System and method for wide area wireless connectivity to the internet

• US 9,344,883 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2011
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Perry, Paul, Byrnes, Sean, Elbert, Valeriy, Nambiar, Chivas, Hunt, Conor, Kosmidis, Thanos, Gupta, Vineet
• Primary Examiner(s): LANIER, BENJAMIN E
• Application Number:
  US13/072,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20110173682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,880 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

A system and method for managing access to a Wi-Fi system include redirecting an access request, comprising a user credential, from a wireless user device to an authentication server, obtaining, from a first database, a list of a plurality of authentication databases from which users may be authenticated, the list including a protocol required for communication with each of the authentication databases, transmitting a request to each of the listed authentication databases using the identified protocol, and permitting the user access to the Internet through the Wi-Fi system if the user is authenticated by at least one of the listed authentication databases.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an access request through an access point of a Wi-Fi system, the Wi-Fi system configured to provide connection to an Internet, the access request being generated by a wireless device of a user and sent wirelessly to the access point;

identifying a unique identifier of the wireless device from the access request;

comparing the unique identifier of the wireless device to a number of unique identifiers stored at the access point;

if the unique identifier of the wireless device does not match any of the number of unique identifiers;

transmitting a signal from the access device to a portal system via an internal network,

determining at the portal system a type of the wireless device,

transmitting to the wireless device a first user interface containing a login page for receiving at least one user credential, the first user interface formatted according to the type of the wireless device,

receiving from the wireless device the at least one user credential,

determining whether the at least one user credential is authorized based on whether the at least one user credential is stored in a database of credentials of authorized users, and

if the at least one user credential is authorized,

storing the unique identifier of the wireless device at the access point,

receiving an acknowledgment signal at the portal system from the access point that the unique identifier of the wireless device has been stored at the access point,

and

upon receipt of the acknowledgement signal;

 

permitting access by the wireless device to the Internet, and

 

tracking usage of the Wi-Fi system by the wireless device, the tracking including storing a start time of the usage and a unique identifier of the access point;

determining a location for the wireless device, based on information identifying a location of the access point; and

transmitting a signal to the wireless device, the signal containing a second user interface formatted according to the type of the wireless device and causing the wireless device to display location-specific information based on the determined location of the wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier of the wireless device is a MAC address of the wireless device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one user credential is a username and a password.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique identifiers stored at the access point are associated with wireless devices that are permitted to access the Internet via the access point.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a logout request from the wireless device; and

responsive to receiving the logout request, removing the stored unique identifier.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring an Internet usage statistics associated with the wireless device; and

determining to remove the stored unique identifier based on a result of the monitoring.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a status associated with the access point;

wherein the first user interface is not transmitted if the status associated with the access point is determined to satisfy a pre-determined condition.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the at least one user credential is authorized comprises:

identifying parameters of the database of credentials of authorized users; and

querying the database of credentials of authorized users using the identified parameters.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the internal network is at least one of:

a local area network, and a wide area network.

4. A system comprising:

an access point of a Wi-Fi system configured to provide connection to an Internet, the access point storing a number of unique identifiers and configured to receive an access request from a user wireless device;

a portal system implemented on at least one computer, the portal system communicatively connected to the access point, the portal system including;

a device type adapter that determines a type of the user wireless device and a location of the user wireless device,

a customer interface engine that generates a first user interface having a login page to receive at least one user credential and a second user interface having location specific information, and

a location information system that provides the location specific information based on the location of the user wireless device;

wherein the access point, upon receipt from the user wireless device of an Internet access request containing a unique identifier of the user wireless device, determines whether there is a match of the unique identifier of the user wireless device to any of the number of unique identifiers stored by the access point, and transmits a signal to the portal system via an internal network when no match is determined;

wherein the portal system, upon receipt of the signal from the access point indicating that no match has been determined, determines the type of the user wireless device, formats the first user interface according to the type of the user wireless device, and transmits the formatted first user interface to the user wireless device;

wherein the portal system, upon receipt of the at least one user credential, determines whether the at least one user credential is authorized based on whether the at least one user credential is stored in a database of credentials of authorized users, and if the at least one user credential is authorized, transmits a first request to cause the access point to add the unique identifier to the number of unique identifiers stored by the access point;

wherein the access point, upon receipt of the first request to add the unique identifier to the number of unique identifiers stored by the access point, stores the unique identifier at the access point and transmits an acknowledgement to the portal system that the unique identifier has been stored;

wherein the portal system, upon receipt of the acknowledgement;

permits access by the user wireless device to the Internet,

causes a tracking of usage of the Wi-Fi system by the user wireless device, the tracking including storing a start time of the usage and a unique identifier of the access point,

determines the location of the user wireless device, generates the second user interface based on the location of the user wireless device, formats the second user interface according to the type of the user wireless device and transmits the formatted second user interface to the user wireless device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the unique identifier of the user wireless device is a MAC address of the user wireless device.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one user credential is a username and a password.

7. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

an accounting system storing records tracking usage time of the Wi-Fi system;

wherein upon receipt of the acknowledgment, usage of the Wi-Fi system by the user wireless device is tracked in the accounting system, including storage of the usage start time and the unique identifier of the access point.

14. The system of claim 4, wherein the unique identifiers stored at the access point are associated with wireless devices that are permitted to access the Internet via the access point.

15. The system of claim 4, wherein the portal system, upon receipt of a logout request from the wireless device, transmits a second request to the access point to cause the access point to remove the stored unique identifier of the wireless device.

16. The system of claim 4, wherein the portal system monitors an Internet usage statistics associated with the wireless device and determines to remove the stored unique identifier of the wireless device based on a result of the monitoring.

17. The system of claim 4, wherein the portal system:

determines a status associated with the access point;

wherein the formatted first user interface is not transmitted if the status associated with the access point is determined to satisfy a pre-determined condition.

18. The system of claim 4, wherein the determination of whether the at least one user credential is authorized comprises the portal system:

identifying parameters of the database of credentials of authorized users; and

querying the database of credentials of authorized users using the identified parameters.

19. The system of claim 4, wherein the internal network is at least one of:

a local area network, and a wide area network.