Access point providing multiple single-user wireless networks

• US 9,591,529 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2015
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cambium Networks Limited (Cambium Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Xirrus Incorporated
• Inventors: Gates, Dirk, Parker, Patrick, Horner, Jack, Russell, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Jr., Michael J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsegaye, Saba
• Application Number:
  US14/717,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20160345208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/73 Access point logical identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/20 for indoor coverage or short range network deployment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

There is disclosed a method for managing a wireless communications network and a communications system. A request to access a single-user service set at a specified location at a specified future time is accepted from a user, the request including configuration information for the private service set. The configuration information is transmitted to an access point selected from a plurality of access points, the selected access point located at the specified location. The selected access point configures the single-user service set at the specified future time using the configuration information.

Claims

1. A method for managing a wireless communications network, comprising:

accepting, from a user, a request to access a single-user service set at a specified location at a specified future time, the request including configuration information comprising a service set identifier and a password for the single-user service set;

transmitting the configuration information to an access point located at the specified location; and

configuring the access point to support, at the specified future time, the single-user service set having the service set identifier and password included in the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the specified location is a complex remote from a home location of the user, and

the specified future time is a future date.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the complex is one of a housing complex, an office complex, an industrial complex, a school, a university, a military installation, and a hospital.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein

the complex is a housing complex, and

the request to access the single-user service set is received as part of the user making a reservation to stay at the housing complex starting on the future date.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein

the complex is a housing complex,

the user is a member of an affinity group associated with the housing complex,

the configuration information is stored as part of the user'"'"'s affinity group profile, and

the request to access the single-user service set is generated automatically when the user makes a reservation to stay at the housing complex starting on the future date.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the configuration information to the access point comprises:

transmitting the configuration information to an administrator computing device located at the specified location; and

the administrator computing device transmitting the configuration to the access point.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authenticating an identity of the user prior to accepting the request to access the single-user service set.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the access point authenticating an identity of the user prior to configuring the access point to support the single-user service set at the specified future time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information further comprises user policies.

10. A communications system, comprising:

a server and a plurality of access points,

the server comprising hardware and software to;

accept, from a user, a request to access a single-user service set at a specified location at a specified future time, the request including configuration information comprising a service set identifier and a password for the single-user service set, and

transmit the configuration information to an access point selected from the plurality of access points, the selected access point located at the specified location;

the selected access point comprising hardware and software that, when configured using the configuration information, supports the single-user service set having the service set identifier and password included in the request at the specified future time.

11. The communications system of claim 10, wherein

the specified location is a complex remote from a home location of the user, and

the specified future time is a future date.

12. The communications system of claim 11, wherein the complex is one of a housing complex, an office complex, an industrial complex, a school, a university, a military installation, and a hospital.

13. The communications system of claim 11, wherein

the complex is a housing complex, and

the request to access the service set is received as part of the user making a reservation to stay at the housing complex starting on the future date.

14. The communications system of claim 11, wherein

the complex is a housing complex,

the user is a member of an affinity group associated with the housing complex,

the configuration information is stored as part of the user'"'"'s affinity group profile, and

the request to access the single-user service set is generated automatically when the user makes a reservation to stay at the housing complex starting on the future date.

15. The communications system of claim 10, further comprising:

an administrator computing device located at the specified location, wherein

the administrator computing device comprises hardware and software to receive the configuration information from the server and to transmit the configuration information to the selected access point.

16. The communications system of claim 10, the server further comprising:

hardware and software to authenticate an identity of the user prior to accepting the request to access the single-user service set.

17. The communications system of claim 10, the selected access point further comprising:

hardware and software to authenticate an identity of the user prior to configuring the access point to support the single-user service set at the specified future time.

18. The communications system of claim 10, wherein the configuration information further comprises user policies.