Network communication service with an improved subscriber model using digital certificates

• US 6,571,221 B1
• Filed: 11/03/1999
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1999
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Wayport, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wayport, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stewart, Brett B., Thompson, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reagan, James A.
• Application Number:
  US09/433,818
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 705/76, 705/52
• US Class Current: 705/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1439 time-based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1464 using a card, such as credit card, prepay card or SIM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1471 splitting of costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1496 involving discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/185 by embedding added-value information into content, e.g. geo-tagging
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/00 Network data management

Abstract

A network communication service with an improved subscriber model. In one embodiment, a mobile user (MU), also referred to as a subscriber, may access the network service through a portable computing device (PCD) using a wireless (or wired) network interface card. Access points (APs) for the network may be widely distributed in various facilities. In one embodiment, the APs are arranged at known geographic locations and may provide geographic location information regarding the geographic location of the mobile user (MU). A digital certificate may be stored on the mobile user'"'"'s PCD in order to allow access to the network. The digital certificate may store sponsorship information, including information regarding programs or entities in which the mobile user is a member or is affiliated. Each mobile user (subscriber) to the network service may have a “value bucket” which determines the amount of network access or service available to the user. Billing for access to the network communication service, i.e., the amount the “value bucket” is drained or filled, may be based on one or more of a number of factors, including information stored in the digital certificate, such as sponsorship information, the geographic location of the user, demographic information of the user, and charging information of the user.

Claims

1. A network system, comprising:

a portable computing device operated by a mobile user, wherein the portable computing device includes at least one digital certificate, wherein the digital certificate comprises sponsorship information;

a network;

a plurality of access points coupled to said network, wherein each of the plurality of access points is configured to communicate with the portable computing device;

at least one service provider coupled to the network, wherein the service provider is operable to receive the digital certificate from the portable computing device, wherein at least one service provider is operable to provide a service to the mobile user;

wherein access charges for access to the network are computed based on the sponsorship information comprised in the digital certificate.

2. The network system of claim 1, further comprising:

a database server coupled to the network which stores access charge information of the mobile user, wherein the access charge information indicates the access charges for access to the network;

wherein the database server is operable to compute the access charge information based on the sponsorship information comprised in the digital certificate.

3. The network system of claim 1,

wherein the plurality of access points connected are arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein a first access point is operable to provide geographic location information indicating a known geographic location of the portable computing device;

wherein access charges for access to the network are also computed based on the known geographic location of the portable computing device.

4. The network system of claim 1, wherein the sponsorship information comprises information regarding memberships of the mobile user.

5. The network system of claim 1, wherein the sponsorship information comprises information regarding incentive programs in which the mobile user is a member.

6. The network system of claim 1, wherein the sponsorship information comprises information regarding entities in which the mobile user is affiliated.

7. The network system of claim 1, further comprising:

a database coupled to the network which stores demographic information of the mobile user;

wherein access charges for access to the network are also computed based on the demographic information of the mobile user.

8. The network system of claim 7,

wherein the plurality of access points are arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein a first access point is operable to provide geographic location information indicating a known geographic location of the portable computing device;

wherein access charges for access to the network are also computed based on the known geographic location of the portable computing device.

9. The network system of claim 1, further comprising:

a database coupled to the network which stores charging information of the mobile user;

wherein access charges for access to the network are also computed based on the charging information of the mobile user.

10. The network system of claim 9,

wherein the plurality of access points are arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein a first access point is operable to provide geographic location information indicating a known geographic location of the portable computing device;

wherein access charges for access to the network are also computed based on the known geographic location of the portable computing device.

11. The network system of claim 1, further comprising:

a database coupled to the network which stores demographic information and charging information of the mobile user;

wherein access charges for access to the network are also computed based on the demographic information and the charging information of the mobile user.

12. The network system of claim 11,

wherein the plurality of access points are arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein a first access point is operable to provide geographic location information indicating a known geographic location of the portable computing device;

wherein access charges for access to the network are also computed based on the known geographic location of the portable computing device.

13. The network system of claim 1, wherein the digital certificate comprises demographic information of the mobile user;

wherein access time charges for access to the network are also computed based on the demographic information of the mobile user.

14. The network system of claim 1, wherein the digital certificate comprises charging information of the mobile user;

wherein access time charges for access to the network are also computed based on the charging information of the mobile user.

15. The network system of claim 1, wherein the at least one service provider is operable to provide the service to the mobile user based on the sponsorship information comprised in the digital certificate.

16. The network system of claim 15,

wherein the plurality of access points are arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein a first access point is operable to provide geographic location information indicating a known geographic location of the portable computing device;

wherein the at least one service provider is also operable to provide the service to the mobile user based on the known geographic location of the portable computing device.

17. The network system of claim 15, wherein the at least one service provider is also operable to provide the service to the mobile user based on one or more of demographic information or charging information of the mobile user.

18. The network system of claim 15, wherein the at least one service provider is operable to provide information to the mobile user based on the sponsorship information comprised in the digital certificate.

19. The network system of claim 1, wherein the access charges comprise an amount of available network access usage.

20. The network system of claim 1, wherein the signal is a wireless signal.

21. The network system of claim 1, wherein the digital certificate further stores use identification information identifying the mobile user.

22. A portable computing device operated by a mobile user in a network, comprising;

a processing unit;

a memory medium coupled to the processing unit including at least one digital certificate, wherein the digital certificate comprises sponsorship information;

a communication device for communicating with the network, wherein the communication device is configured to transmit the digital certificate;

wherein the portable computing device is operable to provide the digital certificate to at least one service provider on the network;

wherein access charges for access to the network by the portable computing device are computed based on the sponsorship information comprised in the digital certificate.

23. A network system, comprising:

a plurality of access points operable to be coupled to a network, wherein each of the plurality of access points is configured to communicate with a portable computing device operated by a mobile user;

at least one service provider coupled to the network, wherein the at least one service provider is operable to receive a digital certificate from the portable computing device, wherein the digital certificate comprises sponsorship information of the mobile user, wherein the at least one service provider is operable to provide a service to the mobile user;

wherein access charges for access to the network are computed based on the sponsorship information comprised in the digital certificate.

24. A network system, comprising:

a plurality of access points operable to be coupled to a network, wherein each of the plurality of access points is configured to communicate with a portable computing device operated by a mobile user;

wherein a first access point of the plurality of access points is operable to receive a digital certificate from the portable computing device, wherein the digital certificate comprises sponsorship information of the mobile user;

wherein access charges for access to the network are computed based on the sponsorship information comprised in the digital certificate.

25. The network system of claim 24, further comprising:

at least one service provider connected to the network, wherein the at least one service provider is operable to receive the digital certificate from the portable computing device, wherein the at least one service provider is operable to provide a service to the mobile user.

26. A network system, comprising:

a portable computing device operated by a mobile user, wherein the portable computing device includes a digital certificate, wherein the digital certificate comprises sponsorship information;

a network;

a plurality of access points coupled to said network, wherein each of the plurality of access points is configured to communicate with the portable computing device;

at least one service provider connected to the network, wherein the at least one service provider is operable to receive the digital certificate from the portable computing device, wherein the at least one service provider is operable to provide a service to the mobile user based on the sponsorship information comprised in the digital certificate.

27. The network system of claim 26,

wherein the plurality of access points are arranged at known locations in a geographic region, wherein a first access point is operable to provide geographic location information indicating a known geographic location of the portable computing device;

wherein access charges for access to the network are also computed based on the known geographic location of the portable computing device.

28. The network system of claim 26, wherein the sponsorship information comprises information regarding memberships of the mobile user.

29. The network system of claim 26, wherein the sponsorship information comprises information regarding incentive programs in which the mobile user is a member.

30. The network system of claim 26, wherein the sponsorship information comprises information regarding entities in which the mobile user is affiliated.

31. The network system of claim 26, further comprising:

a database coupled to the network which stores demographic information of the mobile user;

wherein the at least one service provider is also operable to provide the service to the mobile user based on the demographic information of the mobile user.

32. The network system of claim 26, further comprising:

a database coupled to the network which stores charging information of the mobile user;

wherein the at least one service provider is also operable to provide the service to the mobile user based on the charging information of the mobile user.