WIRELESS CONNECTION METHOD AND DEVICE

• US 20130152168A1
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: NASIR, Azim, Moshrefi, Afshin, Xiao, Hong (Jeff), Gharachorloo, Nader
• Granted Patent: US 8,732,801 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A method, a device, and an access point are provided for obtaining network access. A method, comprising: receiving, by an access point device and from wireless device, a request for authorization to access a network through the access point; determining, by the access point, a distance between the access point and the wireless device; determining, by the access point, that the distance is less than a first threshold distance; using, by the access point, a first process to grant access to the network through the access point when the distance is less than the first threshold distance; and using, by the access point, a second process to grant access to the network through the access point when the distance is not less than the first threshold distance, where the first process is a different and less complex for granting access to the network than the second process.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by an access point device and from wireless device, a request for authorization to access a network through the access point;

determining, by the access point, a distance between the access point and the wireless device;

determining, by the access point, that the distance is less than a first threshold distance;

using, by the access point, a first process to grant access to the network through the access point when the distance is less than the first threshold distance; and

using, by the access point, a second process to grant access to the network through the access point when the distance is not less than the first threshold distance, where the first process is different and less complex for granting access to the network than the second process.

2. The method of claim 1, where using the second process to grant access includes:

sending security questions from the access point to the wireless device;

receiving answers to the security questions;

determining whether the answers are correct by comparing the answers to stored answers stored by the access point; and

providing access to the network through the access point when the answers are correct.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending security questions from the access point to the wireless device;

receiving answers to the security questions;

determining whether the answers are correct by comparing the answers to stored answers stored by the access point; and

providing a level of access to the network through the access point when the less than all of the answers are correct, where the level of access includes temporary or limited access to the network.

4. The method of claim 1, where using the first process to grant access includes granting permanent access to the network via the access point, and where using the second process to grant access includes granting temporary access to the network via the access point.

5. The method of claim 1, where using the first process to grant access includes providing unlimited access to the network via the access point, where using second process to grant access includes providing limited access to the network via the access point, where the limited access includes an ability to download data from the network, and does not include an ability to upload data to the network.

6. The method of claim 1, where the receiving the request for authorization to access the network includes:

receiving, by the access point, a signal requesting access from the wireless device;

sending, by the access point, a message requesting entry of an access key or moving the wireless device to a distance less than the first threshold distance; and

receiving, by the access point, a signal requesting access by moving the wireless device to a distance less than the first threshold distance.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the access point, a request for access point configuration information including information regarding the first process, the second process, and the first threshold distance;

sending the access point configuration information to an administrator device connected to the access point, where the administrator device is the wireless device, another wireless device, or a wired network device;

receiving modifications to the access point configuration information from the administrator device; and

modifying the access point configuration information.

8. The method of claim 1, where the determining the distance between the access point and the wireless device includes determining radio signal strength from the access point to the wireless device and calculating the distance based upon the radio signal strength.

9. The method of claim 1, where using the first process to grant access to the network includes sending a message via email, text message, or phone call to an administrator of the access point, where the message includes authorization information including a MAC address, a SSID, and/or a password for the access point.

10. The method of claim 1, where the using the first process to grant access to the network comprises providing a permanent, unlimited access authorization for the wireless device to access the network, and where using the second process to grant access to the network comprises providing a temporary, limited access authorization for the wireless device to access the network.

11. A device, comprising:

a processor to;

receive a request for authorization to access a network through the device from a wireless device;

determine radio signal strength between the device and the wireless device;

calculate a distance based upon the radio signal strength; and

compare the distance to a threshold distance; and

use a first process to grant access to the network through the device when the distance is less than the threshold distance, and to use a second process to grant access to the network through the device when the distance is more than the threshold distance, where the first process to grant access to the network is different and less complex process for granting access to the network than second process to grant access to the network.

12. The device of claim 11, where the processor also:

sends security questions to the wireless device;

receives answers to the security questions from the wireless device;

determines whether the answers are correct by comparing the received answers to previously stored answers stored on the device; and

uses the second process to grant access to the network, through the device, when the answers are correct.

13. The device of claim 11, where the processor also:

sends security questions to the wireless device;

receives answers to the security questions from the wireless device;

determines whether the answers are correct by comparing the received answers to previously stored answers stored on the device; and

uses a third process to grant access to the network through the device when the less than all of the answers are correct, where the third process to grant access includes granting temporary or limited access to the network.

14. The device of claim 11, where the first process grants permanent access to the network via the device, and where the second process grants temporary access to the network via the device.

15. The device of claim 11, where the processor also:

sends a message requesting an access key or access by moving the wireless device to within the threshold distance; and

receives a signal requesting access by moving the wireless device to within the threshold distance.

16. The device of claim 11, where the processor also:

uses the first process to grant access to the network by sending a message via email, text message, or phone call to an administrator of the device, where the message includes authorization information including a MAC address, a SSID, and/or a password for the device.

17. The device of claim 11, where the first process grants permanent, unlimited access authorization for the wireless device to access the network, the second process grants temporary, unlimited access authorization for the wireless device to access the network, and where the third process grants temporary, limited access authorization for the wireless device to access the network.

18. The device of claim 11, where the device is a wireless access point.

19. A system, comprising:

an access point to;

receive a request for authorization to access a network through the access point from a wireless device;

calculate a distance based upon the radio signal strength; and

compare the distance to a threshold distance;

where, when the distance is less than the threshold distance, the access point is to provide access to the network;

where, when the distance is not less than the threshold distance, the access point is to;

send a security question to the wireless device;

receive an answer to the security question;

determine whether the answer is correct by comparing the answer to a stored answer of the access point; and

provides access to the network when the answers are correct.

20. The system of claim 19, where, when the distance is less than the threshold distance, the access point is to provide access to the network, and the access point is to:

authorize access for the wireless device to access the network;

or

send a message via email, text message, or phone call to an administrator of the access point, where the message includes authorization information including a MAC address, a SSID, and/or a password for the access point.