Patent US6230194B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6230194B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Upgrading a secure network interface
Assignee: Arris Enterprises LLC
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Filing: 1997-07-14
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Granted: 2001-05-08
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Expires: 2017-07-14
Abstract
Abstract The present invention discloses a system for upgrading the software contents of a network interface device connecting a client computer system to an external network. The network interface device is configured for the client system by automated procedures and protocols initiated from a remote server. Software programs within the network interface device provide transparent communication between the client computer system and services available on the external network. Similar software programs and a configuration database within the network interface device provide transparent communication between the client computer system and the remote server.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean-Marc Frailong
- 👤 Charles A. Price
- 👤 Joseph John Tardo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 15:19
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L43/00; H04L41/00; H04L41/08; H04L41/0803; H04L41/0813; H04L41/082; H04L41/085; H04L41/0853; H04L41/0856; H04L41/28; H04L43/06; H04L43/08; H04L43/0805; H04L43/0817
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A method comprising: receiving a first notification at a remote management server that an upgrade package will be available at a file transfer site, said upgrade package to upgrade gateway interface software; automatically determining which of a plurality of gateway interfaces are eligible for the upgrade package in response to receiving the first notification, each of said plurality of gateway interfaces being configurable to couple any one of a first plurality of networks with any one of a second plurality of networks; and sending a second notification to eligible gateway interfaces, said second notification comprising a location of the upgrade package at the file transfer site.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
106 words
A method comprising: receiving a first notification at a remote management server that an upgrade package will be available at a file transfer site, said upgrade package to upgrade gateway interface software; automatically determining which of a plurality of gateway interfaces are eligible for the upgrade package in response to receiving the first notification, each of said plurality of gateway interfaces being configurable to couple any one of a first plurality of networks with any one of a second plurality of networks; and sending a second notification to eligible gateway interfaces, said second notification comprising a location of the upgrade package at the file transfer site.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the second notification further comprises at least one of a time frame during which the upgrade package will be made available at the file transfer site, a time at which the upgrade package is to be installed, and a decryption key to decrypt the upgrade package.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the upgrade package includes a pre-install script, an install script, and a post-install script.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving a third notification from a first gateway interface indicating an upgrade package failure; and storing a record of the upgrade package failure for the first gateway interface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving a third notification from a first gateway interface indicating a successful upgrade package installation; and storing a record of the successful upgrade package installation for the first gateway interface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 wherein determining eligible gateway interfaces is based on an upgrade status of each of the plurality of gateway interfaces.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the eligible gateway interfaces comprise a headquarters branch of a virtual private network (VPN), the method further comprising: receiving a third notification from the headquarters branch indicating an upgrade failure for the VPN, said upgrade failure being due to a successful upgrade package installation by less than all nodes of the VPN.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the eligible gateway interfaces comprise a headquarters branch of a virtual private network (VPN), the method further comprising: receiving a third notification from the headquarters branch indicating a successful upgrade installation for the VPN, said successful upgrade installation being due to a successful upgrade installation by all nodes of the VPN.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
118 words
A method comprising: receiving a first notification at a gateway interface comprising a location of an upgrade package at a file transfer site, said first notification being received from a remote management server in response to an automatic determination made by the remote management server that the gateway interface is eligible for the upgrade package in response to an upgrade package notification received at the remote management server, said upgrade package to upgrade gateway interface software for the gateway interface, said gateway interface being configurable to couple any one of a first plurality of networks with any one of a second plurality of networks; retrieving the upgrade package from the file transfer site; and executing the upgrade package.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
118 words
A method comprising: receiving a first notification at a gateway interface comprising a location of an upgrade package at a file transfer site, said first notification being received from a remote management server in response to an automatic determination made by the remote management server that the gateway interface is eligible for the upgrade package in response to an upgrade package notification received at the remote management server, said upgrade package to upgrade gateway interface software for the gateway interface, said gateway interface being configurable to couple any one of a first plurality of networks with any one of a second plurality of networks; retrieving the upgrade package from the file transfer site; and executing the upgrade package.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the first notification further comprises a time frame during which the upgrade package will be available from the file transfer site, a time at which the upgrade package is to be installed, and a decryption key to decrypt the upgrade package.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 9 wherein retrieving the upgrade package comprises: waiting until a time frame during which the upgrade package will be available; downloading data from the file transfer site; and decrypting the data to recover the upgrade package based on a decryption key.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 9 wherein executing the upgrade package comprises: waiting until a time at which the upgrade package is to be installed; and installing the upgrade package.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the upgrade package comprises a pre-install script, an install script, and a post-install script.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
83 words
The method of claim 13 wherein executing the upgrade package comprises: executing the pre-install script to determine if an upgrade of the upgrade package is physically possible; reverting to an original state if the upgrade is not possible; executing the install script to apply the upgrade to the gateway interface if the upgrade is possible; rebooting the gateway interface after executing the install script; reverting to the original state if the rebooting fails; and executing the post-install script if the rebooting is successful.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 9 further comprising: notifying the remote management server of the state of the gateway interface following the executing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
75 words
The method of claim 9 further comprising: determining if the gateway interface is one of a plurality of nodes in a virtual private network (VPN); rejecting the first notification if the gateway interface is one of the plurality of nodes and not a headquarters node in the VPN; and sending a second notification from the headquarters node to the plurality of nodes based on the first notification if the gateway interface is the headquarters node.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
155 words
The method of claim 16 further comprising: receiving responses at the headquarters node from the plurality of nodes in the VPN indicating whether or not the upgrade package successfully installed; reverting to an original state if less than all of the plurality of nodes of the VPN successfully installed the upgrade package; sending a third notification to all of the plurality of nodes of the VPN to revert to the original state if less than all of the plurality of nodes of the VPN successfully installed the upgrade package; sending a fourth notification to the remote management server that the upgrade failed for the VPN if less than all of the plurality of nodes of the VPN successfully installed the upgrade package; and sending a fifth notification to the remote management server that the upgrade was successful for the VPN if all of the plurality of nodes of the VPN successfully installed the upgrade package.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
125 words
A machine readable storage medium having stored thereon machine executable instructions, execution of said machine executable instructions to implement a method comprising: receiving a first notification at a remote management server that an upgrade package will be available at a file transfer site, said upgrade package to upgrade gateway interface software; automatically determining which of a plurality of gateway interfaces are eligible for the upgrade package in response to receiving the first notification, each of said plurality of gateway interfaces being configurable to couple any one of a first plurality of networks with any one of a second plurality of networks; and sending a second notification to eligible gateway interfaces, said second notification comprising a location of the upgrade package at the file transfer site.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
125 words
A machine readable storage medium having stored thereon machine executable instructions, execution of said machine executable instructions to implement a method comprising: receiving a first notification at a remote management server that an upgrade package will be available at a file transfer site, said upgrade package to upgrade gateway interface software; automatically determining which of a plurality of gateway interfaces are eligible for the upgrade package in response to receiving the first notification, each of said plurality of gateway interfaces being configurable to couple any one of a first plurality of networks with any one of a second plurality of networks; and sending a second notification to eligible gateway interfaces, said second notification comprising a location of the upgrade package at the file transfer site.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
137 words
A machine readable storage medium having stored thereon machine executable instructions, execution of said machine executable instructions to implement a method comprising: receiving a first notification at a gateway interface comprising a location of an upgrade package at a file transfer site, said first notification being received from a remote management server in response to an automatic determination made by the remote management server that the gateway interface is eligible for the upgrade package in response to an upgrade package notification received at the remote management server, said upgrade package to upgrade gateway interface software for the gateway interface, said gateway interface being configurable to couple any one of a first plurality of networks with any one of a second plurality of networks; retrieving the upgrade package from the file transfer site; and executing the upgrade package.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
137 words
A machine readable storage medium having stored thereon machine executable instructions, execution of said machine executable instructions to implement a method comprising: receiving a first notification at a gateway interface comprising a location of an upgrade package at a file transfer site, said first notification being received from a remote management server in response to an automatic determination made by the remote management server that the gateway interface is eligible for the upgrade package in response to an upgrade package notification received at the remote management server, said upgrade package to upgrade gateway interface software for the gateway interface, said gateway interface being configurable to couple any one of a first plurality of networks with any one of a second plurality of networks; retrieving the upgrade package from the file transfer site; and executing the upgrade package.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-05-07 | 2004-11-06 | 2005-05-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-05-07 | 2008-11-06 | 2009-05-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-05-07 | 2012-11-06 | 2013-05-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |