Patent ID: 6920502

Claim:
Apparatus which interacts with and is communicatively connected to a device for remotely configuring itself to the device through a wide area network connection between the apparatus and an administrative web site, the apparatus comprising: a processor; a memory, connected to the processor, for storing computer executable instructions therein; wherein, in response to the executable instructions, the processor: detects whether only a default profile for the device is then stored within the memory; if only the default profile is so stored, establishes a first secured network connection, through the WAN, to the administrative web site using specific predefined login parameters stored within the apparatus and valid for the administrative web site but unrelated to a customer of the apparatus, wherein the apparatus identifies itself, through a unique identifier associated therewith, to the administrative web site so as to invoke a management session, over the WAN, with the administrative web site; once the management session has been established, obtains customer-specific login parameters associated with an account for accessing the WAN by the customer who is to use the apparatus in conjunction with the device; after receiving the customer-specific login parameters, tears down the first secured connection and establishes a second secured network connection, through the WAN but over a network modality different from the first secured network connection, to the administrative web site and then, using the customer-specific login parameters, re-establishes the management session with the administrative web site; once the management session has been re-established, downloads a profile, from the administrative web site, that characterizes the device; and in response to the profile, configures constituent components of the apparatus so as to conform operation of the apparatus to corresponding characteristics of the device as defined in the profile such that the apparatus can properly interact with the device.