Systems and methods for automatically configuring a client for remote use of a network-based service

• US 20050021703A1
• Filed: 06/04/2003
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Clough, James, Cherry, Darrel D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,433,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/608 Secure printing

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods for configuring a client for remote use of a network-based service. In one embodiment, a system and a method include automatically discovering a network-based service supported on a local network to which the client is also connected, communicating with the service via the network, and automatically receiving security information from the service that enables use of the service by the client from a remote location.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a client for remote use of a network-based service, comprising:

automatically discovering a network-based service supported on a local network to which the client is also connected;

communicating with the service via the network; and

automatically receiving security information from the service that enables use of the service by the client from a remote location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically discovering a network-based service comprises sending a request for a network address of a service manager that manages the service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically receiving security information comprises receiving an authentication code.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving an authentication code comprises receiving a universal resource locator (URL) that is used to access and use the service, the authorization code being embedded in the URL.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically receiving security information comprises receiving public key encryption information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically detecting connection of a computing device on which the client executes to a network prior to automatically discovering a network-based service.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the network-based service is a printing service.

8. A method for configuring a client for remote use of a network-based service, comprising:

receiving a communication from a client that is connected to a local network to which a service manager of a network-based service is also connected; and

automatically providing security information to the client as a consequence of the client'"'"'s connection to the local network, the security information being configured to enable use of the service by the client from a remote location.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein automatically providing security information comprises providing an authentication code.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein providing an authentication code comprises providing an authorization code embedded in a universal resource locator (URL) that is used to access and use the service.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein automatically providing security information comprises providing public key encryption information.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising registering the client with the network-based system.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the network-based service is a printing service.

14. A system that facilitates access and use of a network-based service, comprising:

a client that is configured to communicate with a service manager that manages the network-based service, and obtain security information from the service manager that enables use of the service by the client from a remote location; and

a service manager that manages the network-based service, the service manager being configured to communicate with clients that are connected to a local network to which the service manager is also connected, and automatically provide security information to the client as a consequence of the client'"'"'s connection to the local network, the security information being configured to enable use of the service by the client from a remote location.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the client is configured to obtain and the service manager is configured to provide an authorization code.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the client is configured to obtain and the service manager is configured to provide public key encryption information.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the client is further configured to automatically detect connection of a computing device on which the client executes to the local network.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the service manager is further configured to register the client with the network-based service.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the client is a public printing client and the service manager is a printing service manager that manages a public printing service.

20. A system, comprising:

means for locating a network-based service while connected to a local network that supports the service; and

means for automatically providing security information to the means for locating a network-based service as a consequence of its connection to the local network, the security information being configured to enable use of the service from a remote location.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for automatically providing security information comprise means for providing an authorization code.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for automatically providing security information comprise means for providing public key encryption information.

23. A client stored on a computer-readable medium, the client comprising:

logic configured to automatically detect connection of a computing device on which the client executes to a local network;

logic configured to automatically discover a network-based service supported on the local network;

logic configured to communicate with the service via the local network; and

logic configured to automatically receive from the service and store security information that enables use of the service by the client from a remote location.

24. The client of claim 23, wherein the logic configured to automatically receive and store security information comprises logic configured to receive and store an authentication code.

25. The client of claim 23, wherein the logic configured to automatically receive and store security information comprises logic configured to receive and store public key encryption information.

26. A service manager stored on a computer-readable medium, the service manager comprising:

logic configured to communicate with a client that is connected to a local network to which the network-based service is also connected;

logic configured to register the client with the network-based service; and

logic configured to automatically provide security information to the client as a consequence of the client'"'"'s connection to the local network, the security information being configured to enable use of the service by the client from a remote location.

27. The service manager of claim 26, wherein the logic configured to automatically provide security information comprises logic configured to provide an authentication code.

28. The service manager of claim 26, wherein the logic configured to automatically provide security information comprises logic configured to provide public key encryption information.