Network and interface selection on a computing device capable of establishing connections via multiple network communications media

• US 8,788,715 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2011
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Krantz, Anton, Barkley, Warren V., Knudson, Dan, Teodorescu, Florin, Alam, Mohammad Shabbir, Bhanu, Vivek, Hernandez-Mondragon, Edwin A., Mandhana, Taroon, Moore, Timothy M., Abhishek, Abhishek
• Primary Examiner(s): SHINGLES, KRISTIE D
• Application Number:
  US13/181,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20110282985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/249
• US Class Current: 709/249
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

A system and method for carrying out network and interface selections across multiple media is disclosed. The disclosed system facilitates automated network interface configuration decision-making that spans a set of networks supporting communications via differing media. A set of media specific modules associated with differing communications media acquire network interface status/capabilities information. A rules engine thereafter applies a designated network selection rule(s) to the acquired network interface status/capabilities information, and any other appropriate parameters attributable to either an interface or network, to select one or more networks and interfaces with which to establish/maintain a connection.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of media specific drivers individual ones of which being associated with individual, respective network interface cards, individual media specific drivers being configured to obtain network interface status/capabilities information from individual associated network interface cards;

a rules engine configured to;

obtain the network interface status/capabilities information from the individual media specific drivers,

cause the network interface status/capabilities information to be stored in a rule store,

access network and interface selection rules spanning multiple communication media from the rule store,

apply an order of precedence to sources of rules, and

apply a set of selection rules to accumulated network interface status/capabilities information to make network and interface selection decisions;

an application program interface configured to enable access to the network interface status/capabilities information to one or more applications, one or more provisioning services, one or more group-policy services, or a user interface;

a set of media specific modules configured to support automatic network and interface selection, under the influence of the rules engine, relating to particular media types, individual media specific modules being configured to receive, from the rules engine, network interface configuration commands to connect to a particular network or networks; and

a media specific module interface configured to enable communication between the media specific modules and the rules engine, the media specific module interface including a normalization module to facilitate communication standardization between the rules engine and different types of the media specific modules.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the application program interface is callable for querying and changing one or more of:

preference lists, visible lists, media configurations, device states, user authentication data, or network configuration.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the order of precedence favors rules provided by group-policy services over rules provided by the user interface.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the network and interface selection rules are based upon one or more of the following parameters:

resource, speed, network provider service preference order, cost, power consumption, or location.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of media specific modules comprises at least:

a LAN module, a WLAN module, a WWAN module, and a personal area network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein individual media specific modules of the set of media specific modules are configured to request network interface status/capabilities information from individual respective media specific drivers, on behalf of the rules engine.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the individual media specific modules are configured to invoke scanning of network interfaces by associated media specific drivers of a supported media type.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the individual media specific modules are configured to pass the network interface status/capabilities information to the rules engine.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the media specific modules incorporates a state machine for carrying out connectivity functionality.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the normalization module is configured to provide driver capabilities/status information from the media specific modules to the rules engine.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the normalization module is configured to facilitate specification, by the rules engine, of network interface configuration commands to the media specific drivers.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the normalization module is configured to:

provide driver capabilities/status information from the media specific modules to the rules engine; and

facilitate specification, by the rules engine, of network interface configuration commands to the media specific drivers.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the media specific modules comprise user mode modules.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the media specific drivers comprise kernel mode drivers.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of media specific modules is extensible.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein individual media specific modules are loadable and un-loadable as needed to accommodate installed network interfaces/drivers.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules engine is configured to register with a notification service that monitors installation/removal of devices from an associated computing device.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules engine is configured to receive a notification from the notification service that the new network interface/device has been installed and make a determination whether to load a media specific module to handle a media type of the new network interface/device.

19. A method for selecting a network and interface combination, to which a computing system will initiate a connection via the network interface, the method comprising:

accumulating network interface information spanning multiple communication media, the accumulated network interface information being associated with a set of networks and a set of network interfaces, each network interface for connecting the computing system to a network in the set of networks;

designating one of the set of networks by applying a network selection criterion to the accumulated network interface information;

acquiring network interface information pertaining to network interfaces associated with particular media types, the network interface information acquired from media specific drivers associated with particular interfaces;

receiving network interface configuration commands to connect to one of the set of networks;

converting standardized communication requests into media specific communications that meet media specific implementation requirements; and

directing the media specific communications to respective network interfaces.

20. A method comprising:

using a plurality of media specific drivers to obtain network interface status/capabilities information from individual, respective associated network interface cards;

operating a rules engine to;

obtain the network interface status/capabilities information from the individual media specific drivers,

cause the network interface status/capabilities information to be stored in a rule store,

access network and interface selection rules spanning multiple communication media from the rule store,

apply an order of precedence to sources of rules, and

apply a set of selection rules to accumulated network interface status/capabilities information to make network and interface selection decisions;

using an application program interface to enable access to the network interface status/capabilities information to one or more applications, one or more provisioning services, one or more group-policy services, or a user interface;

operating a set of media specific modules to support automatic network and interface selection, under the influence of the rules engine, relating to particular media types, individual media specific modules being configured to receive, from the rules engine, network interface configuration commands to connect to a particular network or networks; and

operating a media specific module interface to enable communication between the media specific modules and the rules engine, the media specific module interface including a normalization module to facilitate communication standardization between the rules engine and different types of the media specific modules.