System and method for transferring wireless network access passwords

• US 8,885,555 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2011
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Zhou, Yong, Satarasinghe, Prasanna J., Alperovich, Vladimir, Hui, David Ka-Wai, Goss, James, Baker, John
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAN, SAI MING
• Application Number:
  US13/117,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20120020340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 370/280, 370/328, 370/411, 370/433, 370/466, 455/411, 455/433, 455/466
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0838 using one-time-passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an access node for transferring and/or assigning network passwords. The access node includes a first interface for sending and receiving communication of a first type to and from a first node operating in a wireless local area network (WLAN). The access node also includes a second interface for sending and receiving communication of a second type to and from a second node in a mobile network, such as a GSM/GPRS network. The access node further includes a short messaging service (SMS) module for sending and receiving. SMS messages to the second node carrying an OTP allocated. The access node also includes a mechanism to verify a precondition before the OTP is sent to the second node.

Claims

1. A method to access a wireless local area network (WLAN) comprising:

receiving a first message at a mobile unit that is operable in a mobile network, the first message including an identifier for an access node to provide access to the wireless local area network (WLAN);

sending a second message from the mobile unit to the access node to access the WLAN; and

receiving a password from the access node at the mobile unit to access the WLAN.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the password is a one-time password (OTP).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving includes receiving a third message at the mobile unit including the password.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one of the first message, the second message or the third message is a short messaging service (SMS) message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the access node is a subscriber of the mobile network and the identifier is an MSISDN (Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number) of the access node.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising gaining access to the WLAN through the mobile unit using the password.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile network includes at least one of a global system mobile (GSM) network or a code division multiple access (CDMA) network.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating the mobile unit to the mobile network using a SIM (Subscriber identity module) card.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second message includes an MSISDN number of the mobile unit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said sending includes sending the second message using the identifier.

11. A device to operate in a mobile network comprising:

an interface to exchange messages in the mobile network, wherein the interface is to;

receive a first message at a mobile unit that is operable in a mobile network, the first message including an identifier for an access node to provide access to a wireless local area network (WLAN);

send a second message to the access node to access the WLAN; and

receive a password from the access node to access the WLAN.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the password is a one-time password (OTP).

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the interface is further configured to receive a third message including the password.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first message, the second message or the third message is a short messaging service (SMS) message.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the access node is a subscriber of the mobile network and the identifier is an MSISDN (Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number) of the access node.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the mobile network includes at least one of a global system mobile (GSM) network or a code division multiple access (CDMA) network.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the second message includes an MSISDN number of the device.

18. The device of claim 11, wherein the interface is further configured to send the second message using the identifier.

19. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium that contains instructions, which when executed by one or more processors result in performing operations comprising:

receiving a first message at a mobile unit that is operable in a mobile network, the first message including an identifier for an access node to provide access to the wireless local area network (WLAN);

sending a second message from the mobile unit to the access node to access the WLAN; and

receiving a password at the mobile unit from the access node to access the WLAN.

20. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the password is a one-time password (OTP).

21. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein said receiving includes receiving a third message at the mobile unit including the password.

22. The storage medium of claim 21, wherein at least one of the first message, the second message or the third message is a short messaging service (SMS) message.

23. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the access node is a subscriber of the mobile network and the identifier is an MSISDN (Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number) of the access node.

24. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further include gaining access to the WLAN through the mobile unit using the password.

25. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the mobile network includes at least one of a global system mobile (GSM) network or a code division multiple access (CDMA) network.

26. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further include authenticating the mobile unit to the mobile network using a SIM card.

27. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the second message includes an MSISDN number of the mobile unit.

28. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein said sending includes sending the second message using the identifier.