Access and control system for network-enabled devices

• US 8,341,275 B1
• Filed: 12/08/2009
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Hesselink, Lambertus, Rizal, Dharmarus, Bjornson, Eric S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Winder, Patrice
• Application Number:
  US12/633,189
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 709213-214, 709/228
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0209 Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0218 Distributed architectures, e.g. distributed firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams

Abstract

Systems and methods for remote access of network-enabled devices that provide seamless, firewall-compliant connectivity between multiple users and multiple devices, that allow collaborative operations by multiple users of remote devices, that allow point to multipoint control of multiple devices and which allow rapid, secure transmission of data between remote users and devices. In general terms, the system includes at least one connection server, and at least two computers operatively coupled to the connection server via a public or global network. In an example where at least one client computer is operatively connected to at least one network-enabled device through a connection server via the public or global network, the connection server is configured to route control instructions from the client to the network-enabled device, and route data from the network-enabled device to the client.

Claims

1. A first computer having a first private address in a first firewall-protected location, the first computer comprising:

a processor operable to execute code; and

a memory having computer-readable code stored thereon that is executable by the processor in order to cause the processor to;

send a connection request to a public address of a connection server on a public network;

initiate a first secure connection between the first computer and the connection server;

send instructions to the connection server indicative of a second computer having a second private address in a second firewall-protected location, said instructions causing the connection server to establish a second secure connection with the second computer;

send secure communications from the first computer to the second computer via the first secure connection and the second secure connection without using the second private address;

receive secure communications from the second computer at the first computer via the same second and first secure connections; and

adaptively poll a first sending buffer configured to store data for communication to the second computer.

2. The first computer of claim 1, wherein the memory has further computer-readable code stored thereon that is executable by the processor in order to cause the processor to send the data to the connection server when the data is stored in the first sending buffer.

3. The first computer of claim 1, wherein the memory has further computer-readable code stored thereon that is executable by the processor in order to cause the processor to receive response data originating at the second computer via the connection server in a response to an HTTP request.

4. The first computer of claim 2, wherein the memory has further computer-readable code stored thereon that is executable by the processor in order to cause the processor to receive response data originating at the second computer via the connection server in a response to an HTTP request.

5. The first computer of claim 1, wherein said first and second secure connections establish full-duplex data communications between the first and second computer, via the connection server.

6. A first computer having a first private address in a first firewall-protected location, the first computer comprising:

a processor operable to execute code; and

a memory having computer-readable code stored thereon that is executable by the processor in order to cause the processor to;

send a connection request to a public address of a connection server on a public network, causing the connection server to authorize the first computer and establish a secure connection with the first computer;

send instructions to the connection server indicative of a second computer having a second private address in a second firewall-protected location, said instructions causing the connection server to establish a second secure connection with the second computer;

send secure communications from the first computer to the second computer via the first secure connection and the second secure connection without using the second private address;

receive secure communications from the second computer at the first computer via the same second and first secure connections; and

adaptively poll a first sending buffer configured to store data for communication to the second computer.

7. The first computer of claim 6, wherein said connection request comprises an HTTP request.

8. The first computer of claim 6, wherein said first and second secure connections establish full-duplex data communications between the first and second computer, via the connection server.

9. The first computer of claim 6, wherein the adaptive polling of said first sending buffer results in adaptively varying timing between sending successive requests to the connection server.

10. The first computer of claim 9, wherein if data is found stored in said first sending buffer upon checking said first sending buffer, said data is immediately sent in to the connection server, but if data is not found stored in said first sending buffer upon said checking said first sending buffer, but if found after a wait of a predetermined time, the data is sent in a request to the connection server at the end of the wait of the predetermined time.

11. The first computer of claim 10, wherein the adaptive polling of said first sending buffer carries out of loop of said waiting for said predetermined time and said checking of said first sending buffer until a maximum preset time is reached, at which time a request is sent to the connection server.