×

Authorizing secured wireless access at hotspot having open wireless network and secure wireless network

  • US 9,161,219 B2
  • Filed: 06/22/2012
  • Issued: 10/13/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A method of authorizing secured wireless access at a hotspot, the method comprising:

  • providing an open wireless network having no network-level encryption and allowing open association therewith by a client device;

    establishing an encrypted connection between the client device and a login portal of the hotspot over the open wireless network;

    requiring a user of the client device to perform a predetermined sign-up process at the login portal before adding a user-specific access credential to a credential database;

    adding the user-specific access credential as a valid access credential in the credential database, wherein the credential database stores a plurality of valid access credentials acceptable for gaining secure wireless access at the hotspot, and the user-specific access credential is transmitted between the login portal and the client device via the encrypted connection;

    providing a secure wireless network employing network-level encryption and requiring successful completion of an authentication process before allowing association therewith by the client device;

    receiving a request from the client device to associate with the secure wireless network after the user-specific access credential has been added to the credential database;

    receiving the user-specific access credential from the client device as a part of the authentication process performed before the client device is allowed to associate with the secure wireless network;

    accessing the credential database to check whether the user-specific access credential received from the client device during the authentication process corresponds to one of the valid access credentials stored in the credential database;

    allowing the client device to associate with the secure wireless network only when the user-specific access credential received from the client device during the authentication process corresponds to one of the valid access credentials stored in the credential database;

    allowing the client device to access the Internet over the secure wireless network after the client device has successfully associated with the secure wireless network until an Internet access expiry time is reached;

    in response to the Internet access expiry time being reached, preventing the client device from accessing the Internet over the secure wireless network and starting a re-login time duration; and

    automatically removing the user-specific access credential from the credential database in response to the re-login time duration expiring;

    wherein, during the re-login time duration, the user of the client device may sign up for additional Internet access time at the login portal without needing to disconnect from the secure wireless network.

View all claims
  • 4 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×