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`a2) United States Patent
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`US 8,886,772 B2
`(0) Patent No.:
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`Nov. 11, 2014
`(45) Date of Patent:
`Visser et al.
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`US008886772B2
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`(54)
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`METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REMOTE
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`DEVICE MANAGEMENT
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`2008/0133717 Al*
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`2008/0215668 Al*
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`2009/0150977 AL*
`2009/0219820 Al*
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`2009/0292794 Al
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`........0.. 709/220
`6/2008 Bouchat etal.
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`cee 726/3
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`9/2009 Ackeetal. occ 370/241
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`11/2009 Dingetal.
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`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`Inventors: Robert Visser, Amsterdam (NL); Harm
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`Mulder, Katwijk (NL)
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`Assignee: Koninklijke KPN N.V., The Hague (NL)
`EP
`7/2008
`1940077 Al
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`EP
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`2106079 Al
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`Notice:
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`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
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`EP 2106079 BL=12/2012
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`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
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`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
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`U.S.C. 154(b) by 932 days.
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`Appl. No.: 12/512,242
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`Filed:
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`Jul. 30, 2009
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`Prior Publication Data
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`Feb. 4, 2010
`US 2010/0030875 Al
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`Foreign Application Priority Data
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`Valcourt, Scott A., “DSL—From A to V and Back Again (Invited
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`Paper)’, Access Networks & Workshops, 2007, Accessnets ’07, Sec-
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`ond International Conference ON, IEEE, PI, Aug. 1, 2007, pp. 1-5.
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`(Continued)
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`Primary Examiner — Arvin Eskandarnia
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`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm —McDonnell Boehnen
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`Hulbert & Berghoff LLP
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`0) 08013735
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`0) 08161850
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`Jul. 31, 2008
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`Aug. 5, 2008
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`(2006.01)
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`Int. Cl.
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`GO6F 15/177
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`HO4L 12/24
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`FOAL 29/12
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`US. Cl.
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`CPC ou. FOAL 41/0856 (2013.01); HO4L 41/0206
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`(2013.01); HO4E 41/0806 (2013.01); HO4L
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`61/35 (2013.01); HO4L 29/12783 (2013.01)
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`USPC oo. 709/220; 709/202; 709/223; 370/241;
`370/254
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`Field of Classification Search
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`USPC oie ccc ceseeseseeeseeesescnesenseceesensenee 709/220
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`See application file for complete search history.
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`References Cited
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`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`ABSTRACT
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`A system for remote device management includes in a net-
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`work an auto-configuration server managing device, at least
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`one database, and a plurality of auto-configuration servers.
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`The auto-configuration server managing device andthe data-
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`base are coupled in a communicative connection. The data-
`base holds information for
`identification of electronic
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`devices. The auto-configuration server managing device is
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`arranged for communication with a manageable electronic
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`device over the network. The auto-configuration server man-
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`ager is further being arrangedfor:
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`receiving a request from the manageable electronic device
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`for configuration data,
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`determining an identification of the manageable electronic
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`device by comparing the request with the information
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`for identification of electronic devices of the database,
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`determining an identification of an auto-configuration
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`server from theplurality of auto-configuration servers in
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`accordance with the identification of the manageable
`electronic device.
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`5,852,722 A * 12/1998 Hamilton occ. 709/221
`2007/0011301 Al
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`1/2007 Onget al.
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`16 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets
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`DSLAM,15 WAN
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`Page 1 of 14
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`Exhibit 1001
`IPR2023-00581
`U.S. Patent 8,886,772
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`Exhibit 1001
`IPR2023-00581
`U.S. Patent 8,886,772
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`Page 1 of 14
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`US 8,886,772 B2
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`Page 2
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`(56)
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`References Cited
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`* cited by examiner
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`Page 2 of 14
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`Nov.11, 2014
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`Sheet 1 of 6
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`US 8,886,772 B2
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`WAN
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`ACS1
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`Sheet 2 of 6
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`US 8,886,772 B2
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`Figure 2
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`MA
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`we
`ACSID
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`Me,
`ISPID
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`27|2/a
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`26a
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`DSLAM, 15
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`WAN
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`— — — — — — — | OPE
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`[—
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`LAN
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`Sheet 3 of 6
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`US 8,886,772 B2
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`Figure 3a
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`Receive request|494
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`Compare IP
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`addresswith IP
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`100
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`valid ?? Find ISPID
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`Transmit ACSID
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`electronic device|106
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`matching IP
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`Find AGSID
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`based onatleast
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`one of ISPID and;
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`IP address
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`104
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`Terminate
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`US 8,886,772 B2
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`Figure 3b
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`100
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` Receive request|494
`database
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`valid ??
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`Compare IP
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`address with IP
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`P address
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`Find ISPID
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`electronic device
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`Find ACSID
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`Relay request to
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`ACSID andrelay
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`reply to
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`Figure 4
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`CPE, 1
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`1
`METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REMOTE
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`US 8,886,772 B2
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`The presentapplication claimspriority to European Patent
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`Application EP 08013735.9, filed in the European Patent
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`Office on Jul. 31, 2008, and to European Patent Application
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`EP 08161850.6, filed in the European Patent Office onAug. 5,
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`2008, the entire contents of both of which are incorporated
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`herein by reference.
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
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`2
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`work an auto-configuration server managing device, at least
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`one database, and a plurality of auto-configuration servers;
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`the auto-configuration server managing device and the atleast
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`one database being coupled in a communicative connection;
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`the at least one database being arranged for holding informa-
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`tion for identification of electronic devices; the auto-configu-
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`ration server managing device being arranged for communi-
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`cation with a manageable electronic device over the network,
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`the manageable electronic device capable of sending a
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`request for configuration data, the auto-configuration server
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`managerfurther being arrangedfor:
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`receiving the request from the manageable electronic
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`device for configuration data,
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`determining an identification of the manageable electronic
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`device by comparing the request with the information
`for identification of electronic devicesoftheat least one
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`database,
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`determining an auto-configuration server from the plural-
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`ity of auto-configuration servers in accordance with the
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`identification of the manageable electronic device.
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`Advantageously, the method allows to configure any type
`Digital communication is well established by virtue of the
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`of manageable electronic device at any given location and
`Internet protocol (IP) that allows an electronic device to com-
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`within any level of service or group specification without
`municate to other electronic devices over a potentially world-
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`wide network.
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`pre-configuring a dedicated address for configuration. The
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`In such a network,the electronic device (often referred to
`method will determine which specific auto-configuration
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`as Customer Premises equipment, CPE) is typically coupled
`server (ACS)is available for a given manageable electronic
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`to the wide area network (WAN)(e.g., over digital subscriber
`device, which allows to reduce the complexity of pre-instal-
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`line DSL), either directly or via a local area network (LAN).
`lation and installation of devices. Also, the method allows a
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`CPE maybe anytype ofelectronic device capable ofdigital
`simpler mannerto set up dedicated auto-configuration serv-
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`communication. For example, it may be a personal computer,
`ers, since the addresses ofthe auto-configuration servers only
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`a gatewayorrouter, an electronic appliance such asaset-top
`need to be maintained in a central database.
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`box, a television set, an IP based telephone, etc.
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`Also, the method allows a separation of access networks
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`Many CPE devices allow remote management over the
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`wide area network, which relates to auto-configuration and
`defined in the invention.
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`dynamic service provisioning, software management, status
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`According to an aspectof the invention, there is provided a
`and performance monitoring and diagnostics. The DSL
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`methodfor remote device managementof a manageable elec-
`Home-Technical Working Group describes in DSL Forum,
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`tronic device in a network, the network comprising an auto-
`TR-069 amendment 1, the CPE WAN managementprotocol
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`configuration server managing device, at least one database,
`(November 2006), an end-to-end architecture for remote
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`and a plurality of auto-configuration servers; the auto-con-
`device management.
`(Recently, DSL-Forum has been
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`figuration server managing device andthe at least one data-
`renamed to BroadBand-Forum). In this architecture, a CPE
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`base being coupled in a communicative connection; the at
`device in a local network connects to an auto-configuration
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`least one database being arranged for holding information for
`server (ACS)that is capable of providing service level set-
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`identification of electronic devices; the auto-configuration
`tings for services available to the CPE.
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`server managing device being arranged for communication
`Typically, the ACS is dedicated either to a certain level of
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`with the manageable electronic device over the network, the
`services (e.g. premium, best effort), a type of device (e.g.
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`manageable electronic device capable of sending a request for
`Home Gateway, Voice over IP telephone, Set TopBox) or a
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`configuration data, wherein the method comprises:
`specific customer group(e.g. businessor residential). For that
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`receiving the request;
`reason, it is adversely required that each CPE mustbe pre-
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`determining an identification of the manageable electronic
`configured before installation at the location of the customer
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`device using a comparison of the request with the infor-
`to specifically address the proper ACS in dependenceof the
`mation for identification of electronic devices of the at
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`combination of options above available to the customer. To
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`least one database,
`address the proper ACS, it will be requiredto pre-program the
`55
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`determining an identification of an auto-configuration
`CPE with either a specific IP address or a specific URL
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`server from theplurality of auto-configuration servers in
`(uniform resource locator) for the dedicated ACS. Alterna-
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`accordance with the identification of the manageable
`tively to pre-configuration of the CPE, configuration of the
`electronic device.
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`CPE may be done during installation either by service per-
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`Furthermore, the present invention relates to a computer
`sonnel or by the customer, but this may be time-consuming
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`system for remote device management, the computer com-
`and/or may be sensitive to errors and mistakes.
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`prising a processing unit and memory, the memory being
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`SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION
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`connected to the processing unit,
`the computer being
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`arranged in a network, the network comprising at least one
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`database, and a plurality of auto-configuration servers; the
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`computer and the at least one database being coupled in a
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`communicative connection; the at least one database being
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`arranged for holding information for identification of elec-
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`CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED
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`APPLICATIONS
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`Thepresent inventionrelates to a method for remote device
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`management. Also, the present invention relates to a system
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`for remote device management.
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`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`It is an object of the present invention to provide a method
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`that overcomesor reduces the problemsofthe priorart.
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`Accordingto an aspect ofthe invention,there is provided a
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`system for remote device management comprising in a net-
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`Page 9 of 14
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`3
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`tronic devices; wherein the computeris arranged for commu-
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`nication with a manageable electronic device over the net-
`work and for
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`receiving a request from the manageable electronic device
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`for configuration data,
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`determining an identification of the manageable electronic
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`device by comparing the request with the information
`for identification of electronic devicesof the at least one
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`database,
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`determining an identification of an auto-configuration
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`server from the plurality ofauto-configuration servers in
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`accordance with the identification of the manageable
`electronic device.
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`Additionally, the present invention relates to a computer
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`program on a computer-readable medium to be loaded by a
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`computer, the computer comprising a processing unit and
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`memory, the processing unit being connected to the memory;
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`the computer being arranged in a network, the network com-
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`prising at least one database, and a plurality of auto-configu-
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`ration servers; the computer and the at least one database
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`being coupled in a communicative connection;the at least one
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`database being arranged for holding information for identifi-
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`cation of electronic devices; wherein the computer
`is
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`arranged for communication with a manageable electronic
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`device over the network, the manageable electronic device
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`capable of sending a request for configuration data, and
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`wherein the computer program product after being loaded
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`allows the processing unit to carry out:
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`receiving the request from the manageable electronic
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`device for configuration data,
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`determining an identification of the manageable electronic
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`device by comparing the request with the information
`for identification of electronic devicesof the at least one
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`database,
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`determining an identification of an auto-configuration
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`server from the plurality ofauto-configuration servers in
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`accordance with the identification of the manageable
`electronic device.
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`US 8,886,772 B2
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`4
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`more electronic devices 2, 3, 4 which are in a communicative
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`connection with the interfacing device 1. One or more of the
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`electronic devices 2,3, 4 may also be a manageable electronic
`device.
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`The local area network LAN may be a homenetwork or an
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`office network, i.e., a network located at a specific geographic
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`location. Also, the local area network LAN maybea logical
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`network which is distributed over a number of geographic
`locations.
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`The wide area network WAN provides connectivity to a
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`plurality of interfacing devices in a wide area. For example,
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`the wide area network is the global network arrangement
`knownasthe Internet.
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`In the local area network LAN and the wide area network
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`WAN,electronic devices are arranged to have an address for
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`identification on the respective network (i.e., communication
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`is address based). A well known address schemeis the Inter-
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`net Protocol address system that provides a so-called IP
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`address to each electronic device coupled to the network. The
`methodsfor an electronic device to obtain an IP address for
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`identification are knownin theart.
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`Coupled to the wide area networkare at least a first auto-
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`configuration server ACS1, which comprises configuration
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`data for a particular manageable electronic device,
`for
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`example, the interfacing device 1 in the local area network
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`LAN. A second auto-configuration server ACS2 is shown
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`which comprises configuration data for another particular
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`manageable electronic device, for example the manageable
`electronic device 2 in the local area network LAN.
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`Configuration data for the auto-configuration server ACS1
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`or ACS2 is delivered from some provisioning systems (P1,
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`P2, P3; P4, P5, P6), which mayrelate to equipmentspecific,
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`service level specific and/or customerspecific configuration
`data.
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`Boththefirst and second auto-configuration servers ACS1,
`ACS2 connect over the wide area network WANtothe local
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`area network LAN (schematically shown by a respective
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`dashed arrow-line) through the interfacing device 1, which
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`may be a so-called router.
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`In the method from the prior art, a manageable electronic
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`device requires configuration data from a dedicated auto-
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`configuration server, for example, as an initialization of the
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`level of service available to the manageable electronic device
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`after installation or as an update during operation. In that
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`event the manageable electronic device needs to request con-
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`figuration data from the specific auto-configuration server
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`dedicated to the level of service or to the type of the manage-
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`able electronic device. As a consequence a specific (IP)
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`address or URL must be ‘known’ to the manageable elec-
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`tronic device before contacting the auto-configuration server.
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`The request will be handled in a well-known manner. The
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`manageable electronic device sends a request to the address
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`of the auto-configuration server. The auto-configuration
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`server sends a reply to the manageable electronic device, in
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`whichthe reply contains the requested data. In this case, the
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`specific address or URL mustbe pre-configured for the device
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`before installation at the local area network, which may
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`depend on one or more parameters chosen from at least the
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`level of service; the type of the device; the type of access
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`network and/or a costumer specific parameter. As a result,
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`pre-configuration can be complex.
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`FIG. 2 schematically shows an architecture for remote
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`device managementin accordance with an embodiment.
`In FIG.2 entities with the same reference number as shown
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`in the preceding figure refer to correspondingentities.
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`Within the wide area network WAN,the architecture com-
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`prises a DSL access multiplexer (DSLAM), a domain name
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
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`Embodiments will now be described, by way of example
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`only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings
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`in which corresponding reference symbols indicate corre-
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`sponding parts, and in which:
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`FIG. 1 schematically shows an end-to-end architecture for
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`remote device managementfrom the priorart;
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`FIG. 2 schematically shows an architecture for remote
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`device managementin accordance with an embodiment;
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`FIGS. 3a, 36 show a flow diagram in accordance with a
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`respective embodiment of a methodofthe present invention;
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`FIG. 4 schematically shows a signal flow in accordance
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`with an embodiment;
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`FIG. 5 showsa further signal flow in accordance with an
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`embodiment, and
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`FIG. 6 showsan auto-configuration server managerin an
`embodimentofthe invention.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
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`FIG. 1 schematically shows an end-to-end architecture for
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`remote device managementfrom theprior art.
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`The end-to-endarchitecture relates to a network arrange-
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`ment for remote device management. A local area network
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`LANis coupled to a wide area network WAN through an
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`interfacing device 1 which is typically a manageable elec-
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`tronic device. The local network LAN may comprises one or
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`Page 10 of 14
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`US 8,886,772 B2
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`5
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`server DNS, an auto-configuration server manager 25, data-
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`bases 26, 27, 28, a plurality of auto-configuration servers
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`ACS1, ACS2, ACS3.
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`The DSL access multiplexer (DSLAM) is communica-
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`tively coupled to the domain name server DNS. The domain
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`name server DNS is communicatively coupled to the auto-
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`configuration server manager25.
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`The auto-configuration server manager 25 is arranged for
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`controlling access to the auto-configuration servers ACS1,
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`ACS2, ACS3 asis indicated by the dotted lines. an embodi-
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`ment of the auto-configuration server manager 25 is
`described below with reference to FIG. 6. The access control
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`function (of the auto-configuration server manager 25) will
`be described below in moredetail.
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`The auto-configuration server manager 25 is communica-
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`tively coupled to databases 26, 27, 28 for receiving informa-
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`tion signals 26A, 27A, 28A. The databases maybe located in
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`one or more database servers, which may be located remotely
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`from one another, as is known to persons skilled in the Art.
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`The databases 26, 27, 28 and information signals 26A, 27A,
`28A will be described below in moredetail.
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`In an embodiment, the architecture further comprises a
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`SADM(Service Activation Device Manager) which provides
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`an interface to service providers such as ISP, CPE manufac-
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`turers for accessing the auto-configuration servers ACS1,
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`ACS2, ACS3 in a uniform manner.
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`The interfacing device 1, such as a router, connects the
`local area network LANto the wide area network WAN over
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`a connection device 15. In many occasions, the connection
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`will be implementedusing digital subscriber line (DSL)tech-
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`nology, but in the present invention other alternative signal
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`carriers capable of IP based communication such as optical
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`fiber (e.g., fiber to the home, fiber to the curb), cable TV
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`network(s), powerline or radio loops (e.g. UMTS) are con-
`35
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`sidered applicable. In case of DSL technology, the interfacing
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`device 1 is coupled to the DSL access multiplexer (DSLAM),
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`which establishes a connection between the interfacing
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`device 1 (and the local network LAN) and a WAN network
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`switch (not shown).
`In the wide area network WAN the domain name server
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`DNSis arranged for resolving domain namerequests from
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`the (manageable) electronic devices in the local network
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`LAN(orany electronic device in the wide area network).
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`FIG. 3a showsa flow diagram 100 in accordance with an
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`embodiment of a methodof the present invention.
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`A manageable electronic device in the local area network
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`LANrequires configuration data from a dedicated auto-con-
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`figuration server,
`for example the interfacing device 1
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`requires configuration data for auto-configuration server
`ACSI.
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`In the present invention an (IP) address or URLis provided
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`in a memory of the manageable electronic device 1 as default
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`address for the auto-configuration server ACS1, which
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`default (IP) address or URLactually points to the auto-con-
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`figuration server manager 25.
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`The requesting manageable electronic device 1 sendsits
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`request to the wide area network WAN.In case the request
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`comprises the IP address of the auto-configuration server
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`manager, the DSLAM transmits the request to the network
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`switch (not shown) that will relay the request to the auto-
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`configuration server manager (as known in the art). In the
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`alternative case that the request comprises an URL,
`the
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`DSLAM transmits the request to the domain name server
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`DNSwhich resolves the address of the request into an IP
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`address. Based on the IP address the request can be relayed by
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`the network switch. Alternatively, the in IANA (Internet
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`Assigned Numbers Authority) defined port for device man-
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`agement applications may be used to intercept the request
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`independentof the IP address the requestis issued on.
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`Ina first action 101, the auto-configuration server manager
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`receives the request from the manageable electronic device 1.
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`Typically, the request comprises the IP address of the man-
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`ageable electronic device 1 and information on the type or
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`function of the manageable electronic device 1. Optionally,
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`the request may comprise information on the manufacturer or
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`supplier of the manageable electronic device.
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`Ina second action 102, the auto-configuration server man-
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`ager 25 compares the received IP address of the manageable
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`electronic device with a first database 26 (or IP address data-
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`base) that comprises IP address information on IP addresses
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`thatare valid for allowing access to (the service of) the auto-
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`configuration server manager25. It can either do this directly
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`or via a set of additional translations using the identification
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`ofthe access line (or SIM cardin case of wireless access), for
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`linking a communication line to a customer.
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`Next, in action 103, the auto-configuration server manager
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`25 checks (indicated by information signal 26A) if the
`received IP address is a valid address in the first database 26.
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`Ifthe match is successful, the method continuesin action 104,
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`else the method continues in action 108, that terminates the
`method.
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`In action 108, the auto-configuration server manager 25
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`mayoptionally transmit a message to the requesting manage-
`able electronic device that noserveris available. After action
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`108, the method ends in action 107.
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`In action 104, the auto-configuration server manager 25
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