Distributed network communication system which enables multiple network providers to use a common distributed network infrastructure

• US 8,250,167 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2004
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stewart, Brett B., Thompson, James, McClelland, Kathleen E.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRUONG, LAN DAI T
• Application Number:
  US10/792,568
• Publication Number:
  US 20040167958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,093 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/203, 709/211, 709/212, 709/217, 709/225, 709/229, 709/230, 709/238
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1439 time-based
• 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 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2874 Processing of data for distribution to the subscribers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/50 Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
• 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 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/004 in the uplink, i.e. towards network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

A system and method for providing access and/or roaming features on a network system. The network system includes a plurality of wireless and/or wired access points coupled to a network. In one embodiment, a portable computing device (PCD) of a user may store identification information which uniquely indicates a network provider of a plurality of possible network providers. Each of the access points are operable to “listen for” or detect identification information associated with numerous different providers. When the access point receives the identification information from a PCD of a user, the access point may determine the appropriate network provider for the portable computing device using the identification information. Network access may then be provided to the portable computing device through the determined network provider.

Claims

1. A wireless access point operable to be coupled to a network, the wireless access point comprising:

a memory medium for storing a data structure; and

a hardware processor operable when executed to;

communicate using wireless Ethernet with one or more computing devices;

concurrently use a plurality of radio frequency (RF) channels for communicating with the one or more computing devices;

receive identification information from a computing device of the one or more computing devices;

determine at least one network provider indicated by the identification information according to the data structure that comprises an association between the received identification information and the at least one network provider;

determine one or more RF channels indicated by the identification information according to the data structure that comprises an association between the determined at least one network provider and the one or more RF channels; and

couple the at least one network provider with the computing device utilizing the determined one or more RF channels.

2. The wireless access point of claim 1, wherein the wireless access point is operable to communicate using a first RF channel with a first subset of the one or more computing devices, and wherein the wireless access point is operable to communicate using a second RF channel, concurrently to using the first RF channel, with a second subset of the one or more computing devices.

3. The wireless access point of claim 2, wherein the wireless access point is operable to communicate using an Nth RF channel with an Nth subset of the one or more computing devices.

4. The wireless access point of claim 2, wherein the first RF channel and the second RF are non-overlapping RF channels.

5. The wireless access point of claim 1, wherein the wireless access point is operable to communicate with a computing device of the one or more computing devices, and wherein the wireless access point concurrently uses a plurality of RF channels for communicating with the computing device.

6. The wireless access point of claim 5, wherein the plurality of RF channels for communicating with the computing device comprises at least two non-overlapping RF channels.

7. The wireless access point of claim 1, wherein a subset of the one or more computing devices are portable computing devices.

8. The wireless access point of claim 1, wherein at least two of the one or more RF channels of the plurality of RF channels are non-overlapping channels.

9. The wireless access point of claim 1, wherein said identification information comprises a digital certificate.

10. The wireless access point of claim 1, wherein said identification information comprises an IEEE 802.11 system identification.

11. The wireless access point of claim 1, wherein said identification information comprises a media access control (MAC) identification.

12. The wireless access point of claim 1, wherein said identification information comprises a known geographic location of the computing device.

13. The wireless access point of claim 1, wherein the wireless access point is operable to:

receive a first identification from a first computing device of the one or more computing devices;

communicate with the first computing device using a first RF channel indicated by the first identification information;

receive a second identification information from a second computing device of the one or more computing devices;

communicate with the second communication device using a second RF channel indicated by the identification information.

14. The wireless access point of claim 13, wherein the first RF channel and the second RF channel are different RF channels.

15. The wireless access point of claim 14, wherein the different RF channels are non-overlapping RF channels.

16. The wireless access point of claim 1, wherein the identification information indicates access to a private portion of the network;

and wherein the one or more RF channels are based on access to the private portion of the network.

17. The wireless access point of claim 1, wherein the identification information indicates an access level;

and wherein the one or more RF channels are based on the access level.

18. The wireless access point of claim 17, wherein the wireless access point is operable to provide data from the computing device to one or more resources on the network;

and wherein the wireless access point is configured to allow the computing device access to the one or more resources on the network if the access level is a first access level.

19. The wireless access point of claim 18, wherein the wireless access point is configured to allow the computing device external access out of the network if the access level is a second access level, wherein if the access level is the second access level, the data is not provided to the one or more network resources.

20. The wireless access point of claim 19, wherein the external access out of the network comprises access using VoIP.

21. The wireless access point of claim 19, wherein the external access out of the network comprises access to other networks.

22. The wireless access point of claim 21, wherein the other networks comprise the Internet.

23. The wireless access point of claim 18, wherein the one or more network resources comprises LAN computing resources.

24. A method of using multiple channels for providing wireless Ethernet for one or more computing devices, the method comprising:

communicating using wireless Ethernet with one or more computing devices;

concurrently utilizing, at a wireless access point, a plurality of radio frequency (RF) channels for said communicating with the one or more computing devices;

receiving, at the wireless access point, identification information from a first computing device of the one or more computing devices;

determining, at the wireless access point, at least one service provider based upon the identification information;

determining, at the wireless access point, at least one RF channel based upon the determined at least one service provider; and

coupling the at least one service provider with the first computing device utilizing the determined at least one RF channel.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

communicating with a first subset of the one or more computing devices, wherein said communicating with the first subset uses a first RF channel; and

communicating, concurrently to use of the first RF channel, with a second subset of the one or more computing devices, wherein said communicating with the second subset uses a second RF channel.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the first RF channel and the second RF channel are non-overlapping RF channels.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

communicating with an Nth subset of the one or more computing devices, wherein said communicating with the Nth subset uses an Nth RF channel.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

communicating with a first subset of the one or more computing devices, wherein said communicating with the first subset uses a first RF channel;

reaching a threshold of a number of computing devices of said first subset; and

in response to said reaching the threshold, communicating with a second subset of the one or more computing devices, wherein said communicating with the second subset uses a second RF channel.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the first RF channel and the second RF channel are non-overlapping RF channels.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

communicating with a first subset of the one or more computing devices, wherein said communicating with the first subset uses a first RF channel;

reaching a threshold of a bandwidth of the first channel;

in response to said reaching the threshold, communicating with a second subset of the one or more computing devices, wherein said communicating with the second subset uses a second RF channel.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the first RF channel and the second RF channel are non-overlapping RF channels.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein determining the at least one RF channel and determining the at least one service provider comprises accessing a memory medium which stores a data structure comprising a list of identification information entries each indicating at least one RF channel of the plurality of RF channels and indicating at least one service provider.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein accessing the memory medium comprises accessing a management information base (MIB) coupled to a network which comprises the memory medium.

34. The method of claim 24, wherein said identification information comprises a digital certificate.

35. The method of claim 24, wherein said identification information comprises an IEEE 802.11 system identification.

36. The method of claim 24, wherein said identification information comprises a media access control (MAC) identification.

37. The method of claim 24, wherein said identification information comprises a known geographic location of the first computing device.

38. The method of claim 24, wherein a subset of the one or more computing devices are portable computing devices.

39. The method of claim 24, further comprising communicating with the first computing device by concurrently using a subset of the plurality of RF channels.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the subset comprises two or more RF channels.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the two or more RF channels comprises at least two non-overlapping channels.

42. The method of claim 24, wherein said concurrently utilizing a plurality of radio frequency (RF) channels for said communicating with the one or more computing devices operates to provide increased communication bandwidth in said communicating.

43. A method for providing access to a network system, wherein the network system comprises one or more wireless access points coupled to a network, wherein the one or more wireless access points communicate using wireless Ethernet with one or more computing devices, the method comprising:

receiving at a first wireless access point of the one or more wireless access points identification information from a computing device of the one or more computing devices, wherein the first wireless access point is operable to concurrently utilize a plurality of radio frequency (RF) channels to communicate with the one or more computing devices, wherein the identification information indicates a network provider of a plurality of possible network providers, wherein said first wireless access point comprises a memory medium which stores a data structure comprising a list of identification information entries each indicating at least one network provider of the plurality of possible network providers;

determining at the first wireless access point the network provider for the computing device after receiving the identification information, wherein said determining the network provider for the first computing device comprises accessing the memory medium and using the received identification information to determine the network provider;

assigning by the first wireless access point a RF channel from a plurality of RF channels for communication between the first wireless access point and the computing device based on the determined network provider;

receiving data at the first wireless access point from the computing device; and

providing network access, using the assigned RF channel, to the computing device through the network provider determined in said determining.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein said providing network access comprises providing the data received from the computing device to a destination based on the determined network provider.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the network system is useable by subscribers of each of the plurality of possible network providers.

46. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

maintaining and storing a usage amount by the computing device;

wherein the determined network provider charges for access by the computing device to the network.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein the data structure further comprises associated methods for providing data to the respective plurality of possible network providers;

wherein said determining the network provider for the computing device comprises accessing the memory medium, using the received identification information to determine the network provider, and using an associated method for providing the data to the network provider.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the data structure stores a destination address indicating a destination specified by the network provider;

and wherein said providing the data comprises providing the data to the destination specified by the network provider.

49. The method of claim 43, wherein the one or more wireless access points are maintained by a first network provider;

and wherein the identification information indicates a second network provider.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the data structure further comprises a destination, wherein the destination is specified by the first network provider;

and wherein said providing the data comprises providing the data to the destination specified by the first network provider.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the data structure further comprises a destination, wherein the destination is specified by the second network provider;

and wherein said providing the data comprises providing the data to the destination specified by the second network provider.

52. The method claim of claim 49, wherein the data structure further comprises an associated method for providing data to the second network provider;

wherein said determining the network provider for the computing device comprises accessing the memory medium, using the received identification information to determine the network provider, and using the associated method for providing the data to the second network provider.

53. The method claim of 52, wherein the associated method is provided by the first network provider.

54. The method claim of 52, wherein the associated method is provided by the second network provider.

55. The method of claim 43, wherein the identification information comprises a System ID of the computing device, wherein the System ID uniquely identifies the network provider of the plurality of possible network providers.

56. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

the first wireless access point receiving identification information from a second computing device of the one or more computing devices, wherein the identification information indicates a second network provider of the plurality of possible network providers;

determining the second network provider for the second computing device after receiving the identification information from the second computing device;

assigning a second RF channel for communication between the first wireless access point and the second computing device;

the first wireless access point receiving data from the second computing device; and

providing network access to the second computing device through the second network provider determined in said determining the second network provider.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the RF channel and the second RF channel are the same RF channel.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein the RF channel and the second RF channel are different RF channels.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the different RF channels are non-overlapping RF channels.

60. The method of claim 56, wherein said assigning the second RF channel based on the identification information received from the second computing device.

61. The method of claim 56, wherein said assigning the second RF channel is based on the determined second network provider.

62. The method of claim 56, further comprising:

determining an access level for the second computing device after receiving the identification information from the second computing device;

wherein said assigning the second RF channel based on the determined access level.

63. The method of claim 56, wherein said providing network access to the second computing device comprises providing the data received from the second computing device to a destination based on the determined second network provider.

64. The method of claim 56, further comprising:

maintaining and storing a usage amount by the second computing device;

wherein the determined second network provider of the second computing device charges for access to the network by the second computing device.

65. The method of claim 56, wherein the data structure further comprises associated methods for providing data to the respective plurality of possible network providers;

wherein said determining the second network provider for the second computing device comprises accessing the memory medium, using the received identification information from the second computing device to determine the second network provider, and using an associated method for providing the data to the second network provider.

66. The method of claim 56, wherein the one or more wireless access points are maintained by the network provider.

67. The method of claim 56, wherein the identification information from the second computing device comprises a System ID of the second computing device, wherein the System ID of the second computing device uniquely identifies the second network provider of the plurality of possible network providers.

68. The method of claim 56, wherein at least a subset of the identification information entries each indicate one or more virtual local area networks (VLANs).

69. The method of claim 68, wherein each virtual local area network (VLAN) specifies a network provider.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein said providing network access to the second computing device comprises using a VLAN specified by the identification information from the second computer.

71. The method of claim 56,

wherein the data structure further stores a respective network provider for each identification information entry;

wherein said determining the second network provider comprises indexing into the data structure using the identification information from the second computing device to determine the second network provider stored in the data structure corresponding to the identification information from the second computing device.

72. The method of claim 56, wherein the data structure further comprises a destination, wherein the destination is specified by the second network provider, of the plurality of network providers;

wherein said providing the data comprises providing the data to the destination specified by the second network provider.

73. The method of claim 56, wherein said second identification information comprises a digital certificate.

74. The method of claim 56, wherein said second identification information comprises an IEEE 802.11 system identification.

75. The method of claim 56, wherein said second identification information comprises a media access control (MAC) identification.

76. The method of claim 56, wherein said second identification information comprises a known geographic location of the second computing device.

77. The method of claim 43, wherein the one or more wireless access points are arranged at known locations in a geographic region, the method further comprising:

the first wireless access point providing geographic location information indicating a known geographic location of the computing device;

wherein said providing network access comprises selectively providing network access to the computing device based on the known geographic location of the computing device.

78. The method of claim 43, wherein the data structure further comprises a list of access levels, the method further comprising:

determining an access level for the computing device after receiving the identification information, wherein said determining the access level for the computing device comprises accessing the memory medium and using the received identification information to determine the access level;

the first wireless access point receiving data from the computing device; and

providing the data received from the computing device to a destination based on the determined access level.

79. The method of claim 78, wherein said providing the data comprises:

providing the data to one or more resources on the network to allow the computing device access to the one or more resources on the network if the access level is a first access level;

providing the data to a destination for external access out of the network to only allow the computing device access to other networks if the access level is a second access level;

wherein, if the access level is the second access level, the data is not provided to the one or more resources on the network.

80. The method of claim 79, further comprising:

assigning a second RF channel for communication between the first wireless access point and the computing device if the access level is the second access level.

81. The method of claim 79, further comprising:

assigning a second RF channel for communication between the first wireless access point and the computing device if the access level is the first access level.

82. The method of claim 43, wherein the first wireless access point assigns the RF channel for communication between the first wireless access point and the first computing device.

83. The method of claim 43, wherein said assigning comprises assigning the RF channel based on the identification information received from the computing device.

84. The method of claim 43, wherein said assigning comprises assigning the RF channel based on the determined network provider.

85. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

determining an access level for the computing device after receiving the identification information;

wherein said assigning the RF channel for communication between the first wireless access point and the computing device based on the determined access level.

86. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

determining an access level for the computing device after receiving the identification information;

assigning a second RF channel for communicating between the first access point and the computing device, wherein the RF channel and the second RF channel are utilized concurrently;

wherein said assigning the second RF channel for communication between the first wireless access point and the computing device is based on the determined access level.

87. The method of claim 86, wherein the RF channel and the second RF channel are non-overlapping RF channels.

88. The method of claim 43, wherein at least a subset of the identification information entries each indicate one or more virtual local area networks (VLANs).

89. The method of claim 88, wherein each virtual local area network (VLAN) specifies a network provider.

90. The method of claim 89, wherein said providing network access comprises using a VLAN specified by the identification information.

91. The method of claim 43,

wherein the data structure further stores a respective network provider for each identification information entry;

wherein said determining the network provider comprises indexing into the data structure using the identification information to determine the network provider stored in the data structure corresponding to the identification information.

92. The method of claim 43, wherein the data structure further comprises a destination, wherein the destination is specified by a first network provider, of the plurality of network providers;

wherein said providing the data comprises providing the data to the destination specified by the first network provider.

93. The method of claim 43, wherein said identification information comprises a digital certificate.

94. The method of claim 43, wherein said identification information comprises an IEEE 802.11 system identification.

95. The method of claim 43, wherein said identification information comprises a media access control (MAC) identification.

96. The method of claim 43, wherein said identification information comprises a known geographic location of the computing device.

97. The method of claim 43, wherein the one or more points are arranged at known locations in a geographic region, the method further comprising:

the first access point providing geographic location information indicating a known geographic location of the computing device.

98. The method of claim 43, wherein the computing device is a portable computing device.