Methods and apparatus for providing high speed connectivity to a hotel environment
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for providing Internet access to a computer, the method comprising:
- associating a local IP address with the computer while the computer is connected to a network thereby providing the computer with access to the network, wherein the local IP address is selected from a plurality of local IP addresses used on the network;
monitoring transmissions received from the computer to determine when the computer requests an Internet transaction;
when determining that the computer has requested the Internet transaction, associating a globally unique IP address with the local IP address thereby allowing the computer to conduct the Internet transaction, wherein the globally unique IP address is selected from a pool of one or more globally unique IP addresses; and
disassociating the globally unique IP address from the local IP address after termination of the Internet transaction, the globally unique IP address then returning to the pool such that it is available for association with another of the local IP addresses used on the network.
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Litigations
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Accused Products
Abstract
One or more processors are configured to associate a first local IP address with a computer while the computer is connected to a first network access node thereby providing the computer with access to a network. The first local IP address is one of a plurality of local IP addresses used on the network. The one or more processors monitor transmissions received from the first network access node to determine when the computer requests an Internet transaction. When the computer requests an Internet transaction, a first one of the globally unique IP addresses is associated with the first local IP address thereby allowing the computer to conduct the Internet transaction. The first globally unique IP address is disassociated from the first local IP address after termination of the Internet transaction and is then available for association with any of the local IP addresses used on the network.
141 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for providing Internet access to a computer, the method comprising:
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associating a local IP address with the computer while the computer is connected to a network thereby providing the computer with access to the network, wherein the local IP address is selected from a plurality of local IP addresses used on the network; monitoring transmissions received from the computer to determine when the computer requests an Internet transaction; when determining that the computer has requested the Internet transaction, associating a globally unique IP address with the local IP address thereby allowing the computer to conduct the Internet transaction, wherein the globally unique IP address is selected from a pool of one or more globally unique IP addresses; and disassociating the globally unique IP address from the local IP address after termination of the Internet transaction, the globally unique IP address then returning to the pool such that it is available for association with another of the local IP addresses used on the network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A non-transitory processor-readable medium embedded with executable instructions which when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform method steps of:
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associating a local IP address with a computer while the computer is connected to a network thereby providing the computer with access to the network, wherein the local IP address is selected from a plurality of local IP addresses used on the network; monitoring transmissions received from the computer to determine when the computer requests an Internet transaction; when determining that the computer has requested the Internet transaction, associating a globally unique IP address with the local IP address thereby allowing the computer to conduct the Internet transaction, wherein the globally unique IP address is selected from a pool of one or more globally unique IP addresses; and disassociating the globally unique IP address from the local IP address after termination of the Internet transaction, the globally unique IP address then returning to the pool such that it is available for association with another of the local IP addresses used on the network.
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12. An apparatus for providing Internet access to a computer, the apparatus comprising:
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a first communication interface coupled to a network; a second communication interface coupled to the Internet; one or more processors coupled to the first and second communication interfaces; and a memory device storing a plurality of program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to; associate a local IP address with the computer while the computer is connected to the network thereby providing the computer with access to the network, wherein the local IP address is selected from a plurality of local IP addresses used on the network; monitor transmissions received from the computer to determine when the computer requests an Internet transaction; associate a globally unique IP address with the local IP address when determining that the computer has requested the Internet transaction thereby allowing the computer to conduct the Internet transaction, wherein the globally unique IP address is selected from a pool of one or more globally unique IP addresses; and disassociate the globally unique IP address from the local IP address after termination of the Internet transaction, the globally unique IP address then returning to the pool such that it is available for association with another of the local IP addresses used on the network. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification