System and method for provisioning of internet access services in a guest facility

• US 9,367,867 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2015
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hilton International Holding LLC (Hilton Worldwide Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Hilton International Holding LLC (Hilton Worldwide Incorporated)
• Inventors: DeRosia, Darrell, Stroud, Robert, Binns, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Tiv, Backhean
• Application Number:
  US14/684,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20150221005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/163 Real estate management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1403 Architecture for metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1457 using an account
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1464 using a card, such as credit card, prepay card or SIM
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2863 Arrangements for combining access network resources elements, e.g. channel bonding modem pooling H04L25/14; routing of packets H04L45/00; multichannel or multilink protocols H04L69/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4654 wherein a VLAN tag represents a customer VLAN, e.g. C-Tag
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4679 Arrangements for the registration or de-registration of VLAN attribute values, e.g. VLAN identifiers, port VLAN membership
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A system and method for provisioning Internet access services to guests of a facility (e.g., one or more hotel chains). Equipment and devices for access service are installed throughout the facility. Each device that supports the Internet access services has a unique identifier. Zones representing various public and private areas within each facility are defined and one or more devices are associated with each zone. Service offerings for wired and wireless connections are defined and associated with one or more zones. Service offerings are also paired with pricing plans that provide various payment options and amounts. A web-based administration application allows an administrator to define and manage service offerings associated with the zones. The application also allows the administrator to define and manage the pricing plans. The ability to customize offerings in each facility allows development of consistent offerings, regardless of the size or layout of the facility.

Claims

1. A method for provisioning Internet access services to a guest'"'"'s computer in a guest facility comprising:

(i) installing in said guest facility;

(a) a first plurality of access points; and

(b) a second plurality of access points;

(ii) providing an administration application executing on a server for;

(a) assigning a first virtual local area network identifier to each of said first plurality of access points in said guest facility;

(b) assigning a second virtual local area network identifier to each of said second plurality of access points in said guest facility;

(c) defining a plurality of Internet service offerings comprising;

(1) at least one option for receiving Internet access;

(2) a property code; and

(3) a connection zone identifier corresponding to either the first virtual local area network identifier or the second virtual local area network identifier;

(d) receiving at one of said access points an Internet access request from said guest computer, said Internet access request comprising identifying information for said guest and said property code;

(e) determining which of said first or second virtual local area network identifiers is assigned to said access point;

(f) selecting an Internet access screen according to said property code and said virtual local area network identifier assigned to said access point, said Internet access screen comprising one or more options for one of said plurality of Internet service offerings;

(g) transferring to said guest'"'"'s computer said selected Internet access screen; and

(h) receiving from said guest computer a selection of an option for said Internet service offering.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first plurality of access points are located in a public zone of said guest facility and said second plurality of access points are located in a semi-private zone of said guest facility.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said first plurality of access points are located in a public zone of said guest facility and said second plurality of access points are located in a private zone of said guest facility.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said public zone comprises a meeting room and a restaurant in said guest facility and said private zone comprises guest rooms in said guest facility.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said option for receiving Internet access comprises a payment option.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said payment method option comprises an option selected from the group consisting of:

credit card payments and bill-to-room payments.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said option for receiving Internet access comprises an access code option.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said service offerings comprise a bandwidth minimum and maximum, an IP connection type, and an expiration date.

9. A system for provisioning Internet access services to a guest'"'"'s computer in a guest facility comprising:

(a) a plurality of access points installed within said guest facility;

(b) database storing data identifying;

(i) a unique virtual local area network identifier for each of a plurality of subsets of said access points;

(ii) a plurality of Internet service offerings, said each of said service offerings defining an option for a guest to receive Internet access and comprising;

(1) a property code; and

(2) a plurality of connection zone identifiers corresponding to one or more of said unique virtual local area network identifiers;

(c) a guest computer in communication with one of said plurality of access points wherein said access point executes instructions to;

(i) receive an Internet access request from said guest computer;

(ii) determine which of said unique virtual local area network identifiers is assigned to said access point;

(iii) select an Internet access screen according to said unique virtual local area network identifier assigned to said access point, said Internet access screen comprising one or more options for one of said plurality of Internet service offerings according to said property code and said plurality of connection zone identifiers;

(iv) transfer to said guest'"'"'s computer said selected Internet access screen; and

(v) receive from said guest computer a selection of an option for said Internet service offering.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein a first subset of access points is located in a public zone of said guest facility and a second subset of access points is located in a semi-private zone of said guest facility.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein a first subset of access points is located in a public zone of said guest facility and a second subset of access points is located in a private zone of said guest facility.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said public zone comprises a meeting room and a restaurant in said guest facility and said private zone comprises guest rooms in said guest facility.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein said option for receiving Internet access comprises a payment option.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said payment method option comprises an option selected from the group consisting of:

credit card payments and bill-to-room payments.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein said option for receiving Internet access comprises an access code option.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein said service offerings comprise a bandwidth minimum and maximum, an IP connection type, and an expiration date.

17. A system for offering Internet access service in a guest facility comprising:

(a) a plurality of access point groupings in said guest facility wherein each of said access point groupings comprises;

(i) at least one access point; and

(ii) a unique virtual local area network identifier;

(b) a first client computer in said guest facility that;

(i) connects to a first one of said access points in said guest facility; and

(ii) receives from said first one of said access points a first access screen selected according to a property code and a first connection zone identifier corresponding to a first unique virtual local identifier assigned to said first one of said access points; and

(c) a second client computer in said guest facility that;

(i) connects to a second one of said access points in said guest facility; and

(ii) receives from said second one of said access points a second access screen selected according to a property code and a second connection zone identifier corresponding to a second unique virtual local identifier assigned to said second one of said access points.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said first access screen comprises a plurality of price plans for Internet access service.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said plurality of price plans comprises a bill-to-room option.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein said second access screen comprises an option to enter an access code.