System for on-demand access to local area networks
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- receiving an access request for access to a wireless local area network (WLAN) selected from a plurality of WLANs;
requesting authentication of the access request from an authentication server;
receiving an indication of the authentication of the access request that verifies the access request is associated with a roaming services account;
providing access to the WLAN responsive to receiving the indication of the authentication of the access request;
transmitting, to an accounting server, metrics associated with the access to the WLAN;
receiving an indication of a rebate from the accounting server responsive to the metrics;
wherein the rebate is at least a portion of a payment received by the accounting server from the roaming services account; and
wherein the accounting server is configured to centralize accounting for the plurality of WLANs.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A roaming company makes payments to an aggregator of independent WLAN operators in exchange for providing Internet access services to subscribers of the roaming company. Independent WLAN operator accounts are maintained at the aggregation company.
108 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving an access request for access to a wireless local area network (WLAN) selected from a plurality of WLANs; requesting authentication of the access request from an authentication server; receiving an indication of the authentication of the access request that verifies the access request is associated with a roaming services account; providing access to the WLAN responsive to receiving the indication of the authentication of the access request; transmitting, to an accounting server, metrics associated with the access to the WLAN; receiving an indication of a rebate from the accounting server responsive to the metrics; wherein the rebate is at least a portion of a payment received by the accounting server from the roaming services account; and wherein the accounting server is configured to centralize accounting for the plurality of WLANs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method comprising:
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requesting, from an authentication server, authentication of an access request received from a subscriber terminal for access to a WLAN selected from a plurality of WLANs; receiving, from the authentication server, an indication of authentication that verifies the access request is associated with an existing roaming services subscriber account; providing the subscriber terminal with access to the WLAN responsive to the indication of authentication; tracking the access to the WLAN by the subscriber terminal; generating access metrics based on the tracking; providing an accounting server with the access metrics; and receiving an indication of a rebate paid to an independent WLAN operator operating the WLAN, responsive to the access metrics, wherein the rebate is at least a portion of a payment associated with the existing roaming services subscriber account. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system, comprising:
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an authentication server configured to; receive an authentication request from a gateway associated with a plurality of WLANs, the request including a user ID associated with a terminal requesting access to a WLAN associated with the gateway, wherein the request for access is associated with a roaming services account; receiving an indication of the authentication of the access request that verifies the access request is associated with a roaming services account; send an indication of authentication of the user ID to the gateway to authorize the terminal to gain access to the WLAN; and the gateway configured to; provide the authorized terminal with access to the WLAN; compile access statistics associated with the access to the WLAN; send the access statistics to an accounting server; and receive an indication of a rebate distribution to a WLAN operator corresponding to the WLAN, wherein the rebate distribution is responsive to the access statistics, wherein the rebate is at least a portion of a payment received by the accounting server from the roaming services account. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A gateway comprising:
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a detector configured to compile statistics associated with access by a user terminal to a WLAN at a first access point, wherein the user terminal is authorized to use the first access point and the WLAN is selected from a plurality of WLANs, wherein the access to the WLAN at the first access point is associated with an existing roaming services subscriber account; an accounting module configured to; transmit the statistics to an accounting server; responsive to the statistics, receive an indication of a rebate paid to an independent WLAN operator operating the WLAN; wherein the rebate is a portion of a payment received by the accounting server associated with the existing roaming services subscriber account corresponding to the user terminal; and wherein the accounting module is configured to transmit the indication of the rebate to the user terminal. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus comprising:
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means for providing access to a WLAN responsive to an authentication of an access request made by an existing roaming services subscriber, wherein the access request is associated with a roaming services account; means for transmitting metrics associated with the access to the WLAN to an accounting server; means for receiving an indication of a rebate from the accounting server responsive to the metrics, wherein the rebate is at least a portion of a payment received by the accounting server from the roaming services account; and means for coordinating hand-off of a subscriber terminal from a first access point corresponding to the WLAN to a second access point corresponding to a different WLAN of a plurality of WLANs associated with a same gateway. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A tangible computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:
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instructions for monitoring network access statistics associated with a user terminal accessing a WLAN at a first access point, wherein the user terminal is authorized to use the first access point, wherein the authorization to use the first access point is associated with an existing roaming services subscriber account and the WLAN is selected from a plurality of WLANs; instructions for transmitting the network access statistics to an accounting server; instructions for receiving an indication of a transfer of rebate funds from the accounting server responsive to the network access statistics; wherein the rebate funds are a portion of a payment received by the accounting server from the existing roaming services subscriber account associated with the user terminal; and wherein the rebate funds are distributed to an independent WLAN operator associated with the WLAN. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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Specification