Patent Publication Number: US-7916707-B2

Title: Identity-based wireless device configuration

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/448,326, filed May 30, 2003, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This description relates to the configuration of a wireless device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In a network of computing devices, a device on the network may be configured with particular information that enables communications with the other devices on the network. When a network includes wireless communications, the wireless devices and the wireless access points that connect the wireless devices to the network may be configured to communicate using a common set of wireless parameters or settings. This configuration process may require the entry of several sets of alphanumeric strings. To enable access by mobile wireless devices to two or more wireless networks, the wireless devices typically are configured to use wireless parameters appropriate for each of the networks. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one general aspect, configuring a wireless device includes obtaining an identity associated with a user of a device. Wireless configuration information based on the obtained identity is determined. The configuration of at least one of a wireless device and a wireless network based on the determined wireless configuration information is enabled. 
     Implementations may include one or more of the following features. For example, the device may be the same device as the wireless device, or may be a different device than the wireless device. The obtained identity associated with the user may be an identity associated with a user of a wireless device. Determining wireless configuration information may include accessing wireless configuration information based on the obtained identity. The user identity may be obtained from a storage location that is remote to the device used by the user. Wireless configuration information may be generated based on the obtained identity. A network identity may be generated. The obtained identity may be authenticated to determine whether the obtained identity is authorized to access a trusted system. Wireless configuration information may be generated and stored only when the received identity is authorized to access the trusted system. The generated wireless configuration information may be stored, and the generated wireless configuration may be stored at a storage location that is both remote to the wireless device and remote to a gateway associated with the wireless network. 
     Enabling configuration may include enabling the configuration of a wireless device for use with both the wireless network and the second wireless network. Enabling configuration also may include a wireless network with settings that are substantially the same as a second wireless network, and the second wireless network may be available for wireless connectivity concurrently with the wireless network for which configuration is enabled. 
     The trusted system may include a system provided by an Internet service provider or a system provided by an Internet access provider. The wireless configuration information may include a connectivity parameter. The identity may be a user identity or a network identity. The network identity may include one or more of a network name, a service set identifier, a media access control address, or a network address. 
     Generating wireless configuration information may include generating a network identity. A communications session between the wireless device and a trusted system may be established, as may a communications session between a gateway for the wireless network and the trusted system. The obtained wireless configuration information may be communicated between the wireless device and the trusted system. 
     In another general aspect, generating wireless configuration information includes identifying an identity associated with a device. The wireless configuration information is generated based on the identified identity. A wireless device is enabled to use the generated wireless configuration information. 
     Implementations may include one or more of the features noted above. 
     Implementations of the techniques discussed above may include a method or process, an apparatus or system, or computer software on a computer-accessible medium. 
     The details of one or more implementations set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1 and 2  are block diagrams illustrating exemplary communications systems capable of configuring devices used in a wireless network. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating exemplary communications between a wireless device, a wireless access point, and a trusted system to configure the wireless device. 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating exemplary communications between a home-networking gateway and a trusted system to generate and store wireless configuration information. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Techniques are provided for configuring one or more wireless devices to use a wireless network. The wireless configuration information for a wireless network may be stored on a trusted system that is accessible to the wireless device. The wireless configuration information may be associated with a particular user identity. The wireless configuration then may be migrated from the trusted system to any wireless device when the wireless device accesses the trusted systems such that communications based on the migrated wireless configuration will be enabled by the accessing wireless device with or using the wireless network. The wireless device may be, for example, a wireless mobile device or a home-networking gateway capable of wireless communication. The trusted system is trusted by the wireless device and network, and the trusted system may be used to generate wireless configuration information, such as a network name, for the wireless network. 
     The techniques use an identity, such as a user name, as the basis for the configuration of a wireless network and wireless devices. Examples of an identity include a user name, a network identity, a street address of a user, or another type of information that may be used to generate a unique configuration parameter. Wireless configuration information is stored at a trusted system to enable the configuration of wireless end-user devices seeking to communicate with the wireless network. The wireless configuration information stored at the trusted system also may enable the configuration of subsequent wireless networks with configuration settings that are the same or similar as an different wireless network. This may enable access by a mobile device, such as a PDA or laptop computer, to more than one currently existing wireless network without requiring the reconfiguration of the mobile device. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a communications system  100  is capable of delivering and exchanging data between a mobile device  110  and a trusted system  120 , a wireless home network  125 , or a wireless vacation-home network  130 . The mobile device  110  includes a keypad, a keyboard or another type of input device  132  (collectively, “keypad”), a display  133 , an I/O unit  134 , a central processing unit (CPU)  135 , a memory  136 , and a data storage device  137 . The data storage device  137  may store machine-executable instructions, data, and various computer programs, such as an operating system  138  and one or more application programs  139 , for implementing a process for configuring a wireless device, all of which may be processed by CPU  135 . Each computer program may be implemented in a high-level procedural or object-oriented programming language, or in assembly or machine language if desired. The language may be a compiled or interpreted language. 
     The data storage device  137  also may store wireless configuration information  140 . The wireless configuration information  140  may include protocol information necessary to configure the mobile device  110  to communicate with a wireless network, such as the wireless home network  125  or the wireless vacation-home network  130 . The wireless configuration information  140  stored on the mobile device  110  may include a wireless network name, such as a service set identifier (SSID), that identifies the particular network. The wireless configuration information  140  also may include security information, such as a cryptographic key that may be used to encrypt and decrypt transmitted data, a level of encryption (e.g., 40-bit encryption or 128-bit encryption) associated with a cryptographic key, or another type of security parameter that is specified by a security scheme. Examples of a security, scheme include (but are not limited to) wired equivalent privacy (WEP), WiFi Protected Access (WAP), and 802.11i. The storage of such wireless configuration information may be useful for the mobile device  110  that must maintain common configuration information with a wireless access point of the wireless home network  125  (or the wireless vacation-home network  130 ) to enable communications with the wireless access point, and thus, the wireless home network  125  or the wireless vacation-home network  130 . For instance, the mobile device  110  and a wireless access point may be required to maintain the following configuration information in common to enable them to communicate: a cryptographic key, a SSID, a list of devices that are permitted access, and a level of encryption associated with the cryptographic key. 
     The data storage device  137  may be any form of non-volatile memory, including, for example, semiconductor memory devices, such as Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks and removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM). 
     The mobile device  110  also may include a communications card or device  142  (e.g., a modem and/or a network adapter) for exchanging data using a communications link  145  (e.g., a telephone line, a wireless network link, a wired network link, or a cable network) with a network  150 . Examples of the network  150  include the Internet, the World Wide Web, WANs, LANS, analog or digital wired and wireless telephone networks (e.g., ISDN (“Integrated Services Digital Network”) and DSL (“Digital Subscriber Line”), including various forms of DSL such as SDSL (“Single-line Digital Subscriber Line”), ADSL (“Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Loop), HDSL (“High bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line”), and VDSL (“Very high bit-rate Digital Subscriber Line)), radio, television, cable, satellite, and/or any other delivery mechanism for carrying data. 
     The mobile device  110  may use communications links  145  and  155  and the network  150  to communicate with the trusted system  120 . As shown, the mobile communications device  110  may be, for example, a mobile telephone, a pager, a personal digital assistant (“PDA”), or a portable personal communicator. 
     The trusted system  120  is generally capable of executing instructions under the command of a trusted controller  160 . The trusted device  165  is connected to the trusted controller  160  by a wired or wireless data pathway  167  that is capable of delivering data. 
     The trusted device  165  and the trusted controller  160  each typically include one or more hardware components and software components. An example of a trusted device  165  is a general-purpose computer (e.g., a personal computer) capable of responding to and executing instructions in a defined manner. Other examples include a special-purpose computer, a workstation, a server, a device, a component, other physical or virtual equipment, or some combination thereof capable of responding to and executing instructions. The trusted device also may be a host system of an Internet access provider or an Internet service provider. 
     An example of a trusted controller  160  is a software application loaded on the trusted device  165  for commanding and directing communications enabled by trusted device  165 . Other examples include a program, a piece of code, an instruction, a device, a computer, a computer system, or a combination thereof, for independently or collectively instructing the trusted device  165  to interact and operate as described. The trusted controller  160  may be embodied permanently or temporarily in any type of machine, component, physical or virtual equipment, storage medium, or propagated signal capable of providing instructions to the trusted device  165 . 
     The trusted system  120  may store wireless configuration information  166 , including home-network wireless configuration information  168  and vacation-home network wireless configuration information  169 . The home network wireless configuration information  168  includes the wireless configuration information necessary to access the wireless home network  125 . Similarly, the vacation-home network wireless configuration information  169  includes the wireless configuration information necessary to access the wireless vacation-home network  130 . The home or vacation-home network wireless configuration information  168  or  169  may be associated with a user identity. Examples of a user identity include a user name, an account name, a supervisory account name, or another type of user identifier. 
     The mobile device  110  may use a wireless communications card  170  to communicate over wireless communications links  172  and  175  to the wireless home network  125  and the wireless vacation-home network  130 , respectively. When the trusted system  120  may be accessed wirelessly by the mobile device  110 , a single wireless communications card  170  may function as communications card  145  and communications card  170 . To communicate with the wireless home network  125 , the wireless configuration information  140  on the mobile device  110  must be configured consistently with corresponding wireless configuration information on the wireless home network  125 . Similarly, to communicate with the wireless vacation-home network  130 , the wireless configuration information  140  must be configured consistently with wireless configuration information on the wireless home network  125 . 
     To establish wireless communication between the mobile device  110  and the wireless home network  125 , the mobile device  110  sends a request for home network wireless configuration information to the trusted system  120  using communications links  145  and  155  and the network  150  (step  180 ). The request may include a user identity associated with the requested home network wireless configuration information. 
     The trusted system  120  accesses the stored home network wireless configuration information  168  based on the user identity included in the request (step  182 ). The trusted system  165  then sends the accessed home network wireless configuration information  168  to the mobile device  110  using communications links  145  and  155  and the network  150 . 
     The mobile device  110  updates the wireless configuration information  140  with the received home network wireless configuration information (not shown). Using the updated wireless configuration information  140 , the mobile device  110  establishes a wireless connection  170  with the wireless home network  125  (step  184 ). 
     Similarly, to establish wireless communication between the mobile device  110  and the wireless vacation-home network  130 , the mobile device  110  sends a request for vacation-home network wireless configuration information to the trusted system  120  using communications links  145  and  155  and the network  150  (step  186 ). The request may include a user identity associated with the requested vacation-home network wireless configuration information. 
     The trusted system  120  accesses the stored vacation-home network wireless configuration information  169  based on the user identity included in the request, and sends the accessed information  169  to the mobile device  110  (step  188 ). 
     The mobile device  110  updates the wireless configuration information  140  with the received vacation-home network wireless configuration information. Using the updated wireless configuration information  140 , the mobile device  110  establishes a wireless connection  175  with the wireless vacation-home network  130  (step  190 ). 
     The trusted system  120  may be configured to use the user identity to generate a network name or network identifier for a wireless network, such as the wireless home network  125  or the wireless vacation-home network  130 . The automatic generation of a network name or network identifier based on a user identity may be advantageous. For example, the burden of the user of determining a suitable network name or network identifier may be reduced or eliminated. The generation of unique network names across multiple wireless networks operating in the same region, such as in a multi-dwelling unit environment, may be aided by the generation of a network name based on a identifier that is unique to a trusted system. This may be particularly true when many of the users of the multiple wireless networks operating in a region also are users of the same trusted system, as may be the case when the trusted system is a locally or nationally prominent Internet service or access provider. 
     One area where the techniques may find specific applicability is in the configuration of wireless devices, such as a mobile device or a gateway capable of wireless communication, to use the same wireless parameters for wireless networks in different locations. For example, a laptop computer may be configured to use wireless configuration parameters for a vacation-home wireless network based on the wireless configuration of the user&#39;s home network. For example, a user may have configured a vacation-home wireless network to operate with wireless configuration information stored on a trusted system. When the user visits or returns to the vacation-home with a laptop computer configured to operate on the user&#39;s home wireless network, they may wish to use the laptop computer with the vacation-home wireless network. If configuration information is not available at the user&#39;s laptop computer for accessing the vacation-home wireless network, the user may obtain such configuration information by establishing a wired connection (e.g., using a dial-up connection or a wired broadband connection) between the laptop computer and a trusted system, such as an Internet access provider or Internet service provider. The user accesses the trusted system using the laptop computer and connects to a wireless configuration service on the trusted system. For example, the user may select a function to download wireless home network parameters from a menu of services available from the trusted system. The trusted system identifies the appropriate wireless vacation-home network parameters for download based on the identity of the user. The wireless configuration parameters for the wireless vacation-home network are downloaded to the laptop computer from the trusted system, and the laptop computer is configured for use with the vacation-home wireless network. The user is then able to use the laptop computer to connect to the vacation-home wireless network. 
     In another example, a small business may have several offices and each office may be geographically dispersed from the other offices. Each office may include a wireless network that is separate from the other offices. The small business may wish to configure each of the wireless networks to use the same wireless configuration information. These techniques may permit the wireless networks to be configured using the same wireless configuration information when the wireless configuration is entered by a user only once. To accomplish this, wireless configuration information for a wireless network is stored on a trusted system. The wireless configuration information includes a network name based on unique identity information and generated by the trusted system. To configure a gateway for a second wireless network, a user accesses, on the trusted system, the wireless configuration information for the first wireless network that is associated with the user. The wireless configuration information on the trusted system is downloaded to the gateway for the second wireless network. The second wireless network is configured with the wireless configuration from the trusted system. Thus, a user with a laptop computer that is configured to operate on the wireless network at one office location also is able to access the wireless network at the second office location. This may be accomplished without requiring the user to reconfigure the wireless configuration information of the laptop computer and without requiring a user to enter wireless configuration information for the second wireless network. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a communications system  200  includes a home network  210  having multiple home-networked devices  212  connected to each other and to a home-networking gateway  215 . Some of the devices  212  are wireless devices. The home network  210  may be an example implementation of the wireless home network  125  of  FIG. 1 . 
     The communications system  200  enables the devices  212  to communicate with a trusted system  220  through a home-networking gateway  215  using a single communication device  219 . The devices  212 , the home-networking gateway  215 , and the communication device  219  may be included in a home network  210  physically located in a personal residence (e.g., a single-family dwelling, a house, a townhouse, an apartment, or a condominium). However, the location of the home-networking gateway  215  in the personal residence does not necessarily preclude one or more of the devices  212  from being networked to the home-networking gateway  215  from a remote location. Similarly, the location of the home-networking gateway in the personal residence does not necessarily preclude use of one or more of the devices  212  from outside of the personal residence or communication by those devices with the trusted system  220  through the home-networking gateway  215 . For instance, the devices  212  may include one or more portable computing devices that may be taken outside of the personal residence and still remain connected through a wireless access point to the home-networking gateway  215  located within the personal residence. 
     The home-networking gateway  215  is located logically between the devices  212  and a trusted system  220  that is external to the home network  210 . The trusted system  220  may be, for example, the trusted system  120  of  FIG. 1 , an Internet access provider device, an Internet service provider device, an online trusted system proxy server, or another external system device. 
     The devices  212  may include one or more general-purpose computers (e.g., personal computers), one or more special-purpose computers (e.g., devices specifically programmed to communicate with the home-networking gateway  215  and/or the trusted system  220 ), or a combination of one or more general-purpose computers and one or more special-purpose computers. Other examples of devices  212  include a workstation, a server, an appliance (e.g., a refrigerator, a microwave, or an oven), an intelligent household device (e.g., a thermostat, a security system, a heating, a ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, or a stereo system), a device, a component, other physical or virtual equipment, or some combination of these elements capable of responding to and executing instructions in compliance with the system architecture. 
     As illustrated by  FIG. 2 , examples of devices  212  may include, but are not limited to, a personal computer with a Windows™ OS  212   a , a Macintosh™ personal computer  212   b , a TV set-top box  212   c , a game device  212   d , a home appliance  212   e , a laptop or otherwise portable computer  212   f , a personal digital assistant (PDA)  212   g , and a wireless access point (WAP)  212   h . Some of the devices, such as a personal computer with Windows™ OS  212   a , a Macintosh™ personal computer  212   b , a TV set-top box  212   c , a game device  212   d , and a home appliance  212   e , communicate with the home-networking gateway  215  through a wired network. 
     Some of the other devices, such as a laptop computer  212   f  and a PDA  212   g , typically communicate with the home-networking gateway  215  using a wireless access point  212   h . When devices communicate using wireless access point  212   h , they may be referred to as wireless devices. Wireless devices maybe portable or fixed devices. For example, in another implementation, a desktop personal computer, such as a personal computer with a Windows™ OS  212   a  or a Macintosh™ personal computer  212   b , may communicate using wireless access point  212   h . Typically, the wireless access point  212   h  is connected to home-networking gateway  215  through the wired network, such that the wireless access point  212   h  transmits to the home-networking gateway  215  communications received over a wireless communications pathway from wireless devices. In another implementation, a wireless access point may be included in the home-networking gateway. 
     A wireless communications pathway may use various protocols to support communications between a wireless device and a wireless access point  212   h . For example, the wireless communications pathway may use wireless technology based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE) 802.11 standard (such as 802.11b, 802.11a or 802.11g). The wireless communications pathway also may use wireless technology based on the Bluetooth approach for short range wireless communications, other personal area network (PAN) technologies, or other wireless technology, such as the HiperLan2 standard by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI). 
     Some of the devices  212 , such as a personal computer with Windows™ OS  212   a , a Macintosh™ personal computer  212   b , a laptop computer  212   f , and a PDA  212   g , include software for logging on to the trusted system  220  using a particular client application that is associated with, or that identifies, the user of the device. Such devices may be referred to as client devices. Other devices, such as home appliance  212   g , may include software for logging on to trusted system  220  without identifying an associated user of the device. Yet other devices, such as TV set-top  212   c  and game device  212   d , may be configured to function either as a client device or a non-client device depending on the function being performed. 
       FIG. 2  shows several implementations and possible combinations of devices and systems used within the home networking system  200 . For brevity, only a few illustrative elements are included in home networking system  200 . 
     The home-networking gateway  215  may include a home gateway device, such as a gateway, a router, or another communication device. The home-networking gateway  215  also may include a digital hub capable of receiving broadcast video signals, receiving communication data (such as through a broadband connection), and distributing the signals and data to devices  212 . The home-networking gateway  215  may include another communications device and/or a home entertainment device, such as a stereo system, a radio tuner, a TV tuner, a portable music player, a personal video recorder, and a gaming device. The home-networking gateway  215  may communicate with the trusted system  220  over communications links  230 , which generally are accessed using a communication device  219 . 
     Examples of the communication device  219  may include (but are not limited to) a satellite modem  219   a , an analog modem  219   b , a cable modem  219   c , and a DSL modem  219   d . The home-networking gateway  215  uses the communication device  219  to communicate with the trusted system  220  through communication links  230 . 
     The communication links  230  may include various types of communication delivery systems that correspond to the type of communication device  219  being used. For example, if the home-networking gateway  215  includes a satellite modem  219   a , then the communications from a device  212  and an associated home-networking gateway  215  may be delivered to the trusted system  220  using a satellite dish  230   a  and a satellite  230   b . The analog modem  219   b  may use one of several communications links  219 , such as the satellite dish  230   a  and satellite  230   b , the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)  230   c  (which also may be referred to as the Plain Old Telephone Service or POTS), and the Cable Modem Termination System (CMTS)  230   d . The cable modem  219   c  typically uses the CMTS  230   d  to deliver and receive communications from the trusted system  220 . The DSL modem  219   d  typically delivers and receives communications with the trusted system  220  through a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM)  230   e  and an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network  230   f.    
     The home networking system  200  may use various protocols to communicate between the devices  212  and the home-networking gateway  215  and between the home-networking gateway  215  and the trusted system  220 . For example, a first protocol may be used to communicate between the devices  212  and the home-networking gateway  215 , and a second protocol may be used to communicate between the home-networking gateway  215  and the trusted system  220 , where the first protocol and the second protocol may be the same or different protocols. As such, the home-networking gateway  215  may include different hardware and/or software modules to implement different home networking system protocols. 
     The home-networking gateway  215  may include identifying information  215   a , such as a MAC (“Media Access Control”) address and/or a network address, that may uniquely identify a home-networking gateway  215 . The identifying information  215   a  also may include an identifier or a name assigned by the trusted system  220 . 
     The home-networking gateway also may store home-network gateway configuration information  215   b  and wireless configuration information  215   c . Home-networking gateway configuration information  215   b  may be stored in a table or a list on the home-networking gateway  215 . The configuration information  215   b  may be associated with identifying information  215   a  for the home-networking gateway  215  and/or a user account that is permitted access to the trusted system  220 . 
     The home-networking gateway configuration information  215   b  also may include device information for devices  212  associated with the home-network  210 . Device information may include a device identifier for a device, such as one of devices  212   a - 212   h . The device identifier may include a hardware device identifier, such as a MAC address, a unique serial number, and/or a network address, such as a static IP address associated with the device or a dynamic IP address. The dynamic IP address may be assigned by home-networking gateway  215 , by some other network device, or by the trusted system  220  through the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) or another protocol that enables the dynamic allocation of an IP address to a device on a network. 
     The device information associated with each device also may include, for example, the type of device (e.g., a client or a non-client device), the class of device (e.g., a gaming device, a personal computer, or a PDA), the type of platform (e.g., the type of hardware, such as a Macintosh™ personal computer, a Windows™-based personal computer, a PDA, a home appliance, or an entertainment device), and/or the operating environment (e.g., the operating system type and/or version). 
     In addition, the device information may include a user-assigned name. The user-assigned name may be referred to as a familiar name or a nickname. For example, an identifier for a particular game device may be associated with the user-assigned name of “Billy&#39;s game device.” The device information also may include parental control information or other types of access restrictions that are associated with the device. 
     The home-networking gateway configuration information  215   b  may include protocol information necessary to configure the home-networking gateway  215  to communicate with devices  212 , such as information describing how to establish communication with one or more of devices  212 , how to configure the wireless access point  212   h , or how to configure wireless devices, such as the laptop computer  212   f  or the PDA  212   g.    
     The wireless configuration information  215   c  may be stored in a table or a list on the home-networking gateway  215 . The wireless configuration information  215   c  may include security information, such as a cryptographic key and level of encryption, and a wireless network name, such as a service set identifier (SSID) that identifies the particular network. The wireless configuration information  215   c  may include a list of devices that are permitted access to the home network. For example, the wireless configuration information  215   c  may include a list of MAC addresses that uniquely identify the devices that are permitted access to the home network. 
     The storage of wireless configuration information  215   c  may be particularly useful for a wireless device, such as laptop computer  212   f  that must maintain common or at least consistent configuration information with a wireless access point to enable communications with the wireless access point. For instance, a wireless device and a wireless access point may be required to maintain/store the following configuration information in common to enable them to communicate: a cryptographic key, a SSID, a list of devices that are permitted access, and a level of encryption associated with the cryptographic key. 
     Additionally or alternatively, the home-networking gateway  215  may communicate with devices using only a wireless communications pathway. In other implementations, the home-networking gateway  215  may communicate with devices using only a wired communications pathway. Additionally or alternatively, the home-networking gateway  215  may include one or more communications devices  219  and/or one or more devices  212 . 
     The laptop computer  212   f  may connect to the trusted system  220  using, for example, an analog modem to communicate over the PSTN  230   c  or may connect to the trusted system  220  using the home-networking gateway  215 . The trusted system  220  sends wireless configuration information  224  to the laptop computer  112   f  to enable the laptop computer  212   f  to communicate with the home network  210  using the wireless access point  212   h . The sending of wireless configuration information also may be referred to as migration of wireless configuration information. 
     The home-networking gateway  215  communicates the wireless configuration information  215   c  with the trusted system  220  using the communication device  219 . The trusted system  220  stores the received wireless configuration information  215   c  as configuration information  224 , and may associate the configuration information  224  with a particular user account or an unique identifier for an identity. 
     The ability of a trusted system  220  to store and communicate the wireless configuration information for a wireless network to a wireless device may be particularly useful in automating and/or simplifying the process used to configure a wireless device to work on a wireless network. By enabling a transfer of configuration information from the trusted system to the wireless device, configuration information may be transferred to different networking gateways and used to enable the different networking gateways and/or a wireless device or devices to be automatically configured for wireless communications. This may relieve a user of the burden of manually configuring the wireless device. 
     For example, a user may have a wireless network at the user&#39;s primary residence and a different wireless network at the user&#39;s vacation home. The user may wish to configure the vacation-home wireless network using the wireless configuration information for the user&#39;s primary-residence home network. To do so, the wireless configuration information for the primary-residence home wireless network may be stored on the trusted system and communicated to the vacation-home wireless network. For example, the user may send the wireless configuration from the home-networking gateway of the primary-residence home network to the trusted system. Subsequently, the user may retrieve the wireless configuration from the trusted system to configure the vacation-home wireless network. The user may retrieve the wireless configuration information from the trusted system, for example, by using a wired connection between the home-networking gateway on the vacation-home wireless network and the trusted system. This may occur without requiring user manipulation. For example, when a user accesses the trusted system using a computer connected through a home-networking gateway at the vacation-home, the trusted system may send the wireless configuration information associated with the primary residence home-networking gateway to the home-networking gateway at the vacation home, and, thus, enable access to the wireless network by a wireless device configured for use with the wireless network at the primary residence. Alternatively, the user who wishes to access the vacation-home wireless network may retrieve the wireless configuration information from the trusted system by using a mobile computer to connect with the trusted system, for example, as described previously with the respect to  FIG. 1 . The retrieved wireless configuration information then is used to configure the vacation-home wireless network. 
     The ability to replicate wireless configuration information from one wireless network to a different wireless network may relieve a user from the burden of entering wireless configuration information for the wireless network. This may be particularly advantageous when the wireless configuration information to be entered is cumbersome, such as when several sets of alphanumeric strings are required. 
     The trusted system  220  may be configured to generate a network name, such as a SSID, to enable wireless devices to interconnect using the wireless network. The trusted system  220  generates a network name based on a user identity in response to a request sent from the home-networking gateway  215 . The identity used in the generation of the network name may be a user identity that is authorized to access the trusted system  220 . For example, the user identity may include a user name or an account name that is associated with the home-networking gateway  215 . The user identity also may include a user name or an account name associated with one of the devices  212  that is connected to the trusted system  220  through the home-networking gateway  215 . 
     The generation of a network name or another type of wireless connectivity parameter based on a user identity may be beneficial. For example, the generation of a network name on a user account name may simplify the discovery and registering of wireless networks and wireless devices. Furthermore, using a trusted system to generate a network name based on a user identity may be particularly advantageous, relieving a user of performing the burdensome process of identifying and remembering an appropriate network name. The use of a trusted system also may provide an increased level of security for the wireless network by generating a network name based on an authenticated user identity. In some cases, a user may be discouraged by the prospect of generating a memorable, unique network name and may therefore avoid modifying a default network name for a gateway provided by the manufacturer. The user&#39;s continued use of default wireless configuration information may reduce the security provided by the wireless network because the default wireless configuration information may be generally known, such as when a manufacturer uses the same default network name for all devices that the manufacturer sells. The ability of a trusted system to generate a network name based on user identity information may encourage a user to modify the default network name when the user otherwise would not do so. 
       FIG. 3  shows an exemplary process  300  that configures a wireless device  310  to communicate with a wireless network using wireless configuration information retrieved from a trusted system  320 . The wireless configuration information may be retrieved from storage on the trusted system  320 , where the wireless configuration information is associated with a user identity and enables wireless communication with wireless access point  325 . 
     The wireless device  310  may be, for example, a laptop computer  212   f  or a PDA  212   g  described previously with respect to  FIG. 2 . The trusted system  320  may be an implementation of the trusted system  120  of  FIG. 1  or the trusted system  220  of  FIG. 2 . The wireless access point  325  may be an implementation of the wireless access point  212   h  of  FIG. 2  or a home-networking gateway that includes a wireless access point. In some implementations, a wireless access point, a wireless device, or another type of device may perform the roles described as being associated with the wireless access point  325 . 
     The process  300  begins when the wireless device  310  submits a request for access to the trusted system  320  (step  330   wd ). The wireless device  310  submits the request for access to the trusted system using a wired or wireless network other than the network for which the wireless device  310  is being configured. For example, referring to  FIG. 1 , a wireless mobile device  110  may use network  150  to access the trusted system  120  to configure the wireless mobile device  110  to communicate using the wireless home network  125  or the wireless vacation-home network  130 . 
     The trusted system  320  receives the request for access (step  330   h ) and requests authentication information (step  334   h ). 
     The wireless device  310  receives the request for authentication information (step  334   wd ) and submits authentication information (step  338   wd ). For example, the wireless device  310  may submit a user or screen name and a password or other authenticating information. 
     The trusted system  320  receives the authentication information (step  338   h ) and authenticates the user account of the wireless device  310  (step  340   h ). If the trusted system  320  determines that the user account associated with the wireless device  310  is not authenticated, the trusted system may take any of several actions (not shown), including terminating the session immediately, sending a message to the wireless device  310 , or sending a message to a master, family or supervisory account associated with the home-networking gateway  315 . 
     When the trusted system  320  determines that the user associated with the wireless device  310  is an authenticated user, the trusted system  320  accesses wireless configuration information (step  344   h ). For example, the trusted system  320  may access wireless configuration information  324 , as described previously with respect to the trusted system  320  of  FIG. 3 . The accessed wireless configuration information may include, for example, a cryptographic key, a network name (such as a SSID), a list of devices permitted to access the network, and other information needed to configure the device to work on the wireless home network, examples of which are described with respect to  FIG. 1 . When more than one set of wireless configuration information is associated with an identity, the trusted system  320  may present a list of a portion of the sets of wireless configuration information (e.g., such as a network name) and may await for a selection of one of the wireless configuration information sets by the user. Alternatively, the trusted system  320  may present one of several sets of wireless configuration information based on, for example, a priority associated with each set of wireless configuration information, a frequency of access of each set of wireless configuration information, or another type of wireless configuration information characteristic; the trusted system  320  then obtains user confirmation that the presented set of wireless configuration information is the desired wireless configuration information. 
     The trusted system  320  sends the accessed wireless configuration information to the wireless device (step  348   h ). 
     The wireless device  310  receives the wireless configuration information (step  348   wd ) and modifies the configuration information previously stored by the wireless device (step  350   wd ), if necessary and to the extent that such wireless configuration information exists. For example, the wireless device  310  may update a configuration table (or otherwise modify the configuration parameters) with the wireless configuration information received. In some implementations, the wireless device  310  may pull information from the trusted system  320  in addition to or in lieu of the trusted system  320  sending the wireless configuration information in step  348   h.    
     When the wireless device  310  modifies the wireless configuration settings, the wireless device  310  then maybe capable of establishing communications with the wireless access point  325  (and, hence, the wireless network served by the wireless access point  325 ) using the received wireless configuration information (step  354   wd ). 
     Alternatively, after the trusted system  320  obtains an identifier associated with the user of the wireless device  310  and accesses wireless configuration information based on the obtained identifier, the trusted system  320  may coordinate or otherwise enable the configuration of the wireless device, the wireless access point  325 , and/or other components of the wireless network served by the wireless access point  325  based on the accessed wireless configuration information. 
     Using the structure and organization shown by  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 4  depicts a process  400  for communicating between a home-networking gateway  215  and a trusted system  220  to generate and store wireless configuration information. If required during process  400 , the trusted system  220  generates a network name. 
     The process  400  begins when the home-networking gateway  215  sends wireless configuration information and an identity to the trusted system  220  (step  430   g ). The identity may be, for example, a user identity that identifies a user, such as a user name, an account name, a subscriber name, or a master or family account name. The identity also may be a network identifier, such as a SSID. To send wireless configuration information and an identity to the trusted system, the home-networking gateway  215  may access stored wireless configuration information, as described previously with respect to  FIG. 2 . The wireless configuration information may include, for example, a cryptographic key, a network name (such as a SSE)), a list of devices permitted to access the network, and other information needed to configure a device to work on the wireless home network. 
     Alternatively, the home-networking gateway  215  may not include a network name in the wireless configuration information sent to the trusted system  220 . This may occur, for example, when the wireless network has not itself been completely installed or configured, and no network name has been assigned to the wireless network. In such a case, the process  400  includes the generation of a network name based on the identity sent, as described later. 
     The user identity, for example, may be a user name associated with a user account used to establish a connection between the home-networking gateway  215  and the trusted system  220 . Alternatively, the user identity may be a user name that is associated with a device capable of accessing the trusted system  220  using the home-networking gateway. 
     In some implementations, the user identity may be a user identity that is not associated either with the trusted system  220  or with the home-networking gateway  215 . In yet other implementations, a user identity may be selected from among a list of possible user identities. In some implementations, a user identity is not provided at all. Instead, the trusted system  220  uses a user identity that is not provided by the home-networking gateway. 
     The trusted system  220  receives the wireless configuration information and the user identity (step  430   h ) and associates wireless configuration information with the received user identity. The trusted system  220  may associate the wireless configuration information with a user identity by storing both an identifier for the wireless configuration information and the user or network identity in a table, a list or another type of data structure. Alternatively, the trusted system  220  may associate the wireless configuration information with a user identity by storing both the wireless configuration information and the user, or network, identity in a table, a list, or another type of data structure. 
     The trusted system  220  determines whether the received wireless configuration information includes a network name, such as an SSID (step  440   h ). If not, the trusted system  220  generates a network name (step  445   h ). This may be accomplished, for example, by generating a network name that is based on the user identity associated with the received wireless configuration information. In some implementations, the trusted system  220  authenticates the received user identity and only generates a network name when an authenticated user identity has been received. 
     When the trusted system  220  generates a network name (step  345   h ), the trusted system sends the generated network name to the home-networking gateway  215  (step  450   h ). The home-networking gateway  215  receives and stores the network name (step  450   g ). In some implementations, the trusted system  220  may send to the home-networking gateway  215  the received wireless configuration information in addition to the network name. 
     The home-networking gateway  215  may store the network name in a configuration table (or otherwise modify the configuration parameters) with the received network name. 
     The home-networking gateway  215  sends to the trusted system  220  an acknowledgment that the network name has been received (step  460   g ). The trusted system  220  receives the acknowledgment (step  460   h ). When the home-networking gateway  215  does not receive an acknowledgment, the home-networking gateway  215  may take one of several actions, such as re-sending the network name to the wireless device  410  or sending an electronic mail message to a user account to notify the user that an acknowledgment was not received. In some implementations, the home-networking gateway  215  may receive or pull information from the trusted system  420  in addition to or in lieu of the trusted system  220  sending the network name in step  450   g.    
     When the trusted system  220  receives an acknowledgment from the home-networking gateway  215 , the trusted system stores the wireless configuration information in association with the identity (step  465   h ). 
     The techniques and concepts are applicable to home network devices other than a home-networking gateway. For example, a router, a digital hub, a general-purpose computer, or a single-purpose configuration management device may perform the functions described as being performed by the home-networking gateway. 
     Implementations may include a method or process, an apparatus or system, or computer software on a computer medium. It will be understood that various modifications may be made that still fall within the following claims. For example, advantageous results still could be achieved if steps of the disclosed techniques were performed in a different order and/or if components in the disclosed systems were combined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented by other components. 
     Although the techniques and concepts have been described in which a trusted system stores configuration information and performs a proxy configuration service for a wireless device, a wireless access point, or a home-networking gateway, a trusted system that may not necessarily be in a host-client relationship with the home-networking gateway may be used in place of the described trusted system. Another type of trusted computing device also may be used to perform the described techniques and concepts. For example, a general-purpose computer accessible to the network, such as in a peer-to-peer relationship, or another trusted computer system may be used to perform the functions described as being performed by the trusted system. 
     Furthermore, although the techniques and concepts have been described in which an identity is associate with a user account that is authenticated and associated with information for a home-networking gateway or other communication device, the user account does not necessarily need to be a subscriber account. The techniques and concepts described with respect to a user account are applicable to a user identity or an user operating a device or a home-networking gateway.