device, including calling the hook and executing the generic configuration bundle on the services gateway to configure the client device, wherein executing the generic configuration bundle further comprises;

reading, from the client device, a configuration prompt stored on the client device, providing the configuration prompt to a user, receiving configuration parameters from the user, and writing the configuration parameters to the client device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein associating a hook in a configuration bundle with customized programming comprises receiving a description of the hook from a manufacturer.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein associating a hook in a configuration bundle with customized programming comprises integrating the customized programming with the configuration bundle through the hook in dependence upon the description.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising computer program instructions, that when executed by the computer processor, cause the system to perform operations including detecting a client device and requesting a configuration bundle for the client device.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising computer program instructions, that when executed by the computer processor, cause the system to perform operations including receiving, at a vendor, the configuration bundle for a client device.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising computer program instructions, that when executed by the computer processor, cause the system to perform operations including receiving, at a vendor, user-provided configuration parameters for the client device.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising computer program instructions, that when executed by the computer processor, cause the system to perform operations including associating the user-provided configuration parameters with the configuration bundle.

18. The system of claim 11, further comprising computer program instructions, that when executed by the computer processor, cause the system to perform operations including receiving, at a configuration services provider, a configuration bundle for a client device.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising computer program instructions, that when executed by the computer processor, cause the system to perform operations including receiving, at a configuration services provider, user-provided configuration parameters for the client device.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising computer program instructions, that when executed by the computer processor, cause the system to perform operations including associating the user-provided configuration parameters with the configuration bundle.

21. A computer program product for configuring a client device, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions capable of:

associating a hook in a configuration bundle with customized programming;

downloading the configuration bundle for a client device to a services gateway, including downloading a generic configuration bundle to the services gateway, wherein the services gateway is configured to provide data communication between a network on which the client device is communicating and other devices coupled to an external network; and

executing the configuration bundle on the services gateway to configure the client device, including calling the hook and executing the generic configuration bundle on the services gateway to configure the client device, wherein executing the generic configuration bundle further comprises;

reading, from the client device, a configuration prompt stored on the client device, providing the configuration prompt to a user, receiving configuration parameters from the user, and writing the configuration parameters to the client device.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein associating a hook in a configuration bundle with customized programming comprises receiving a description of the hook from a manufacturer.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein associating a hook in a configuration bundle with customized programming comprises integrating the customized programming with the configuration bundle through the hook in dependence upon the description.

24. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising computer program instructions capable of detecting a client device and requesting a configuration bundle for the client device.

25. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising computer program instructions capable of receiving, at a vendor, the configuration bundle for a client device.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, further comprising computer program instructions capable of receiving, at a vendor, user-provided configuration parameters for the client device.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, further comprising computer program instructions capable of associating the user-provided configuration parameters with the configuration bundle.

28. The computer program product of claim 21, further comprising computer program instructions capable of receiving, at a configuration services provider, a configuration bundle for a client device.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising computer program instructions capable of receiving, at a configuration services provider, user-provided configuration parameters for the client device.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, further comprising computer program instructions capable of associating the user-provided configuration parameters with the configuration bundle.