Specifying link layer information in a URL

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10574560-B2
Application number	US-201313765984-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 13, 2013
Priority date	Feb 13, 2013
Publication date	Feb 25, 2020
Grant date	Feb 25, 2020

Abstract

A system of specifying link layer information in a URL is described. In an embodiment, a URL is generated which includes both a link layer network type and information which is used by a resolving device to identify a particular link layer network of the specified type. In various embodiments, the URL includes a link layer network type and a corresponding link layer network name or pairs of link layer network types and corresponding link layer network names. Where the URL comprises more than one link layer network name, the resolving device may determine at runtime which of the named link layer networks to connect to and this decision may be based on criteria or preference information included within the URL.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
generating a URL at an originating device, the URL specifying, within metadata of the URL, a location for content, a secured network name corresponding to a secured network, an unsecured network name corresponding to an unsecured network, and a size of the content, the URL being usable by a resolving device to access the content using the secured network and one or more credentials specific to the secured network or using the unsecured network based on the size of the content; and
transmitting the URL with the location for the content, the secured network name, the unsecured network name, and the size of the content to the resolving device for use in ensuring that the resolving device is able to access the content.

2. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
sharing the URL with the resolving device.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the URL wherein the secured network comprises a WiFi access point.

4. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the URL is transmitted by way of at least one of: e-mail, instant messaging, social networking, Bluetooth, near-field communication, infra-red, visual code, or a visual code that is readable by the resolving device.

5. A method according to claim 4 , wherein the URL comprises an identifier of the secured network name as being associated with a network that is secure for accessing the content.

6. A method according to claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises inserting credentials for use by the resolving device in connecting to secured network into the URL.

7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the credentials comprise a one-time key for the secured network.

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the URL further comprises selection criteria for use by the resolving device in selecting one link layer network name from the secured network and the unsecured network.

9. A method according to claim 8 , wherein the selection criteria comprises a preferred link layer network name.

10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein generating a URL comprising a link layer type comprises generating an XML script and inserting the XML script into the URL.

11. A computing-based device comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory arranged to store computer executable instructions, which when executed cause the processor to:
generate, at an originating device, a URL specifying, within metadata of the URL, a location for content, a secured network name corresponding to a secured network, an unsecured network name corresponding to an unsecured network, and a size of the content, the URL being usable by a resolving device to access the content using the secured network and one or more credentials specific to the secured network or using the unsecured network based on the size of the content,
transmit the URL with the location for the content, the secured network name, the unsecured network name, and size of the content to the resolving device for use in ensuring that the resolving device is able to access the content.

12. A computing-based device according to claim 11 , further comprising:
at least one of a communication interface and a display device,
and wherein the memory is further arranged to store computer executable instructions, which when executed cause the one or more processors to:
share the URL with a second resolving device via one of the communication interface and the display device.

13. A computing-based device according to claim 12 , comprising a display device and wherein sharing the URL with a second resolving device comprises:
generating a visual code which encodes the URL; and
displaying the visual code on the display device.

14. A computing-based device according to claim 12 , comprising a communication interface and wherein sharing the URL with a second resolving device comprises:
transmitting the URL to the second device via the communication interface.

15. A computing-based device according to claim 12 , wherein the URL further includes credentials for the secured network.

16. A computing-based device according to claim 15 , wherein the memory is further arranged to store computer executable instructions, which when executed cause the one or more processors to:
generate new credentials for the secured network or the unsecured network name and include the new credentials in the URL.

17. A computing-based device according to claim 15 , wherein the the credentials are specific to both the secured network and the piece of content.

18. A computing-based device according to claim 11 , wherein the URL further comprises one or more additional rules for the resolving device to connect to either the secured network or the unsecured network, the one or more additional rules comprising at least one member of a group comprising: time of day, location of the resolving device, quality of service, characteristics of the content, or credentials for connecting to either secured network name or the unsecured network name.

19. A computing-based device, comprising:
one or more processors configured to generate a URL specifying, within metadata of the URL, a location for content and a secured network name corresponding to a secured network, an unsecured network name corresponding to an unsecured network, and a size of the content, the URL being usable by a resolving device receiving the URL to access the content using the secured network name and one or more credentials specific to the secured network or using the unsecured network based on the size of the content; and
one of a display device and a communication interface arranged to share the generated URL with the resolving device for use in ensuring that the resolving device is able to access the content.

20. A computing-based device according to claim 19 , the one or more processors being comprising hardware logic selected from any one or more of: a field-programmable gate array, a program-specific integrated circuit, a program-specific standard product, a system-on-a-chip, or a complex programmable logic device.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Scott James W
• Villar Nicolas
• Hodges Stephen E

Classifications

• H04L69/321

  Interlayer communication protocols or service data unit [SDU] definitions; Interfaces between layers · CPC title

• H04W84/12

  WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] · CPC title

• H04L45/00 Primary

  Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks (routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00) · CPC title

• H04W12/50 Primary

  Secure pairing of devices · CPC title

• H04L61/503

  using an authentication, authorisation and accounting [AAA] protocol, e.g. remote authentication dial-in user service [RADIUS] or Diameter · CPC title