System and method for user access to a distributed network communication system using persistent identification of subscribers

• US 7,856,659 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2003
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wayport, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wayport, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fink, Ian M., Krenzer, Matthew M., Keeler, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh; Minh
• Application Number:
  US10/387,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20030233332A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,842 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1446 inter-operator billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1467 involving prepayment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• 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: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 : Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

A system and method for providing network access are disclosed. After connecting to a network at an access point, a user of a computing device registers for network access with a network provider. In response to the registration, the network provider sends a completion page to the computing device. The completion page includes a link to an embedded file such as a small, transparent GIF image. When the computing device retrieves the embedded file, the embedded file is associated with a header than includes an instruction to generate a network system identifier (e.g., a cookie). The network system identifier may be stored by the computing device and later used to identify the computing device as a registrant for network access with the network provider. The embedded file may also be sent at other times, such as after authentication of the user for network access.

Claims

1. A method for providing access from a first network to a second network coupled to the first network, the method comprising:

a first network provider sending an embedded file to a plurality of computing devices, wherein the embedded file comprises an identification of a second network provider;

receiving, at a device associated with the first network provider, information from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices coupled to the first network;

determining that the information received from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices comprises the identification of the second network provider;

sending login information to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, wherein the login information comprises information identifying the second network provider when displayed in a network browser interface of the computing device;

receiving user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices;

authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices;

determining that the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices are authenticated; and

in response to determining that the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices are authenticated, granting each computing device of the plurality of computing devices access to the second network through the first network.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices comprises authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices with the second network provider.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices comprises authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices with an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server controlled by the second network provider.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein sending login information to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices comprises sending a custom login page to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, wherein the custom login page comprises the information associated with the second network provider.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the second network provider is a roaming partner of the first network provider.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein a web server coupled to the first network performs receiving the information from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices and sending the login information to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the second network comprises an Internet.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a login completion page to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, wherein the login completion page comprises a link to the embedded file.

9. The method of claim 1,

wherein the embedded file comprises a transparent image file.

10. The method of claim 1,

wherein the embedded file comprises a header that comprises information operable to cause each computing device of the plurality of computing devices to store the identification of the second network provider.

11. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first network provider sending the embedded file to the plurality of computing devices comprises sending a header to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, wherein the header comprises the identification of the second network provider.

12. The method of claim 1,

wherein the embedded file comprises a cookie.

13. A system, comprising:

a first server associated with a first network provider and configured to send an embedded file to a plurality of computing devices, wherein the embedded file comprises an identification of a second network provider; and

a device associated with the first network provider and configured to provide access from a first network to a second network coupled to the first network, the device comprising;

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor;

wherein the memory includes instructions executable by the processor, which when executed by the processor, cause the device to perform;

receiving, at the device, information from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices coupled to the first network;

determining that the information received from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices comprises the identification of the second network provider;

sending login information to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, wherein the login information comprises information identifying the second network provider when displayed in a network browser interface of the computing device;

receiving user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices;

authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices;

determining that the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices are authenticated; and

in response to determining that the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices are authenticated, granting each computing device of the plurality of computing devices access to the second network through the first network.

14. The system of claim 13,

wherein authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices comprises authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices with the second network provider.

15. The system of claim 13,

wherein authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices comprises authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices with an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server controlled by the second network provider.

16. The system of claim 13,

wherein sending login information to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices comprises sending a custom login page to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, wherein the custom login page comprises the information associated with the second network provider.

17. The system of claim 13,

wherein the second network provider is a roaming partner of the first network provider.

18. The system of claim 13,

wherein the device includes a web server that performs receiving the information from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices and sending the login information to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices.

19. The system of claim 13,

wherein the second network comprises an Internet.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the memory further includes instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the device to perform:

sending a login completion page to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, wherein the login completion page comprises a link to the embedded file.

21. The system of claim 13,

wherein the embedded file comprises a transparent image file.

22. The system of claim 13,

wherein the embedded file comprises a header that comprises information operable to cause each computing device of the plurality of computing devices to store the identification of the second network provider.

23. The system of claim 13,

wherein the first server sending the embedded file to the computing device comprises sending a header to the computing device, wherein the header comprises the identification of the second network provider.

24. The system of claim 13,

wherein the embedded file comprises a cookie.

25. A computer readable memory medium comprising instructions, which when executed on a processing system associated with a first network provider, cause the processing system to perform:

receiving, at the processing system, information from each computing device of a plurality of computing devices coupled to a first network, wherein each computing device of a plurality of computing received an embedded file that comprises an identification of a second network provider;

determining that the information received from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices comprises the identification of the second network provider;

sending login information to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, wherein the login information comprises information identifying the second network provider when displayed in a network browser interface of the computing device;

receiving user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices;

authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices;

determining that the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices are authenticated; and

in response to determining that the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices are authenticated, granting each computing device of the plurality of computing devices access to a second network through the first network.

26. The computer readable memory medium of claim 25,

wherein authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices comprises authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices with the second network provider.

27. The computer readable memory medium of claim 25,

wherein authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices comprises authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices with an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server controlled by the second network provider.

28. The computer readable memory medium of claim 25,

wherein sending login information to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices comprises sending a custom login page to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, wherein the custom login page comprises the information associated with the second network provider.

29. The computer readable memory medium of claim 25,

wherein the second network provider is a roaming partner of the first network provider.

30. The computer readable memory medium of claim 25, wherein the computer readable memory medium further includes instructions, which when executed on the processing system, cause the processing system to implement a web server that performs receiving the information from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices and sending the login information to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices.

31. The computer readable memory medium of claim 25,

wherein the second network comprises an Internet.

32. The computer readable memory medium of claim 25, wherein the computer readable memory medium further includes instructions, which when executed on the processing system, cause the processing system to perform:

sending a login completion page to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, wherein the login completion page comprises a link to the embedded file.

33. The computer readable memory medium of claim 25,

wherein the embedded file comprises a transparent image file.

34. The computer readable memory medium of claim 25,

wherein the embedded file comprises a header that comprises information operable to cause each computing device of the plurality of computing devices to store the identification of the second network provider.

35. The computer readable memory medium of claim 25, wherein the computer readable memory medium further includes instructions, which when executed on the processing system, cause the processing system to perform:

sending the embedded file to the computing device comprises sending a header to the computing device, wherein the header comprises the identification of the second network provider.

36. The computer readable memory medium of claim 25,

wherein the embedded file comprises a cookie.

37. A computer program product, comprising:

a first computer readable memory medium comprising first instructions, which when executed on a first processing system associated with a first network provider, cause the first processing system to perform;

sending an embedded file to a plurality of computing devices, wherein the embedded file comprises an identification of a second network provider; and

a second computer readable memory medium comprising second instructions, which when executed on a second processing system associated with the first network provider, cause the second processing system to perform;

receiving, at the second processing system, information from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices coupled to a first network;

determining that the information received from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices comprises the identification of the second network provider;

sending login information to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, wherein the login information comprises information identifying the second network provider when displayed in a network browser interface of the computing device;

receiving user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices;

authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices;

determining that the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices are authenticated; and

in response to determining that the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices are authenticated, granting each computing device of the plurality of computing devices access to a second network through the first network.

38. The computer program product of claim 37,

wherein authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices comprises authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices with the second network provider.

39. The computer program product of claim 37,

wherein authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices comprises authenticating the user credentials from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices with an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server controlled by the second network provider.

40. The computer program product of claim 37,

wherein sending login information to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices comprises sending a custom login page to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, wherein the custom login page comprises the information associated with the second network provider.

41. The computer program product of claim 37,

wherein the second network provider is a roaming partner of the first network provider.

42. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein the second computer readable memory medium further includes instructions, which when executed on the second processing system, cause the processing system to implement a web server that performs receiving the information from each computing device of the plurality of computing devices and sending the login information to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices.

43. The computer program product of claim 37,

wherein the second network comprises an Internet.

44. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein the second computer readable memory medium further includes instructions, which when executed on the second processing system, cause the processing system to perform:

sending a login completion page to each computing device of the plurality of computing devices, wherein the login completion page comprises a link to the embedded file.

45. The computer program product of claim 37,

wherein the embedded file comprises a transparent image file.

46. The computer program product of claim 37,

wherein the embedded file comprises a header that comprises information operable to cause each computing device of the plurality of computing devices to store the identification of the second network provider.

47. The computer program product of claim 37,

wherein sending the embedded file to the computing device comprises sending a header to the computing device, wherein the header comprises the identification of the second network provider.

48. The computer program product of claim 37,

wherein the embedded file comprises a cookie.