Enabling secured wireless access at hotspot by providing user-specific access credential for secure SSID during sign-up process conducted over open wireless network
First Claim
1. A method of enabling secured wireless access at a hotspot, the method comprising:
- providing an open wireless network having no network-level encryption and allowing open association therewith by a client device;
providing a secure wireless network employing network-level encryption and requiring successful completion of an authentication process before allowing association therewith by the client device;
establishing an encrypted connection between the client device and a login portal of the hotspot over the open wireless network;
requiring a user of the client device to perform a predetermined sign-up process at the login portal via the encrypted connection;
adding a user-specific access credential as a valid access credential in a credential database, wherein the credential database stores a plurality of valid access credentials acceptable for gaining secure wireless access at the hotspot;
transmitting instructions from the login portal to the client device via the encrypted connection, the instructions instructing the user of the client device to switch the client device to a service set identifier (SSID) of the secure wireless network and to authenticate with the secure wireless network utilizing the user-specific access credential, wherein the instructions are displayed to the user by the client device and include both the service set identifier (SSID) of the secure wireless network and the user-specific access credential that is acceptable for associating with that service set identifier (SSID); and
providing secured wireless access to the client device over the secure wireless network after the user has associated the client device with the secure wireless network by following the instructions.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A hotspot provides an open wireless network and a secure wireless network. The open wireless network has no network-level encryption and allows open association therewith. The secure wireless network employs network-level encryption and requires authentication of a received access credential from a client device before allowing association therewith. A system for authorizing the client device for secured access at the hotspot includes an access controller configured to establish an encrypted connection between the client device and a login portal of the hotspot over the open wireless network, and to store a user-specific access credential transmitted via the encrypted connection as a valid access credential in a credential database. The credential database is accessed by wireless access points of the hotspot to authenticate the received access credential from the client device in response to a request from the client device to associate with the secure wireless network.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of enabling secured wireless access at a hotspot, the method comprising:
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providing an open wireless network having no network-level encryption and allowing open association therewith by a client device; providing a secure wireless network employing network-level encryption and requiring successful completion of an authentication process before allowing association therewith by the client device; establishing an encrypted connection between the client device and a login portal of the hotspot over the open wireless network; requiring a user of the client device to perform a predetermined sign-up process at the login portal via the encrypted connection; adding a user-specific access credential as a valid access credential in a credential database, wherein the credential database stores a plurality of valid access credentials acceptable for gaining secure wireless access at the hotspot; transmitting instructions from the login portal to the client device via the encrypted connection, the instructions instructing the user of the client device to switch the client device to a service set identifier (SSID) of the secure wireless network and to authenticate with the secure wireless network utilizing the user-specific access credential, wherein the instructions are displayed to the user by the client device and include both the service set identifier (SSID) of the secure wireless network and the user-specific access credential that is acceptable for associating with that service set identifier (SSID); and providing secured wireless access to the client device over the secure wireless network after the user has associated the client device with the secure wireless network by following the instructions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processor executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform steps of:
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providing an open wireless network having no network-level encryption and allowing open association therewith by a client device at a hotspot; providing a secure wireless network employing network-level encryption and requiring successful completion of an authentication process before allowing association therewith by the client device; establishing an encrypted connection between the client device and a login portal of the hotspot over the open wireless network; requiring a user of the client device to perform a predetermined sign-up process at the login portal via the encrypted connection; adding a user-specific access credential as a valid access credential in a credential database, wherein the credential database stores a plurality of valid access credentials acceptable for gaining secure wireless access at the hotspot; transmitting instructions from the login portal to the client device via the encrypted connection, the instructions instructing the user of the client device to switch the client device to a service set identifier (SSID) of the secure wireless network and to authenticate with the secure wireless network utilizing the user-specific access credential, wherein the instructions are displayed to the user by the client device and include both the service set identifier (SSID) of the secure wireless network and the user-specific access credential that is acceptable for associating with that service set identifier (SSID); and providing secured wireless access to the client device over the secure wireless network after the user has associated the client device with the secure wireless network by following the instructions.
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12. A system enabling secured wireless access at a hotspot, the system comprising:
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one or more access points providing an open wireless network having no network-level encryption and allowing open association therewith by a client device; one or more access points providing a secure wireless network employing network-level encryption and requiring successful completion of an authentication process before allowing association therewith by the client device; a computer server having one or more processors executing software in order to provide a login portal; and a storage device coupled to the computer server and storing a credential database, the credential database storing a plurality of valid access credentials acceptable for gaining secure wireless access at the hotspot; wherein the login portal is configured to establish an encrypted connection with the client device over the open wireless network and to require a user of the client device to perform a predetermined sign-up process via the encrypted connection; the login portal is configured to add a user-specific access credential as a valid access credential in the credential database; the login portal is configured to transmit instructions to the client device via the encrypted connection, the instructions instructing the user of the client device to switch the client device to a service set identifier (SSID) of the secure wireless network and to authenticate with the secure wireless network utilizing the user-specific access credential;
wherein the instructions are displayed to the user by the client device and include both the service set identifier (SSID) of the secure wireless network and the user-specific access credential that is acceptable for associating with that service set identifier (SSID); andthe one or more access points providing the secure wireless network are configured to provide secured wireless access to the client device over the secure wireless network after the user has associated the client device with the secure wireless network by following the instructions. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification