Method of distributing information regarding one or more electrical devices and system for the same

• US 9,438,698 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2014
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kim, Ryan Yong, Yerramsetti, Naga, Maurino, Ricardo Federico
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Tae
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gao, Shu Chun
• Application Number:
  US14/223,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20140207856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2514 between local and global IP addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2546 Arrangements for avoiding unnecessary translation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2567 for reachability, e.g. inquiring the address of a correspondent behind a NAT server
• 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 67/01 Protocols

Abstract

Embodiments include a method of disseminating information regarding at least one electrical device using a registration server. The at least one electrical device has unique identification information, an internal IP address, and an external IP address, wherein the external IP address is an IP address of a first gateway device for a first local network. The method can include: receiving in the registration server a first request to register the at least one electrical device, the first request to register includes the unique identification information, the internal IP address, and the external IP address of the at least one electrical device; storing in the registration server the unique identification information, the internal IP address, and the external IP address of the at least one electrical device using the registration server; receiving in the registration server from a first client computer a first request for information regarding the at least one electrical device, the first request includes the external IP address of the first client computer and the unique identification information of the at least one electrical device; providing to the first client computer the external IP address of the at least one electrical device if the external IP address of the first client computer is different from the external IP address of the at least one electrical device; and providing to the first client computer the internal IP address of the at least one electrical device if the external IP address of the first client computer is identical to the external IP address of the at least one electrical device. The registration server is not part of the first local network. In some examples, the at least one electrical device and the first gateway device are part of the first local network. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of disseminating information regarding at least one electrical device using a registration server, the at least one electrical device has unique identification information, an internal IP address, and an external IP address, wherein the external IP address of the at least one electrical device is an IP address of a first gateway device for a first local network comprising the at least one electrical device and the first gateway device, the method comprising:

receiving in the registration server a first request to register the at least one electrical device, the first request to register includes the unique identification information, the internal IP address, and the external IP address of the at least one electrical device;

storing in the registration server the unique identification information, the internal IP address, and the external IP address of the at least one electrical device;

receiving in the registration server from a first client computer a first request for the information regarding the at least one electrical device, the first request for the information includes the external IP address of the first client computer and the unique identification information of the at least one electrical device;

requesting first authentication information from the first client computer;

authenticating the first client computer based on the first authentication information;

providing to the first client computer the external IP address of the at least one electrical device if the external IP address of the first client computer is different from the external IP address of the at least one electrical device; and

providing to the first client computer the internal IP address of the at least one electrical device if the external IP address of the first client computer is identical to the external IP address of the at least one electrical device,

wherein;

the registration server is not part of the first local network;

receiving in the registration server the first request to register the at least one electrical device further comprises;

receiving second authentication information from the at least one electrical device;

the first authentication information comprises a first username and a first password;

the second authentication information comprises a second username and a second password; and

authenticating the first client computer comprises;

authenticating the first client computer if the first username and the first password are identical to the second username and the second password.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

providing to the first client computer the internal IP address of the at least one electrical device comprises;

redirecting the first request for the information to the first gateway device if the external IP address of the first client computer is identical to the external IP address of the at least one electrical device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the second authentication information to a user of the at least one electrical device.

4. A method of determining information regarding an electrical device, the electrical device having unique identification information, an internal IP address, and an external IP address, the method comprising:

using a client computer to query a first server for at least one of the internal IP address or the external IP address of the electrical device;

receiving at the client computer a request for first authentication information from the first server, the first authentication information comprises a first username and a first password;

sending the first authentication information to the first server from the client computer to allow the first server to authenticate the client computer if the first username and the first password are identical to a second username and a second password, the electrical device having been registered in the first server using second authentication information comprising the second username and the second password;

using the client computer to receive at least one of the internal IP address of the electrical device or the external IP address of the electrical device;

using the client computer to access the electrical device using at least one of the internal IP address of the electrical device or the external IP address of the electrical device,

wherein;

the electrical device is part of a different local network than the first server.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

coupling the electrical device to a gateway device before communicating to the first server.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the electrical device is devoid of a visual user interface.

7. A registration server configured to provide information regarding two or more electrical devices, each of the two or more electrical devices has unique identification information, an internal IP address, and an external IP address, the registration server comprising:

a registration module configured to receive at least two requests to register each of the two or more electrical devices, each of the at least two requests to register includes the unique identification information, the internal IP address, and the external IP address of the two or more electrical devices;

a storage module configured to store the unique identification information, the internal IP address, and the external IP address of each of the two or more electrical devices;

a request module configured to receive one or more requests for information regarding the two or more electrical devices from one or more client computers and further configured to determine an external IP address of the one or more client computers making the one or more requests for the information;

a security module; and

a return module,

wherein;

a first request of the one or more requests for the information is a request for the information about a first electrical device of the two or more electrical devices is by a first client computer of the one or more client computers;

at least one of the at least two requests to register each of the two or more electrical devices comprises second authentication information from the first electrical device of the two or more electrical devices;

the second authentication information comprises a second username and a second password;

the security module is configured to request first authentication information from the first client computer of the one or more client computers;

the first authentication information comprises a first username and a first password;

the security module is configured to authenticate the first client computer based on the first authentication information if the first username and the first password are identical to the second username and the second password;

the return module is configured to redirect the first request of the one or more requests for the information by the first client computer of the one or more client computers to a first gateway device if the external IP address of the first client computer of the one or more client computers is identical to the external IP address of the first electrical device of the two or more electrical devices; and

the return module is further configured return the external IP address of the first electrical device of the two or more electrical devices if the external IP address of the first client computer of the one or more client computers is different from the external IP address of the first electrical device of the two or more electrical devices.

8. The registration server of claim 7, wherein:

none of the two or more electrical devices has a visual user interface.

9. A method of distributing information regarding at least one electrical device using a first server, each of the at least one electrical device has unique identification information, an internal IP address, and an external IP address, wherein the external IP address of the at least one electrical device is an IP address of a first gateway device for a first local network comprising the at least one electrical device and the first gateway device, the method comprising:

receiving from the at least one electrical device a first request to register the at least one electrical device, the first request to register includes the unique identification information, the internal IP address, and the external IP address of the at least one electrical device;

using the first server to register the at least one electrical device;

receiving in the first server from a first client computer a first request for information regarding the at least one electrical device, the first request for the information includes the external IP address of the first client computer and the unique identification information of the at least one electrical device;

requesting first authentication information from the first client computer;

authenticating the first client computer based on the first authentication information;

providing to the first client computer the external IP address of the at least one electrical device if the external IP address of the first client computer is different from the external IP address of the at least one electrical device; and

redirecting the first request for the information to the first gateway device if the external IP address of the first client computer is identical to the external IP address of the at least one electrical device,

wherein;

the first server is not part of the first local network;

receiving from the at least one electrical device the first request to register the at least one electrical device comprises;

receiving second authentication information from the at least one electrical device;

the first authentication information comprises a first username and a first password;

the second authentication information comprises a second username and a second password; and

authenticating the first client computer comprises;

authenticating the first client computer if the first username and the first password are identical to the second username and the second password.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the first gateway device and the at least one electrical device are not using an UPnP (universal plug and play) standard or a DLNA (digital living network alliance) standard; and

the first gateway device and the at least one electrical device are not using a Bonjour protocol.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing the second authentication information to a user of the at least one electrical device.

12. A method of distributing information regarding one or more electrical devices using a first server, each of the one or more electrical devices has unique identification information, an internal IP address, and an external IP address, the method comprising:

registering in the first server a first electrical device of the one or more electrical devices using first information, the first information comprises the unique identification information, the internal IP address, and the external IP address of the first electrical device of the one or more electrical devices;

receiving in the first server from a first client computer a first request for information regarding the first electrical device of the one or more electrical devices;

requesting first authentication information from the first client computer;

authenticating the first client computer based on the first authentication information;

using the first server to determine the external IP address of the first electrical device of the one or more electrical devices;

redirecting the first request for the information to a first gateway device if an external IP address of the first client computer is identical to the external IP address of the first electrical device of the one or more electrical devices; and

returning the external IP address of the first electrical device of the one or more electrical devices if the external IP address of the first client computer is different from the external IP address of the first electrical device of the one or more electrical devices,

wherein;

the first electrical device of the one or more electrical devices is part of a different local network than the first server;

the first gateway device and the first electrical device of the one or more electrical devices are not using an UPnP (universal plug and play) standard and a DLNA (digital living network alliance) standard; and

the first gateway device and the first electrical device of the one or more electrical devices are not using a Bonjour protocol;

registering in the first server the first electrical device of the one or more electrical devices using the first information further comprises;

receiving second authentication information from the first electrical device of the one or more electrical devices;

the first authentication information comprises a first username and a first password;

the second authentication information comprises a second username and a second password; and

authenticating the first client computer comprises;

authenticating the first client computer if the first username and the first password are identical to the second username and the second password.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the first electrical device of the one or more electrical devices is devoid of a visual user interface.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving in the first server from the first client computer a second request for second information regarding a second electrical device of the one or more electrical devices;

using the first server to determine an external IP address of the second electrical device of the one or more electrical devices;

redirecting the second request for the second information to the first gateway device if the external IP address of the first client computer is identical to the external IP address of the second electrical device of the one or more electrical devices; and

returning the external IP address of the second electrical device of the one or more electrical devices if the external IP address of the first client computer is different from the external IP address of the second electrical device of the one or more electrical devices.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a request for an IP address of the first server from the first client computer; and

providing the IP address of the first server to the first client computer.

16. A method of distributing information regarding an electrical device using a first server, the electrical device having unique identification information, an internal IP address, and an external IP address, the method comprising:

receiving first information at the first server from the electrical device, the first information comprising the unique identification information, the internal IP address, and the external IP address of the electrical device;

registering in the first server the electrical device using the unique identification information;

receiving in the first server from a client computer a first query for at least one of the internal IP address or the external IP address of the electrical device;

requesting first authentication information from the client computer;

authenticating the client computer based on the first authentication information;

using the first server to determine the external IP address of the electrical device;

returning the external IP address of the electrical device if the external IP address of the client computer is different from the external IP address of the electrical device;

redirecting the first query to a first gateway device if an external IP address of the client computer is identical to the external IP address of the electrical device;

providing the client computer at least one of the internal IP address of the electrical device or the external IP address of the electrical device to allow the client computer to access the electrical device using at least one of the internal IP address of the electrical device or the external IP address of the electrical device,

wherein;

a local network comprises the first gateway device and the electrical device;

the electrical device communicates to the first server via the first gateway device;

the first server is not part of the local network;

the first gateway device and the electrical device are not using a UPnP (universal plug and play) standard or a DLNA (digital living network alliance) standard;

the first gateway device and the electrical device are not using a Bonjour protocol;

receiving the first information at the first server further comprises;

receiving second authentication information from the electrical device;

the first authentication information comprises a first username and a first password;

the second authentication information comprises a second username and a second password; and

authenticating the client computer comprises;

authenticating the client computer if the first username and the first password are identical to the second username and the second password.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the first information is received at the first server based on automatic communication from the electrical device of the unique identification information, the internal IP address, and the external IP address of the electrical device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the electrical device is coupled to the first gateway device before using the electrical device to communicate to the first server.