Managed peer-to-peer applications, systems and methods for distributed data access and storage

• US 8,688,797 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2004
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Hesselink, Lambertus, Rizal, Dharmarus, Bjornson, Eric S.
• Primary Examiner(s): WINDER, PATRICE L
• Application Number:
  US10/988,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20050138186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,426 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/211
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0209 Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams

Abstract

Applications, systems and methods for efficiently accessing and controlling data of devices among multiple computers over a network. Communication of data over one or more networks may be managed by means of one or more connection servers which may also manage any or all of authentication, authorization, security, encryption and point-to-multipoint communications functionalities. Alternatively, computers may be connected over a wide area network without a connection server, and with or without a VPN. In any case, file structure integrating means are configured to integrate a file structure of accessible files accessed at a second or first computer, into a file structure contained at the first or second computer, respectively.

Claims

1. A system for establishing a secure network among at least two computers over a public, wide area network, said system comprising:

a first computer connectable to the wide area network through a first firewall element, said first firewall element adapted to protect said first computer from hostile intrusion from the wide area network;

a second computer connectable to the wide area network through a second firewall element, said second firewall element adapted to protect said second computer from hostile intrusion from the wide area network;

a third computer, accessible over the wide area network by said first and second computers via said first and second firewall elements respectively, said third computer comprising means for authenticating at least one of said second computer for connection to said first computer over the wide area network and said first computer for connection to said second computer over the wide area network; and

means for integrating a file structure associated with said first computer into a file structure associated with said second computer, said file structure integrating means configured to integrate the file structure of accessible files accessed at said first computer, into the file structure contained at said second computer, wherein the accessible files are accessible from said first computer over said wide area network by implementation of the file structure at said second computer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for integrating the file structure is provided in an application.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for integrating the file structure is provided in a service.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for integrating file structure is associated with a web browser.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional computer connectable to the wide area network, and wherein at least one of said first, second and at least one additional computers are configured for secure, point-to-multipoint communications with the remainder of said first, second and at least one additional computer, over the wide area network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second firewall elements use different criteria for restriction of communications traffic therethrough.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second computers is a wireless device.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a connection server operatively connecting said first and second computers across the wide area network, said connection server providing at least one of authentication, authorization, security, logging, encryption, load balancing and point-to-multipoint communications functionalities to said system.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a remote desktop control feature associated with said second computer, said remote desktop control feature configured to integrate a desktop of said first computer on a display of said second computer, wherein a file application on said first computer can be run remotely from said second computer using said remote desktop control feature.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said desktop integrated by said desktop control feature is fully functional on the display on which it is integrated.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said first computer comprises one or more devices selected from the group consisting of:

home appliances, video equipment, audio equipment, printers, fax machines, office equipment, medical devices, vehicles, cameras, RFID equipment, laboratory equipment, manufacturing machinery, GPS equipment, and devices having one or more embedded microprocessors;

said system configured to allow direct remote control of said one or more devices from said second computer across the wide area network.

12. A system for remote communications between private computers through a public network while providing seamless, firewall-compliant connectivity, said system comprising:

a first computer connectable to the public network over a first secure channel through a first firewall element adapted to protect said first computer from hostile intrusion form the public network;

a second computer connectable to the public network over a second secure channel through a second firewall element adapted to protect said second computer from hostile intrusion from the public network;

a connection server to which said first and second computers are connectable over the public network via said first and second firewall elements respectively; and

means for integrating a file structure associated with said first computer into a file structure associated with said second computer, said means for integrating the file structure configured to integrate the file structure of accessible files accessed at said first computer into the file structure contained at said second computer, wherein the accessible files are accessible from said first computer over the public network, by implementation of the file structure having been integrated at said second computer, over said wide area network.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said connection server is operatively coupled to the public network outside of said first and second firewall elements, said connection server including means for authenticating at least one of said first and second computers, means for forming a first, secure, firewall compliant connection with said first computer, means for forming a second, secure, firewall compliant connection with said second computer, means for sending communications received from said first computer to said second computer while maintaining second firewall compliance, and means for sending communications received from said second computer to said first computer while maintaining first firewall compliance.

14. A system for establishing a secure network among at least two computers over a network, said system comprising:

a first computer located behind a first firewall and connectable to the network;

a second computer located behind a second firewall and connectable to the network;

a third computer to which the first computer is connectable over the network via a first firewall compliant connection, and to which the second computer is connectable over the network via a second firewall compliant connection, said third computer comprising means for authenticating at least one of said second computer for connection to said first computer, and said first computer for connection to said second computer; and

means for integrating a file structure associated with said first computer into a file structure associated with said second computer, said file structure integrating means configured to integrate the file structure of accessible files accessed at said first computer into a file structure contained at said second computer, wherein the accessible files are accessible from said first computer, over the network, by implementation of the file structure having been integrated at said second computer.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said first and second computers are connectable over a private network.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising at least one additional computer connectable to said first and second computers over a wide area network, and wherein at least one of said first, second and at least one additional computers are configured for secure, point-to-multipoint communications with the remainder of said first, second and at least one additional computer, over the wide area network and private network.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein said third computer runs at a gateway of said private network.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising a computer running at a gateway of said private network and including said means for integrating file structure.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the third computer comprises a connection server operatively coupled to a public network and publicly addressable by said first and second computers.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising a connection server running on a gateway of said private network and addressable by said first and second computers.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said third computer is at a public address, wherein authentication of a connection between said first and second computers is carried out at said public address and wherein after said authentication has occurred, communications between said first and second computers bypass said public address and are routed through said connection server.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein said third computer is located at a publicly addressed location remote from said first and second computers.

23. The system of claim 14, further comprising a personal authentication device, wherein said personal authentication device must be integrated into the network and activated prior to establishing secure connections between said first and second computers.

34. The system of claim 14, wherein the integrated file structure is useable to run a file from the first computer that the file is being shared by, with a local application on the second computer.

24. A remote control system for accessing a remote computer from a local computer over a wide area network, wherein said local and remote computers are securely connected to one another over the wide area network, at least one of said local and remote computers being connectable to the wide area network through a firewall element, said system comprising:

means for accessing files stored on said remote computer connected to said local computer;

means for integrating the accessed files into a file structure of the local computer, wherein the accessible files are accessible from said first computer by implementation of the file structure having been integrated at said second computer, over said wide area network;

means for operating a device connected to said remote computer in a remote location, from a local location of the local computer; and

means for displaying, on a display of said local computer, a desktop display of said remote computer, wherein said desktop display of said remote computer is operable at a location of said local computer to operate said device over the wide area network.

25. The remote control system of claim 24, wherein said local computer is connectable to the wide area network through a first firewall element and said remote computer is connectable to the wide area network through a second firewall element.

26. The remote control system of claim 24, further comprising means for operating said remote computer through remote desktop control by operation of said desktop display of said remote computer on said local computer.

27. The remote control system of claim 26, wherein said remote desktop control includes performing at least one of cursor control and keystroke control of said at remote computer by controlling a cursor or keystroke on said local computer.

28. The remote control system of claim 24, further comprising means for displaying the integrated file structure on said local computer.

29. The remote control system of claim 24, wherein said remote computer is selected from the group consisting of:

personal computers, MP3 players, portable digital devices, laptop computers, personal digital assistants, cellular phones, home appliances, video equipment, audio equipment, printers, fax machines, office equipment, medical devices, vehicles, cameras, RFID equipment, laboratory equipment, manufacturing machinery, GPS equipment, a server running on a gateway, network attached storage devices, and devices having one or more embedded microprocessors.

30. The remote control system of claim 29, wherein said local computer is selected from the group consisting of:

personal computers, MP3 players, portable digital devices, laptop computers, personal digital assistants, cellular phones, home appliances, video equipment, audio equipment, printers, fax machines, office equipment, medical devices, vehicles, cameras, RFID equipment, laboratory equipment, manufacturing machinery, GPS equipment, a server on a gateway, and devices having one or more embedded microprocessors.

31. The remote control system of claim 24, wherein said device is selected from the group consisting of:

home appliances, video equipment, audio equipment, printers, fax machines, office equipment, medical devices, vehicles, cameras, RFID equipment, laboratory equipment, manufacturing machinery, GPS equipment, network attached storage devices and devices having one or more embedded microprocessors.

32. The remote control system of claim 24, wherein said device is selected from the group consisting of:

a digital camera and a video recorder.

33. The remote control system of claim 24, further comprising means for collaboratively operating said remote computer by said local computer and at least one additional computer when said at least one additional computer and said local computer are each connected with said remote computer over one or more of said wide area networks and at least one additional network.