Apparatus and accompanying methods for providing, through a centralized server site, an integrated virtual office environment, remotely accessible via a network-connected web browser, with remote network monitoring and management capabilities

US6981041B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• AEP Networks, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Kenneth Araujo · Somerville, US
• Reginald P. Best · Somerville, US
• Christopher Douglas · McKinney, US
• Devin J. Heitmueler · Neptune City, US
• Siuling C. Zhang · Stony Brook, US
• Gamid Isayev · Monmouth Junction, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 13, 2001
• Grant date: Dec 27, 2005
• Expiry date: Apr 21, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04L69/329
• WIPO field: Digital communication
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Apparatus and accompanying methods for use therein for implementing an integrated, virtual office user environment, through an office server(s), through which a remotely stationed user can access typical office network-based applications, including e-mail, file sharing and hosted thin-client programs, through a remotely located network, e.g., WAN, connected web browser. Specifically, a front end, namely a service enablement platform (SEP), to one or more office servers on a LAN is connected to both the WAN and LAN and acts both as a bridge between the user and his(her) office applications and as a protocol translator to enable bi-directional, web-based, real-time communication to occur between the browser and each such application. During initial operation, the SEP, operating under a default profile, establishes, over an analog connection to the WAN, a management session with the site to obtain customer WAN access information, then tears down the analog connection and establishes a broadband WAN connection through which the SEP re-establishes its prior session and obtains a client certificate and its customized profile. The SEP then re-initializes itself to that particular profile.