Wireless network service provision method and system

• US 9,843,567 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2013
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Zhigu RUI TUO Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Beijing Zhigu RUI TUO Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: Zhang, Hongjiang, Huang, Weicai
• Primary Examiner(s): Plecha, Thaddeus
• Application Number:
  US14/783,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20160173469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0815 providing single-sign-on or federations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information

Abstract

Provision of a wireless network service is described in relation to network security. Automatic authentication is performed on an object entering a first area, and when the object passing the authentication in the first area enters a second area, the object is authorized to obtain a network service. An area (e.g., a first area) where a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is used securely is divided, so that after an object device completes automatic authentication in this area, to the object can be directly authorized in a larger area (a second area) to obtain the network service. In this case, both security and convenience of use of the WLAN are considered.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

performing, by a system comprising a processor, authentication on an object entering a first area, wherein the object is determined to be entering the first area based on determining a location of the object, wherein the determining the location is performed based on information obtained from a signal received from the object, and wherein the signal is determined to have been generated in response to an input received by the system via a determined signal interface, wherein the first area is a physical space where a specific function or action occurs, the specific function or action being intended for a purpose other than authentication of the object to a network service, wherein the object obtains automatic authorization to a network service in the first area after the object successfully completes the specific function or action in the first area; and

in response to the object passing the authentication in the first area being determined to have entered a second area, authorizing the object to obtain a network service in the second area.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second area is a defined network coverage area excluding the first area.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an access request via the determined signal interface.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signal interface comprises an interface connected to a mobile phone.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signal interface comprises an interface connected to at least one of a point-of-sale terminal, a personal digital assistant, a personal computer, a tablet, a handheld dedicated reader, a set top box, an electronic cash register, an automatic teller machine, a public phone booth, or a security system.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining the location comprises determining the location of the object according to positioning information of the object.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the positioning information comprises at least one of Global Positioning System positioning information, Assisted Global Positioning System positioning information, BeiDou navigation satellite system positioning information, Galileo positioning system information, or Global Navigation Satellite System positioning information.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining the location comprises determining the location of the object according to motion status information of the object.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining the location comprises determining the location of the object according to a transmission distance of the signal sent by the object.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining the location comprises determining the location of the object according to a magnetic field of the location of the object or an intensity of the signal, wherein the signal is a wireless signal.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the object entering the second area passes the authentication in the first area.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

setting an authority to obtain the network service for the object.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

providing the network service according to the authority.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

canceling the authorizing of the object to obtain the network service.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the canceling comprises in response to the object being determined to have left the second area, canceling the authorizing of the object.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the canceling comprises canceling the authorizing of the object after a preset time period expires after the authorizing of the object is initiated.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the authentication in the first area is a password-free authentication.

18. A system, comprising:

a memory to store executable components; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, that executes or facilitates execution of the executable components, the executable components comprising;

in response to receiving, by the processor, a signal from an object, determining, by the processor, an object location based on information determined from the signal, wherein the signal is received by the processor via a signal interface; and

an authentication module configured to perform authentication on the object entering a first area, and authorize the object passing the authentication in the first area to obtain a network service in a second area, wherein the object is determined to enter the first area based on the object location, wherein the first area is a physical space where a specific function or action occurs, the specific function or action being intended for a purpose other than authentication of the object to a network service, wherein the object obtains automatic authorization to a network service in the first area after the object successfully completes the specific function or action in the first area.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the executable components further comprise:

an access control module configured to receive an access request signal from the object; and

a positioning module configured to determine an updated object location corresponding to the access request signal.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the access request signal is a main radio frequency signal and wherein when, in response to the main radio frequency signal of the object being determined to be input through the signal interface, the positioning module is further configured to determine the updated object location.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the system comprises the signal interface, and the signal interface comprises an interface connected to at least one of a point-of-sale terminal, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a personal computer, a tablet, a handheld dedicated reader, a set top box, an electronic cash register, an automatic teller machine, a public phone booth, or a security system.

22. The system according to claim 19, wherein the positioning module is further configured to determine the updated object location according to positioning information of the object.

23. The system according to claim 20, wherein the executable components further comprise an Assisted Global Positioning System (A-GPS) positioning module configured to obtain positioning information of the object.

24. The system according to claim 19, wherein the positioning module is further configured to determine the updated object location according to motion status information of the object.

25. The system according to claim 19, wherein the positioning module is further configured to determine the updated object location according to a transmission distance of the access request signal sent by the object.

26. The system according to claim 19, wherein the positioning module is further configured to determine the updated object location according to a magnetic field of the location of the object or an intensity of the access request signal, wherein the access request signal is a wireless signal.

27. The system according to claim 18, wherein the executable components further comprise a determining module configured to determine whether the object entering the second area passes the authentication in the first area.

28. The system according to claim 18, wherein the authentication module is further configured to set an authority to obtain the network service for the object.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein the authentication module is further configured to provide the network service according to the authority.

30. The system according to claim 18, wherein the authentication module is further configured to cancel the authorization of the object.

31. The system according to claim 30, wherein the authentication module is further configured to cancel the authorization of the object in response to the object being determined to leave the second area.

32. The system according to claim 30, wherein the authentication module is further configured to cancel the authorization of the object after a preset time period after the authorization of the object.

33. The system according to claim 18, wherein the authentication module comprises:

a first authentication unit configured to perform the authentication on the object entering the first area;

or

a second authentication unit configured to authorize the object passing the authentication in the first area to obtain the network service in the second area.

34. The system according to claim 33, wherein the first authentication unit is implemented in a first device and the second authentication unit is implemented in a second device different from the first device.

35. A non-transitory computer readable storage device comprising executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a system comprising a processor to perform operations, comprising:

in response to receiving a signal from an object via a signal interface, determining a location of the object and determining that the object is entering a first area;

authenticating the object in response to the object being determined to be entering the first area, wherein the first area is a physical space where a specific function or action occurs, the specific function or action being intended for a purpose other than authentication of the object to a network service, wherein the object obtains automatic authorization to a network service in the first area after the object successfully completes the specific function or action in the first area; and

in response to the object passing the authenticating in the first area being determined to have entered a second area, authorizing the object to obtain a network service in the second area.

36. The computer readable storage device of claim 35, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving an access request via the signal interface; and

determining another location of the object corresponding to the access request.

37. A system, comprising:

a processor, coupled to a memory that stores executable instructions, that executes or facilitates execution of the executable instructions to at least;

perform authentication on an object that is determined to be entering a first area based on a location of the object, wherein the location of the object is determined based on information obtained from a signal received via a signal interface, wherein the first area is a physical space where a specific function or action occurs, the specific function or action being intended for a purpose other than authentication of the object to a network service, wherein the object obtains automatic authorization to a network service in the first area after the object successfully completes the specific function or action in the first area; and

authorize the object to obtain a network service in a second area in response to the object being determined to be authenticated to the first area and in response to the object being determined to have entered the second area.