Remote device communication platform

• US 8,789,151 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2008
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Manion, Todd Ryun, Patiejunas, Kestutis, Zhang, Junfeng, Kim, Ryan Yonghee
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pan, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US11/971,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20090178124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,386 Days
• Field of Search: 726 2- 4, 726/6, 713/156, 709/217, 709/218, 709/229
• US Class Current: 726/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/305 by remotely controlling device operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

Managing via a web portal a remote device from a source device connected to a communication network. A device ID is assigned to the remote device, and a remote management software for remote management of the remote device is not installed on the source device or the remote device. Based on the assigned device ID, a connection is established with the remote device via the communication network. A first instruction is received from a user for authenticating access to the web portal. The user is authenticated in response to the received first instruction. An online status is established for the authenticated user. A second instruction is received from the authenticated user requesting access to the remote device. The device ID of the remote device is validated. The validated device ID is associated with the authenticated user. A connection is established between the remote device and the web portal.

Claims

1. A method of managing, via a web portal, a remote device from a source device connected to a communication network, said method comprising:

receiving by an activation server a request from a first user server to associate the remote device with the first user for use by the first user;

assigning by the activation server a device ID to the remote device;

transmitting by the activation server the assigned device ID to the remote device;

based on the assigned device ID, establishing a connection between the activation server and the remote device via the communication network;

receiving a first instruction from the first user for authenticating access to the web portal, said web portal executing a remote management software for remote management of the remote device, wherein the remote management software is not installed on the source device or on the remote device, said received instruction originating from the source device;

authenticating the user in response to the received first instruction;

establishing an online status for the authenticated first user;

receiving a second instruction from the authenticated first user requesting access to the remote device for remote management through the web portal;

validating the device ID of the remote device in response to receiving the second instruction requesting access;

associating the validated device ID with the authenticated first user;

establishing a connection between the remote device and the web portal, wherein the remote device is managed by the authenticated first user via the web portal;

receiving a third instruction from the first user for associating a second user with the web portal;

establishing in response to the received third instruction a user context that determines a level of access privileges to the remote device granted to the second user;

authenticating the second user for accessing the remote device in response to the received third instruction from the first user, wherein the second user is authenticated for access privileges to the remote device at a level determined by the user context established by the third instruction; and

registering the authenticated second user with the web portal, wherein registering comprises issuing an authentication ticket to the second user, wherein the authentication ticket enabling the second user to access the remote device absent a termination request from the first user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first instruction from the first user for authenticating access to the web portal comprises receiving the first instruction from the first user for authenticating access to an online account of the first user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein registering comprises registering the authenticated second user in a membership list associated with the web portal, said membership list enabling the authenticated second user for continuous access to the remote device.

4. A system for managing, via a web portal, a remote device from a source device connected to a communication network, said system comprising:

an activation server for assigning a device ID to the remote device and for transmitting the assigned ID to the remote device, said activation server establishing a connection with the remote device via the communication network based on the assigned device ID in response to a request from a first user in a remote location;

an interface for receiving a first instruction from a first user for authenticating access to the web portal, said web portal executing a remote management software for remote management of the remote device, wherein the remote management software is not installed on the source device or on the remote device, said received instruction originating from the source device;

an authentication server for authenticating the first user in response to the received first instruction;

a main server, connected with the authentication server, the interface, and the activation server, for establishing an online status on the interface for the authenticated first user;

wherein the interface receives a second instruction from the authenticated first user requesting access to the remote device for remote management through the interface and in response to receiving the second instruction requesting access, the main server validates the device ID of the remote device by requesting the activation server to validate the assigned device ID;

wherein the main server associates the validated device ID with the authenticated first user;

wherein the main server establishes a connection between the remote device and the interface, wherein the remote device is accessible to the authenticated first user via the interface; and

wherein the interface is further configured to receive a third instruction from the first user for associating a second user with the online account of the user, wherein the authentication server authenticates the second user for accessing the remote device in response to the received third instruction from the first user, said third instruction establishing a user context that determines a level of access privileges to the remote device granted to the second user, and wherein the main server issues an authentication ticket to the second user in response to authenticating the second user, wherein the authentication ticket enabling the second user to access the remote device absent a termination request from the first user, wherein the second user is granted access privileges to the remote device at a level determined by the user context established by the third instruction.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the interface receives the first instruction from the first user for authenticating access to an online account of the first user.

6. The system of claim 5, said second user sharing access of the remote device with the first user.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the main server further registers the authenticated second user with the online account of the first user.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the main server registers the authenticated second user in a membership list associated with the online account, said membership list enabling the authenticated second user for continuous access to the remote device.

9. A method of managing via a web portal a remote device from a source device connected to a communication network, said method comprising:

receiving a request from a first user to an activation server to associate the remote device with the first user for use by the first user;

assigning a device ID to the remote device via the activation server;

transmitting by the activation server the assigned device ID to the remote device;

based on the assigned device ID, establishing a connection between the activation server and the remote device via the communication network;

receiving a first instruction from the first user for authenticating access to the web portal, said web portal executing a remote management software for remote management of the remote device, wherein the remote management software is not installed on the source device or on the remote device, said received instruction originating from the source device;

authenticating the first user in response to the received first instruction;

establishing an online status for the authenticated first user;

receiving a second instruction from the authenticated first user requesting access to the remote device for remote management through the web portal;

validating the device ID of the remote device in response to receiving the second instruction requesting access;

associating the validated device ID with the authenticated first user;

establishing a connection between the remote device and the web portal, wherein the remote device is accessible to the authenticated first user via the web portal;

receiving a third instruction from the first user for associating a second user with the web portal;

establishing in response to the received third instruction a user context that determines a level of access privileges to the remote device granted to the second user; and

authenticating the second user for accessing the remote device in response to the received third instruction from the first user, wherein the second user is authenticated for access privileges to the remote device at a level determined by the user context established by the third instruction.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the first instruction from the first user for authenticating access to the web portal comprises receiving the first instruction from the first user for authenticating access to an online account of the first user.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving a third instruction from the first user for associating a second user with the web portal;

and authenticating the second user for accessing the remote device in response to the received third instruction from the first user, said second user sharing access of the remote device with the first user based on the established access context.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising registering the authenticated second user with the web portal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein registering comprises registering the authenticated second user in a membership list associated with the web portal, said membership list enabling the authenticated second user for continuous access to the remote device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein registering comprises issuing an authentication ticket to the second user, wherein the authentication ticket enabling the second user to access the remote device absent a termination request from the first user.