Bar code symbol ticketing for authorizing access in a wireless local area communications network

• US 20010052083A1
• Filed: 07/19/2001
• Published: 12/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Katz, Joseph, Vollkommer, Richard M., Willins, Bruce A., Fuccello, James, Wang, Huayan
• Granted Patent: US 7,305,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/108 when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/083 involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3213 using tickets or tokens, e.g. Kerberos network architectures or network communication protocols for entities authentication using tickets in a packet data network H04L63/0807
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/77 Graphical identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Authorized access by a user to an application server in a wireless local area network is obtained by printing machine-readable indicia on a portable, physical ticket, and by presenting the ticket to an electro-optical reader for reading the indicia.

Claims

1. A method of enabling authorized access to a network, comprising the steps of:

a) requesting authentication over the network;

b) printing encoded, machine-readable indicia having parts of different light reflectivity which identify an authenticated user on a portable, physical ticket in response to the requesting step; and

c) presenting the physical ticket to a reader for electro-optically reading the indicia to gain access to the network.

2. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the requesting step is performed by sending an electronic request to an authentication server on the network.

3. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the printing is performed on a disposable medium.

4. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the printing is performed by printing a two-dimensional bar code symbol.

5. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the requesting step includes the step of requesting access to the network for a predetermined time, after which access to the network is terminated.

6. The method of

claim 1

, and further comprising situating the network in a public venue.

7. A method of enabling authorized access to a network, the method comprising the steps of:

a) requesting and receiving from a key distribution center over the network an electronic ticket signal identifying a user and an application server to be accessed on the network;

b) printing encoded, machine-readable indicia having parts of different light reflectivity which identify the user and the application server to be accessed on a portable, physical ticket based on receipt of the electronic ticket signal; and

c) presenting the physical ticket to a reader for electro-optically reading the indicia to obtain from the indicia, data for identifying the user and the application server, to authorize the identified user to access the network and the identified application server.

8. The method of

claim 7

, wherein the key distribution center includes an authentication server and a ticket granting server, and wherein the requesting and receiving steps are performed by initially sending a request to the authentication server for access to the ticket granting server, by thereupon receiving a response containing a session key encrypted with a ticket server key, by thereupon sending a subsequent request to the ticket granting server for access to the application sever, and by subsequently receiving the electronic ticket signal from the ticket granting server.

9. The method of

claim 8

, wherein the requesting step includes the step of requesting access to the application server for a predetermined time, after which access to the application server is terminated.

10. An arrangement for enabling authorized access to a network, comprising:

a) an authentication center for authorizing access to an application server by receiving an authentication request from a user, and by responding with an electronic ticket signal;

b) a printer responsive to the electronic ticket signal for printing encoded, machine-readable indicia having parts of different light reflectivity which identify the user and an application server to be accessed on a portable, physical ticket; and

c) a reader for electro-optically reading the indicia to authorize the identified user and the identified application server.

11. The arrangement of

claim 10

, wherein the ticket is a printed disposable sheet.

12. The arrangement of

claim 10

, wherein the indicia is a two-dimensional bar code symbol.

13. The arrangement of

claim 12

, wherein the symbol is PDF-417.

14. The arrangement of

claim 10

, wherein the ticket contains time information for granting access to the application server for a predetermined time period.

15. The arrangement of

claim 10

, wherein the network is located in a public venue.

16. The arrangement of

claim 10

, wherein the network is a wireless local area network.