WiFi access point connection protocol adaptation

• US 10,045,216 B1
• Filed: 05/01/2017
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Indurkar, Dhananjay, Peden, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shen, Qun
• Application Number:
  US15/583,998
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A WiFi access point. The WiFi access point comprises a WiFi radio transceiver, a wired transceiver, a processor, a memory, and an application stored in the memory. When executed by the processor, the application transmits a first service set identifier via the radio, receives a request for connection from a wireless communication device via the radio directed to the first service set identifier, determines that the device is not HotSpot protocol compliant, transmits a second service set identifier via the radio as a private message that comprises a captive portal to the device, and receives a credential message from the device via the radio directed to the second service set identifier, wherein the credential message identifies a mobile equipment identity (MEID) and a phone number of the device. The application further authenticates the device with a server based on the credential message and provides a communication connection to the device.

Claims

1. A WiFi access point, comprising:

a WiFi radio transceiver;

a wired transceiver;

a processor;

a non-transitory memory; and

an application stored in the non-transitory memory that, when executed by the processor

transmits a first service set identifier via the WiFi radio transceiver,

receives a request for connection from a wireless communication device via the WiFi radio transceiver directed to the first service set identifier,

determines that the wireless communication device is not HotSpot protocol compliant,

transmits a second service set identifier via the WiFi radio transceiver as a private message to the wireless communication device, where the private message comprises a captive portal,

receives a credential message from the wireless communication device via the WiFi radio transceiver directed to the second service set identifier, wherein the credential message identifies a mobile equipment identity (MEID) and a phone number of the mobile communication device,

transmits an authentication request message via the wired transceiver to an authentication server, where the authentication request message comprises the MEID and phone number of the mobile communication device,

receives an authentication confirmation message via the wired transceiver from the authentication server, and

provides a communication connection to the mobile communication device, where the WiFi radio transceiver provides a wireless link to the mobile communication device based on the second service set identifier and wireline transceiver communicatively couples the mobile communication device to the Internet.

2. The WiFi access point of claim 1, wherein the application further:

receives a request for connection from a second wireless communication device via the WiFi radio transceiver directed to the first service set identifier,

determines that the second wireless communication device is HotSpot protocol compliant,

authenticates the second wireless communication device with the authentication server, and

provides a communication connection to the second mobile communication device, where the WiFi radio transceiver provides a wireless link to the second mobile communication device based on the first service set identifier and wireline transceiver communicatively couples the second mobile communication device to the Internet.

3. The WiFi access point of claim 1, wherein the application determines that the wireless communication device is not HotSpot 2.0 protocol compliant.

4. The WiFi access point of claim 1, wherein the request for connection received by the application is a request for a voice communication connection.

5. The WiFi access point of claim 1, wherein the request for connection received by the application is a request for a data communication connection.

6. The WiFi access point of claim 1, wherein the request for connection received by the application is a request for a premium communication service connection.

7. The WiFi access point of claim 6, where the application further transmits an authorization request to a premium content provider, where the authorization request comprises an identity of a subscriber associated with the mobile communication device.

8. A method of providing a communication connection by a WiFi access point to a wireless communication device, comprising:

transmitting a first service set identifier by a WiFi access point via a WiFi radio transceiver of the WiFi access point;

receiving a request for connection from a wireless communication device directed to the first service set identifier by the WiFi access point via the WiFi radio transceiver;

determining by the WiFi access point based on the request for connection that the wireless communication device is not HotSpot protocol compliant;

transmitting a second service set identifier via the WiFi radio transceiver as a message to the wireless communication device, where the message comprises a captive portal;

receiving a credential message directed to the second service set identifier and comprising credentials from the wireless communication device by the WiFi access point via the WiFi radio transceiver;

transmitting an authentication request message by the WiFi access point via a wired transceiver of the WiFi access point to an authentication server, where the authentication request message comprises the credentials;

receiving an authentication confirmation message by the WiFi access point via the wired transceiver from the authentication server; and

providing a communication connection to the mobile communication device by the WiFi access point, where the WiFi radio transceiver provides a wireless link to the mobile communication device based on the second service set identifier and the wireline transceiver communicatively couples the mobile communication device to the Internet.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the credential message identifies a mobile equipment identity (MEID) and a phone number of the mobile communication device and wherein the authentication request message comprises the MEID and the phone number of the mobile communication device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the captive portal is transmitted by the WiFi access point to the wireless communication device as a private message.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the WiFi access point determines that the wireless communication device is not HotSpot 2.0 protocol compliant.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a request for connection by the WiFi access point from a second wireless communication device via the WiFi radio transceiver directed to the first service set identifier,

determining by the WiFi access point that the second wireless communication device is HotSpot protocol compliant,

authenticating the second wireless communication device with the authentication server, and

providing a communication connection to the second mobile communication device by the WiFi access point, where the WiFi radio transceiver provides a wireless link to the second mobile communication device based on the first service set identifier and wireline transceiver communicatively couples the second mobile communication device to the Internet.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the mobile communication device is one of a mobile phone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a media player, a wearable computer, a headset computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, or a notebook computer.

14. A WiFi access point, comprising:

a WiFi radio transceiver;

a wired transceiver;

a processor;

a non-transitory memory; and

an application stored in the non-transitory memory that, when executed by the processor

receives a request for connection from a wireless communication device via the WiFi radio transceiver directed to a first service set identifier,

determines that the wireless communication device is not configured to support an automatic WiFi access protocol,

transmits a second service set identifier in a message comprising a captive portal via the WiFi radio transceiver to the wireless communication device,

receives a credential message directed to the second service set identifier from the wireless communication device via the WiFi radio transceiver, wherein the credential message comprises an identity of the mobile communication device,

transmits an authentication request message via the wired transceiver to an authentication server, where the authentication request message comprises the identity of the mobile communication device and a designation of a premium communication service,

receives an authentication confirmation message via the wired transceiver from the authentication server indicating that the mobile communication device is authorized for communication service in a common carrier communication network and that the mobile communication device is authorized to access the premium communication service, and

provides a communication connection to the mobile communication device, where the WiFi radio transceiver provides a wireless link to the mobile communication device and the WiFi wireline transceiver communicatively couples the mobile communication device to the Internet, where both the quality of service of the wireless link provided by the wireless transceiver to the mobile communication device and the wired link provided by the wired transceiver to couple the mobile communication device to the Internet is based on the premium communication service.

15. The WiFi access point of claim 14, wherein the application transmits the second service set identifier to the wireless communication device in a private message.

16. The WiFi access point of claim 14, wherein the authentication request message further identifies a subscriber to the premium communication service.

17. The WiFi access point of claim 14, wherein the application determines that the wireless communication device is not configured to support a HotSpot 2.0 protocol.

18. The WiFi access point of claim 14, wherein the mobile communication device is one of a mobile phone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a media player, a wearable computer, a headset computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, or a notebook computer.

19. The WiFi access point of claim 14, wherein the premium communication service is a streaming video communication service.

20. The WiFi access point of claim 14, where the application provides the communication connection to the mobile communication device after receiving the authentication confirmation message and where the WiFi radio transceiver provides the wireless link to the mobile communication device based on the first service set identifier.