Patent ID: 7847959
Filing Date: 2010-12-07
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A processor implemented method for providing secure network tunneling, the processor implemented method comprising: receiving, at a printer, a request to transmit data to a network server; establishing a secure network tunnel between the printer and the network server; transmitting the data from the printer to the network server over the secure network tunnel; and receiving, at the printer, a server acknowledgement that the data has been received by the network server; receiving, at the printer, a secure network tunnel request; determining if the secure network tunnel request is from an authorized network server; responsive to the secure network tunnel request origination from an unauthorized network server, ignoring the secure network tunnel request; and sending a first error from the printer to the authorized network server; responsive to the secure network tunnel request origination from the authorized network server, establishing, by the printer, the secure network tunnel to the authorized network server; and receiving, by the printer, the data over the secure network tunnel from the authorized network server; and determining, by the printer, if the data is encrypted data; responsive to the data being unencrypted data, ignoring the unencrypted data; and sending a second error from the printer to the authorized network server; responsive to the encrypted data being received, decrypting the encrypted data; and sending the decrypted data from the printer to a device; and receiving, at the printer, a device acknowledgement that the data has been received by the device; and sending the device acknowledgement from the printer to the authorized network server that the data has been received.