Patents in suit

US 6,978,301 System and method for configuring a network device

11 defendants · 11 suits · updated September 14, 2026

Also cited as U.S. Patent No. 6,978,301 · US6978301B2 · US 6,978,301 B2 · 6978301 · the '301 patent

Focus Global Solutions LLC has filed 11 patent-infringement suits on US 6,978,301, "System and method for configuring a network device" since July 7, 2026, all in the E.D. Tex., against 11 distinct defendants including Advanced Digital Broadcast SA, Altai Technologies Limited and Associated Industries China, Inc.. The patent was granted December 20, 2005 on a priority date of December 6, 2000. Its abstract opens: "A system and method for communicating with network devices without regard to the device type and/or manufacturer is described." The examiner cited 8 references during prosecution.

Assignee
Focus Global Solutions LLC
Priority date
December 6, 2000
Granted
December 20, 2005
Expires
December 6, 2020
Status
Expired - Lifetime
Claims
24 (5 independent)
Inventors
Glen D. Tindal
Full text
Google Patents

The suits

11 cases · E.D. Tex. (11)

Filed Defendant Plaintiff Court Docket
2026-07-07 Advanced Digital Broadcast SA Focus Global Solutions LLC E.D. Tex. 2:26-cv-00561
2026-07-07 Altai Technologies Limited Focus Global Solutions LLC E.D. Tex. 2:26-cv-00562
2026-07-07 Associated Industries China, Inc. Focus Global Solutions LLC E.D. Tex. 2:26-cv-00563
2026-07-07 Athom B.V. Focus Global Solutions LLC E.D. Tex. 2:26-cv-00564
2026-07-07 Sahara Presentation System LTD Focus Global Solutions LLC E.D. Tex. 2:26-cv-00565
2026-08-12 AUO Display Plus Corporation Focus Global Solutions LLC E.D. Tex. 2:26-cv-00684
2026-08-12 Avalue Technology Inc. Focus Global Solutions LLC E.D. Tex. 2:26-cv-00685
2026-08-12 Baicells Technologies North America Inc. Focus Global Solutions LLC E.D. Tex. 2:26-cv-00686
2026-08-12 Billion Electric Co., Ltd. Focus Global Solutions LLC E.D. Tex. 2:26-cv-00687
2026-08-12 GL Technologies (HK) Limited Focus Global Solutions LLC E.D. Tex. 2:26-cv-00688
2026-08-12 Zhone Technologies, Inc. Focus Global Solutions LLC E.D. Tex. 2:26-cv-00689

Docket links open the public record on CourtListener. Filing dates are the complaint's.

Independent claims

What is actually asserted, verbatim.

Claim 1

1. A method for communicating with a network device, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a network device identifier, the network device identifier corresponding to the network device; retrieving a command-format template from a repository containing a plurality of command-format templates, wherein the command-format template indicates how to construct a device-specific command for the network device and includes an attribute field; identifying attribute data corresponding to the attribute field; generating the device-specific command for the network device using the retrieved command-format template and the identified attribute data; and providing the generated device-specific command to the network device.

Claim 10

10. A method for configuring a network device located in a network formed of a plurality of network devices, the method comprising the steps of: retrieving an attribute field from a central repository, the attribute field being associated with the network device; retrieving a command-format template from a repository containing a plurality of command-format templates, wherein the command-format template indicates how to construct a device-specific command for the network device; populating the retrieved attribute field with attribute data; generating the device-specific command for the network device using the retrieved command-format template, wherein the generated device-specific command comprises at least an indication of the populated attribute field and is in the proper syntax and format for the network device; and providing the generated device-specific command to the network device.

Claim 19

19. A computer program product comprising: a header portion; and a payload portion, wherein the payload portion is formed by: receiving a network device identifier, the network device identifier corresponding to a network device; retrieving a command-format template associated with the received network device identifier, wherein the retrieved command-format template comprises at least an attribute field and a command-format instruction; populating the attribute field with attribute data; and generating a device-specific command according to the command-format instruction and the attribute data.

Claim 22

22. A computer program product comprising: a header portion; and a payload portion, wherein the payload portion is formed by: retrieving an attribute field from a central repository, the attribute field being associated with the network device; retrieving a command-format template from a repository containing a plurality of command-format templates, wherein the command-format template indicates how to construct a device-specific command for the network device; populating the retrieved attribute field with attribute data; generating the device-specific command for the network device using the retrieved command-format template, wherein the generated device-specific command comprises at least an indication of the populated attribute field and is in the proper syntax and format for the network device; and providing the generated device-specific command to the network device.

Claim 24

24. An article of manufacture comprising: a computer readable medium; a plurality of instructions stored on the computer readable medium, the plurality of instructions configured to cause a processor to: retrieve a command-format template from a repository containing a plurality of command-format templates, wherein the command-format template indicates how to construct a device-specific command for the network device and includes an attribute field; identify attribute data corresponding to the attribute field; generate the device-specific command for the network device using the retrieved command-format template and the identified attribute data; and provide the generated device-specific command to the network device.

Art before the examiner

120 references of record, 8 cited by the examiner.

Everything listed here was before the Office and is what a challenge must go beyond. Art the examiner never saw is where an invalidity search starts.

Examiner-cited

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Applicant-cited and other (112)
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Classification

  • H04L41/22primary — Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
  • H04L41/0226 — Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
  • H04L41/0266 — Exchanging or transporting network management information using the Internet; Embedding network management web servers in network elements; Web-services-based protocols using meta-data, objects or commands for formatting management information, e.g. using eXtensible markup language [XML]
  • H04L41/0273 — Exchanging or transporting network management information using the Internet; Embedding network management web servers in network elements; Web-services-based protocols using web services for network management, e.g. simple object access protocol [SOAP]
  • H04L41/06 — Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
  • H04L41/0803 — Configuration setting
  • H04L41/0843 — Configuration by using pre-existing information, e.g. using templates or copying from other elements based on generic templates
  • H04L41/0853 — Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
  • H04L41/0859 — Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history by keeping history of different configuration generations or by rolling back to previous configuration versions
  • H04L41/0863 — Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history by keeping history of different configuration generations or by rolling back to previous configuration versions by rolling back to previous configuration versions
  • H04L41/0866 — Checking the configuration
  • H04L41/0869 — Validating the configuration within one network element
  • H04L41/0879 — Manual configuration through operator
  • H04L41/0893 — Assignment of logical groups to network elements
  • H04L41/0894 — Policy-based network configuration management
  • H04L41/0895 — Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
  • H04L43/0817 — Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters by checking availability by checking functioning

Family

  • US6978301B2 — B2 (2005)
  • US20070244998A1 — A1 (2007)
  • US20090282129A9 — A9 (2009)
  • US20060031435A1 — A1 (2006)
  • US20020069275A1 — A1 (2002)
  • US7246163B2 — B2 (2007)
  • US7650396B2 — B2 (2010)
  • US20060031434A1 — A1 (2006)
  • US7246162B2 — B2 (2007)
  • 3 foreign family members: AU2002242319A1, WO2002071691A2, WO2002071691A3

Abstract

A system and method for communicating with network devices without regard to the device type and/or manufacturer is described. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a global graphical user interface (GUI) for communicating with various network devices. The global GUI includes an intuitive interface driven by a template library. For each device type and each device manufacturer, this template library can store both the attribute fields required for device configuration and the format for communicating those attribute fields. When a network administrator wants to communicate with a particular network device, the template associated with that device can be retrieved from the template library. The network administrator can then populate the attribute fields of that template with the appropriate data. This attribute data can be formatted and provided to the network device.

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This page is assembled from public records — federal court dockets and the patent's own file — and is updated as the case list changes. It states what the record shows and is not an opinion on the validity or infringement of any claim. Patent data via Google Patents; docket data via CourtListener.