KEY ASSIGNMENT FOR A BRAND

• US 20130269008A1
• Filed: 04/04/2012
• Published: 10/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ruckus IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Ruckus Wireless, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sheu, Ming-Jye, Ranade, Prashant
• Granted Patent: US 9,092,610 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0819 Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s) network architectures or network communication protocols for key distribution in a packet data network H04L63/062
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing secured network access are provided. A user device located within range of a branded hotspot initiates a request for the secured network access. The request concerns secured network access at the hotspot by the user device and includes a unique pre-shared key. A query regarding the unique pre-shared key is sent to a database, which retrieves information regarding a corresponding pre-shared key. That information is sent to the hotspot controller, which allows the user device secured network access as governed by one or more parameters associated with the pre-shared key.

Claims

1. A method for providing secured network access, the method comprising:

receiving a request for secured network access initiated by a user device located within a range of a first hotspot associated with a brand, the request including a unique pre-shared key associated with the user device;

sending a query to a database of pre-shared keys, the query concerning any prior use of the unique pre-shared key included in the request;

receiving a response to the query including a corresponding pre-shared key regarding secured network access, the corresponding pre-shared key having been generated at a second hotspot associated with the brand; and

providing secured network access at the first hotspot based on the unique pre-shared key associated with the user device and the corresponding pre-shared key.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the corresponding pre-shared key is further identified as being associated with at least one parameter, and wherein the secured network access provided to the user device is governed at least in part by the at least one parameter.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising storing information regarding the associated parameter, the associated parameter including one or more of the following:

expiration date, session duration, bandwidth, user identity, user rewards, or access policies.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising submitting a second unique pre-shared key to the database of pre-shared keys for retrieval in response to a subsequent query concerning the second pre-shared key.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein adding the second unique pre-shared key to the database of pre-shared keys comprises:

executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by a processor generates the second unique pre-shared key for a second user device; and

transmitting information regarding the second unique pre-shared key to the database of pre-shared keys for retrieval in response to a subsequent request sent by the second user device while located within range of another hotspot associated with the brand.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining at least one parameter governing the secured network access to be provided to the second user device, wherein the transmitted information regarding the second unique pre-shared key includes the at least one parameter.

7. An apparatus for providing secured network access, the apparatus comprising:

an interface for receiving an incoming request initiated by a user device located within a range of a first hotspot associated with a brand, the request including a unique pre-shared key associated with the user device; and

a processor for executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor generates a query to a database of pre-shared keys, the query concerning the unique pre-shared key included in the request, wherein the interface receives a response to the query from the database, the response including a corresponding pre-shared key regarding secured network access, the corresponding pre-shared key having been generated at a second hotspot associated with the brand, and wherein secured network access at the first hotspot is subsequently provided based on the unique pre-shared key associated with the user device and the corresponding pre-shared key.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein further execution of instructions by the processor identifies that the corresponding pre-shared key is associated with at least one parameter, and wherein the secured network access provided to the user device is governed at least in part by the at least one parameter.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising memory for storing information regarding the associated parameter, the associated parameter one or more of the following:

expiration date, session duration, bandwidth, user identity, user rewards, or access policies.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the interface sends a submission including information regarding a second unique pre-shared key to the database of pre-shared keys for retrieval in response to a subsequent query concerning the second unique pre-shared key sent by a second user device while located within range of another hotspot associated with the brand

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein further execution of instructions by the processor generates the second unique pre-shared key for the second user device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein further execution of instructions by the processor determines at least one parameter governing the secured network access to be provided to the second user device, wherein the transmitted information regarding the second unique pre-shared key includes the at least one parameter.

13. A system for providing secured network access, the system comprising:

a hotspot controller of a first hotspot comprising an interface for;

receiving an incoming request for secured network access initiated by a user device located within a range of the first hotspot, the request including a unique pre-shared key associated with the user device,

sending a query to a database of pre-shared keys, the query concerning the unique pre-shared key included in the request, and

receiving a response to the query including a corresponding pre-shared key regarding secured network access, the corresponding pre-shared key having been generated at a second hotspot associated with the brand; and

an access point associated with the first hotspot, the hotspot associated with a brand, the access point providing secured network access based on the unique pre-shared key associated with the user device and the corresponding pre-shared key.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a server for storing the database of pre-shared keys, the server in communication with the hotspot controller via the Internet.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the hotspot controller further includes a processor for executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of instructions by the processor identifies that the corresponding pre-shared key is associated with at least one parameter, and wherein the secured network access provided to the user device is governed at least in part by the at least one parameter.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the hotspot controller further includes memory for storing information regarding the associated parameter, the associated parameter including one or more of the following:

expiration date, session duration, bandwidth, user identity, user rewards, or access policies.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the interface sends a submission including information regarding a second unique pre-shared key to the database of pre-shared keys for retrieval in response to a subsequent query concerning the second unique pre-shared key sent by a second user device while located within range of another hotspot associated with the brand

18. The system of claim 17, wherein further execution of instructions by the processor generates the second unique pre-shared key for the second user device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the hotspot controller further includes a processor for executing instructions stored in memory, wherein execution of instructions by the processor determines at least one parameter governing the secured network access to be provided to the second user device, wherein the transmitted information regarding the second unique pre-shared key includes the at least one parameter.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor to perform a method for providing secured network access, the method comprising:

receiving a request for secured network access initiated by a user device located within a range of a first hotspot associated with a brand, the request including a unique pre-shared key associated with the user device;

sending a query to a database of pre-shared keys, the query concerning the unique pre-shared key included in the request;

receiving a response to the query including a corresponding pre-shared key regarding secured network access, the corresponding pre-shared key having been generated at a second hotspot associated with the brand; and

providing secured network access at the first hotspot based on the unique pre-shared key associated with the user device and the corresponding pre-shared key.