Providing guest users network access based on information read from a credit card or other object

• US 20070255838A1
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Parikh, Vishesh M., Huitema, Christian, Wu, Deyun, Baron, Andrew T., Hassan, Amer A., Yahyaoui, Wajih, Khadeer, Mahmood H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,776,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/041 Key generation or derivation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

Guest user are enabled to access network resources through an enterprise network using a guest user account. A guest user account may be created for a guest for a limited time. Guest account credentials of the guest account may be provided to the guest to use the guest account using any of a variety of techniques described herein, for example, by scanning a guest access card, credit card or mobile telephone of guest user, and providing the guest account credentials to the user based on the information obtained. A guest access management server may be configured to generate and maintain guest accounts, authenticate guest users, and track and log guest activity. A VLAN technology may be used to separate guest traffic from host enterprise traffic on the host enterprise network. After a guest user is authenticated, communications to and from the guest user may be routed to a guest VLAN.

Claims

1. A method of enabling a guest user to access network resources through a company network, comprising:

(a) receiving information read from a credit card of the guest user; and

(b) providing the guest user access to the network resources through the company network based on the information read from the credit card.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the act (a) comprises:

(i) determining, based on the read information, one or more guest account credentials for accessing the network resources through the company network; and

(ii) indicating the one or more guest account credentials to the guest user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the act (b)(i) comprises determining a guest account identity and password based on the read information, and

wherein the act (b)(ii) comprises indicating the guest account identity and password to the guest user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the act (a) comprises receiving the guest account identity and the password, which were read from the guest access card.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the act (b)(ii) comprises displaying the one or more guest account credentials to the guest user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the act (b) comprises:

(i) sending the read information to a server of a credit card vendor; and

(ii) receiving information from the server verifying an identity of the guest server.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

(iii) determining, based on the received information, one or more guest account credentials for accessing the network resources through the company network; and

(iv) indicating the one or more guest account credentials to be guest user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(c) receiving the one or more guest account credentials from a user device of the guest user; and

(c) providing the guest user access to the network resources through the company network based on the one or more guest account credentials.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the company network is configured to define a plurality of virtual local area networks, including a first virtual local area network for guest users, and

wherein the act (d) comprises providing the guest user access to only network resources defined as part of the first virtual local area network.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first virtual local area network is defined to include the Internet.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(c) reading the information from the guest access card.

12. A method of enabling a guest user to access network resources through a company network, comprising:

(a) receiving information from a credit card vendor verifying an identity of the guest user;

(b) determining, based on the received information, one or more guest account credentials for accessing the network resources through the company network; and

(c) indicating the one or more guest account credentials to the guest user.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

(d) receiving the one or more guest account credentials from a user device of the guest user; and

(e) providing the guest user access to network resources through the company network based on the one or more guest account credentials.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the company network is configured to define a plurality of virtual local area networks, including a first virtual local area network for guest users, and

wherein the act (e) comprises providing the guest user access to only network resources defined as part of the first virtual local area network.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first virtual local area network is defined to include the Internet.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the act (b) comprises determining a guest account identity and password based on the received information, and

wherein the act (c) comprises indicating the guest account identity and password to the guest user.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the act (c) comprises displaying the one or more guest account credentials to the guest user.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

(d) reading information from a credit card of the guest user; and

(e) providing the read information to the credit card vendor.

19. The computer program produce of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:

(d) monitoring activity of the guest user based on the guest account credentials.

20. A system for enabling a user to access network resources through a company network, comprising:

a server of a credit card vendor operative to receive information read from a credit card of the user by a credit card scanner on premises of the company, to verify an identity of the user based on the received information, and to send verification information about the user to a guest access server of the company, the guest access server being responsible for guest user access to network resources through a network of the business entity.