Negotiated wireless peripheral systems

• US 7,246,149 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2005
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nextwave Solutions LP
• Inventors: Dowling, Eric Morgan
• Primary Examiner(s): Barot, Bharat
• Application Number:
  US11/261,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20060069721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-203, 709217-219, 709227-229, 705/14, 705/34, 705/40, 705/50, 705 52- 53, 705 77- 79, 713/150, 713/153
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3672 initialising or reloading thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/164 at the network layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 : specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 : Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 : including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 : Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 : Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 : Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 : Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• 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 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and business techniques are disclosed for use in mobile network communication systems. A mobile unit such as a smart phone is preferably equipped with a wireless local area network connection and a wireless wide area network connection. The local area network connection is used to establish a position-dependent ecommerce network connection with a wireless product or service access device supplied by a vendor. A negotiation sequence is carried out to electronically contract the services of the negotiated wireless peripheral from the vendor using a prepaid ecommerce protocol. The negotiated wireless peripheral is a general product or service vending device and the mobile unit acts as a digital authentication and payment device with digital pre-paid payment capabilities. The techniques are useful in many applications to include ticketing and admission systems to events and other types of services that involve ticketing.

Claims

1. For use in a system comprising a vending management server and a customer-physical-access admission station that performs an admission-gate opening function and includes a wireless interface to communicate with one or more user wireless devices to include a particular user wireless device associated with a particular user, a method of wirelessly selling admissions, the method comprising:

wirelessly establishing a position-dependent ecommerce session with the particular user wireless device;

engaging in a handshaking sequence that includes wirelessly receiving via the position-dependent ecommerce session from the particular user wireless device a digital customer payment for providing the admission-gate opening function;

if the digital customer payment is found to be valid in a testing, generating an admission-grant signal indicating to allow the particular user to pass through an admission gate;

evaluating information received via the position-dependent ecommerce session to determine a particular destination beyond the admission gate that corresponds to the particular destination of the particular user; and

wirelessly transmitting to the particular user wireless device an indication of a set of directions to help the particular user physically navigate to the particular destination.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the position-dependent ecommerce session is established between the customer-physical-access admission station and the particular user wireless device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the position-dependent ecommerce session is established between the vending management server and the particular user wireless device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a network communication session between the vending management server and the customer-physical-access admission station via a communication network.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the position-dependent ecommerce session comprises:

a path through a wLAN network that offers short range wireless packet access;

a path through a portion of a wired Internet.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein

the position-dependent ecommerce session is established between the vending management server and the particular user wireless device via the network communication session.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein

the position-dependent ecommerce session is established between the customer-physical-access admission station and the particular user wireless device;

and further comprising;

using the network communication session to pass information between the customer-physical-access admission station and the vending management server to support the testing.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

the customer-physical-access admission station interacting via the communication network with the vending management server, and the vending management server provides customer authentication support in establishing the position-dependent ecommerce session and database support in performing the testing.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing in the particular user wireless device at least a portion of a cryptographic algorithm that encodes a digital signature associated with the customer; and

wherein the digital signature is generated using a public/private key cryptography algorithm, and the digital signature is used to provide security protection to a member of the group consisting of the position-dependent ecommerce session and the digital customer payment.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital customer payment comprises data encoded by a cryptographic algorithm that includes a digital signature component that is associated with a key from a certificate authority.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer-physical-access admission station performs at least a portion of the testing.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the testing involves executing a cryptographic authentication algorithm that verifies a user identity and reads and decodes a coded data segment that includes a digital signature component from a certificate authority.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital customer payment is a member of the group consisting of a payment from a debit account, a payment from a credit account, a digital cash instrument, and an authentication that the particular user is a known user with an associated subscriber number.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer-physical-access admission station comprises a physical access gate that is automatically opened in response to the admission-grant signal.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer-physical-access admission station comprises a physical access gate tat is controlled by a physical access control employee, and the method further comprises:

generating, in response to the admission-grant signal, a user interface indication that signals to the employee to admit the particular user into a physical area beyond the physical access gate.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer-physical-access admission station comprises a physical access gate that is controlled by a physical access control employee, and the method further comprises:

generating, in response to the admission-grant signal, a user interface indication that signals to the employee an indication of a number of how many valid admissions were received.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the admission gate opens to a physical area that includes a set of seats of which the particular user is assigned a particular seat;

and the particular destination corresponds to the particular seat.

18. The method of claim 17, the method further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting to the particular user wireless device associated with the particular an update to the set of directions to help the particular user physically navigate as the particular user advances toward the particular seat.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the admission gate provides the customer physical access to a member of the group consisting of a sporting event, a concert, a movie and a location where a providing of a service to the customer will be initiated.

20. For use in a system comprising a vending management server and a wireless-vending station that performs a product-dispensing function and includes a wireless interface to communicate with one or more user wireless devices to include a particular user wireless device, a method of wirelessly selling products, the method comprising:

wirelessly establishing a position-dependent ecommerce session with the particular user wireless device;

engaging in a handshaking sequence that includes wirelessly receiving via the position-dependent ecommerce session from the particular user wireless device a digital customer payment for providing the product-dispensing function;

if the digital customer payment is found to be valid in a testing, generating a product-grant signal indicating to dispense the product to the customer; and

in response to the product-grant signal, wirelessly transmitting to the particular user wireless device via the position-dependent ecommerce session one or more data files corresponding to a member of the group consisting of a digital music file type and a digital video file type.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the position-dependent ecommerce session is established between the wireless-vending station and the particular user wireless device.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the position-dependent ecommerce session is established between the vending management server and the particular user wireless device.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

establishing a network communication session between the vending management server and the wireless-vending station via a communication network.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the position-dependent ecommerce session comprises:

a path through a wLAN network that offers short range wireless packet access; and

a path through a portion of a wired Internet.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein

the position-dependent ecommerce session is established between the vending management server and the particular user wireless device via the network communication session.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein

the position-dependent ecommerce session is established between the wireless-vending station and the particular user wireless device;

and further comprising;

using the network communication session to pass information between the wireless-vending station and the vending management server to support the testing.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

the wireless-vending station interacting via the network communication session with the vending management server which provides customer authentication support in establishing the position-dependent ecommerce session and database support in performing the testing.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

executing in the particular user wireless device at least a portion of a cryptographic algorithm that encodes a digital signature associated with the customer, and wherein the digital signature is generated using a public/private key cryptography algorithm, and the digital signature is used to provide security protection to a member of the group consisting of the position-dependent ecommerce session and the digital customer payment.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein the digital customer payment comprises data encoded by a cryptographic algorithm that includes a digital signature component that is associated with a key from a certificate authority.

30. The method of claim 20, wherein the wireless-vending station performs at least a portion of the testing.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein the testing involves executing a cryptographic authentication algorithm that verifies a user identity and reads and decodes a coded data segment that includes a digital signature component from a certificate authority.

32. The method of claim 20, wherein the digital customer payment is a member of the group consisting of a payment from a debit account, a payment from a credit account, and a digital cash instrument.

33. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more data files correspond to the digital music file type.

34. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more data files correspond to the digital video file type.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the particular user wireless device corresponds to a wireless handheld phone.

39. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

establishing an additional ecommerce session between the particular user wireless handheld phone and the wireless access station, wherein the additional ecommerce session includes a granting of Internet access services by the wireless access station in response to a payment provided by the particular user wireless handheld phone using a member of the group consisting of a credit account, a debit account, a digital cash instrument, and an authentication that the particular user wireless handheld phone is associated with a particular account holder of the Internet access services.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the ecommerce session and the additional ecommerce session are unrelated sessions.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the ecommerce session and the additional ecommerce session are independent sessions.

42. The method of claim 34, wherein the wireless access station is a base station of a cellular communications network that provides wireless Internet access.

36. For use in a system comprising an application service provider (ASP) server and a wireless access station that includes a wireless interface to communicate with one or more user wireless handheld phones to include a particular user wireless handheld phone, a method comprising:

establishing an ecommerce session between the ASP server and the particular user wireless handheld phone via the wireless access station, wherein the ecommerce session is position-dependent in that establishment of the ecommerce session is enabled by positioning the particular user wireless handheld phone within a coverage area of the wireless access station;

engaging in a handshaking sequence that includes receiving via the ecommerce session and the wireless access station from the particular user wireless handheld phone a digital customer payment; and

if the digital customer payment is found to be valid in a testing, transmitting to the particular user wireless handheld phone via the ecommerce session and the wireless access station one or more digital music data files.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the wireless access station comprises a public-access wireless local area network access station that provides Internet access.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the wireless access station comprises a public-access wireless local area network access station that provides Internet access services upon payment provided by the particular user wireless handheld phone using a member of the group consisting of a credit account, a debit account, a digital cash instrument, and an authentication that the particular user wireless handheld phone is associated with a particular account holder of the Internet access services.

43. The method of claim 36, wherein the wireless access station comprises a public-access wireless local area network access station that provides Internet access.

44. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

executing in the particular user wireless handheld phone at least a portion of a cryptographic algorithm that encodes a digital signature associated with the customer, the digital signature is generated using a public/private key cryptography algorithm and the digital signature is used to provide security protection to a member of the group consisting of the ecommerce session and the digital customer payment.

45. The method of claim 36, wherein the wireless access station comprises a wLAN access station that provides Internet access.

46. The method of claim 36, wherein the particular user wireless handheld phone is a wireless handheld smart phone.

47. The method of claim 36, wherein the wireless access station comprises a wWAN access station that provided Internet access.

48. The method of claim 36, wherein the digital customer payment is a member of the group consisting of a payment from a debit account, a payment from a credit account, and a digital cash instrument.

49. The method of claim 36, wherein the particular user wireless handheld phone is a wireless handheld smart phone that provides cellular telephony service, and personal digital assistant application program services.

50. The method of claim 36, wherein the particular user wireless handheld phone is a wireless handheld smart phone that provides telephony service, wireless local area network access service, and personal digital assistant application program services.

51. The method of claim 36, wherein the particular user wireless handheld phone is a wireless handheld smart phone that provides cellular telephony service, wireless local area network access service, Internet access service, and a roaming service that supports roaming between a cellular network and one or more wireless local area network access stations.

52. The method of claim 36, wherein the particular user wireless handheld phone is a wireless handheld smart phone that provides cellular telephony service, wireless local area network access service, and a video conferencing user interface.

53. For use in a system comprising an application service provider (ASP) server and a wireless access station that includes a wireless interface to communicate with one or more user wireless handheld phones to include a particular user wireless handheld phone, a method comprising:

establishing an ecommerce session between the ASP server and the particular user wireless handheld phone via the wireless access station, wherein the ecommerce session is position-dependent in that establishment of the ecommerce session is enabled by positioning the particular user wireless handheld phone within a coverage area of the wireless access station;

engaging in a handshaking sequence that includes receiving via the ecommerce session and the wireless access station from the particular user wireless handheld phone a digital customer payment; and

if the digital customer payment is found to be valid in a testing, transmitting to the particular user wireless handheld phone via the ecommerce session and the wireless access station one or more digital video content files.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the wireless access station comprises a public-access wireless local area network access station that provides Internet access.

55. The method of claim 53, wherein the wireless access station comprises a public-access wireless local area network access station that provides Internet access services upon payment provided by the particular user wireless handheld phone using a member of the group consisting of a credit account, a debit account, a digital cash instrument, and an authentication that the particular user wireless handheld phone is associated with a particular account holder of the Internet access services.

56. The method of claim 53, further comprising:

establishing an additional ecommerce session between the particular user wireless handheld phone and the wireless access station, wherein the additional ecommerce session includes a granting of Internet access services by the wireless access station in response to a payment provided by the particular user wireless handheld phone using a member of the group consisting of a credit account, a debit account, a digital cash instrument, and an authentication that the particular user wireless handheld phone is associated with a particular account holder of the Internet access services.

57. The method of claim 53, wherein the ecommerce session and the additional ecommerce session are unrelated sessions.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein the ecommerce session and the additional ecommerce session are independent sessions.

59. The method of claim 53, wherein the wireless access station is a base station of a cellular communications network that provides wireless Internet access.

60. The method of claim 53, wherein the wireless access station comprises a public-access wireless local area network access station that provides Internet access.

61. The method of claim 53, further comprising:

executing in the particular user wireless handheld phone at least a portion of a cryptographic algorithm that encodes a digital signature associated with the customer, the digital signature is generated using a public/private key cryptography algorithm, and the digital signature is used to provide security protection to a member of the group consisting of the ecommerce session and the digital customer payment.

62. The method of claim 53, wherein the wireless access station comprises a wLAN access station that provides Internet access.

63. The method of claim 53, wherein the particular user wireless handheld phone is a wireless handheld smart phone.

64. The method of claim 53, wherein the wireless access station comprises a wWAN access station that provides Internet access.

65. The method of claim 53, further comprising:

wirelessly communicating with an external video viewing device that is external to the particular user wireless handheld phone, wherein the external video viewing device provides a non-area constrained display; and

wirelessly coupling from the particular user wireless handheld phone to the external video viewing device wireless signals to thereby cause a motion video image related to the digital video content to be displayed on the non-area constrained display.

66. The method of claim 53, wherein the particular user wireless handheld phone is a wireless handheld smart phone that provides cellular telephony service, and personal digital assistant application program services.

67. The method of claim 53, wherein the particular user wireless handheld phone is a wireless handheld smart phone that provides telephony service, wireless local area network access service, and personal digital assistant application program services.

68. The method of claim 53, wherein the particular user wireless handheld phone is a wireless handheld smart phone that provides cellular telephony service, wireless focal urea network access service, Internet access service, and a roaming service that supports roaming between a cellular network and one or more wireless local area network access stations.

69. The method of claim 53, wherein the particular user wireless handheld phone is a wireless handheld smart phone that provides cellular telephony service, wireless local area network access service, and a video conferencing user interface.