Persistent connection between network devices

• US 9,363,320 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2012
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Lewis, Richard, Nicholson, Clark
• Primary Examiner(s): NDIAYE, CHEIKH T
• Application Number:
  US13/706,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20140156788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/227, 709/228
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/00 Data switching networks interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units G06F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5076 Update or notification mechanisms, e.g. DynDNS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/162 at the data link layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/145 avoiding end of session, e.g. keep-alive, heartbeats, resumption message or wake-up for inactive or interrupted session
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/00 Connection management

Abstract

A first device and a second device are each assigned an IP address that is used to exchange messages with the other device. The first device stores the IP address for the second device. A new IP address may be assigned to the first device when it reestablishes a network connection following a location change or other network reconnection. The first device detects when a new IP address has been assigned. The first device then sends a hello message directly to the second device comprising the new IP address assigned to the first device. The new IP address allows the second device to find the first device without requiring network location services such as DNS. The first device may further include authentication credentials in the hello message to verify the new IP address.

Claims

1. In a first device having a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by the processor, configure the first device to enable persistent connections with a second device, a method comprising:

establishing a network connection between the first device and the second device;

storing an IP address for the second device on the first device, the IP address for the second device allowing the first device to send messages directly to the second device without using network location services, wherein the network location services comprises a Domain Name System (DNS);

detecting when a new IP address is assigned to the first device;

generating an authentication credential including a salted hash; and

sending a single message directly from the first device to the second device using the stored IP address, the single message comprising the authentication credential and the new IP address, wherein the new IP address is written directly to a storage location on the second device, the second device configured to verify an identity of the first device using the authentication credential and without revealing the salted hash, and wherein, upon detecting the new IP address written directly to the storage location on the second device and in response to the verification based upon the new IP address, the second device is further configured to send additional messages to the first device at the new IP address without using network location services.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a persistent network connection between the first device and the second device; and

storing an IP address for the second device on the first device, the IP address for the second device allowing the first device to send messages directly to the second device without requiring the network location services.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network location services comprises a Domain Name System (DNS).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein

the storage location on the second device comprises a particular port, memory location, or register on the second device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a host name for the second device on the first device; and

sending the message directly from the first device to the second device using the stored host name.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the message with the new IP address at the second device; and

sending messages directly to the first device at the new IP address.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting the new IP address written to the storage location on the second device; and

sending messages directly to the first device at the new IP address.

8. A computer system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory coupled to the one or more processors, the memory having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, upon execution by the one more processors, causes the computer system to;

establish a network connection between the first device and the second device;

store an IP address for the second device on the first device, the IP address for the second device allowing the first device to send messages directly to the second device without using network location services, wherein the network location services comprises a Domain Name System (DNS);

detect when a new IP address is assigned to the computer system;

generate an authentication credential including a salted hash; and

send a single message directly to the remote device using the stored IP address, the single message comprising the authentication credential and the new IP address, wherein the new IP address is written directly to a storage location on the remote device, the remote device configured to verify an identity of the first device using the authentication credential and without revealing the salted hash, and wherein, upon detecting the new IP address written directly to the storage location on the second device and in response to the verification based upon the new IP address, the second device is further configured to send additional messages to the first device at the new IP address without using network location services.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the computer-executable instructions, upon execution by the one or more processor, further cause the compute system to:

establish a persistent network connection between the computer system and the remote device; and

store an IP address for the remote device, the IP address for the remote device allowing the computer system to send messages directly to the remote device without requiring the network location services.

10. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the computer-executable instructions, upon execution by the one or more processor, further cause the computer system to:

store a host name for the remote device; and

send the message directly to the remote device using the stored host name.

11. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the computer-executable instructions, upon execution by the one or more processor, further cause the computer system to:

receive messages directly from the remote device at the new IP address.

12. The computer system of claim 8, wherein

the storage location on the remote device is a particular port, memory location, or register on the second device.

13. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the computer-executable instructions, upon execution by the one or more processor, further cause the computer system to:

detect a second new IP address written to a storage location corresponding to remote device; and

send messages directly to the remote device at the second new IP address.

14. A memory device having computer-executable instructions that, upon execution by at least one processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to:

establish a persistent network connection between a first device and a second device;

store an IP address for the second device on the first device, the IP address for the second device allowing the first device to send messages directly to the second device without requiring network location services, wherein the network location services comprises a Domain Name System (DNS);

detect when a new IP address is assigned to the first device;

generate an authentication credential including a salted hash; and

send a single message directly to the remote device using the stored IP address, the single message comprising the authentication credential and the new IP address, wherein the new IP address is written directly to a storage location on the second device, the second device configured to verify the identity of the first device using the authentication credential and without revealing the salted hash, and wherein, upon detecting the new IP address written directly to the storage location on the second device and in response to the verification based upon the new IP address, the second device is further configured to send additional messages to the first device at the new IP address without using network location services.

15. The memory device of claim 14, the method further comprising:

establish authentication credentials between the first device and the second device; and

provide the authentication credentials from the first device to the second device to verify the new IP address.

16. The memory device of claim 14, wherein the network location services comprises a Domain Name System (DNS).

17. The memory device of claim 14, wherein the storage location on the second device is a particular port, memory location, or register on the second device.

18. The memory device of claim 14, the method further comprising:

detect the new IP address written to the storage location on the second device; and

send messages directly to the first device at the new IP address.