EP0973296A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Controlling devices on a network through policies
Assignee: Oracle America Inc
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Filing: 1999-07-09
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2019-07-09
Abstract
Abstract A system that facilitates control over a group of devices coupled to a network. This system allows an operator to specify a policy for controlling a group of devices. This policy is automatically translated into lower-level device-specific commands, which are sent to the devices across the network. The system additionally provides a mechanism for continuous monitoring and control of the devices. Thus, one embodiment of the present invention provides a system for controlling devices on a network. This system operates by receiving a request to define a policy for controlling the devices. In response to the request, the system creates a policy object specifying actions of the devices to implement the policy, and stores the policy object in a memory. Next, the system associates the policy object with devices from the network, and controls these associated devices automatically according to actions specified in the policy object. In one embodiment of the present invention, during creation of the policy object, the system translates the policy into device-specific commands for controlling the devices on the network, and associates the device-specific commands with the policy object.
Inventors
- 👤 Kallol Mandal
- 👤 Andrew A. Poggio
- 👤 Robert D. Bressler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 12:08
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L41/00; H04L41/08; H04L41/0894; H04L41/0893
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for controlling devices on a network, comprising: receiving a request to define a policy specifying a behavior for controlling
the devices on the network; creating a policy object specifying actions of the devices on the network to
implement the policy; storing the policy object in a memory; associating the stored policy object with at least one device from the
devices on the network; and controlling the at least one device in accordance with the stored policy
object in order to implement the policy.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the act of creating the policy
object includes translating the policy into device-specific commands for
controlling the devices on the network, and associating the device-specific
commands with the policy object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the act of controlling the at least
one device includes communicating the device-specific commands across the
network to the at least one device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the act of controlling the at least
one device includes monitoring a status of the at least one device.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
34 words
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the act of controlling the at least
one device includes performing a sequence of actions over a period of time to
implement the policy without human intervention.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
31 words
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the act of controlling the at least
one device includes performing a sequence of actions that are specified in relation to a
time base.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
16 words
The method of any preceding claim, further comprising determining which
devices are active on the network.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
25 words
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the act of storing the policy
object in the memory involves storing the policy object in a database.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
27 words
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the act of storing the policy
object in the memory involves storing the policy object in a random access memory.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
19 words
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the policy object includes an
object defined within an object-oriented programming system.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
14 words
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the devices respond to different
device-specific commands.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
21 words
The method of any preceding claim, wherein the at least one device includes a
router for routing traffic over the network.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
132 words
A method for controlling devices on a network, comprising: receiving a request to define a policy specifying a behavior for controlling
the devices on the network; creating a policy object specifying actions of the devices on the network to
implement the policy, including translating the policy into device-specific
commands for controlling the devices on the network, and associating the device-specific
commands with the policy object; storing the policy object in a memory; associating the stored policy object with at least one device from the
devices on the network; and controlling the at least one device in accordance with the stored policy
object in order to implement the policy by communicating the device-specific
commands across the network to the at least one device, and monitoring a status
of the at least one device.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
103 words
A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that
when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for
controlling devices on a network, comprising: receiving a request to define a policy specifying a behavior for controlling
the devices on the network; creating a policy object specifying actions of the devices on the network to
implement the policy; storing the policy object in a memory; associating the stored policy object with at least one device from the
devices on the network; and controlling the at least one device in accordance with the stored policy
object in order to implement the policy.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
107 words
A computer instruction signal embodied in a carrier wave carrying
instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a
method for controlling devices on a network, comprising: receiving a request to define a policy specifying a behavior for controlling
the devices on the network; creating a policy object specifying actions of the devices on the network to
implement the policy; storing the policy object in a memory; associating the stored policy object with at least one device from the
devices on the network; and controlling the at least one device in accordance with the stored policy
object in order to implement the policy.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
109 words
A system that uses policies to control devices on a network,
comprising: a policy server coupled to the network; a request receiving mechanism, within the policy server, that receives a
request to define a policy specifying a behavior for controlling the devices on the
network; a policy creation mechanism, within the policy server, that creates a policy
object specifying actions of the devices on the network to implement the policy; a memory, in communication with the policy creation mechanism, that
stores the policy object; and an execution mechanism, within the policy server, that controls the devices
in accordance with the stored policy object in order to implement the policy.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 16, wherein the policy creation mechanism translates the
policy into device-specific commands for controlling the devices on the network, and
associates the device-specific commands with the policy object.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 17, wherein the execution mechanism is configured to
communicate the device-specific commands across the network to devices.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 16, 17 or 18, wherein the execution mechanism is
configured to monitor status of devices on the network.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
34 words
The system of any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein the execution mechanism is
configured to perform a sequence of actions over a period of time to implement the
policy without human intervention.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
31 words
The system of any one of claims 16 to 20, wherein the execution mechanism is
configured to perform a sequence of actions that are specified in relation to a time
base.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
25 words
The system of any one of claims 16 to 21, further comprising a device finding
mechanism that determines which devices are active on the network.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
16 words
The system of any one of claims 16 to 22, wherein the memory includes a
database.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
18 words
The system of any one of claims 16 to 23, wherein the memory includes a
random access memory.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
23 words
The system of any one of claims 16 to 24, wherein the policy object includes
an object defined within a object-oriented programming system.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
18 words
The system of any one of claims 16 to 25, wherein the devices respond to
different device-specific commands.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
22 words
The system of any one of claims 16 to 26, wherein the devices include a router
for routing traffic over the network.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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