Migrating configuration information based on user identity information

• US 9,553,738 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Meenan, Patrick, Semaan, Fady William
• Primary Examiner(s): NANO, SARGON N
• Application Number:
  US13/616,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20130007871A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,593 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709/220, 709/221, 709/225, 709/227, 709/232, 726/2
• 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 41/0846 based on copy from other elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

Techniques are provided for the configuration of a home-networking system. Home-networking configuration information may be stored on a host system in a manner accessible to the home-networking system and migrated to a home-networking gateway or router that has not yet been configured. Wireless configuration information may be stored on a home-networking gateway or router and used to configure one or more wireless access points through the use of a physical connection, such as a wired communications pathway. One or more wireless home-networking devices may be configured based on wireless configuration information stored in a central repository on a host system or a home-networking system. The wireless configuration information may be accessible only through the use of a security code.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining configuration information, comprising:

establishing, with a gateway device, electronic communications between a user device and a trusted system;

determining that configuration information for the user device is not available at the gateway device; and

accessing, when configuration information is determined not to be available at the gateway device, configuration information for the user device from the trusted system.

2. The method of claim 1, where accessing configuration information for the user device comprises identifying a user account associated with the user device and accessing configuration information associated with the user account.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing authentication information associated with the user account to the trusted system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the trusted system comprises a trusted system of a service provider that is located remotely from the user device and the gateway device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user device is an appliance in wireless communication with the gateway device.

6. A method for obtaining configuration information, comprising:

initiating, with a user device, a communications session between the user device and a trusted system;

requesting configuration information for the user device from the gateway device; and

accessing, with the user device, configuration information for the user device from the trusted system.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising sending authentication information associated with a user account to the gateway device.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising modifying a configuration setting of the user device based on the accessed configuration information.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the accessed configuration information comprises a limitation on content accessible by the user device.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

adjusting the accessed configuration information; and

sending the adjusted accessed configuration information to the trusted system through the gateway device.

11. A gateway device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores a set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

establishing electronic communications between a user device and a trusted system;

determining that configuration information for the user device is not available at the gateway device; and

accessing, when configuration information is determined not to be available at the gateway device, configuration information for the user device from the trusted system.

12. The gateway device of claim 11, where accessing configuration information for the user device comprises identifying a user account associated with the user device and accessing configuration information associated with the user account.

13. The gateway device of claim 12, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:

providing authentication information associated with the user account to the trusted system.

14. The gateway device of claim 11, wherein the trusted system comprises a trusted system of a service provider that is located remotely from the user device and the gateway device.

15. The gateway device of claim 11, wherein the user device is an appliance in wireless communication with the gateway device.

16. A user device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores a set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

initiating a communications session with a trusted system through a gateway device;

requesting configuration information for the user device from the gateway device; and

accessing, through the gateway device, configuration information for the user device from the trusted system.

17. The user device of claim 16, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including sending authentication information associated with a user account to the gateway device.

18. The user device of claim 16, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:

modifying a configuration setting of the user device based on the accessed configuration information.

19. The user device of claim 16, wherein the accessed configuration information comprises a limitation on content accessible by the user device.

20. The user device of claim 16, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including:

adjusting the accessed configuration information; and

sending the adjusted accessed configuration information to the trusted system through the gateway device.