Abstract: In a method for controlling access to a network by a wireless client and a network, an access point on the network receives a request for a network address broadcast by the wireless client. The request is passed to an address server, which assigns a temporary address to the wireless client and provides the address of the access point. The wireless client then initiates a secure link with the access point based on the network address assigned by the address server and the address of the access point. If the secure link is not established before the temporary address expires, then wireless client is denied access to the network.

Abstract: A power management scheme for use in a wireless device reduces the power consumption of the network interface module of the wireless device by selectively putting the network interface module into a low-power state for an idle time. The length of the idle time is calculated such that the amount of delayed traffic data accumulated is expected to be less than or equal to a pre-selected threshold when the network interface module is put in the low-power state for the calculated idle time. The amount of delayed traffic data as a function of the idle time is modeled using average inter-arrival and service rates that are derived from traffic statistics data.

Abstract: A method and system for managing power consumption in a portable computing device having a network interface module is presented. A power management module receives inputs from other modules and determines when the network interface module is to be put in a doze state for a predetermined number of beacon intervals to conserve power consumption in the network interface module. The network interface module in a device that is associated with a network is put in the doze state after an event has occurred including when a scan has been performed, after a delayed sleep timer has expired, and after a beacon transmission has been completed and no traffic is buffered for the device. The delayed sleep time is set based on the estimated round trip time of a packet.

Abstract: Multiple computing devices are connected together using a high-speed wireless link. The wireless link enables expansion of available resources to the host device, such as one or more of volatile memory resources, non-volatile memory resources, and additional processor resources.

Abstract: The principles of the present invention relate to systems, methods, and computer program products for more efficiently and securely authenticating computing systems. In some embodiments, a limited use credential is used to provision more permanent credentials. A client receives a limited-use (e.g., a single-use) credential and submits the limited-use credential over a secure link to a server. The server provisions an additional credential (for subsequent authentication) and sends the additional credential to the client over the secure link. In other embodiments, computing systems automatically negotiate authentication methods using an extensible protocol. A mutually deployed authentication method is selected and secure authentication is facilitated with a tunnel key that is used encrypt (and subsequently decrypt) authentication content transferred between a client and a server. The tunnel key is derived from a shared secret (e.g., a session key) and nonces.

Abstract: A method and system for reducing the number of ports allocated by a relay server is provided. A connection system uses a bidirectional technique to establish a connection via the relay server between two endpoints (e.g., client computers) that can be used bidirectionally to send a stream from a first endpoint to a second endpoint and a stream from the second endpoint to the first endpoint. The connection system may also use a stream multiplexing technique to further reduce the number of ports allocated by a relay server by multiplexing multiple streams onto a single connection. The connection system may also use an endpoint multiplexing technique to reduce the number of ports allocated by a relay server by multiplexing streams from different endpoints through a single connection via the relay server.

Abstract: A location service and method provides a location aware computing device that is extensible by allowing different types of location awareness providers operate with the service. The method includes receiving a request for a location context, acquiring data associated with a current location from one or more location detection devices, reconciling the acquired data for any inconsistencies concerning the current location by applying either or both of a hierarchical and a metric process, and generating a location object accessible to applications. The service includes a location management component configured to route location data, a fuser engine configured to receive one or more location reports generated from the location data, reconcile conflicts between the location reports and generate a location object, and one or more location application programming interfaces (APIs) coupled to the location management component to transmit the location object from the fuser engine to an application.

Abstract: A client quarantine agent requests bill of health from a quarantine server, and receives a manifest of checks that the client computer must perform. The quarantine agent then sends a status report on the checks back to the quarantine server. If the client computer is in a valid security state, the bill of health is issued to the client. If the client computer is in an invalid state, the client is directed to install the appropriate software/patches to achieve a valid state. When a client requests the use of network resources from a network administrator, the network administrator requests the client's bill of health. If the bill of health is valid, the client is admitted to the network. If the bill of health is invalid, the client is placed in quarantine.

Abstract: A method and system for managing power consumption in a portable computing device having a network interface module is presented. A power management module receives inputs from other modules and determines when the network interface module is to be put in a doze state for a predetermined number of beacon intervals to conserve power consumption in the network interface module. The network interface module in a device that is associated with a network is put in the doze state after an event has occurred including when a scan has been performed, after a delayed sleep timer has expired, and after a beacon transmission has been completed and no traffic is buffered for the device. The delayed sleep time is set based on the estimated round trip time of a packet.

Abstract: A system and method for enabling a zero configuration nomadic wireless and wired computing environment presenting a just works experience is presented. The system examines predefined user preference or profile settings to determine to which of a competing number of wireless networks available it should connect, and what type of authentication should be used for such connection. Nomadic wireless computing between infrastructure wireless networks and ad hoc wireless networks may be accomplished without further user intervention required in an auto mode. Also, both infrastructure only and ad hoc only modes are available through the system of the invention. Further, the user may set a preference for infrastructure or ad hoc modes in the auto mode. With an infrastructure mode preference set, the system will automatically detect and transfer connectivity to a newly available infrastructure wireless network if the user was previously operating off-line or in ad hoc mode.

Abstract: A method and system for managing power consumption in a portable computing device having a network interface module is presented. A power management module receives inputs from other modules and determines when the network interface module is to be put in a doze state for a predetermined number of beacon intervals to conserve power consumption in the network interface module. The network interface module in a device that is associated with a network is put in the doze state after an event has occurred including when a scan has been performed, after a delayed sleep timer has expired, and after a beacon transmission has been completed and no traffic is buffered for the device. The delayed sleep time is set based on the estimated round trip time of a packet.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating automatic detection of a type of wireless network is provided. In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, wireless network client(s) can automatically detect the “type” of a network (e.g., method of authentication and encryption) without requiring input from the user. For example, unencrypted network, WEP encrypted network requiring a WEP key, WPA encrypted network requiring a pre-shared key, an IEEE 802.1x enabled network supporting WPA and/or an IEEE 802.1x enabled network not supporting WPA. In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a wireless network detection system having a connection component and a detection component is provided. The connection component facilitates connection of a client system to at least one of a plurality of wireless networks. The detection component identities a type of an available wireless network.

Abstract: Structured hierarchies for communicating contextual information relating to a VoIP conversation are provided. The structured hierarchies are utilized for efficient communications of various amounts and types of contextual information over a VoIP conversation channel. Information identifying at least one structured hierarchy, which will be used to carry the contextual information, is transmitted during establishment of a conversation between two VoIP enhanced devices and prior to the exchange of contextual information. The structural hierarchy is selected from a set of predefined and declared structured hierarchies. Subsequently transmitted contextual information exchanged between two VoIP enhanced devices is represented in accordance with the identified structural hierarchy. Additionally, the structural hierarchies can be extensible by the addition of more definitions to the current structural hierarchies.

Abstract: A system and method that enables network quality of service to be based on qualitative factors. RSVP signaling is extended to allow RSVP messages to be identified as qualitative, and to pass qualitative information with the messages. RSVP-aware network devices such as routers in the message path analyze the qualitative information and apply policy based thereon to perform admission control and allocation of resources based on qualitative factors. An application identifier is provided, along with a sub-application identifier that provides fine-grained qualitative information, such as to identify what type of network service an application is requesting. Qualitative signaling may employ RSVP integrated with differentiated services by returning a DCLASS object in an RSVP message, to assign an application's traffic to one or more aggregate classes based on a policy evaluation, which may use qualitative factors against policy for each request.

Abstract: A presentation system receives streams of videos of a video conference and presents the videos on the faces of a three-dimensional object. The presentation system selects which video should be presented more prominently than the other videos. The presentation system generates an image of the three-dimensional object that represents a view location from which the selected video is prominently visible and videos of other conference participants are less prominently visible. The presentation system then displays the image to the conference participant.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates enhancing incoming data communication connectivity within a network. An analyzer component can evaluate a portion of an incoming data communication targeted for a network to identify a context associated with the data communication. A transfer component can direct the incoming data communication to a cluster within the network based at least in part upon the identified context, wherein the cluster includes a physical entity with pre-existing knowledge of the identified context.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates enhancing connectivity associated with data communications. An interface can receive a portion of communication state data, wherein the communication state data is related to at least one of a data communication mode and a user context state. A routing component can evaluate the portion of communication state data to identify an optimized data communication mode, wherein the optimized data communication mode is dynamically linked to a virtual contact identifier. Moreover, the routing component can automatically and seamlessly employ an optimized communication session utilizing the dynamically identified optimized data communication mode based upon an activation of the virtual contact identifier.

Abstract: A system that facilitates aggregation of devices for a multimedia communication session (e.g., voice, video, audio, graphics) is disclosed. In particular, the innovation can automatically separate a multimedia input into individual streams thereafter facilitating the selection of appropriate devices for which to render the input so as to maintain the multimedia communication experience. Logic is provided to assist in the selection the devices from a network of user-available devices.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or methods that facilitate describing, communicating, utilizing, etc. a frame dependency structure in connection with real time video communication. For example, a protocol can be employed to communicate the dependency structure from a sender to a receiver. Moreover, a mechanism on a receiver side can detect frame(s) that will be rendered with artifacts if displayed due to previous frame loss; this mechanism can leverage receiver side knowledge concerning the dependency structure of the of the frames.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for a client, having established one set of security keys, to establish a new set without having to communicate with an authentication server. When the client joins a group, master session security keys are derived and made known to the client and to the group's access server. From the master session security keys, the access server and client each derive transient session security keys, used for authentication and encryption. To change the transient session security keys, the access server creates “liveness” information and sends it to the client. New master session security keys are derived from the liveness information and the current set of transient session security keys. From these new master session security keys are derived new transient session security keys. This process limits the amount of data sent using one set of transient session security keys and thus limits the effectiveness of any statistical attacker.