Method of authentication via a secure wireless communication system

• US 7,743,405 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2004
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Hancock, Robert, McCann, Stephen, Hepworth, Eleanor
• Primary Examiner(s): Korzuch; William R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Su; Sarah
• Application Number:
  US10/972,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20050163319A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,065 Days
• Field of Search: 726/2, 726/3, 726/4, 726/17, 380/247, 380/270
• US Class Current: 726/2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A method of authentication via a secure wireless communication system; the method comprising sensing that a mobile device has come within range of a secure network; initiating a program within the mobile device offering the user a plurality of authentication options; processing the chosen authentication option and providing requested user data to a service provider for the secure network, only if the chosen authentication option within the mobile device permits provision of the requested user data.

Claims

1. A method of authentication via a secure wireless communication system, the method comprising:

sensing that a mobile device has come within range of a secure network;

initiating a program within the mobile device offering a user a plurality of authentication options, wherein the offering of authentication options includes

obtaining a local address from a domain name server (DNS) on the mobile device, and

obtaining, from a first server on the mobile device, a page offering the plurality of authentication options;

processing a chosen authentication option and providing requested user data to a service provider for the secure network, only when the chosen authentication option within the mobile device permits provision of the requested user data.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user data comprises user name and password.

3. The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising exchanging authentication credentials via link layer specific protocols.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile device is one of a laptop, personal digital assistant or mobile phone.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the network is a wireless local area network.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the offering the user the plurality of authentication options comprises:

displaying a browser on the mobile device;

sending, by the browser, a domain name server (DNS) request to the DNS server on the mobile device,

wherein the local address is obtained by the browser from the DNS server, the page is obtained by the browser, the first server is associated with the local address, and the page is a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) page offering the plurality of authentication options.

7. A method of authentication via a secure wireless communication system, the method comprising:

sensing that a mobile device has come within range of a secure network;

initiating a program within the mobile device offering a user a plurality of authentication options, wherein the offering of authentication options includes

obtaining a local address from a domain name server (DNS) on the mobile device, and

obtaining, from a local proxy server on the mobile device, a page offering the plurality of authentication options;

processing a chosen authentication option and providing requested user data to a service provider for the secure network, only when the chosen authentication option within the mobile device permits provision of the requested user data.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the local proxy encapsulates or decapsulates the user data.

9. A method of authentication via a secure wireless communication network, comprising:

displaying a browser on a mobile device;

obtaining a local address from a domain name server (DNS) on the mobile device;

obtaining, by the browser from a first server of on the mobile device, a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) page offering a plurality of authentication options;

displaying the HTML page; and

processing a chosen authentication option and providing requested user data to a service provider for the secure network, only when the chosen authentication option within the mobile device permits provision of the requested user data.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

sending, by the browser, a domain name server (DNS) request to the DNS server on the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the displayed HTML page informs a user of the mobile device that the user is in a closed security model area and requests the user'"'"'s authorization to proceed.