Granted Patent B2

US 8,130,769 · App. 11/580,540 · Granted Mar 6, 2012

Abstract

Claims (110)

1. A method performed by a device adapted for communication over a network, the method comprising:

establishing a presence on the network by:

sending a communication to a first network node; and

receiving, from the first network node, a network address and an identity of a second network node from which to obtain first device-specific information;

obtaining default configuration information for the device via the network, the default configuration information for connecting to a service on the network;

wherein obtaining the default configuration information comprises checking the second network node for the first device-specific information; and

wherein, if the second network node does not contain the first device-specific information, the default configuration information is obtained from the second network node;

connecting to the service using the default configuration information;

receiving a request for identification information from the service;

providing the identification information to the service, the service providing the first device-specific information following receipt of the identification information;

configuring the device using the first device-specific information;

requesting second device-specification information from the service while connected to the network;

receiving the second device-specific information from the service if the service has the second device-specific information; and

reconfiguring the device using the second device-specific information;

wherein the first device-specific information and the second device-specific information are associated with a same user of the device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request for identification information comprises a prompt that is generated in response to a communication from the service.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the prompt comprises at least one of an audio prompt, a video prompt, a text prompt, and an electronic query; and

wherein the identification information is provided via at least one of a keypad input, a keyboard input, a key input, and an electronic response.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured using the first or second device-specific information so that the device is distinguishable from other like devices on the network.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein connecting to the service is effected by sending data to the service, the service generating the first device-specific information using the data; and wherein configuring the device comprises:

receiving, from the service, an instruction to re-boot; and

re-booting in response to the instruction.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first or second device-specific information is obtained from the second network node.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the data comprises an address corresponding to the device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a telephone.

9. A method of configuring a device adapted for communication over a network, the method comprising:

storing configuration information for the device, the configuration information comprising first data that corresponds to the device;

receiving a communication from the device;

obtaining second data that corresponds to the device using the communication;

retrieving the configuration information using the first data and the second data;

generating a first configuration file for the device using the configuration information;

storing the first configuration file on the network so that the first configuration file is retrievable by the device;

sending a signal to the device, responsive to which the first configuration file is retrievable;

receiving a subsequent communication from the device while the device is on the network; and

updating the first configuration file to produce a second configuration file for the device, the second configuration file being different from the first configuration file, the first and second configuration files being associated with a same user of the device.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

receiving the configuration information from an administrative computer, the configuration information corresponding, at least in part, to a type of the device.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second data comprises an Internet protocol (IP) address, a media access control address (MAC), a serial number, or any other unique identifier.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the signal comprises an instruction to re-boot the device.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

requesting a response from the device, the response comprising the communication, the communication comprising an address of the device.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the address comprises an Internet protocol (IP) address; and

wherein obtaining the second data comprises using reverse address resolution protocol to obtain a media access control (MAC) address of the device using an IP address of the device.

15. A system comprising:

a telephone adapted for use with voice over Internet protocol (VoIP); and

a central server configured to execute a service that is adapted to control configuring the telephone over a network;

wherein the telephone is adapted to:

(a) establish a presence on the network by:

sending a communication to a first network node; and

receiving, from the first network node, a network address and an identity of a second network node from which to obtain first device-specific information;

(b) obtain default configuration information via the network, the default configuration information for connecting to the service;

wherein obtaining the default configuration information comprises checking the second network node for the first device-specific information; and

wherein, if the second network node does not contain the first device-specific information, the default configuration information is obtained from the second network node;

(c) receive a request for validation information from the service;

(d) provide the validation information to the service, the service for generating the first device-specific information in response to the validation information;

(e) configure the telephone using the first device-specific information;

(f) request second device-specification information from the service while connected to the network;

(g) receive the second device-specific information from the service if the service has the second device-specific information; and

(h) reconfigure the telephone using the second device-specific information;

wherein the first device-specific information and the second device-specific information are associated with a same user of the telephone.

16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising:

a first server adapted to identify services on the network; and

a second server adapted to provide the first device-specific information and the second device-specific information to the telephone;

wherein the telephone is adapted to obtain an address of the second server from the first server, and to request the first device-specific information or the second device-specific information from the second server using the address.

17. The system of claim 15 , further comprising:

an administrative computer adapted to provide at least some of the first device-specific information or the second device-specific information to the central server.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the validation information comprises identification information.

19. One or more non-transitory machine-readable media storing instructions that are executable to configure a communication device adapted for communication over a network, the instructions for causing one or more processing devices to:

store configuration information for the communication device, the configuration information comprising first data that corresponds to the communication device;

receive a communication from the communication device;

obtain second data that corresponds to the communication device using the communication;

retrieve the configuration information using the first data and the second data;

generate a first configuration file for the communication device using the configuration information;

store the first configuration file on the network so that the first configuration file is retrievable by the communication device;

send a signal to the communication device, responsive to which the first configuration file is retrievable;

receive a subsequent communication from the communication device; and

update the first configuration file to produce a second configuration file for the communication device, the second configuration file being different from the first configuration file, the first and second configuration files being associated with a same user of the communication device.

20. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 19 , further comprising instructions for causing one or more processing devices to:

receive the configuration information from an administrative computer, the configuration information corresponding, at least in part, to a type of the communication device.

21. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 19 , wherein the second data comprises an Internet protocol (IP) address, a media access control address (MAC), a serial number, or any other unique identifier.

22. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 19 , wherein the signal comprises an instruction to re-boot the communication device.

23. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 19 , further comprising instructions for causing one or more processing devices to:

request a response from the communication device, the response comprising the communication, the communication comprising an address of the communication device.

24. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 23 , wherein the address comprises an Internet protocol (IP) address; and

wherein obtaining the second data comprises using reverse address resolution protocol to obtain a media access control (MAC) address of the communication device using an IP address of the communication device.

25. One or more non-transitory machine-readable media storing instructions that are executable by a communication device adapted for communication over a network, the instructions for causing one or more processing devices to:

establish a presence on the network by:

sending a communication to a first network node; and

receiving, from the first network node, a network address and an identity of a second network node from which to obtain first device-specific information;

obtain default configuration information for the communication device via the network, the default configuration information for connecting to a service on the network;

wherein obtaining the default configuration information comprises checking the second network node for the first device-specific information; and

wherein, if the second network node does not contain the first device-specific information, the default configuration information is obtained from the second network node;

connect to the service using the default configuration information;

receive a request for identification information from the service;

provide the identification information to the service, the service providing the first device-specific information following receipt of the identification information;

configure the communication device using the first device-specific information;

request second device-specification information from the service while connected to the network;

receive the second device-specific information from the service if the service has the second device-specific information; and

reconfigure the communication device using the second device-specific information;

wherein the first device-specific information and the second device-specific information are associated with a same user of the communication device.

26. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 25 , wherein the request for identification information comprises a prompt that is generated in response to a communication from the service.

27. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 26 , wherein the prompt comprises at least one of an audio prompt, a video prompt, a text prompt, and an electronic query; and

wherein the identification information is provided via at least one of a keypad input, a keyboard input, a key input, and an electronic response.

28. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 25 , wherein the communication device is configured using the first or second device-specific information so that the communication device is distinguishable from other like communication devices on the network.

29. The one or non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 25 , wherein connecting to the service is effected by sending data to the service, the service generating the first device-specific information using the data; and wherein configuring the communication device comprises:

receiving, from the service, an instruction to re-boot; and

re-booting in response to the instruction.

30. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 29 , wherein the first or second device-specific information is obtained from the second network node.

31. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 29 , wherein the data comprises an address corresponding to the communication device.

32. The one or more non-transitory machine-readable media of claim 25 , wherein the communication device comprises a telephone.

Assignments (20)