ADVANCED NETWORK CHARACTERIZATION

• US 20110208866A1
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Channel IP BV
• Original Assignee: Ipass Incorporated (Pareteum Corp.)
• Inventors: Marmolejo-Meillon, Luis G., Nelson, Barbara
• Granted Patent: US 9,167,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/205 involving negotiation or determination of the one or more network security mechanisms to be used, e.g. by negotiation between the client and the server or between peers or by selection according to the capabilities of the entities involved negotiation of communication capabilities H04L69/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/66 Trust-dependent, e.g. using trust scores or trust relationships
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Some embodiments include a method for determining whether to establish a connection between a computer and a network. In some embodiments, the method includes: receiving first network information from a network; determining a first trust level for the network by matching the network information to provisioning information, wherein the provisioning information indicates the first trust level and an authentication method of the network; verifying that network supports the authentication method, wherein the verifying includes exchanging information with the network; after verifying that the network supports the authentication method, establishing a connection to the network, wherein the connection provides access to an Internet.

Claims

1. A method for determining whether to establish a connection between a computer and a network, the method comprising:

receiving first network information from a network;

determining a first trust level for the network by matching the network information to provisioning information, wherein the provisioning information indicates the first trust level and an authentication method of the network;

verifying that network supports the authentication method, wherein the verifying includes exchanging information with the network;

after verifying that the network supports the authentication method, establishing a connection to the network, wherein the connection provides access to an Internet.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receipt of the first network information occurs without transmitting information to the network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication method is 8021.X authentication, and wherein the verifying includes:

transmitting an 8021.X request to an 8021.X server; and

receiving a response from the 8021.X server on the network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is a Wi-Fi network, and wherein the network information includes a Service Set Identifier (SSID), and wherein the verifying includes determining that a Wi-Fi access point will accept authentication credentials, wherein the authentication credentials are included in the provisioning information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is an Ethernet network, and wherein the authentication method is 8021.X authentication.

6. A method comprising:

detecting network information indicating a plurality of networks;

classifying the networks, wherein the classifying includes determining a first trust level for each of the networks by matching the network information with provisioning information, wherein the provisioning information indicates parameters of the networks;

presenting indicators for the networks in a graphical user interface (GUI);

detecting a selection in the GUI, wherein the selection identifies a selected one of the networks;

characterizing the selected one of the networks, wherein characterizing includes,

determining, based on the provisioning information, an authentication protocol for the selected one of the networks; and

verifying that the selected one of the networks supports the authentication protocol by interacting with authentication components of the selected one of the networks;

after characterizing the selected one of the networks, connecting to the selected one of the networks.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

after connecting to the selected one of the networks, determining that components identified in the provisioning information are accessible on the network.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

determining a score for each one of the networks, wherein the score is based in part on the first trust level for each of the networks, and wherein the indicators are ordered in the GUI according to the score for each one of the networks.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

storing, in a venue cache, information indicating that the selected one of the networks is a trusted network;

detecting another selection in the GUI, wherein the selection identifies the selected one of the networks;

finding, in the venue cache, the information indicating that the selected one of the networks is a trusted network; and

after the finding, connecting to the selected one of the networks.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the score for each one of the networks is also based in part on one or more of:

a connection history with the one of the networks, signal strength of the one of the networks, and network media type of the one of the networks.