Secure WiFi using predictive analytics

• US 9,596,647 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2014
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bostick, James E., Ganci, John M. Jr., Roe, Ji Young, Starks, Kimberly G.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOUTAOUAKIL, MOUNIR
• Application Number:
  US14/336,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20160021578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0022 for transferring data sessions between adjacent core network technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/165 for reducing network power consumption H04W36/18 - H04W36/22 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/26 by agreed or negotiated communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/17 Selecting a data network PoA [Point of Attachment]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Aspects automatically direct data requests from a specific application of a mobile programmable device to a designated WiFi network pathway without interaction from a mobile device user in response to determining that an initial data network pathway does not meet a satisfactory service threshold for forwarding the data requests to an event web server. In response to determining that the mobile device is within communication range of a WiFi service node in communication with a first WiFi pathway designated for access by the specific application for communications with the event web server, the mobile device processor automatically executes an authentication procedure with the WiFi service node to gain access to the first WiFi pathway without requiring a user of the mobile device to log in to the first WiFi pathway or to accept a connection to the first WiFi pathway, and uses the first WiFi pathway.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for automatically directing data requests from a specific application to a designated WiFi network pathway without interaction from a mobile device user, the method comprising executing on a processor of a mobile programmable device the steps of:

in response to a first application that is executing on the processor of the mobile programmable device sending a first data request to an event web server via an initial data network pathway, determining whether the initial data network pathway meets a satisfactory service threshold for forwarding the first data request to the event web server, wherein the event web server is associated with an assembly event, and wherein the initial data network pathway is selected from the group consisting of a cellular data network connection and a general WiFi pathway;

in response to determining that the initial data network pathway does not meet the satisfactory service threshold for forwarding the first data request to the event web server, determining whether the programmable device is within communication range of a designated WiFi service node that is in communication with a first WiFi pathway that is designated for access by the first application for communications with the event web server; and

in response to determining that the programmable device is within the communication range of said designated WiFi service node, and to determining that the initial data network pathway does not meet the satisfactory service threshold for forwarding the first data request to the event web server, automatically executing an authentication procedure with the WiFi service node to gain access to the first WiFi pathway without requiring a user of the mobile device to log in to the first WiFi pathway and without requiring the user to accept a connection to the first WiFi pathway, and using the first WiFi pathway to send the first request to the event web server; and

wherein determining whether the initial data network pathway meets the satisfactory service threshold for forwarding the first data request to the event web server is selected from the group consisting of determining whether a network node of the initial data network pathway is able to timely respond to the first request within a threshold minimum time for service and determining whether a classification of the first request meets a class of service threshold that requires priority handling over other lower request classifications.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile programmable device comprises a computer readable memory and a computer readable storage medium in circuit communication with the processor, the method further comprising:

integrating computer-readable program code into the mobile programmable device, wherein the computer readable program code is embodied on the computer readable storage medium and comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor via the computer readable memory, cause the processor to perform the steps of the determining whether the initial data network pathway meets the satisfactory service threshold in response to the first application executing on the processor sending the first data request to the event web server via the initial data network pathway, the determining whether the programmable device is within communication range of the WiFi service node that is in communication with the first WiFi pathway in response to determining that the initial data network pathway does not meet the satisfactory service threshold for forwarding the first data request to the event web server, and the automatically executing the authentication procedure with the WiFi service node to gain access to the first WiFi pathway without requiring the user of the mobile device to log in to the first WiFi pathway and without requiring the user to accept the connection to the first WiFi pathway and using the first WiFi pathway to send the first request to the event web server in response to determining that the programmable device is within the communication range of said designated WiFi service node and to determining that the initial data network pathway does not meet the satisfactory service threshold for forwarding the first data request to the event web server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the initial data network pathway meets the satisfactory service threshold for forwarding the first data request to the event web server comprises recognizing that the first request comes through a specified web-based application platform interface (API) that is specified for enhanced connections to data associated with the event web server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first WiFi pathway provides, relative to a different other WiFi pathway to the event web server that is provided by the WiFi node, a higher performance attribute that is selected from the group consisting of a higher security, a higher throughput and a higher priority WiFi service access route to the event web server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the initial data network pathway meets the satisfactory service threshold for forwarding the first data request to the event web server comprises determining whether the classification of the first request is a high priority classification that meets the service threshold and requires priority handling independent of determining whether the network node of the initial data network pathway is able to timely respond to the first request within the threshold minimum time.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

predicting a total attendance within a venue of the event and within the communication range of said designated WiFi service node by users of units of the mobile programmable device that are each operating the first application, wherein the predicting is a function of a determined real-time level of social media following activity associated with said event and an input that is selected from the group consisting of;

an available venue occupancy;

a historical attendance of the users of the units of the mobile programmable device at similar events within similar venues; and

a time of the event relative to a time period known to have impact on attendance relative to other times; and

predicting a bandwidth requirement for usage of the first WiFi pathway of the WiFi node for a plurality of the first requests by the units of the mobile programmable device as a function of the predicted attendance.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

predicting data usage of the units of the mobile programmable device of the predicted attendance as a function of historic data usage relevant to the predicted attendance, historic data usage relevant to the venue for the event, and of the determined real-time level of social media following activity associated with said event; and

wherein the step of predicting the bandwidth requirement for usage of the first WiFi pathway of the WiFi node for the plurality of the first requests by the units of the mobile programmable device as the function of the predicted attendance is further a function of the predicted data usage of the units of the mobile programmable device of the predicted attendance.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of predicting the bandwidth requirement for usage of the first WiFi pathway of the WiFi node for the plurality of the first requests by the units of the mobile programmable device as the function of the predicted attendance is further a function of projected data sizes of the first requests.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the venue spans a geographic space that is larger than the communication range of the WiFi service node, and the WiFi service node is one of a plurality of WiFi service nodes that are deployed within the venue geographic space and spaced to provide non-overlapping communication ranges that in aggregate provide comprehensive WiFi coverage of the venue, the method further comprising:

dynamically deploying, to meet a real-time determination of an increase in demand for bandwidth for the first WiFi pathway above the predicted bandwidth requirement for usage of the first WiFi pathway of the WiFi node for the plurality of the first requests by the units of the mobile programmable device as a function of the predicted attendance and as a function of the determined real-time level of social media following activity associated with said event, an additional item that is selected from the group consisting of an additional first WiFi pathway by the WiFi node providing the first WiFi pathway, and an additional WiFi node.

10. A system, comprising:

a processor of a mobile programmable device;

a computer readable memory in circuit communication with the processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium in circuit communication with the processor and the computer readable memory;

wherein the processor, when executing program instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium via the computer readable memory;

in response to a first application that is executing on the processor sending a first data request to an event web server via an initial data network pathway, determines whether the initial data network pathway meets a satisfactory service threshold for forwarding the first data request to the event web server, wherein the event web server is associated with an assembly event, and wherein the initial data network pathway is selected from the group consisting of a cellular data network connection and a general WiFi pathway;

in response to determining that the initial data network pathway does not meet the satisfactory service threshold for forwarding the first data request to the event web server, determines whether the programmable device is within communication range of a designated WiFi service node that is in communication with a first WiFi pathway that is designated for access by the first application for communications with the event web server; and

in response to the determining that the programmable device is within the communication range of said designated WiFi service node, and to the determining that the initial data network pathway does not meet the satisfactory service threshold for forwarding the first data request to the event web server, automatically executes an authentication procedure with the WiFi service node to gain access to the first WiFi pathway without requiring a user of the mobile device to log in to the first WiFi pathway and without requiring the user to accept a connection to the first WiFi pathway, and uses the first WiFi pathway to send the first request to the event web server; and

wherein the processor determines whether the initial data network pathway meets the satisfactory service threshold for forwarding the first data request to the event web server by a determination selected from the group consisting of determining whether a network node of the initial data network pathway is able to timely respond to the first request within a threshold minimum time for service, and determining whether a classification of the first request meets a class of service threshold that requires priority handling over other lower request classifications.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first WiFi pathway provides, relative to a different other WiFi pathway to the event web server that is provided by the WiFi node, a higher performance attribute that is selected from the group consisting of a higher security, a higher throughput and a higher priority WiFi service access route to the event web server;

and

wherein the processor, when executing the program instructions stored on the computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory, determines whether the initial data network pathway meets the satisfactory service threshold for forwarding the first data request to the event web server by determining whether the classification of the first request is a high priority classification that meets the service threshold and requires priority handling independent of the determining whether the network node of the initial data network pathway is able to timely respond to the first request within the threshold minimum time.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor, when executing the program instructions stored on the computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory:

predicts a total attendance within a venue of the event and within the communication range of said designated WiFi service node by users of units of the mobile programmable device that are each operating the first application, as a function of a determined real-time level of social media following activity associated with said event and an input that is selected from the group consisting of;

an available venue occupancy;

a historical attendance of the users of the units of the mobile programmable device at similar events within similar venues; and

a time of the event relative to a time period known to have impact on attendance relative to other times; and

predicts a bandwidth requirement for usage of the first WiFi pathway of the WiFi node for a plurality of the first requests by the units of the mobile programmable device as a function of the predicted attendance.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the venue spans a geographic space that is larger than the communication range of the WiFi service node and the WiFi service node is one of a plurality of WiFi service nodes that are deployed within the venue geographic space and spaced to provide non-overlapping communication ranges that in aggregate provide comprehensive WiFi coverage of the venue;

and

wherein the processor, when executing the program instructions stored on the computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory, dynamically deploys, to meet a real-time determination of an increase in demand for bandwidth for the first WiFi pathway above the predicted bandwidth requirement for usage of the first WiFi pathway of the WiFi node for the plurality of the first requests by the units of the mobile programmable device as a function of the predicted attendance and as a function of the determined real-time level of social media following activity associated with said event, an additional item that is selected from the group consisting of an additional first WiFi pathway by the WiFi node providing the first WiFi pathway, and an additional node.

14. A computer program product for automatically directing data requests from a specific application to a designated WiFi network pathway without interaction from a mobile device user, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer processor on a mobile device, cause the computer processor to;

in response to a first application that is executing on the processor sending a first data request to an event web server via an initial data network pathway, determine whether the initial data network pathway meets a satisfactory service threshold for forwarding the first data request to the event web server, wherein the event web server is associated with an assembly event, and wherein the initial data network pathway is selected from the group consisting of a cellular data network connection and a general WiFi pathway;

in response to determining that the initial data network pathway does not meet the satisfactory service threshold for forwarding the first data request to the event web server, determine whether the programmable device is within communication range of a designated WiFi service node that is in communication with a first WiFi pathway that is designated for access by the first application for communications with the event web server; and

in response to the determining that the programmable device is within the communication range of said designated WiFi service node, and to the determining that the initial data network pathway does not meet the satisfactory service threshold for forwarding the first data request to the event web server, automatically execute an authentication procedure with the WiFi service node to gain access to the first WiFi pathway without requiring a user of the mobile device to log in to the first WiFi pathway and without requiring the user to accept a connection to the first WiFi pathway, and use the first WiFi pathway to send the first request to the event web server; and

wherein the processor determines whether the initial data network pathway meets the satisfactory service threshold for forwarding the first data request to the event web server by a determination selected from the group consisting of determining whether a network node of the initial data network pathway is able to timely respond to the first request within a threshold minimum time for service, and determining whether a classification of the first request meets a class of service threshold that requires priority handling over other lower request classifications.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the first WiFi pathway provides, relative to a different other WiFi pathway to the event web server that is provided by the WiFi node, a higher performance attribute that is selected from the group consisting of a higher security, a higher throughput and a higher priority WiFi service access route to the event web server;

and

wherein the computer readable program code instructions, when executed by the computer processor, further cause the computer processor to determine whether the initial data network pathway meets the satisfactory service threshold for forwarding the first data request to the event web server by determining whether the classification of the first request is a high priority classification that meets the service threshold and requires priority handling independent of the determining whether the network node of the initial data network pathway is able to timely respond to the first request within the threshold minimum time.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer readable program code instructions, when executed by the computer processor, further cause the computer processor to:

predict a total attendance within a venue of the event and within the communication range of said designated WiFi service node by users of units of the mobile programmable device that are each operating the first application, as a function of a determined real-time level of social media following activity associated with said event and an input that is selected from the group consisting of;

an available venue occupancy;

a historical attendance of the users of the units of the mobile programmable device at similar events within similar venues; and

a time of the event relative to a time period known to have impact on attendance relative to other times; and

predict a bandwidth requirement for usage of the first WiFi pathway of the WiFi node for a plurality of the first requests by the units of the mobile programmable device as a function of the predicted attendance.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the venue spans a geographic space that is larger than the communication range of the WiFi service node and the WiFi service node is one of a plurality of WiFi service nodes that are deployed within the venue geographic space and spaced to provide non-overlapping communication ranges that in aggregate provide comprehensive WiFi coverage of the venue;

and

wherein the computer readable program code instructions, when executed by the computer processor, further cause the computer processor to dynamically deploy, to meet a real-time determination of an increase in demand for bandwidth for the first WiFi pathway above the predicted bandwidth requirement for usage of the first WiFi pathway of the WiFi node for the plurality of the first requests by the units of the mobile programmable device as a function of the predicted attendance and as a function of the determined real-time level of social media following activity associated with said event, an additional item that is selected from the group consisting of an additional first WiFi pathway by the WiFi node providing the first WiFi pathway, and an additional WiFi node.