Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Webtv Networks, Inc.

Webtv Newtorks, Inc.

Sureshkumar Natarajan

Jun Liu

John M Parchem

Soemin Tjong

Daniel J Shoff

Albert Liu

Vladimir Rovinsky

Mobile devices are provisioned automatically with VPN (Virtual Private Network) information so that users can automatically connect to their corporate networks using their devices. The OMA SyncML standard is extended to define VPN connections and provision them onto the devices automatically either over-the-air or by an IT application provided by the corporation.

SyncML based OMA connectivity object to provision VPN connections

Mobile devices are automatically provisioned for network access using WiFi and/or DTPT (DeskTop-PassThrough) connection settings. The connection settings allow the users to access meta-networks (such as the Internet or a corporate network) without any manual intervention. According to an embodiment of the invention, an XML-based mechanism uses the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) XML structure and extends the structure to define WiFi and DTPT connections. The defined WiFi and DTPT connections are provisioned onto the mobile devices automatically, for example, through wireless communications or by a corporate IT application.

WAP XML extension for WiFi and desktop passthrough connections

Described is a method and system for automatically provisioning a mobile device with VPN (Virtual Private Network) information so that users can automatically connect to their corporate networks using their devices. An XML based mechanism uses the WAP (wireless application protocol) XML structure and extends it to define VPN connections and provision them onto the devices automatically either over-the-air or by an IT application provided by the corporation.

WAP XML extension to define VPN connections

Improved methods and arrangements are provided for updating software and other data in managed devices. The methods and arrangements provide for a failsafe upgrade to all of the code and any data in the managed device, including any code or data used to provide such upgrades. For example, a method for providing software to a device is provided that includes identifying essential software within the device; essential software including software necessary to operate the device and provide external communications. The method further includes identifying remaining portions of software within the device as non-essential software, and downloading new essential software from an external source to the device and storing the new essential software in memory by overwriting at least a portion of the non-essential software. After downloading the new essential software, the method further includes attempting to operate the device and provide external communications using the new essential software, and upon successfully operating the device and providing external communications, using the new essential software to selectively download new non-essential software and store the new non-essential software in memory by overwriting at least a portion of the old essential software.

Methods and arrangements for managing devices

Provided is a system and method for integrating a cable modem with a host customer premises equipment, such as a computer or set top box. An interface is provided which receives data packets from the cable modem of any manufacturer and transmits the data packet to a media access control layer. The media access control layer determines the destination of the data packet and forwards it to that destination, which may be the cable modem or may be the host computer of the cable modem or any other customer premises equipment networked with the host computer. The interface also receives data packets from the media access control layer and transmits the data packets to the cable modem for transmission upstream. The interface abstracts the control of the cable modem to the media access control layer. The system maintains a protocol stack for the cable modem that is separate from the protocol stack associated with the operating system of the host computer. The cable modem and the host computer are separately addressable by the cable network. Furthermore, the cable modem shares the processor and resources of the host computer.

Growing community of inventors

Redmond, WA, United States of America

Sureshkumar Natarajan