Social network based Wi-Fi connectivity

• US 9,014,634 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2013
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: DeLuca, Lisa Seacat, Guy, Ido, Mizrachi, Boaz
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US13/893,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20140342661A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455517-519, 455/550.1, 455/566, 455/90.1
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

An embodiment of the invention provides a method for social network based Wi-Fi, wherein an antenna of a mobile electronic device identifies at least one wireless network within range of the mobile electronic device, and wherein owner(s) of the wireless network(s) are identified with a processor. Relationship status(es) between the owner of the mobile electronic device and the owner(s) of the wireless network(s) are determined with an analysis engine. The wireless network(s) and the relationship status(es) between the owner of the mobile electronic device and the owner(s) of the wireless network(s) are displayed on the mobile electronic device. A request to access a wireless network is received from the owner of the mobile electronic device. Access to the wireless network is automatically granting when the relationship status between the owner of the mobile electronic device and the owner of the wireless network is above a predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying at least one wireless network within range of an electronic device;

identifying an owner of the at least one wireless network with a processor;

determining a relationship status between the owner of the at least one wireless network and an owner of the electronic device with an analysis engine; and

displaying the at least one wireless network and the relationship status between the owner of the at least one wireless network and the owner of the electronic device on the electronic device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the relationship status includes a level of connectedness on at least one social networking website.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the relationship status includes a level of connectedness on at least one professional networking website.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the relationship status includes at least one of:

a presence of the owner of the electronic device on at least one contacts list of the of the owner of the at least one wireless network; and

a presence of the owner of the at least one wireless network on at least one contacts list of the owner of the electronic device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the relationship status includes a presence of the owner of the electronic device on a list of users authorized to access the at least one wireless network.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the relationship status includes an agreement that the owner of the electronic device is permitted to access the at least one wireless network if the owner of the electronic device permits the owner of the at least one wireless network to access a wireless network of the owner of the electronic device.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to access the at least one wireless network from the owner of the electronic device; and

automatically granting access to the at least one wireless network when the relationship status between the owner of the at least one wireless network and the owner of the electronic device is above a predetermined threshold.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising automatically granting access to the at least one wireless network when the owner of the electronic device is a member of a social network group that the owner of the at least one wireless network belongs to.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising identifying a wireless network within the range of the electronic device having a highest level of connectedness with the owner of the electronic device.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising ranking the identified wireless networks within the range of the electronic device based on connectedness with the owner of the electronic device.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a common contact when the owner of the at least one wireless network is not a direct contact with the owner of the electronic device, the common contact being a direct contact of both the owner of the at least one wireless network and the owner of the electronic device; and

displaying the common contact to the owner of the electronic device on the electronic device.

12. A method comprising:

identifying at least one wireless network within range of a mobile electronic device with an antenna of the mobile electronic device;

identifying an owner of the at least one wireless network with a processor;

determining a relationship status between the owner of the at least one wireless network and an owner of the mobile electronic device with an analysis engine, the relationship status including a level of connectedness on at least one social networking website;

displaying the at least one wireless network and the relationship status between the owner of the at least one wireless network and the owner of the mobile electronic device on a display unit of the mobile electronic device;

receiving a request to access the at least one wireless network from the owner of the mobile electronic device; and

automatically granting access to the at least one wireless network when the relationship status between the owner of the at least one wireless network and the owner of the mobile electronic device is above a predetermined threshold.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the relationship status includes at least one of:

a presence of the owner of the mobile electronic device on at least one contacts list of the of the owner of the at least one wireless network; and

a presence of the owner of the at least one wireless network on at least one contacts list of the owner of the mobile electronic device.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the relationship status includes a presence of the owner of the mobile electronic device on a list of users authorized to access the at least one wireless network.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the relationship status includes an agreement that the owner of the mobile electronic device is permitted to access the at least one wireless network if the owner of the mobile electronic device permits the owner of the at least one wireless network to access a wireless network of the owner of the mobile electronic device.

16. The method according to claim 12, further comprising identifying a wireless network within the range of the mobile electronic device having a highest level of connectedness with the owner of the mobile electronic device.

17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising ranking the identified wireless networks within the range of the mobile electronic device based on connectedness with the owner of the mobile electronic device.

18. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

identifying a common connection when the owner of the at least one wireless network is not a direct connection with the owner of the mobile electronic device, the common connection being a direct connection of both the owner of the at least one wireless network and the owner of the mobile electronic device; and

displaying the common connection to the owner of the mobile electronic device on the display unit of the mobile electronic device.

19. A system comprising:

an antenna, said antenna identifies at least one wireless network within range of an electronic device;

a processor connected to said antenna, said processor identifies an owner of the at least one wireless network;

an analysis engine connected to said processor, said analysis engine determines a relationship status between the owner of the at least one wireless network and an owner of the electronic device; and

a display unit connected to said analysis engine, said display displays the at least one wireless network and the relationship status between the owner of the at least one wireless network and the owner of the electronic device.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the relationship status includes at least one of:

a level of connectedness on at least one social networking website;

a level of connectedness on at least one professional networking website;

a presence of the owner of the electronic device on at least one contacts list of the of the owner of the at least one wireless network;

a presence of the owner of the at least one wireless network on at least one contacts list of the owner of the electronic device;

a presence of the owner of the electronic device on a list of users authorized to access the at least one wireless network; and

an agreement that the owner of the electronic device is permitted to access the at least one wireless network if the owner of the electronic device permits the owner of the at least one wireless network to access a wireless network of the owner of the electronic device.

21. The system according to claim 19, further comprising:

a communications device connected to said processor, said communications device receives a request to access the at least one wireless network from the owner of the electronic device; and

a control module connected to said communications device, said control module automatically grants access to the at least one wireless network when the relationship status between the owner of the at least one wireless network and the owner of the electronic device is above a predetermined threshold.

22. The system according to claim 19, wherein said analysis engine identifies a wireless network within the range of the electronic device having a highest level of connectedness with the owner of the electronic device.

23. The system according to claim 19, wherein said analysis engine ranks the identified wireless networks within the range of the electronic device based on connectedness with the owner of the electronic device.

24. The system according to claim 19, further comprising:

wherein said analysis engine identifies a common contact when the owner of the at least one wireless network is not a direct contact with the owner of the electronic device, the common contact being a direct contact of both the owner of the at least one wireless network and the owner of the electronic device; and

wherein said display unit displays the common contact to the owner of the electronic device on the electronic device.

25. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium;

first program instructions to identify at least one wireless network within range of an electronic device;

second program instructions to identify an owner of the at least one wireless network;

third program instructions to determine a relationship status between the owner of the at least one wireless network and an owner of the electronic device; and

fourth program instructions to display the at least one wireless network and the relationship status between the owner of the at least one wireless network and the owner of the electronic device,

said first program instructions, said second program instructions, said third program instructions, and said fourth program instructions are stored on said computer readable storage medium.