System and method for enabling subscribers of a communications carrier to access a network of wireless access points of subscribers of other communications carriers

• US 7,792,538 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2007
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kozisek, Steven E.
• Primary Examiner(s): FERGUSON, KEITH
• Application Number:
  US11/787,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20080262975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 455/507, 455/500, 455/509, 455/512, 455/514, 455/515, 455/432.1, 455/432.2, 455/433, 455/435.1, 455/435.2, 455/435.3, 455/422.1, 455/403, 455/445, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/551, 370/310, 370/329, 370/328, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/507
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications

Abstract

A system and method for enabling subscribers of a first communications carrier to communicate over wireless access points of subscribers hosted by a second communications carrier. In response to receiving a request signal from a wireless device via a wireless access point within a first network of wireless access points, a determination may be made as to whether the user is a first subscriber of the first communications carrier. In response to determining that the user is not a first subscriber, a determination as to whether the user is a second subscriber having a subscription agreement enabling the second subscriber to communicate over the communications network via the first network of wireless access points. The wireless device may be enabled to access the wireless access point in response to determining that the user is a second subscriber having a subscription agreement.

Claims

1. A system for enabling commercial subscribers of a first communications carrier to communicate over wireless access points hosted by a second communications carrier, said system comprising:

a first storage unit configured to store at least one first database including information identifying subscribers and associated subscriber subscription agreements of a first communications carrier;

a second storage unit configured to store at least one second database including information identifying subscribers and associated subscriber subscription agreements of a second communications carrier;

a first network of wireless access points associated with first subscribers of the first communications carrier;

a second network of wireless access points associated with second subscribers of the second communications carrier, at least one of the subscription agreements enabling the first subscribers to access said second network of wireless access points of the second subscribers of the second communications carrier to communicate over a communications network; and

a first computing system in communication with said first storage unit and first network of wireless access points of the first subscribers;

a second computing system in communication with said second storage unit, first computing system, and second network of wireless access points, said second computing system configured to;

receive a request signal from a wireless device of a user via a wireless access point within said second network of wireless access points of second subscribers to communicate over the communications network;

query the at least one second database stored in said second storage unit to determine whether the user is a second subscriber of the second communications carrier;

in response to determining that the user is not a second subscriber, communicate with said first computing system to determine whether the user is a first subscriber having a subscription agreement enabling the first subscriber to communicate over the communications network via said second network of wireless access points of second subscribers; and

enable the wireless device to access the wireless access point in response to determining that the user is a first subscriber having a subscription agreement enabling communication over the communications network via said second network of wireless access points of second subscribers.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first computing system is configured to:

receive a second request signal from a second wireless device of a second user via a wireless access point within said first network of wireless access points of first subscribers to communicate over the communications network;

query the at least one first database stored in said first storage unit to determine whether the second user is a first subscriber of the first communications carrier;

in response to determining that the second user is not a first subscriber, communicate with said second computing system to determine whether the second user is a second subscriber having a subscription agreement enabling the second subscriber to communicate over the communications network via said first network of wireless access points of first subscribers; and

enable the second wireless device to access the wireless access point in response to determining that the second user is a second subscriber having a subscription agreement enabling communication over the communications network via said first network of wireless access points of first subscribers.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said second computing system is further configured to query the wireless device for a user ID and a password.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said first computing system is further configured to query the at least one first database to determine whether the user ID and password are stored in the at least one first database and related to a first subscriber having a subscription agreement enabling access to the communications network via wireless access points of the second subscribers.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first computing system is further configured to determine whether the user of the wireless device has a subscription agreement to communicate with multiple wireless access points to aggregate bandwidth therefrom.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless device is a personal computer.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein a second wireless device of a second subscriber has priority when communicating with a wireless access point of a second subscriber over wireless devices of first subscribers communicating with the wireless access point of the second subscriber.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless access points are configured with a private communications interface and a public communications interface, the wireless device communicating with the public communications interface of at least one of the wireless access ports.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said second computing system is further configured to:

determine that a second signal received from a second wireless device is not from a subscriber of the first and second communications carriers; and

query the wireless device to determine whether a second user of the second wireless device is willing to pay an access fee for communicating with the wireless access point of a second subscriber.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said second computing system is further configured to provide access to the communications network via said second network of wireless access points for a duration of time selected by the second user.

11. A method for enabling commercial subscribers of a first communications carrier to communicate over wireless access points of subscribers hosted by a second communications carrier, said method comprising:

receiving a request signal from a wireless device of a user via a wireless access point within a first network of wireless access points of first subscribers to communicate over the communications network;

determining whether the user is a first subscriber of the first communications carrier;

in response to determining that the user is not a first subscriber, determining whether the user is a second subscriber having a subscription agreement enabling the second subscriber to communicate over the communications network via the first network of wireless access points of first subscribers; and

enabling the wireless device to access the wireless access point in response to determining that the user is a second subscriber having a subscription agreement enabling communication over the communications network via said first network of wireless access points of first subscribers.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a second request signal from a second wireless device of a second user via a wireless access point within a second network of wireless access points of second subscribers to communicate over the communications network;

querying at least one second database to determine whether the second user is a second subscriber of a second communications carrier;

in response to determining that the second user is not a second subscriber, determining whether the second user is a first subscriber having a subscription agreement enabling the first subscriber to communicate over the communications network via the second network of wireless access points of second subscribers; and

enabling the second wireless device to access the wireless access point in response to determining that the second user is a first subscriber having a subscription agreement enabling communication over the communications network via the second network of wireless access points of second subscribers.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising querying the wireless device to determine a user ID and password of the first subscriber.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising querying the at least one first database to determine whether the user ID and password are stored therein and related to a first subscriber having a subscription agreement enabling access to the communications network via wireless access points of first subscribers.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising determining whether the user of the wireless device has a subscription agreement to communicate with multiple wireless access points to aggregate bandwidth therefrom.

16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising prioritizing communications of the wireless device when communicating with a home wireless access point of the first subscriber over other wireless devices communicating with the home wireless access point of the first subscriber.

17. The method according to claim 11, further comprising receiving communications from the wireless device from a public communications interface of at least one of the wireless access points having a private communications interface and a public communications interface of the first subscribers.

18. The method according to claim 11, further comprising:

determining that a second signal received from a second wireless device is not from a first subscriber of the first communications carrier; and

querying the second wireless device to determine whether a second user of the second wireless device is willing to pay an access fee for communicating over the communications network via the first network of wireless access points of first subscribers of the first communications carrier.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising providing access to the communications network via the first network of wireless access points for a duration of time selected by the second user.