Methods and systems for accessing networks, methods and systems for accessing the Internet

• US 7,500,263 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2006
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Venkatachary, Srinivasan, Balachandran, Anand, Bahl, Paramvir
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand; Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Homayounmehr; Farid
• Application Number:
  US11/390,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20060168454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 726/4
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities

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.

Claims

1. A method of providing Internet access comprising:

establishing a communication link with a mobile computing unit;

using the communication link to authenticate a user of the mobile computing unit by providing a secure link between the mobile computing unit and a global authentication database and presenting a logon web page to accept a user name and a password from the user to be submitted to the global authentication database, the user being unaffiliated with Internet Service Providers (ISPs);

using the communication link to provide Internet access to the user of the mobile computing unit by negotiating with one or more said ISPs and selecting one of the one or more ISPs to provide the Internet access to the user of the mobile computing unit; and

using a policy manager to provide various policies that govern user of the system by the user, at least one of the policies relating to service levels.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the policies relates to access speed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the policies relates to security measures.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the policies relates to use of system resources.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure link is established by the user clicking on a browser page icon that links the user to the global authentication database.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the server is not given access to the user name and password.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure link is established through the user of Secure Socket Layer (SSL) techniques.

5. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more computers, cause the computers to:

establish a communication link between a mobile computing unit and a server through an access point;

use the communication link to authenticate a user of the mobile computing unit, the user being unaffiliated with Internet Service Providers (ISPs), wherein the communication link authenticates the user by providing a secure link between the mobile computing unit and a globally accessible authentication database, wherein the globally accessible authentication database is configured to present a logon web page to the user, receive logon information from the user, authenticate the user, and transmit authentication information associated with the user to the server;

use the communication link to provide Internet access to the user of the mobile computing unit by negotiating with one or more said ISPs and selecting one of the one or more ISPs to provide the Internet access to the user of the mobile computing unit; and

use a policy manager to provide various policies that govern user of the system by the user, at least one of the policies relating to service levels, wherein the policy manager is communicatively linked to the server.

6. The computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein at least one of the policies relates to access speed.

7. The computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein at least one of the policies relates to security measures.

8. The computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein at least one of the policies relates to use of system resources.

16. The computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein the server is not given access to the logon information.

9. A system for providing access to the Internet, the system comprising:

means for establishing a communication link with a mobile computing unit;

means for using the communication link to authenticate a user of the mobile computing unit by providing a secure link between the mobile computing unit and a global authentication database and presenting a logon web page to accept a user name and a password from the user to be submitted to the global authentication database, the user being unaffiliated with Internet Service Providers (ISPs);

means for using the communication link to provide Internet access to the user of the mobile computing unit by negotiating with said one or more ISPs and selecting one of the one or more ISPs to provide the Internet access to the user of the mobile computing unit; and

means for using a policy manager to provide various policies that govern user of the system by the user, at least one of the policies relating to service levels.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the policies relates to access speed.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the policies relates to security measures.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the policies relates to use of system resources.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the secure link is established by the user clicking on a browser page icon that links the user to the authentication database.