METHOD, SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR WIRELESSLY CONNECTING A DEVICE TO A NETWORK

• US 20130014224A1
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Published: 01/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Graves, Jamie Lane, Newman, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,258,703 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

A device wirelessly receives first and second identifiers contemporaneously from a network. The first identifier indicates that the network operates in a first mode that is not secure. The second identifier indicates that the network operates in a second mode that is secure. In response to wirelessly receiving the first and second identifiers, the device wirelessly connects to the network in the first mode to determine whether the network accepts the device for the second mode, irrespective of whether the network previously accepted the device for the second mode, and irrespective of whether the device already stores authentication information for the second mode. In response to determining that the network accepts the device for the second mode, the device wirelessly connects to the network in the second mode to securely communicate with the network in response to the authentication information.

Claims

1. A method performed by an information handling system for wirelessly connecting at least one device to at least one network, the method comprising:

wirelessly receiving first and second identifiers contemporaneously from the network, wherein the first identifier indicates that the network operates in a first mode that is not secure, and the second identifier indicates that the network operates in a second mode that is secure;

in response to wirelessly receiving the first and second identifiers, wirelessly connecting to the network in the first mode to determine whether the network accepts the device for the second mode, irrespective of whether the network previously accepted the device for the second mode, and irrespective of whether the device already stores authentication information for the second mode; and

in response to determining that the network accepts the device for the second mode, wirelessly connecting to the network in the second mode to securely communicate with the network in response to the authentication information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein wirelessly connecting to the network in the second mode includes:

in response to determining that the network accepts the device for the second mode, receiving a waiting period from the network;

attempting wireless connection to the network in the second mode;

in response to the attempted wireless connection being unsuccessful, determining whether the waiting period has expired; and

in response to an expiration of the waiting period, re-attempting wireless connection to the network in the second mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein wirelessly connecting to the network in the second mode includes:

in response to determining that the network accepts the device for the second mode, receiving the authentication information from the network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication information is confidential and includes at least one of:

a password; and

an encryption key.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is a handheld computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, and comprising:

from a wireless interface, reading at least one of the first and second identifiers to determine that the network previously accepted the device for the second mode, wherein the device is removably connectable to the wireless interface.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein wirelessly connecting to the network in the first mode includes:

in response to determining that the network previously accepted the device for the second mode, wirelessly connecting to the network in the first mode.

8. A system for wirelessly connecting to at least one network, the system comprising:

at least one device for;

wirelessly receiving first and second identifiers contemporaneously from the network, wherein the first identifier indicates that the network operates in a first mode that is not secure, and the second identifier indicates that the network operates in a second mode that is secure;

in response to wirelessly receiving the first and second identifiers, wirelessly connecting to the network in the first mode to determine whether the network accepts the device for the second mode, irrespective of whether the network previously accepted the device for the second mode, and irrespective of whether the device already stores authentication information for the second mode; and

, in response to determining that the network accepts the device for the second mode, wirelessly connecting to the network in the second mode to securely communicate with the network in response to the authentication information.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the device is for:

in response to determining that the network accepts the device for the second mode, receiving a waiting period from the network;

attempting wireless connection to the network in the second mode;

in response to the attempted wireless connection being unsuccessful, determining whether the waiting period has expired; and

, in response to an expiration of the waiting period, re-attempting wireless connection to the network in the second mode.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the device is for:

in response to determining that the network accepts the device for the second mode, receiving the authentication information from the network.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the authentication information is confidential and includes at least one of:

a password; and

an encryption key.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the device is a handheld computing device.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the device is for:

from a wireless interface, reading at least one of the first and second identifiers to determine that the network previously accepted the device for the second mode, wherein the device is removably connectable to the wireless interface.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the device is for:

in response to determining that the network previously accepted the device for the second mode, wirelessly connecting to the network in the first mode.

15. A system for wirelessly connecting to at least one network, the system comprising:

at least one handheld computing device for;

wirelessly receiving first and second identifiers contemporaneously from the network, wherein the first identifier indicates that the network operates in a first mode that is not secure, and the second identifier indicates that the network operates in a second mode that is secure;

in response to wirelessly receiving the first and second identifiers, wirelessly connecting to the network in the first mode to determine whether the network accepts the device for the second mode, irrespective of whether the network previously accepted the device for the second mode, and irrespective of whether the device already stores confidential authentication information for the second mode; and

, in response to determining that the network accepts the device for the second mode, receiving the confidential authentication information from the network, receiving a waiting period from the network, and wirelessly connecting to the network in the second mode to securely communicate with the network in response to the confidential authentication information;

wherein wirelessly connecting to the network in the second mode includes;

attempting wireless connection to the network in the second mode;

in response to the attempted wireless connection being unsuccessful, determining whether the waiting period has expired; and

, in response to an expiration of the waiting period, re-attempting wireless connection to the network in the second mode; and

wherein the confidential authentication information includes at least one of;

a password; and

an encryption key.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the device is for:

from a wireless interface, reading at least one of the first and second identifiers to determine that the network previously accepted the device for the second mode, wherein the device is removably connectable to the wireless interface.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the device is for:

in response to determining that the network previously accepted the device for the second mode, wirelessly connecting to the network in the first mode.

18. A computer program product for wirelessly connecting at least one device to at least one network, the computer program product comprising:

a tangible computer-readable storage medium; and

a computer-readable program stored on the tangible computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable program is processable by an information handling system for causing the information handling system to perform operations including;

wirelessly receiving first and second identifiers contemporaneously from the network, wherein the first identifier indicates that the network operates in a first mode that is not secure, and the second identifier indicates that the network operates in a second mode that is secure;

in response to wirelessly receiving the first and second identifiers, wirelessly connecting to the network in the first mode to determine whether the network accepts the device for the second mode, irrespective of whether the network previously accepted the device for the second mode, and irrespective of whether the device already stores authentication information for the second mode; and

, in response to determining that the network accepts the device for the second mode, wirelessly connecting to the network in the second mode to securely communicate with the network in response to the authentication information.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein wirelessly connecting to the network in the second mode includes:

in response to determining that the network accepts the device for the second mode, receiving a waiting period from the network;

attempting wireless connection to the network in the second mode;

in response to the attempted wireless connection being unsuccessful, determining whether the waiting period has expired; and

in response to an expiration of the waiting period, re-attempting wireless connection to the network in the second mode.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein wirelessly connecting to the network in the second mode includes:

in response to determining that the network accepts the device for the second mode, receiving the authentication information from the network.

21. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the authentication information is confidential and includes at least one of:

a password; and

an encryption key.

22. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the device is a handheld computing device.

23. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the operations include:

from a wireless interface, reading at least one of the first and second identifiers to determine that the network previously accepted the device for the second mode, wherein the device is removably connectable to the wireless interface.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein wirelessly connecting to the network in the first mode includes:

in response to determining that the network previously accepted the device for the second mode, wirelessly connecting to the network in the first mode.