Distributed network communication system which selectively provides data to different network destinations

• US 20050157691A1
• Filed: 01/18/2005
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thompson, James, Stewart, Brett B., McClelland, Kathleen E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,613,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1439 time-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1464 using a card, such as credit card, prepay card or SIM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1471 splitting of costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1496 involving discounts
• 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 41/50 Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/004 in the uplink, i.e. towards network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A system and method for providing access and/or roaming features on a network system. The network system includes a plurality of wireless and/or wired access points coupled to a network. Access points (APs) for the network may be widely distributed in various facilities, such as airports, mass-transit stations, and various businesses. The network may couple to a wide area network, such as the Internet. In one embodiment, a portable computing device (PCD) of a user may store identification information which uniquely indicates a network provider of a plurality of possible network providers. The identification information may also or instead indicate an access or privilege level of the user. Each of the access points are operable to “listen for” or detect identification information associated with numerous different providers. When the access point receives the identification information from a PCD of a user, the access point may determine the appropriate network provider for the portable computing device using the identification information. Network access may then be provided to the portable computing device through the determined network provider. Thus the network system is useable by subscribers of each of the plurality of possible network providers, thereby enabling subscribers to “roam” on various wireless networks, including networks maintained by other providers. The access information may also include an access level which indicates the user'"'"'s access or privilege level. Thus, the local network may provide various local resources which are available to users having a first access level, and users with a second access level may not be entitled to view or utilize these network resources on the network, but may be simply provided external Internet access.

Claims

1. A method for operating a network system, the method comprising:

a first access point coupled to a network receiving identification information from a portable computing device, wherein the identification information indicates a network destination of a plurality of possible network destinations, wherein the first access point includes a memory medium which stores a data structure comprising a list of identification information entries each indicating at least one network destination of the plurality of possible network destinations;

determining the network destination indicated by the identification information after receiving the identification information, wherein said determining the network destination includes accessing the memory medium and using the received identification information to determine the network destination;

the first access point receiving data from the portable computing device; and

providing the data from the portable computing device to the network destination determined in said determining.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises an IEEE 802.11 system identification.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises a media access control (MAC) identification.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information comprises a digital certificate.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein at least a subset of the identification information entries each indicate one or more virtual local area networks (VLANs);

wherein each virtual local area network (VLAN) specifies a network destination;

wherein said providing the data from the portable computing device to the network destination comprises using a VLAN specified by the identification information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein at least one of the one or more VLANs supports IEEE 802.1p.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each VLAN of at least two of the one or more VLANs which supports IEEE 802.1p comprises quality of service level which is different from the other VLAN.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein at least one network destination of the plurality of possible network destinations is operable to provide access to a private network;

wherein said providing the data from the portable computing device to the network destination comprises providing the data from the portable computing device to the private network.

9. The method of claim 8,

wherein the first access point is located in an airport;

wherein the private network comprises a network of an airline.

10. The method of claim 1,

wherein said providing the data from the portable computing device to the network destination comprises using a tunneling protocol.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the tunneling protocol comprises one of PPTP, IPSEC, GRE, and IP-in-IP.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the first access point concurrently using a plurality of radio frequency (RF) channels for communicating with one or more portable computing devices.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein a first RF channel of the plurality of RF channels and a second RF of the plurality of RF channels are non-overlapping RF channels.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said identification information comprises a geographic location of the portable computing device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the first access point providing geographic location information indicating a geographic location of the portable computing device to the determined network destination.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined network destination is a network destination of a network provider.

17. The method of claim 1,

wherein the data structure further stores a respective network destination for each identification information entry;

wherein said determining the network destination comprises indexing into the data structure using the identification information to determine the network destination stored in the data structure corresponding to the identification information.

18. A network system, comprising:

a network;

a plurality of access points coupled to the network;

wherein a first access point of the plurality of access points comprises a processor and a memory medium coupled to the memory processor;

wherein the memory medium stores a data structure comprising a list of identification information entries each indicating at least one network destination of a plurality of possible network destinations;

wherein the memory medium comprises program instructions which are executable by the processor to;

receive identification information from a portable computing device;

determine a network destination based on the identification information;

receive data from the portable computing device; and

provide the data from the portable computing device to the determined network destination.

19. The network system of claim 18, wherein the identification information comprises an IEEE 802.11 system identification.

20. The network system of claim 18, wherein the identification information comprises a media access control (MAC) identification.

21. The network system of claim 18, wherein the identification information comprises a digital certificate.

22. The network system of claim 18,

wherein the data structure further comprises a respective network destination for each identification information entry;

wherein, in said determining the network destination, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to index into the data structure using the identification information to determine the network destination comprised in the data structure corresponding to the identification information.

23. The network system of claim 18,

wherein at least one network destination of the plurality of possible network destinations provides access to a private network;

wherein, in said providing the data from the portable computing device to the network destination, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to provide the data from the portable computing device to the private network.

24. The network system of claim 23,

wherein the plurality of access points are located in an airport;

wherein the private network comprises a network of an airline.

25. The network system of claim 23, wherein the network comprises the private network.

26. The network system of claim 18,

wherein the plurality of access points are located in an airport;

27. The network system of claim 18, wherein the network supports tagged VLANs (IEEE 802.1q).

28. The network system of claim 18, wherein the network supports IEEE 802.1p.

29. The network system of claim 28, wherein the network provides one or more quality of service (QoS) metrics.

30. The network system of claim 18, wherein at least a subset of the identification information entries each indicate one or more virtual local area networks (VLANs).

31. The network system of claim 30,

wherein each virtual local area network (VLAN) specifies a network destination.

32. The network system of claim 31, wherein, in said providing the data from the portable computing device to the network destination, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to use a VLAN specified by the identification information.

33. The network system of claim 18, wherein the network destination comprises an Internet protocol (IP) address.

34. A network system, comprising:

a network;

a plurality of access points coupled to the network, wherein each of the plurality of access points is operable to communicate with a portable computing device using wireless Ethernet (IEEE 802.11), wherein each of the plurality of access points is configured to receive an IEEE 802.11 system identification from the portable computing device, wherein the IEEE 802.11 system identification indicates a network destination of a plurality of possible network destinations, wherein each of the plurality of access points includes a memory medium which stores a data structure, wherein the data structure comprises a list of IEEE 802.11 system identification information entries and corresponding network destinations, wherein each entry indicates a respective network destination of the plurality of possible network destinations;

wherein each of the plurality of access points is operable to determine the network destination indicated by the IEEE 802.11 system identification;

wherein, in said determining the network destination, each of the plurality of access points is operable to access the memory medium and use the received IEEE 802.11 identification information to determine the network destination;

wherein each of the plurality of access points is operable to provide data from the portable computing device to the network destination indicated by the IEEE 802.11 system identification.

35. The network system of claim 34,

wherein the network is operable to use one or more virtual local area networks (VLANs);

wherein at least a subset of the IEEE 802.11 system identification information entries each indicate one or more VLANs.

36. The network system of claim 35,

wherein each virtual local area network (VLAN) specifies a network destination.

37. The network system of claim 36, wherein, in said providing the data from the portable computing device to the network destination, each access point is further operable to use a VLAN specified by the IEEE 802.11 identification information.

38. A network system, comprising:

a network;

a plurality of access points coupled to the network, wherein a first access point of the plurality of access points is operable to communicate with a portable computing device using wireless Ethernet, wherein the first access point is further operable to receive wireless Ethernet system identification information from the portable computing device;

wherein the first access point is further operable to determine a network destination of a plurality of possible network destinations based on the wireless Ethernet system identification information received from the portable computing device;

wherein the first access point is further operable to receive data from the portable computing device and provide the data to the network destination.

39. The network system of claim 38, further comprising:

a memory medium coupled to the network which stores a data structure comprising a list of wireless Ethernet system identification information entries and a corresponding list of the plurality of possible network destinations;

wherein, in said determining the network destination, the first access point is further operable to access the memory medium and use the wireless Ethernet identification information received from the portable computing device to determine the network destination.

40. The network system of claim 39, wherein the first access point comprises the memory medium.

41. A network system, comprising:

a network, wherein the network is operable to support one or more virtual local area network (VLAN) tags, wherein the network is further operable to provide data associated with a VLAN tag of the one or more VLAN tags to a network destination;

a memory medium coupled to the network which stores a data structure comprising a list of wireless Ethernet (IEEE 802.11) system identification information entries and a corresponding list of VLAN tags, wherein each VLAN tag specifies a network destination;

at least one access point coupled to the network, wherein the at least one access point is operable to communicate with a portable computing device using wireless Ethernet, wherein the at least one access point is further operable to receive IEEE 802.11 system identification information from the portable computing device;

wherein the at least one access point is further operable to access the memory medium and determine a VLAN tag corresponding to the IEEE 802.11 system identification information received from the portable computing device;

wherein the at least one access point is further operable to receive data from the portable computing device and provide the data to the network using the determined VLAN tag, wherein, in said providing the data to the network using the determined VLAN tag, comprises associating the data received from the portable computing device with the determined VLAN tag.

42. The network system of claim 41, wherein the network receives the data received from the portable computing device associated with the determined VLAN tag and provides the data received from the portable computing device to the network destination.

43. The network system of claim 41, wherein the at least one access point comprises the memory medium.

44. An access point, comprising:

a processor;

a memory medium coupled to the processor;

wherein the access point is operable to be coupled to a network;

wherein the memory medium comprises a data structure comprising a list of IEEE 802.11 system identification information entries and a corresponding list of virtual local area network (VLAN) identifications;

wherein the memory medium further comprises program instructions executable by the processor to;

receive IEEE 802.11 system identification information and data from a portable computing device;

determine a VLAN identification corresponding to the IEEE 802.11 system identification information received from the portable computing device; and

provide the VLAN identification corresponding to the IEEE 802.11 system identification information received from the portable computing device and the data from the portable computing device to the network.

45. The access point of claim 44, wherein each VLAN identification of the corresponding list of VLAN identifications specifies a network destination.

46. The access point of claim 44, wherein each VLAN identification of the corresponding list of VLAN identifications comprises a VLAN tag.

47. A method for operating a network system, the method comprising:

receiving IEEE 802.11 system identification information from a portable computing device;

determining a network destination of a plurality of possible network destinations, wherein said determining the network destination comprises using the IEEE 802.11 system identification information from the portable computing device;

receiving data from the portable computing device;

providing the data from the portable computing device to the determined network destination.