System and method for actively characterizing a network

• US 20070073868A1
• Filed: 09/29/2005
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Channel IP BV
• Original Assignee: Ipass Incorporated (Pareteum Corp.)
• Inventors: Nelson, Barbara, Albert, Roy, Bullock, Blair
• Granted Patent: US 9,088,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

In one embodiment the method includes detecting a network indicator associated with a network, the network provided by a network provider. In one embodiment, after the detecting of the network indicator, the method includes obtaining from the network provider an actual attribute associated with the network. The method may also include determining, based on stored network information, whether the actual attribute matches an expected attribute for the network. If the actual attribute matches the expected attribute, the method may classify the network into one of a plurality of network classes.

Claims

1. A tangible machine-readable medium including instructions which when executed by a machine cause the machine to perform a method comprising:

detecting a network indicator associated with a network, the network provided by a network provider;

after the detecting of the network indicator, obtaining from the network provider an actual attribute associated with the network; and

determining whether stored information about the network includes an expected attribute that matches the actual attribute;

if the actual attribute matches the expected attribute, classifying the network into a class of a plurality of classes.

2. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 1, the method further comprising:

if the network is classified into certain ones of the plurality of classes, displaying the network indicator as available for connection.

3. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 1, the method further comprising:

if the network is classified into certain ones of the plurality of classes, automatically connecting to the network.

4. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 1, the method further comprising:

if the network is classified into certain ones of the plurality of classes, precluding the network indicator from being displayed as available for connection.

5. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein if there is not an expected attribute that matches the actual attribute, obtaining from the network provider one or more additional actual attributes associated with the network.

6. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 5, the method further comprising:

classifying the network into one of the plurality of classes based on the additional actual attributes; and

if the network is classified into certain ones of the plurality of classes, displaying the network indicator as available for connection.

7. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 5, the method further comprising:

classifying the network into one of the plurality of classes based on the additional actual attributes; and

if the network is classified into certain ones of the plurality of classes, automatically connecting to the network.

8. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 5, the method further comprising:

classifying the network into one of the plurality of classes based on the additional actual attributes; and

if the network is classified into certain ones of the plurality of classes, precluding the network indicator from being displayed as available for connection.

9. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein if there is not an expected attribute that matches the actual attribute, classifying the network into one of the plurality of classes.

10. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 9, the method further comprising:

if the network is classified into certain ones of the plurality of classes, displaying the network indicator as available for connection.

11. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 9, the method further comprising:

if the network is classified into certain ones of the plurality of classes, automatically connecting to the network.

12. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 9, the method further comprising:

if the network is classified into certain ones of the plurality of classes, precluding the network indicator from being displayed as available for connection.

13. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the network indicator is a Service Set Identifier.

14. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the network indicator is a network address.

15. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the actual attribute is selected from the group consisting of a Media Access Control address of the network attachment point, media access control address of some network-resident component, IP address of a network-resident component, VLAN association, and Wireless Equivalent Privacy key.

16. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the actual attribute includes an identity certificate.

17. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the network indicator is a device identifier.

18. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 1, the method further comprising:

establishing a network connection to the network; and

after establishing the network connection, determining characteristics about the network.

19. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 18, the method further comprising presenting the network characteristics in a graphical user interface.

20. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 18, the method further comprising selecting, based on the network characteristics, post-connect actions.

21. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the plurality of classes include trusted network or untrusted network.

22. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the plurality of classes include public access networks, known private networks, discovered corporate networks, and untrusted networks.

23. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a network indicator associated with a network;

classifying the network into one of a plurality of network classes, the classifying based on the network indicator and stored network information;

presenting a first indication that the network is classified into the one of a plurality of network classes;

verifying whether the network is correctly classified into the one of the plurality of network classes, the verifying including interacting with a network provider associated with the network; and

if the network should not be in the one of the plurality of network classes, presenting a second indication that the network is not in the one of the plurality of classes.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, wherein the interacting includes:

receiving an identity certificate from an aggregator; and

authenticating the identity certificate.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 23 further comprising:

if the network should not be in the one of the plurality of network classes, reclassifying the network into another of the plurality of network classes.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 25, wherein the reclassifying is based on the stored network information.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, wherein the interacting includes:

receiving an identity certificate from the network provider; and

authenticating the identity certificate.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, wherein the interacting includes:

receiving one or more network attributes; and

comparing the one or more network attributes to one or more stored attributes.

29. A tangible machine-readable medium including instructions which when executed by a machine cause the machine to perform the method of claim 23.

30. The computer implemented method claim 23, wherein the plurality of network classes include trusted network or untrusted network.

31. The tangible machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the plurality of network classes include public access networks, known private networks, discovered corporate networks, and untrusted networks.

32. An apparatus comprising:

a detection unit to detect a network indicator associated with a network;

a classification unit to classify the network into one of a plurality of network classes, the classification based on the network indicator and stored network information;

a characterization unit to interact with the network and to verify whether the network is correctly classified into the one of the plurality of network classes.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 further comprising:

a display unit to display an indication that the network is available for connection and that the network is classified into the one of a plurality of network classes.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein as part of the interaction with the network, the characterization unit is to establish a limited connection with a network provider associated with the network and is to receive an identity certificate from the network provider.

35. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein as part of the interaction with the network, the characterization unit is to receive network attributes without connecting to the network.

36. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the plurality of classes includes trusted networks, untrusted networks, and semi-trusted networks.

37. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein a part of the verification, the characterization unit is to compare network attributes received during the interaction with the network with expected attributes associated with the network.

38. The apparatus of claim 32, the characterization unit is to receive during interaction with the network a Media Access Control address of the network attachment point, media access control address of some network-resident component, IP address of a network-resident component, VLAN association, or Wireless Equivalent Privacy key.

39. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein as part of the interaction with the network, the characterization unit is to establish a limited connection with a network provider associated with the network and to receive an identity certificate from the aggregator, via the network provider.