Method and apparatus for monitoring wireless network access

• US 9,301,137 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2013
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boingo Wireless, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Boingo Wireless, Inc.
• Inventors: Hoecker, Charles G., Jonker, Niels
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DINH
• Application Number:
  US13/871,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20130235751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 370/241, 370/252, 370/328, 370/338
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/005 Data network PoA devices

Abstract

A system and method for monitoring wireless network access, and use of a detected wireless network connection are described. A client component (e.g., software component), or client, can be downloaded to a computing device, which leverages off of the computing device'"'"'s ability to locate and establish a network connection. The client component listens for network connection activity, and determines whether the device has established a network connection with a network known to the client. If the client determines that a network connection has been established to a known network, the client uses the network connection to log the user onto the network.

Claims

1. A method for execution on a client device of achieving login to a wireless network, the method comprising:

providing a client utility on the client device wherein the client utility is a separate component from an operating system on the client device; and

employing the client utility to;

(a) identify a plurality of network components present on the client device;

(b) examining each of the network components to detect which of said network components is a wireless network component and creating a list listing each detected wireless network component;

(c) detect establishment of a layer 2 network connection by the operating system via a first wireless network component from the plurality of network components;

(d) establish a layer 3 IP connection via the first wireless network component;

(e) detect a disconnection of the first wireless network component;

(f) detect establishment, subsequent to the disconnection of the first wireless network component, of a layer 2 network connection by the operation system via a second wireless network component from the plurality of network components; and

(g) establish a layer 3 connection via the second wireless network component.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of network components comprises a network driver.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of establishing the layer 3 IP connection via the first wireless network component and establishing the layer 3 IP connection via the second wireless network component includes:

displaying a prompt on a display screen of the client device that contains a username and a password for a user of the client device; and

proceeding with a login process in response to receiving a selection of the prompt by the user via the client device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the username and password are retrieved by the client utility and populated in the prompt automatically and without user interaction.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of establishing the layer 3 IP connection via the first wireless network component and establishing the layer 3 IP connection via the second wireless network component is performed automatically without user interaction.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of establishing the layer 3 IP connection via the first wireless network component and establishing the layer 3 IP connection via the second wireless network component includes retrieving, by the client utility from a database, a login script associated with an access point.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the disconnection of the first wireless network component includes visually indicating the disconnection of the first wireless component via a display screen of the client device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting establishment of the layer 2 network connection via the first wireless network component includes receiving, by the client utility, network driver events from the operating system.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a client device, implement a client utility that is a separate component from an operating system on the client device, the client utility configured to:

(a) identify a plurality of network components present on the client device;

(b) examine each of the network components to detect which of said network components is a wireless network component and create a list listing each detected wireless network component;

(c) detect establishment of a layer 2 network connection by the operating system via a first wireless network component from the plurality of network components;

(d) establish a layer 3 IP connection via the first wireless network component;

(e) detect a disconnection of the first wireless network component;

(f) detect establishment, subsequent to the disconnection of the first wireless network component, of a layer 2 network connection by the operating system via a second wireless network component from the plurality of network components; and

(g) establish a layer 3 IP connection via the second wireless network component.

10. A client device comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the client device, implement a client utility that is separate component from an operating system on the client device, the client utility configured to;

(a) identify a plurality of network components present on the client device;

(b) examine each of the network components to detect which of said network components is a wireless network component and create a list listing each detected wireless network component;

(c) detect establishment of a layer 2 network connection by the operating system via a first wireless network component from the plurality of network components;

(d) establish a layer 3 IP connection via the first wireless network component;

(e) detect a disconnection of the first wireless network component;

(f) detect establishment, subsequent to the disconnection of the first wireless network component of a layer 2 network connection by the operating system via a second wireless network component from the plurality of network components; and

(g) establish a layer 3 IP connection via the second wireless network component.