Method of creating incentives for establishing hotspot locations

• US 6,795,700 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2002
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Braodcom Corporation, Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Seshadri, Nambi, Karaoguz, Jeyhan
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US10/315,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20040052223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.04, 455/405, 455/406, 455/407, 455/408, 455/411, 455/414.1, 455/422.1, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/432.2, 455/435.1, 455/436, 379/112.01, 379/112.06, 379/114.03, 379/114.05, 379/114.07, 379/114.1, 379/114.13, 379/133, 379/134, 370/328, 370/468
• US Class Current: 455/408
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0245 Surveys
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0276 Advertisement creation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8033 location-dependent, e.g. business or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/93 using near field or similar technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0192 Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7435 Location dependent, e.g. Bussiness or home
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 : Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 : Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

A process of creating incentives for wireless hotspots by a service provider is disclosed. An access point is provided to a wireless hotspot for wireless devices to wirelessly connect to a larger network in a publicly accessible location. Use of the access point for a portable device is authenticated by requesting submission of an account identifier to the service provider and billing data for a user of the portable device for use of the access point is generated. Use statistics are evaluated of the access point of the wireless hotspot by portables devices and an inducement is provided to the publicly accessible location based on the evaluated use statistics.

Claims

1. A process of creating incentives for wireless hotspots by a service provider, said process comprising:

providing an access point to a wireless hotspot for wireless devices to wirelessly connect to a larger network in a publicly accessible location;

authenticating use of the access point for a portable device by requesting submission of an account identifier to the service provider;

generating billing data for a user of the portable device for use of the access point;

evaluating use statistics of the access point of the wireless hotspot by portable devices; and

providing an inducement to the publicly accessible location based on the evaluated use statistics.

2. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of evaluating the use statistics of the access point comprises evaluating a number of users of the access point of the wireless hotspot.

3. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of evaluating the use statistics of the access point comprises evaluating types of services utilized by users of the access point of the wireless hotspot.

4. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of authenticating use of the access point for a portable device comprises authenticating use of the access point for a portable device by requiring submission of an account identifier to one of a wireless telephone service provider and a landline telephone service provider.

5. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of providing an inducement comprises providing a proprietor of the wireless hotspot with compensation based upon a portion of revenue received by the service provider based on said step of generating billing data for a user.

6. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of providing an inducement comprises providing subsidized access to the access point of the wireless hotspot for selected users affiliated with the wireless hotspot.

7. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of providing an inducement comprises advertising services available from the wireless hotspot to users of the access point of the wireless hotspot.

8. A process as recited in claim 7, wherein said step of advertising services comprises advertising services available for portable wireless devices by the wireless hotspot through the access point to users of the access point of the wireless hotspot.

9. A process as recited in claim 7, wherein said step of advertising services comprises advertising services available from the wireless hotspot to users of the access point of the wireless hotspot through a wireless telephone network.

10. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of providing an inducement comprises upgrading equipment utilized by the access point.

11. A process as recited in claim 10, wherein said step of upgrading equipment utilized by the access point comprises providing equipment to the wireless hotspot to provide greater bandwidth access to portable devices accessing the access point.

12. A process as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of providing an inducement comprises providing specialized content to the wireless hotspot.

13. A system for monitoring of wireless hotspots and creating incentives for wireless hotspots by a service provider, comprising:

first providing means for providing an access point to a wireless hotspot for wireless devices to wirelessly connect to a larger network in a non-private location;

authenticating means for authenticating use of the access point for a portable device by requesting submission of an account identifier to the service provider;

generating means for generating billing data for a user of the portable device for use of the access point;

evaluating means for evaluating use statistics of the access point of the wireless hotspot by portable devices; and

second providing means for providing an inducement to the publicly accessible location based on the evaluated use statistics.

14. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein said evaluating means comprises evaluating means for evaluating a number of users of the access point of the wireless hotspot.

15. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein said evaluating means comprises evaluating means for evaluating types of services utilized by users of the access point of the wireless hotspot.

16. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein said authenticating means comprises authenticating means for authenticating use of the access point for a portable device by requiring submission of an account identifier to one of a wireless telephone service provider and a landline telephone service provider.

17. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein said second providing means comprises third providing means for providing a proprietor of the wireless hotspot with compensation based upon a portion of revenue received by the service provider based on said generating means.

18. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein said second providing means comprises third providing means for providing subsidized access to the access point of the wireless hotspot for selected users affiliated with the wireless hotspot.

19. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein said second providing means comprises advertising means for advertising services available from the wireless hotspot to users of the access point of the wireless hotspot.

20. A system as recited in claim 19, wherein said advertising means comprises advertising means for advertising services available for portable wireless devices by the wireless hotspot through the access point to users of the access point of the wireless hotspot.

21. A system as recited in claim 19, wherein said advertising means comprises advertising means for advertising services available from the wireless hotspot to users of the access point of the wireless hotspot through a wireless telephone network.

22. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein said second providing means comprises upgrading means for upgrading equipment utilized by the access point.

23. A system as recited in claim 22, wherein said upgrading means comprises third providing means for providing equipment to the wireless hotspot to provide greater bandwidth access to portable devices accessing the access point.

24. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein said second providing means comprises third providing means for providing specialized content to the wireless hotspot.

25. A system for monitoring of wireless hotspots and creating incentives for wireless hotspots by a service provider, comprising:

a first provider for providing an access point to a wireless hotspot for wireless devices to wirelessly connect to a larger network in a publicly accessible location;

an authenticator for authenticating use of the access point for a portable device by requesting submission of an account identifier to the service provider;

an accounting system for generating billing data for a user of the portable device for use of the access point;

an evaluator for evaluating use statistics of the access point of the wireless hotspot by portables devices; and

a second provider for providing an inducement to the publicly accessible location based on the evaluated use statistics.

26. A process as recited in claim 25, wherein said evaluator comprises an evaluator for evaluating a number of users of the access point of the wireless hotspot.

27. A process as recited in claim 25, wherein said evaluator comprises an evaluator for evaluating types of services utilized by users of the access point of the wireless hotspot.

28. A process as recited in claim 25, wherein said authenticator comprises an authenticator for authenticating use of the access point for a portable device by requiring submission of an account identifier to one of a wireless telephone service provider and a landline telephone service provider.

29. A process as recited in claim 25, wherein said second provider comprises a third provider for providing a proprietor of the wireless hotspot with a portion of revenue received by the service provider based on a billing of a user of the portable device for use of the access point by the accounting system.

30. A process as recited in claim 25, wherein said second provider comprises a third provider for providing subsidized access to the access point of the wireless hotspot for certain users affiliated with the wireless hotspot.

31. A process as recited in claim 25, wherein said second provider comprises an advertiser for advertising services available from the wireless hotspot to users of the access point of the wireless hotspot.

32. A process as recited in claim 31, wherein said advertiser comprises an advertiser for advertising services available for portable wireless devices by the wireless hotspot through the access point to users of the access point of the wireless hotspot.

33. A process as recited in claim 31, wherein said advertiser comprises an advertiser for advertising services available from the wireless hotspot to users of the access point of the wireless hotspot through a wireless telephone network.

34. A process as recited in claim 25, wherein said second provider comprises an upgrader for upgrading equipment utilized by the access point.

35. A process as recited in claim 34, wherein said upgrader comprises a third provider for providing enhanced equipment to the wireless hotspot to provide greater bandwidth access to portable devices accessing the access point.

36. A process as recited in claim 25, wherein said second provider comprises a third provider for providing specialized content to the wireless hotspot.