Mobile, seamless, temporary, wireless network access apparatus and method

• US 7,269,668 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2002
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Darrell J. Redford, Hall G. Jeffery, Mark E. Marrott, Shirlene G. Peck
• Original Assignee: Darrell J. Redford, Hall G. Jeffery, Mark E. Marrott, Shirlene G. Peck
• Inventors: Redford, Darrell J., Peck, Shirlene G., Hall, G. Jeffery, Marrott, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sparks; Donald
• Assistant Examiner(s): MARTINEZ, DAVID E
• Application Number:
  US10/236,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20030126298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,832 Days
• Field of Search: 710/2, 710 8- 11, 710 15- 19, 717/168, 717171-178, 709217-229, 709/250, 713/1, 713/2, 713/100
• US Class Current: 710/8
• 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 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801

Abstract

A software and hardware “kit” provides users the ability to seamlessly connect to local area networks at temporary accommodations and remote locations. The “kit” provides the end user with the ability to install wireless network interface cards on a computer, while bypassing the standard “Plug and Play” process, and provides the system configuration necessary to enable the hardware functionality. This will also allow the end user to immediately connect to the local area network, such as a wireless local area network, provided that the user'"'"'s system is physically located within signal range. This process may be accomplished without the requirement that hardware actually be present and without rebooting the computer system, thus providing a novel improvement over the standard “Plug and Play” process.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user temporary access to the Internet, the user having a computer controlled at a use site by the user, the computer having original network settings and the method comprising:

providing, by a network access provider independent from the user, a network at the use site remote from a regular place of business of the user and controlled by the network access provider;

installing, by the user, software on the computer effective to automatically and selectively install a temporary network configuration of temporary network settings effective to connect the computer to the remote network;

bypassing, by the software, a detection system detecting new hardware introduced into the computer;

prompting, by the software, the user to specify a criterion to uninstall the temporary network configuration and to restore the original network settings; and

uninstalling the temporary network configuration and restoring, automatically by the software, the original network settings upon satisfaction of the criterion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the criterion is selected from the group consisting of a time of day, a date, an event, a status of a computer, a location, a user-generated interrupt, and a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the network settings include network interface card drivers selected from the group consisting of wireless network interface card driven and hard-wired network interface card drivers.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the network settings include at least one of the group consisting of driver version, default configuration profile settings, current configuration profile settings, DHCP settings, current network protocol settings, application registry keys, existing driver registry entries, network adapter protocols in the registry, network profiles, selectively disabling proxy settings, enabling file and printer sharing, settings indicating an operating system'"'"'s default browser, and a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein network settings include browser setting selected from the group consisting of browser proxy settings, settings to never dial a connection, settings to dial whenever a network connection is not present, settings to always dial a default connection, offline settings, and a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising prompting the user, after the criterion has been satisfied, to select an option from the group consisting of leaving the temporary network configuration installed for an extended length of dine, reverting back to the original configuration, and permanently leaving the temporary network configuration installed.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein installing further comprises selectively enabling data encryption of communication between the computer and the network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the network settings include network interface card drivers selected from the group consisting of wireless network interface card drivers and hard-wired network interface card drivers.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the network settings include at least one of the group consisting of driver version, default configuration profile settings, current configuration profile settings, DHCP settings, current network protocol settings, application registry keys, existing driver registry entries, network adapter protocols in the registry, network profiles, selectively disabling proxy settings, enabling file and primer sharing, settings indicating an operating system'"'"'s default browser, and a combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein network settings include browser setting selected from the group consisting of browser proxy settings, settings to never dial a connection, settings to dial whenever a network connection is not present settings to always dial a default connection, offline settings, and a combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising prompting the user, after the criterion has been satisfied, to select an option from the group consisting of leaving the temporary network configuration installed for an extended length of time, reverting back to the original configuration, and permanently leaving the temporary network configuration installed.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein bypassing the detection system occurs during installing software on the computer.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein installing further comprises selectively enabling data encryption of communication between the computer and the network.