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AssigneeSenvid, Inc.
InventorsLambertus Hesselink, Dharmarus Rizal, Eric S. Bjornson
Estimating the term…
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.
A system for remote communications between private users through a public network while providing seamless, firewall-compliant connectivity, said system comprising:
A system for remote communications between private users through a public network while providing seamless, firewall-compliant connectivity, said system comprising:
A distributed control structure providing for secure transmission of communications over a public network between two or more computers protected by two or more firewall elements using different criteria for restriction of communications traffic therethrough, said distributed control structure comprising:
A method of establishing a private-to-public-to-private communications tunnel, wherein at least the private addresses of the communications tunnel are firewall protected, said method comprising:
A method for establishing a secure connection for rapid transfer of data between privately addressed, firewall protected locations over a public network, said method comprising:
A method of load balancing communications among a plurality of connection servers networked in a publicly addressable distributed control infrastructure which multiple computers within multiple private networks may access for establishing communications over a public network, said method comprising:
A method of persistent, secure transfer of data between at least two computers over a public network, wherein the computers have separate privately addressed, firewall protected locations, said method comprising:
A process for remotely controlling one or more network-enabled devices by one or more client computers over a public network, wherein the one or more network-enabled devices are operatively connected within one or more different private networks and the one or more client computers are operatively connected within one or more other different private networks, at least one of the private networks being protected by a firewall element, said process comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Backward citations are indexed for grants only.
The Internet has made large amounts of information available to computer users around the world. A tremendous amount of information is exchanged between individual users via public computer networks, e.g., the Internet, and the volume of such information will continue to increase. A particularly attractive aspect of the Internet and networked computers generally is the potential for users to remotely access network-enabled devices to perform functions with the devices while not being physically present. Such remotely accessed devices may include, for example, surveillance cameras, manufacturing equipment, or like devices. An important class of Internet users that employ remotely accessed devices via a computer network are private individuals and professional users that are interconnected via a private network, such as a corporate intranet or local area network (LAN).
Remote access of devices through the Internet has presented many problems. Providing access to remote devices has typically required setup of a dedicated private network or dedicated virtual private network (VPN) for remote device access. A dedicated server within the private network provides for communication with the Internet, and a dedicated telephone line, digital subscriber line (DSL) or like communication interface is used to connect the device to the dedicated server. Such a system involves costly and difficult installation and maintenance. Connection to the remote access device is typically through a modem connection, and data transfer between the device and remote user is slow. Even where DSL or other broadband capability is available for connection to the remote device, real time data transfer of video streams and data intensive operations cannot be effectively carried out. Remote device access systems have also been deficient in that only a single user can access a remote device at a time. This problem is particularly acute in situations when a customer and a support person at different locations both simultaneously wish to access a remote device at a third location.
Remote access of devices via the Internet in many cases involves a user located within one private local area network, and a device located within another, different private network. Information exchange between private computer networks via the Internet has created various security issues associated with protection of information on the private computer networks. Connection of a personal computer in a private network to the Internet can expose confidential data to unauthorized access or hostile attack from virtually anywhere in the world. Some of the sophisticated types of security threats posed by “hackers” include “logic bomb”, “trapdoor”, “Trojan horse”, “virus” and “worm” programs. Such software programs can work independently or via an invoked host program to breach security, disrupt activity and cause damage by destruction of electronic files, alteration of databases, or introduction of computer viruses which affect the operability of the private computer network, computer hardware connected to the private network, and network-accessible devices within the private network.
The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only.
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an access and control system for network-enabled devices in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an access and control system in accordance with the invention with distributed control infrastructure that includes a plurality of connection servers.
Disclosed herein are remote access and control systems and methods for remote, network-enabled devices that provide seamless, firewall-compliant connectivity between multiple users and multiple devices, and which allow collaborative operations by multiple users of remote devices. Before the subject invention is described further, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described below, as variations of the particular embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the appended claims. It is also to be understood that the terminology employed is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments, and is not intended to be limiting. Instead, the scope of the present invention will be established by the appended claims.
Any definitions herein are provided for reasons of clarity, and should not be considered as limiting. The technical and scientific terms used herein are intended to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains.
Any publications discussed herein are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the present invention is not entitled to antedate such publication by virtue of prior invention. The dates of publication provided may be different from the actual publication dates, which may need to be independently confirmed. All publications mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference to disclose and describe the methods, systems or other subject matter in connection with which the publications are cited.
Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones: distributed architectures, e.g. distributed firewalls
For separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls: architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones
For separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls: virtual private networks
For separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls: firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
Term end not estimated