System and method for concurrently utilizing multiple system identifiers

• US 7,920,518 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2009
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thompson, James, McClelland, Kathleen E., Stewart, Brett B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Huy D
• Assistant Examiner(s): RENNER, BRANDON M
• Application Number:
  US12/390,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20090164643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1464 using a card, such as credit card, prepay card or SIM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1471 splitting of costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1496 involving discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4666 Operational details on the addition or the stripping of a tag in a frame, e.g. at a provider edge node
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

System and method for providing access to multiple wireless service providers (WSPs) on a shared network infrastructure. The system includes a plurality of access points (APs) coupled to a network which may be distributed in airports, mass-transit stations, businesses, etc. The network may couple to a wide area network, such as the Internet. Each AP may include a plurality of virtual APs (VAPs), each corresponding to a WSP. A portable computing device (PCD) of a user stores identification information indicating a WSP of a plurality of possible WSPs, and which may include an access level of the user. Each AP “listens for” or detects identification information associated with numerous WSPs. When the AP receives the identification information from the PCD, it determines the VAP/WSP for the PCD using the identification information. Network access is then provided to the PCD through the determined WSP at the determined access level.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to a distributed wireless network system, the method comprising:

a first wireless access point in a distributed wireless network system receiving identification information from a portable computing device;

wherein the distributed wireless network system includes a plurality of wireless access points coupled to a network, and wherein the first wireless access point is coupled to the network and communicate with one or more portable computing devices in a wireless fashion;

wherein said identification information includes a name associated with a selected network service provider;

determining if said selected network service provider is one of a plurality of network service providers supported by said access point;

if said selected network service provider is one of the plurality of said network service providers supported by said access point, determining an access level based on payment information and providing network access from said selected network service provider based on the determined access level, wherein the access level indicates access to one or more network services including external network access or internal network access;

if said selected network service provider is not one of the plurality of said network service providers supported by said access point, automatically selecting one of said network service providers supported by said access point; and

obtaining payment information and providing network access from said selected network service provider based on an access level corresponding to the payment information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information includes an IEEE 802.11 system identification (SID).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information includes a media access control (MAC) identification.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information includes a digital certificate.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the payment information comprises credit card information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording charges for the network access provided to the portable computing device.

7. A wireless access point comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory memory medium coupled to the processor;

wherein the wireless access point is coupled to a network and communicate with one or more portable computing devices in a wireless fashion;

wherein the memory medium stores a data structure, wherein the data structure comprises a list of identification information and a corresponding list of supported network service providers, each supported network service provider having a plurality of access levels, wherein each of the access levels indicates access to one or more network services including external network access or internal network access provided by each of said supported network service providers;

wherein the memory medium comprises program instructions which are executable by the processor to;

receive identification information from a portable computing device of the one or more portable computing devices, wherein the identification information includes a name associated with a selected network service provider;

determine if said selected network service provider is contained in said list of supported network service providers;

if said selected network service provider is contained in said list of supported network service providers, then determining an access level, wherein, in said determining the access level, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to index into the data structure using the identification information to determine the access level stored in the data structure corresponding to the identification information; and

provide network access to the portable computing device at the determined access level from said selected network service provider;

if said selected network service provider is not contained in said list of supported network service providers, automatically selecting one of said network service providers supported by said access point; and

obtaining payment information and providing network access from said selected network service provider based on an access level corresponding to the payment information.

8. The wireless access point of claim 7, wherein the identification information includes an IEEE 802.11 system identification.

9. The wireless access point of claim 7, wherein the identification information includes a media access control (MAC) identification.

10. The wireless access point of claim 7, wherein the identification information includes a digital certificate.

11. A method for providing access to a distributed wireless network system, the method comprising:

a first wireless access point in a distributed wireless network system receiving identification information from a portable computing device, wherein the identification information is associated with service subscription information subscribing said portable computing device to a selected network service provider, and wherein the distributed wireless network system includes a plurality of wireless access points coupled to a network;

determining whether said selected network service provider is one of a plurality of network service providers supported by said wireless access point;

if said selected network service provider is one of the plurality of network service providers supported by said wireless access point, determining an access level for the portable computing device after receiving the identification information, wherein the determined access level is dependent on the service subscription information associated with the identification information of the portable computing device, and wherein the determined access level indicates access to one or more network services including external network access or internal network access;

if said selected network service provider is not one of the plurality of said network service providers supported by said access point, automatically selecting one of said network service providers supported by said access point; and

providing network access from said selected network service provider to the portable computing device based on the determined access level.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising

if the identification information is not associated with service subscription information, then registering a user associated with the personal computing device to create service subscription information and providing network access based on an access level corresponding to the service subscription information.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein registering the user comprises obtaining payment information from the user.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the payment information comprises credit card information.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the identification information includes an IEEE 802.11 system identification (SID).

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the identification information includes a media access control (MAC) identification.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising recording charges for the network access provided to the portable computing device.