Method and system of providing access point data associated with a network access point

• US 20050021781A1
• Filed: 06/05/2003
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Channel IP BV
• Original Assignee: Ipass Incorporated (Pareteum Corp.)
• Inventors: Edgett, Jeff Steven, Sunder, Singam, Albert, Roy David
• Granted Patent: US 8,606,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2874 Processing of data for distribution to the subscribers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/10 between terminal device and access point, i.e. wireless air interface

Abstract

A method of, and system for, communicating data via a network access point is provided. The method includes receiving an authentication request from a client device at the access point wherein the access request includes identification credentials. The authentication request is then communicated to an authentication server and data associated with the authentication request is retrieved. A reply message is communicated to the access point that includes the data and that rejects the authentication request. The access point may service a wireless hotspot and, thus, a client device in the hotspot may identify the particular hotspot with which it is communicating.

Claims

1. A method of communicating data via a network access point to a client device, the method including:

receiving an authentication request from the client device at the access point, the authentication request including identification credentials;

communicating the authentication request to an authentication server;

retrieving data associated with the authentication request; and

communicating a reply message to the network access point, the reply message including the data and at least challenging the authentication request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication request includes a request identifier that identifies that the request is a faked authentication request.

3. The method of claim 1, which includes communicating the reply message to a connection application on the client device, the reply message including one of an access challenge or an access rejection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is access point data that identifies a wireless local area network.

5. The method of claim 1, which includes communicating the authentication request from the authentication server to a transaction server that selectively identifies the data associated with the request and rejects the authentication request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data includes data selected from at least one of data identifying a geographical location of the access point, time data, data that identifies the network that the access point forms part of, data identifying if a user is permitted to use the access point, data relating to the quality of service of the access point, data indicating a pending electronic message, and data indicating pending electronic mail.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the access point provides network access at a wireless hotspot.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication request is associated with a roaming access service provider.

9. A method of obtaining data via a network access point with which a client device communicates, the method including:

communicating an authentication request from the client device at the network access point, the access request including user credentials and a request identifier to identify that the authentication request is a faked authentication request;

receiving a reply message from the network access point that at least challenges access to the network but includes the data; and

processing the reply message to extract the data.

10. The method of claim 9, which includes generating a user interface that displays the data to a user of the client device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the data includes data selected from at least one of data identifying a geographical location of the access point, time data, data that identifies the network that the access point forms part of, data identifying if a user is permitted to use the access point, data relating to the quality of service of the access point, data indicating a pending electronic message, and data indicating pending electronic mail.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein a connection application provided on the client device generates the faked authentication request that identifies that the client device is requesting data from the network access point.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein communicating the authentication request from the client device is via a wireless communication link.

14. A machine-readable medium embodying a sequence of instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to:

receiving an authentication request from a client device at a network access point, the authentication request including identification credentials;

communicate the authentication request to an authentication server;

retrieve data associated with the authentication request; and

communicate a reply message to the network access point, the reply message including the data and at least challenging the authentication request.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the authentication request includes a request identifier that identifies that the request is a faked authentication request.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the reply message is communicated to a connection application on the client device.

17. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the data is access point data that identifies a wireless local area network.

18. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the authentication request from the authentication server is communicated to a transaction server that selectively identifies the data and rejects the authentication request.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the authentication request is associated with a roaming access service provider.

20. A machine-readable medium embodying a sequence of instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to:

communicate an authentication request from a client device to a network access point, the access request including user credentials and an identifier to identify that the authentication request is a faked authentication request;

receiving a reply message from the network access point that at least challenges access to the network but includes the data; and

processing the reply message to extract the data.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein a user interface is generated that displays the data to a user of the client device.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 21, wherein a connection application provided on the client device generates the faked authentication request that the client device is requesting data from the network access point.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the communicating the authentication request from the client device is via a wireless communication link at a wireless hotspot.

24. A computer system, which includes:

at least one network access point to receive an authentication request from a client device at the network access point, the authentication request including identification credentials; and

at least one server to receive the authentication request from the network access point, wherein data associated with the authentication request is retrieved and communicated in a reply message to the network access point, the reply message at least challenging the authentication request.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the authentication request includes a request identifier that identifies that the request is a faked authentication request.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the reply message is communicated to a connection application on the client device.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the data is access point data that identifies a wireless local area network.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the authentication request is communicated to an authentication server and to a transaction server that selectively identifies the access point data and rejects the authentication request.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the data includes data selected from at least one of data identifying a geographical location of the access point, time data, data that identifies the network that the access point forms part of, data identifying if a user is permitted to use the access point, data relating to the quality of service of the access point, data indicating a pending electronic message, and data indicating pending electronic mail.

30. The system of claim 24, wherein the access point provides network access at a wireless hotspot.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the authentication request is associated with a roaming access service provider.

32. A client device to obtain data via a network access point with which the client device communicates, the client device including:

a communication interface to communicate an authentication request from the client device to a the network access point, the access request including user credentials and an identifier to identify that the authentication request is a faked authentication request, and to receive a reply message from the network access point; and

a processor to process the reply message to extract the data.

33. The client device of claim 32, which includes a user interface that displays the data to a user of the client device.

34. The client device of claim 33, which includes a connection application to generate the faked authentication request.

35. The client device of claim 32, wherein the communication interface is a wireless communication link.

36. A computer system, which includes:

means for receiving an authentication request from a client device at a network access point, the authentication request including identification credentials;

means for communicating the authentication request to an authentication server;

means for retrieving data associated with the authentication request; and

means for communicating a reply message to the network access point, the reply message including the data and at least challenging the authentication request.