System and method for wide area wireless connectivity to the internet
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- receiving at a centralized authentication server, which manages a process of authenticating users for a plurality of authentication systems and is located remotely from any one of the plurality of authentication systems, an access request for a wireless device of a user to obtain Internet access through a Wi-Fi system, wherein the centralized authentication server includes information of a plurality of authentication databases from which users may be authenticated, each of the plurality of authentication databases corresponding to a different communication service and to a different authentication system of the plurality of authentication systems, and wherein the information includes identification of a first protocol required for communicating with a first authentication database of the plurality of authentication databases and identification of a second protocol required for communicating with a second authentication database of the plurality of authentication databases, and wherein the second protocol is different from the first protocol;
transmitting an authentication request from the centralized authentication server to at least the first authentication database of the plurality of authentication databases using the first protocol; and
permitting the user access to the Internet through the Wi-Fi system by the wireless device when an indication of authentication is received from at least the first authentication database.
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Abstract
A system and method for managing access to a Wi-Fi system include redirecting an access request, comprising a user credential, from a wireless user device to an authentication server, obtaining, from a first database, a list of a plurality of authentication databases from which users may be authenticated, the list including a protocol required for communication with each of the authentication databases, transmitting a request to each of the listed authentication databases using the identified protocol, and permitting the user access to the Internet through the Wi-Fi system if the user is authenticated by at least one of the listed authentication databases.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving at a centralized authentication server, which manages a process of authenticating users for a plurality of authentication systems and is located remotely from any one of the plurality of authentication systems, an access request for a wireless device of a user to obtain Internet access through a Wi-Fi system, wherein the centralized authentication server includes information of a plurality of authentication databases from which users may be authenticated, each of the plurality of authentication databases corresponding to a different communication service and to a different authentication system of the plurality of authentication systems, and wherein the information includes identification of a first protocol required for communicating with a first authentication database of the plurality of authentication databases and identification of a second protocol required for communicating with a second authentication database of the plurality of authentication databases, and wherein the second protocol is different from the first protocol; transmitting an authentication request from the centralized authentication server to at least the first authentication database of the plurality of authentication databases using the first protocol; and permitting the user access to the Internet through the Wi-Fi system by the wireless device when an indication of authentication is received from at least the first authentication database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 40)
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15. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing instructions for execution by a computer to carry out a method, the method comprising:
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receiving at a centralized authentication server, which manages a process of authenticating users for a plurality of authentication systems and is located remotely from any one of the plurality of authentication systems, an access request for a wireless user device of a user to obtain Internet access through a Wi-Fi system, wherein the centralized authentication server includes information of a plurality of authentication databases from which users may be authenticated, each of the plurality of authentication databases corresponding to a different communication service and to a different authentication system of the plurality of authentication systems, and wherein the information includes identification of a first protocol required for communication with a first authentication database of the plurality of authentication databases and identification of a second protocol required for communicating with a second authentication database of the plurality of authentication databases, and wherein the second protocol is different from the first protocol; transmitting an authentication request from the centralized authentication server to at least one of the first authentication database of the plurality of authentication databases using the first protocol; and permitting the user access to the Internet through the Wi-Fi system by the wireless device when an indication of authentication is received from at least the first authentication database. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 41)
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29. A system comprising:
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a centralized authentication server managing a process of authenticating users for a plurality of authentication systems and located remotely from any one of the plurality of authentication systems configured to; receive an access request for a wireless device of a user to obtain Internet access through a Wi-Fi system, wherein the centralized authentication server includes information of a plurality of authentication databases from which users may be authenticated, each of the plurality of authentication databases corresponding to a different communication service and to a different authentication system of the plurality of authentication systems, and wherein the information includes identification of a first protocol required for communication with a first authentication database of the plurality of authentication databases, and identification of a second protocol required for communication with a second authentication database of the plurality of authentication databases, and wherein the second protocol is different from the first protocol; issue an authentication request for the access request from the centralized authentication server to the first authentication database of the plurality of authentication databases using the first protocol; and send the access command to the hotspot venue if the user is authenticated; a hotspot venue configured to redirect an access request generated by a wireless device to the centralized authentication server, and to permit the user to access the Internet in response to a receipt of an access command from the centralized authentication server; and the first authentication database configured to receive the authentication request using the first protocol, and to respond to the centralized authentication server by indicating whether the access request is permitted. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 42)
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Specification