Methods and systems for accessing networks, methods and systems for accessing the internet
First Claim
1. A system for providing access to a network, the system comprising:
- a host network configured to access the network;
at least one authentication/negotiation component communicatively linked with the host network and configured to authenticate individual network users and negotiate various services on behalf of the individual network users based on which, if any, of a plurality of organizations to which each said individual network user belongs; and
at least one access module communicatively linked with the one authentication/negotiation component and configured to enable a user to access the host network.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for providing network access, e.g. Internet access, are described. An architecture includes a host organization network through which network access is provided. The host organization network can be advantageously deployed in public areas such as airports and shopping malls. An authentication/negotiation component is provided for authenticating various users and negotiating for services with service providers on behalf of the system users. The authentication/negotiation component can include one or more specialized servers and a policy manager that contains policies that govern user access to the Internet. An authentication database is provided and authenticates various users of the system. An access module is provided through which individual client computing devices can access the Internet. In one embodiment, the access module comprises individual wireless access points that permit the client computing devices to wirelessly communicate data packets that are intended for the Internet. In one aspect, users are given a variety of choices of different service levels that they can use for accessing the Internet. The service levels can vary in such things as bandwidth allocation and security measures. The various service levels can be purchased by the users using their computing devices.
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Citations
61 Claims
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1. A system for providing access to a network, the system comprising:
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a host network configured to access the network; at least one authentication/negotiation component communicatively linked with the host network and configured to authenticate individual network users and negotiate various services on behalf of the individual network users based on which, if any, of a plurality of organizations to which each said individual network user belongs; and at least one access module communicatively linked with the one authentication/negotiation component and configured to enable a user to access the host network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for providing access to the Internet, the system comprising:
at least one host organization network configured to access the Internet, the host organization network comprising one or more subnets each of which comprising; at least one server configured to receive data packets from individual client computing devices and transmit the data packets to the Internet; at least one policy manager configured to provide one or more policies that govern user interaction with the Internet, wherein at least one said policy is based on which, if any, of a plurality of organizations to which the user belongs; and a plurality of public access points each of which configured to receive wireless communication from a user that is using a client computing device to wirelessly transmit data packets that are intended for the Internet and provide the wirelessly transmitted data packets to the one server before the data packets are transmitted to the Internet. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A system for providing access to the Internet, the system comprising:
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multiple wireless nodes through which the Internet can be accessed; multiple access points with which the wireless nodes can communicate; a server configured to receive wireless communication from the multiple access points, the server configured to; enable authentication of various users; negotiate for services from one or more service providers for each said user based on which, if any, of a plurality of organizations to which the user belongs; and route data packets to and from the Internet on behalf of the users; and at least one authentication database that contains user information that can be used to authenticate the users. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method of providing Internet access comprising:
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establishing a communication link with a mobile computing unit; using the communication link to authenticate a user of the mobile computing unit, the user being unaffiliated with any particular Internet Service Providers (ISPs); negotiating Internet access from one or more service providers for the user based on which, if any, of a plurality of organizations to which the user belongs; and using the communication link to provide Internet access to the user of the mobile computing unit. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more computers, cause the computers to:
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establish a wireless communication link between a mobile computing unit and a publicly accessible access point; use the communication link to authenticate a user of the mobile computing unit, the user being unaffiliated with any particular Internet Service Providers (ISPs); use the communication link to negotiate for Internet access from one or more said ISPs for the user based on which, if any, of a plurality of organizations to which the user belongs; and use the communication link to provide Internet access to the user of the mobile computing unit. - View Dependent Claims (55)
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56. A system for providing access to a network, the system comprising:
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a host network configured to access the network; at least one authentication/negotiation component communicatively linked with the host network and configured to authenticate individual network users and negotiate various services on behalf of the individual network users based on which, if any, of a plurality of organizations to which each said individual network user belongs; at least one access module communicatively linked with the one authentication/negotiation component and configured to enable a user to access the host network; and a policy manager that provides various policies that govern the use of the system by a user. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58)
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59. A system for providing access to a network, the system comprising:
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a host network configured to access the network, wherein the host network is configured to access a network comprising the Internet; at least one authentication/negotiation component communicatively linked with the host network and configured to authenticate individual network users and negotiate various services on behalf of the individual network users based on which, if any, of a plurality of organizations to which each said individual network user belongs; at least one access module communicatively linked with the one authentication/negotiation component and configured to enable a user to access the host network; a policy manager that provides various policies that govern the use of the system by a user; and the system being configured to provide Internet access for the host network via a plurality of Internet Service Providers (ISPs), the authentication/negotiation component being configured to negotiate Internet access with one or more of the ISPs on behalf of individual network users. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61)
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Specification