Wireless device registration, such as automatic registration of a Wi-Fi enabled device

• US 9,585,088 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2016
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Hanson, Mark, Chow, Paulo S. T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Jay P
• Application Number:
  US15/090,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20160219500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A system for providing a wireless device with access to a computer network includes an access point that sets up a radio link with the wireless device and couples the wireless device to the network. The system also includes a server that receives data packets from the access point through the computer network. The data packets include at least one data packet that has a first identifier that uniquely identifies the wireless device and a second identifier that corresponds to the wireless device. The system further includes a database that is coupled to the server and stores data for associating a service plan with the first and second identifiers and basing the service plan, at least in part, on the second identifier. Other features and systems are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A wireless device configured to request and obtain Wi-Fi access to a computer network, the device comprising:

at least one wireless transceiver;

at least one memory storing instructions;

at least one processor, coupled to the wireless transceiver and memory, and configured to execute the instructions, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the device to;

transmit, from the wireless device, a message regarding a request for the wireless device to access a computer network,

wherein the message includes a device identifier and a Wi-Fi service identifier; and

access, by the wireless device, information via the computer network, wherein prior to accessing the information;

a service plan is associated with the wireless device based on at least the Wi-Fi service identifier,

wherein the service plan is for wireless access to the computer network and not to a cellular phone network;

in response to a determination that the service plan has expired, receiving, by the wireless device, one or more instructions to re-activate the service plan or obtain a new service plan; and

wireless access between the wireless device and a Wi-Fi access point coupled to the computer network is authenticated based on the service plan,

wherein the authenticating of the wireless access is not performed based on use of a subscriber identity module (SIM) associated with the wireless device.

2. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the received instructions causes the wireless device to display a customer service phone number or a link to a web address.

3. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the Wi-Fi service identifier is further based on at least one of a model type, device type, manufacturer code, or vendor code.

4. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein a time stamp corresponding to an activation time of the service plan is produced and the service plan is at least temporarily discontinued when a predetermined amount of time elapses after the activation time.

5. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the message is transmitted as a data packet and at least one of the device identifier and the Wi-Fi service identifier is located in one or more header fields of the data packet.

6. The wireless device of claim 1 wherein the device identifier is transmitted securely, and wherein the service plan is based on an amount of bandwidth that is consumable by the wireless device under the service plan.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium whose contents cause at least one processor to perform a process in a wireless device for accessing a wireless packet-switched computer network under a service plan, the wireless packet-switched computer network including one or more of a wireless local area network (WLAN), a wireless wide area network (WWAN), or a wireless metropolitan area network (WMAN), the process comprising:

wirelessly transmitting a first data packet from a wireless device to a packet-switched computer network that is coupled to a server and a first wireless access point,

wherein the first data packet includes a wireless service identifier; and

wherein the first data packet also includes a unique device identifier corresponding to the wireless device;

accessing, by the wireless device, information via the packet-switched computer network, wherein prior to accessing the information;

a service plan is identified based on the wireless service identifier, wherein the service plan is a temporary service plan;

in response to a determination that the identified service plan has expired, an instruction is received to re-activate the identified service plan; and

the identified service plan is associated with the device identifier; and

a second data packet is communicated to the first access point, wherein the second data packet enables the wireless device to access one or more of the WLAN, WWAN, or WMAN under the identified service plan, and

wherein the WLAN, WWAN, or WMAN are IP based computer networks and are not mobile telephone networks.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein the received instruction causes the wireless device to display a customer service phone number or a link to a web address.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein at least one of the device identifier and the service identifier is located in one or more header fields of the first data packet.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein prior to the second data packet being communicated to the first access point:

a locally and dynamically assigned TCP/IP address embedded as a key in the first data packet is compared with another TCP/IP address associated with the first data packet and corresponding to a physical location of the wireless device; and

use of the identified service plan is authenticated based on the comparison of the locally and dynamically assigned TCP/IP address and the TCP/IP address corresponding to the physical location of the wireless device.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein the method further includes:

transmitting a third data packet from the wireless device to a second access point coupled to the computer network, the third data packet including the device identifier, and being transmitted at a time when the wireless device is no longer accessing the computer network through the first access point;

identifying the identified service plan based at least in part on the device identifier; and

receiving, at the wireless device, a fourth data packet that enables the wireless device to re-access the computer network through the second access point.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 wherein the identified service plan is discontinued at least temporarily when a predetermined amount of time elapses after an activation of the identified service plan, and wherein a third data packet is communicated to the wireless device, the communicated third data packet including an indication that the identified service plan is discontinued, and/or an indication with instructions corresponding to re-activating the identified service plan or activating a new service plan.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the device identifier is transmitted securely.

14. A method in a wireless device for obtaining Wi-Fi access to a computer network, the method comprising:

identifying, by the wireless device, a computer network associated with a particular secure set identifier (SSID);

transmitting, from the wireless device, a message regarding a request for the wireless device to access the computer network,

wherein the message includes a device identifier and a Wi-Fi service identifier, and

wherein the transmitting occurs after identifying the particular SSID for the computer network; and

accessing, by the wireless device, information via the computer network, wherein prior to accessing the information;

a service plan is associated with the wireless device based on at least the Wi-Fi service identifier,

wherein the device identifier is automatically associated with the service plan; and

wireless access between the wireless device and a Wi-Fi access point coupled to the computer network is automatically authenticated based on the service plan,

wherein the automatic authenticating of the wireless access is not based on use of a subscriber identity module (SIM) associated with the wireless device.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the wireless device is a camera or an audio device.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the wireless device exchanges one or more codes or identifiers with at least one other wireless device in a predetermined group of wireless devices to enable wireless access under the service plan.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein at least one code or identifier is a telephone number, and wherein the service plan is a common rate plan for allowing two or more wireless devices that belong to the predefined group of wireless devices to wirelessly access the computer network and not to wirelessly access a cellular phone network.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the service plan is further based on at least one of a model type, device type, manufacturer code, or vendor code.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the SSID is associated with a vendor of the wireless device.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the SSID further enables wireless access only at Wi-Fi access points that are provisioned by the associated vendor.