System and method for determining physical location of a node in a wireless network during an authentication check of the node

• US 20040028017A1
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MeshNetworks, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Eric D., Whitehill, Eric A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,042,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 Backbone network devices

Abstract

A system and method for providing security to a wireless network by using a mobile node'"'"'s location as a parameter for deciding if access is to be given to the node. The system and method employ access points, wireless routers and mobile nodes, each including at least one transceiver adapted to transmit and receive communication signals to and from other wireless routers, mobile nodes and other mobile access points. Each access point is connected to a network management system which allows enhanced network monitoring and control. Each network node includes technology which may determine an absolute node location containing latitude, longitude and altitude of a node, or a relative node location containing the distance and angle between nodes, or a combination of both absolute and relative location data.

Claims

1. A method for restricting network access between nodes in an ad-hoc communications network, said nodes being adapted to transmit and receive signals to and from other nodes in said ad-hoc network, the method comprising:

controlling a first node in an ad-hoc communications network to receive a request for network access from a second node and in response, controlling at least one node in said network to calculate a location of said second node; and

controlling said first node to allow said second node to have access to said network if said location of said second node is within a network access restriction boundary.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

calculating said location of said second node based on at least one of a time of flight calculation, a known location of said first node and a known location of said at least one node.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

calculating said known location of said first node and said at least one node based on at least one of manual position entry, global positioning, differential navigation and triangulation.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one node includes said first node.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

controlling said first node to communicate said request for network access to a third node.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said third node is coupled to a network operations center.

7. A method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said third node includes an authentication, authorization and accounting server.

8. A method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

controlling said third node to communicate to said first node a request for said location calculation of said second node and in response, controlling said first node to calculate said location of said second node and communicate said location to said third node

9. A method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

controlling said third node to control said first node to allow said second node to have access to said network if said location of said second node is within said network access restriction boundary.

10. A method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

controlling said third node to communicate a request for an absolute location of said second node to said first node of said ad-hoc communications network and in response, controlling said first node to calculate said absolute location and communicate said absolute location to said third node; and

controlling said third node to control said first node to allow said second node to have access to said network if said absolute location of said second node is within said network access restriction boundary.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:

controlling said first node to calculate said absolute location of said second node based on said known location of at least one node of said network and a calculated location of said second node relative to said at least one node.

12. A system, adapted to restrict network access between nodes in an ad-hoc communications network, said nodes being adapted to transmit and receive signals to and from other nodes in said ad-hoc network, the system comprising:

a first node in said ad-hoc communications network, adapted to receive a request for network access from a second node and in response, to calculate a location of said second node; and

said first node being further adapted to allow said second node to have access to said network if said location of said second node is within a network access restriction boundary.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

said first node is further adapted to calculate said location of said second node based on at least one of a time of flight calculation, a known location of said first node and a known location of at least one node.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

said first node is further adapted to calculate said known location of said first node and said at least one node based on at least one of manual position entry, global positioning, differential navigation and triangulation.

15. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein said at least one node includes said first node.

16. A system as claimed in claim 12, wherein:

said first node is further adapted to communicate said request for network access to a third node.

17. A system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said third node is coupled to a network operations center.

18. A system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said third node includes an authentication, authorization and accounting server.

19. A system as claimed in claim 16, wherein:

said third node is adapted to communicate to said first node a request for said location calculation and in response, said first node is further adapted to calculate said location of said second node and communicate said location to said third node

20. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein:

said third node is further adapted to control said first node to allow said second node to have access to said network if said location of said second node is within said network access restriction boundary.

21. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein:

said third node is further adapted to communicate a request for an absolute location of said second node to said first node of said ad-hoc communications network and in response, said first node is further adapted to calculate said absolute location and communicate said absolute location to said third node; and

said third node is further adapted to control said first node to allow said second node to have access to said network if said absolute location of said second node is within said network access restriction boundary.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein:

said first node is further adapted to calculate said absolute location of said second node based on said known location of at least one node of said network and a calculated location of said second node relative to said at least one node.

23. A computer-readable medium of instructions, adapted to restrict network access between nodes in an ad-hoc communications network, said nodes being adapted to transmit and receive signals to and from other nodes in said ad-hoc network, comprising:

a first set of instructions, adapted to control a first node in said ad-hoc communications network to receive a request for network access from a second node and in response, to calculate a location of said second node; and

a second set of instructions, adapted to control said first node to allow said second node to have access to said network if said location of said second node is within a network access restriction boundary.

24. A computer-readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 23, wherein:

said first set of instructions is further adapted to control said first node to calculate said location of said second node based on at least one of a time of flight calculation, a known location of said first node and a known location of at least one node.

25. A computer-readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 24, wherein:

said first set of instructions is further adapted to control said first node to calculate said known location of said first node and said at least one node based on at least one of manual position entry, global positioning, differential navigation and triangulation.

26. A computer-readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 23, wherein:

said first set of instructions is further adapted to control said first node to communicate said request for network access to a third node.

27. A computer-readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 26, further comprising:

a third set of instructions, adapted to control said third node to communicate to said first node a request for said location calculation and in response, said first set of instructions is further adapted to control said first node to calculate said location of said second node and communicate said location to said third node

28. A computer-readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 27, wherein:

said second set of instructions is further adapted to control first node to allow said second node to have access to said network if said location of said second node is within said network access restriction boundary.

29. A computer-readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 27, wherein:

said third set of instructions is further adapted to control said third node to communicate a request for an absolute location of said second node to said first node of said ad-hoc communications network and in response, said first set of instructions is further adapted to control said first node to calculate said absolute location and communicate said absolute location to said third node; and

said second set of instructions is further adapted to control first node to allow said second node to have access to said network if said absolute location of said second node is within said network access restriction boundary.

30. A computer-readable medium of instructions as claimed in claim 29, wherein:

said first set of instructions is further adapted to control said first node to calculate said absolute location of said second node based on said known location of at least one node of said network and a calculated location of said second node relative to said at least one node.