System and method for enabling wireless internet access in public areas

• US 7,895,297 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2007
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intersections Incorporated (Aura Sub, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Anchorfree Incorporated
• Inventors: Gorodyansky, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Pwu; Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEHARRY, NOEL R
• Application Number:
  US11/687,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20070192371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context

Abstract

The computerized inventive system enables both the wireless internet service providers and conventional wired internet service providers to redirect users to partner websites through appropriate affiliate links and to enable the aforesaid service providers to participate in revenue sharing with internet content providers. Using the inventive methodology and the inventive system, the wireless internet service providers and conventional wired internet service providers are able to offer free internet services to general public and receive a share of the revenue earned by the content providers.

Claims

1. A computerized system for providing subsidized wireless internet service to a user, the system comprising:

a. a plurality of wireless network gateways operable to establish a connection between a computer device of the user and a computer network and enable the user to access the computer network;

b. a central processing unit executing a registration application and a proxy application, the registration application operable to cause the proxy application and the plurality of wireless network gateways to transmit its internet addresses to each other and register the internet address of the proxy application with the plurality of wireless network gateways, whereby the plurality of wireless network gateways forward user requests to the proxy application using the registered internet address of the proxy application, the proxy application automatically redirect the user who uses the wireless network gateway and who initiates a request for a partner merchant web service, the redirection being performed using an affiliate link;

c. a database storing information on a plurality of partner merchant web services and its plurality of affiliate links used for redirection, the plurality of web services being provided by a plurality of partner merchants; and

d. a payment application operable to initiate plurality of payments from the plurality of partner merchants to an operator of a wireless network gateway of the plurality of wireless network gateways, wherein;

i. the proxy application is operable to receive at least one connection request from at least one network client, and to determine if the receiving at least one user connection request matches with the partner merchant web service on the internet;

ii. if the proxy application determines that the received at least one connection request matches with the partner web server, to automatically redirect the received at least one user connection request to the partner merchant web service via the affiliate link;

iii. each of the plurality of payments from each of the plurality of partner merchants is based on a number of times the user accessed the partner web services using the one of the plurality of wireless network gateway; and

iv. wherein the plurality of partner merchants providing partner merchant web services to which the proxy application automatically redirects received user connection requests using the affiliate link collectively subsidize the providing of the wireless internet service to the user.

2. The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the response to redirection of the received at least one connection request to the partner web service via an affiliate link, the partner merchant associated with the partner web service provides a payment to the operator of the computerized system.

3. The computerized system of claim 2, wherein providing a payment comprises generating a payment record within the partner'"'"'s system.

4. The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the partner web service comprises a payment subsystem, wherein in response to redirection of the received at least one connection request to the partner web service via an affiliate link, the payment subsystem authorizes a payment to the operator of the one of the plurality of wireless network gateways.

5. The computerized system of claim 4, further comprising a payment record database, wherein authorizing a payment comprises generating a payment record and storing this record in the payment record database.

6. The computerized system of claim 1, further comprising a billing subsystem and a billing record database, wherein in response to redirection of the received at least one connection request to the partner web service via an affiliate link, the billing subsystem generates a billing record to the partner web service and stores this record in the billing record database.