Mobile device and method for automatic connectivity, data offloading and roaming between networks
First Claim
1. A method of automatically connecting to a Wi-Fi hotspot, the method comprising:
- storing subscription information for one or more service providers (SP) that operate Wi-Fi networks in a subscription data object of a mobile device, the subscription information including home service provider information and policy information, wherein the policy information includes a service provider blacklist that indicates hotspot service providers with which the home service provider does not have a roaming agreement;
determining, without user interaction, if the subscription information is applicable to an available Wi-Fi network;
when the subscription information is applicable to an available network, the method includes performing, without user interaction, an authentication with the available Wi-Fi network to establish a Wi-Fi connection with the available network;
refraining from establishing a Wi-Fi connection with hotspot service providers identified in the service provider blacklist, wherein the service provider blacklist identities the fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) for each blacklisted hotspot service provider;
determining a current location of the mobile device based on a geo-location, a cellular identifier or a WLAN identifier;
retrieving, without user interaction, a list of one or more preferred networks available at the current location from the subscription data object; and
automatically performing, without user interaction, an EAP-based authentication using pre-provisioned credentials with a selected one of the available Wi-Fi networks to establish the Wi-Fi connection.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of a mobile device and methods automatically connecting to a Wi-Fi Hotspot 2.0 are generally described herein. In some embodiments, subscription information for one or more service providers (SP) that operate Wi-Fi networks is stored in a subscription data object of the mobile device. The subscription information includes home service provider information, policy information and pre-provisioned credentials. The mobile device may be configured to determine, without user interaction, if the subscription information is applicable to an available Wi-Fi network and perform without user interaction, an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) based authentication using the pre-provisioned credentials with the available Wi-Fi network to establish a Wi-Fi connection with the available Wi-Fi network. This automatic connectivity may allow a mobile device to roam across Wi-Fi hotspots of Wi-Fi networks and offload traffic to Wi-Fi networks.
49 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of automatically connecting to a Wi-Fi hotspot, the method comprising:
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storing subscription information for one or more service providers (SP) that operate Wi-Fi networks in a subscription data object of a mobile device, the subscription information including home service provider information and policy information, wherein the policy information includes a service provider blacklist that indicates hotspot service providers with which the home service provider does not have a roaming agreement; determining, without user interaction, if the subscription information is applicable to an available Wi-Fi network; when the subscription information is applicable to an available network, the method includes performing, without user interaction, an authentication with the available Wi-Fi network to establish a Wi-Fi connection with the available network; refraining from establishing a Wi-Fi connection with hotspot service providers identified in the service provider blacklist, wherein the service provider blacklist identities the fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) for each blacklisted hotspot service provider; determining a current location of the mobile device based on a geo-location, a cellular identifier or a WLAN identifier; retrieving, without user interaction, a list of one or more preferred networks available at the current location from the subscription data object; and automatically performing, without user interaction, an EAP-based authentication using pre-provisioned credentials with a selected one of the available Wi-Fi networks to establish the Wi-Fi connection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for automatically connecting to a Wi-Fi hotspot, the method comprising:
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storing subscription information for one or more service providers that operate networks in a subscription data object of the mobile device, the subscription information including home service provider information and policy information, wherein the policy information includes a service provider blacklist that indicates hotspot service providers with which the home service provider does not have a roaming agreement and a roaming partner list indicating the hotspot service providers that the home service provider has a roaming agreement with; determining, without user interaction, if the subscription information is applicable to an available Wi-Fi network; when the subscription information is applicable to an available Wi-Fi network, the method includes performing, without user interaction, an authentication with the available Wi-Fi network to establish a connection with the available Wi-Fi network; roaming from a currently connected Wi-Fi network to a hotspot of another Wi-Fi network operated by either the home service provider or a hotspot service provider on the roaming partner list; and refraining from roaming to a hotspot operated by a service provider on the service provider blacklist, wherein the service provider blacklist identifies the fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) for each blacklisted hotspot service provider; determining a current location of the mobile device based on a geo-location, a cellular identifier or a WLAN identifier; retrieving, without user interaction, a list of one or more preferred Wi-Fi networks available at the current location from the subscription data object; and automatically performing, without user interaction, an EAP-based authentication using pre-provisioned credentials with a selected one of the available Wi-Fi networks to establish the Wi-Fi connection.
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19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
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storing subscription information for one or more service providers (SP) that operate Wi-networks in a subscription data object of a mobile device, the subscription information including home service provider information and policy information, wherein the policy information includes a service provider blacklist that indicates hotspot providers with which the home service provider does not have a roaming agreement; determining, without user interaction, if the subscription information is applicable to an available Wi-Fi network; when the subscription information is applicable to an available Wi-Fi network, the method includes performing, without user interaction, an authentication with the available network to establish a Wi-Fi connection with the available Wi-Fi network; and refraining from establishing a connection with hotspot service providers identified in the service provider blacklist, wherein the service provider blacklist identifies the fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) for each blacklisted hotspot service provider; determining a current location of the mobile device based on a geo-location, a cellular identifier or a WLAN identifier; retrieving, without user interaction, a list of one or more preferred Wi-Fi networks available at the current location from the subscription data object; and automatically performing, without user interaction, an EAP-based authentication using pre-provisioned credentials with a selected one of the available Wi-Fi networks to establish the Wi-Fi connection. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
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storing subscription information for one or more service providers that operate Wi-Fi networks in a subscription data object of the mobile device, the subscription information including home service provider information and policy information, wherein the policy information includes a service provider blacklist that indicates hotspot service providers with which the home service provider does not have a roaming agreement and a roaming partner list indicating the hotspot service providers that the home service provider has a roaming agreement with; determining, without user interaction, if the subscription information is applicable to an available Wi-Fi network; when the subscription information is applicable to an available Wi-fi network, the method includes performing, without user interaction, an authentication with the available Wi-Fi network to establish a Wi-Fi connection with the available Wi-Fi network; roaming from a currently connected Wi-Fi network to a hotspot of another Wi-Fi network operated by either the home service provider or a hotspot service provider on the roaming partner list; and refraining from roaming to a hotspot operated by a service provider on the service provider blacklist, wherein the service provider blacklist identifies the fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) for each blacklisted hotspot service provider; determining a current location of the mobile device based on a geo-location, a cellular identifier or a WLAN identifier; retrieving, without user interaction, a list of one or more preferred Wi-Fi networks available at the current location from the subscription data object; and automatically performing, without user interaction, an EAP-based authentication using pre-provisioned credentials with a selected one of the available Wi-Fi networks to establish the Wi-Fi connection.
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22. A mobile device comprising:
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memory configured to store subscription information for one or more service providers (SP) that operate Wi-Fi networks in a subscription data object of mobile device, the subscription information including home service provider information and policy information-wherein the policy information includes a service provider blacklist that indicates hotspot service providers with which the home service provider does not have a roaming agreement; processing circuitry coupled to the memory and configured to determine, without user interaction, if the subscription information is applicable to an available Wi-Fi network, when the subscription information is applicable to an available Wi-Fi network; and a physical layer coupled to the processing circuitry and configured to perform, without user interaction, an authentication with the available Wi-Fi network to establish a Wi-Fi connection with the available Wi-Fi network, and refrain from establishing a Wi-Fi connection with hotspot service providers identified in the service provider blacklist, wherein the service provider blacklist identifies the fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) for each blacklisted hotspot service provider, the physical layer further configured to determine a current location of the mobile device based on a geo-location, a cellular identifier or a WLAN identifier;
retrieve, without user interaction, a list of one or more preferred Wi-Fi networks available at the current location from the subscription data object; and
automatically perform, without user interaction, an EAP-based authentication using pre-provisioned credentials with a selected one of the available Wi-Fi networks to establish the Wi-Fi connection.
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Specification