Resource-sensitive token-based access point selection

• US 10,225,795 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2015
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaw, Venson, Easley, Mark, Dowlatkhah, Sangar
• Primary Examiner(s): Jain, Raj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US14/680,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20160302140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point

Abstract

Resource-sensitive token-based access point selection is disclosed. A user equipment (UE) can generate a request for resources that can be shared with an selection component remote from the UE. The request for resources can be generated independent of the UE receiving information about an access point (AP) in range of the UE. The selection component can pair the UE with an AP resource based on AP data and UE data. The selection component can generate a token comprising information related to the pairing. The UE can receive the token via a device other than the AP or via the AP. The token can be employed by the UE to initiate a link to the AP to enable use of the AP resource by the UE. The link can be resource sensitive in view of the request for resources and available AP resources.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving a first request for resource allocation associated with a first user equipment, wherein the first request for resource allocation is received from the first user equipment independent of the first user equipment having received information about an access point device prior to the first request for resource allocation having been received;

determining a first fitness metric value related to provisioning a first resource via the access point device;

provisioning the first resource, for utilization by the first user equipment via the access point device, based on the first fitness metric value; and

enabling access by the first user equipment to the first resource via the access point device in response to the provisioning of the first resource.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second request for resource allocation from a second user equipment, wherein the second request for resource allocation is received from the second user equipment independent of the second user equipment having received information about the access point in advance of the second request for resource allocation having been received, and

determining a second fitness metric value related to provisioning a second resource via the access point device,

wherein the provisioning the second resource is further based on the first fitness metric value and the second fitness metric value.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the provisioning the other resource is based on the first fitness metric value and the second fitness metric value.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the access point device comprises the system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is not the access point device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the system and the access point device are communicatively coupled via a network device of a network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the access point device is a point of sale transaction device employing an air interface for communication with the first user equipment.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein electronic components of a credit card comprise the first user equipment.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the point of sale transaction device and the electronic components of the credit card communicate via a near field communication protocol.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the enabling the access by the first user equipment to the first resource comprises using access token data associated with an access token generated by the system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the access token data is sent to the first user equipment via a device other than the access point device.

12. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising a processor, user equipment data associated with a user equipment and comprising an indication of a requested wireless communication resource, wherein the user equipment data is received from the user equipment independent of the user equipment having received access point data related to an access point device;

based on the user equipment data and the access point data, determining, by the system, pair information related to pairing of the user equipment and an access point resource of the access point device; and

generating, by the system, access token data based on the user equipment data, the access point data, and the pair information, wherein the access token data enables the user equipment to initiate a wireless link to the access point device to employ the access point resource.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the user equipment is a first user equipment;

the user equipment data is a first user equipment data;

the access point resource is a first access point resource; and

the indication of the requested wireless communication resource is a first indication of a first requested wireless communication resource, wherein;

the first user equipment data is further associated with a second user equipment and comprises a second indication of a second requested wireless communication resource, and

wherein the access token data enables the first user equipment to initiate the wireless link to the access point device to employ the first access point resource and enables the second user equipment to initiate a different wireless link to the access point device to employ a second access point resource.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the receiving the user equipment data by the system comprises receiving the user equipment data by the access point device.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the receiving the user equipment data by the system comprises receiving the user equipment data by a selection device other than the access point device, and wherein the selection device and access point device are connected via a network device.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the access point device is a Wi-Fi access point device.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein access point device is a femtocell device.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

generating a wireless communication resource request prior to a user equipment receiving access point data related to an access point device;

receiving resource data associated with enabling the user equipment to initiate a wireless link to the access point device to employ a resource of the access point device, wherein the resource data is generated in response to determining, by a device other than the user equipment, pair information related to pairing of the user equipment and the access point device to enable the user equipment to employ the resource based on access point data and the wireless communication resource request; and

initiating access to the resource data by the user equipment based on the resource data.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the receiving the resource data comprises receiving the resource data via the device other than the access point device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the receiving the resource data comprises receiving the resource data via the access point device.