System and method for automatic configuration of home network computers

• US 5,852,722 A
• Filed: 12/08/1997
• Issued: 12/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Hamilton, Graham
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan, Daniel H.
• Application Number:
  US08/986,298
• Time in Patent Office: 379 Days
• Field of Search: 395/675, 395/200.33, 395/182.01, 395/200.55, 395/182.05, 395/182.02, 395/200.59, 395/200.49, 395/672, 395/200.54, 395/200.51, 379/93.29, 379/12, 379/112, 379/115, 707/500, 364/DIG. 1, 364/DIG. 2
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2885 Arrangements interfacing with optical systems optical network equipment H04B10/00; optical multiplexers H04J14/05 and H04J14/07
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A distributed computer network comprising of unconfigured network home client computers, and at least one autoconfiguration server. The network may also include sales servers and local service provider servers. The home network client computer determines on power on time if it possesses the requisite configuration information. If the requisite configuration information is lacking, the home network client computer sends a configuration request along with client computer identifying information to the autoconfiguration server. On receiving the configuration request from a home network client computer, the autoconfiguration server uses the client identifying information to determine the local service provider information and client computer specific data. The autoconfiguration server determines the local service provider information by looking up a directory of local service providers, the directory being stored on the autoconfiguration server or on some local service provider server. The autoconfiguration server determines the client computer specific data by accessing a database containing client computer information for each home network client computer, the database being stored either on the autoconfiguration server itself or on some sales server. The client computer specific data is stored in the database at time of sale/purchase/shipment of the home network computer to the user. The local service provider information and the client computer specific data is then downloaded to the requesting home network client computer. The home network client computer uses the configuration information downloaded by the autoconfiguration server to configure itself and establish connection to the local service provider.

Claims

1. A method for automatic configuration of network client computers comprising the steps of:

a) receiving requests from the network client computers for autoconfiguration;

b) receiving caller identification information with each of the requests, wherein the caller identification information includes a telephone number associated with a telephone connection being used to send the request;

c) using the received caller identification information to determine

i) local service provider information, selected from information in a predefined directory of local service providers; and

ii) client computer specific data corresponding to the caller identification information, selected from a database of client computer information;

wherein at least a portion of the client computer specific data for each one of the network client computers includes data selected from the group consisting of computer model information for the one computer, data identifying an internal hardware or software configuration of the one computer, and data identifying a designated end user or recipient of the one computer; and

d) providing instructions for downloading the local service provider information, and the client computer specific data to a respective network client computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the caller identification information is provided by a telephone company caller identification service;

the database of client computer information includes data for the network client computers that is collected and stored in conjunction with acquisition or sale of the network client computers and/or shipment of the network client computers to designated recipients, wherein the stored data for each respective network client computer indicates a respective telephone number, a client computer model or configuration, sales information identifying the designated recipient of the respective network client computer, and configuration information specific to the designated recipient.

3. A method for automatic configuration of network client computers comprising the steps of:

a) receiving requests from the network client computers for autoconfiguration;

b) receiving caller identification information with each of the requests, wherein the caller identification information includes a telephone number associated with a telephone connection being used to send the request;

c) using the received caller identification information to determine

i) local service provider information, selected from information in a predefined directory of local service providers; and

ii) client computer specific data corresponding to the caller identification information, selected from a database of client computer information; and

d) providing instructions for downloading the local service provider information, and the client computer specific data to a respective network client computer;

wherein

the caller identification information includes a respective telephone number;

the respective telephone number includes a first portion that identifies a geographic region in which the network client computer is located; and

the directory of local service providers includes entries suitable for mapping the first portion of the telephone number associated with the network client computer to a local service provider.

4. A method for automatic configuration of a network client computer, comprising the steps of:

when the network client computer is powered on, determining whether the network client computer lacks required configuration information, the required configuration information including information concerning a local service provider, and client computer specific data;

if the network client computer is determined to lack any of the required configuration information, then performing the steps of;

connecting to an autoconfiguration server;

sending a configuration request to the autoconfiguration server, the autoconfiguration server receiving caller identification information, provided by a telephone company caller identification service, along with the configuration request;

receiving from the autoconfiguration server the required configuration information; and

the network client computer using the received configuration information to configure itself; and

when the network client computer has the required configuration information and has been configured therewith, automatically establishing a connection to the local service provider.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein

the caller identification information provided by the telephone company caller identification service includes a telephone number;

and

the database of client computer information includes data for the network client computers that is collected and stored in conjunction with acquisition or sale of the network client computers and/or shipment of the network client computers to designated recipients, wherein the stored data for each respective network client computer indicates a respective telephone number, a client computer model or configuration, sales information identifying the designated recipient of the respective network client computer, and configuration information specific to the designated recipient of the respective network client computer.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein

the telephone number in the caller identification information includes a first portion that identifies a geographic region in which the network client computer is located;

the directory of local service providers includes entries suitable for mapping the first portion of the telephone number associated with the network client computer to a local service provider.

7. An autoconfiguration server for configuring network client computers, comprising:

a communication interface for receiving requests from the network client computers for autoconfiguration, the communication interface also receiving caller identification information, provided by a telephone company caller identification service, along with each request;

a data processor, coupled to the communication interface;

the data processor further coupled to a predefined directory of local service providers and a database of client computer information;

a memory coupled to the data processor, the memory storing procedures for execution by the data processor;

the stored procedures including a configuration procedure for using the caller identification information associated with each request to determine local service provider information, selected from information in the predefined directory of local service providers, and to further determine client computer specific data corresponding to the caller identification information, selected from the database of client computer information;

the configuration procedure further including instructions for downloading the local service provider information, and the client computer specific data to a respective network client computer.

8. The autoconfiguration server of claim 7, wherein:

the caller identification information includes a telephone number associated with the network client computer; and

the database of client computer information includes data for the network client computers that is collected and stored in conjunction with acquisition or sale of the network client computers and/or shipment of the network client computers to designated recipients, wherein the stored data for each respective network client computer indicates a respective telephone number, a client computer model or configuration, sales information identifying the designated recipient of the respective network client computer, and configuration information specific to the designated recipient of the respective network client computer.

9. The autoconfiguration server of claim 7, wherein:

the caller identification information includes a telephone number associated with the network client computer;

the telephone number includes a first portion that identifies a geographic region in which the network client computer is located; and

the directory of local service providers includes entries suitable for mapping the first portion of the telephone number associated with the network client computer to a local service provider.

10. A client configuration system for automatic configuration of a network client computer, comprising:

a communication interface for sending requests from the network client computer for autoconfiguration;

a data processor coupled to the communication interface; and

a memory coupled to the data processor, the memory storing procedures for execution by the data processor;

the stored memory procedures including a client configuration procedure for determining, when the network client computer is powered on, whether the network client computer lacks required configuration information, the required configuration information including information concerning a local service provider, and client computer specific data;

wherein the client configuration procedure includes instructions that are executed only when the network client computer is determined to lack any of the required configuration information;

the instructions, when executed, causing the network client computer to;

send the autoconfiguration request to an autoconfiguration server via the communication interface, the autoconfiguration server receiving caller identification information, provided by a telephone company caller identification service, along with the configuration request;

receive the required configuration information from the autoconfiguration server;

use the configuration information received from the autoconfiguration server to configure the network client computer; and

when the network client computer has the required configuration information and been configured therewith, automatically establish a connection to the local service provider.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein

the caller identification information includes a telephone number associated with the network client computer;

and

the database of client computer information includes data for the network client computers that is collected and stored in conjunction with acquisition or sale of the network client computers and/or shipment of the network client computers to designated recipients, wherein the stored data for each respective network client computer indicates a respective telephone number, a client computer model or configuration, sales information identifying the designated recipient of the respective network client computer, and configuration information specific to the designated recipient of the respective network client computer.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the caller identification information includes a telephone number associated with the network client computer;

the telephone number in the caller identification information includes a first portion that identifies a geographic region in which the network client computer is located; and

the directory of local service providers includes entries suitable for mapping the first portion of the telephone number associated with the network client computer to a local service provider.