System for providing intelligent network access selection for a mobile wireless device

• US 9,924,559 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2016
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BandwidthX Inc.
• Original Assignee: BandwidthX Inc.
• Inventors: Visuri, Pertti, Salo, Randy, van Hamersveld, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Brenda H
• Application Number:
  US15/061,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20160192289A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 3703102, 370328, 370332, 370338, 370331
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/36 by user or terminal equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

Systems and methods enable alternative network access implemented by a mobile wireless communication device. The method includes receiving information associated with a mobile device, the information comprises location information associated with the mobile device. Based on the information associated with the mobile device, identifying an access point available for providing connectivity services to the mobile device, the access point is not the computing device. Information is provided to the mobile device which is associated with the access point. The information can comprise at least one of usage terms, usage conditions, usage costs, access point characteristics, connection characteristics, access point capacity, and access point security access information.

Claims

1. A method performed by at least one hardware processor of a mobile device, the method comprising:

controlling a radio system to perform a scan to identify a set of access points;

from the identified set of access points, determine two or more access points that are participating in an alternative access network, based on identifying information received directly from the two or more access points via the radio system;

for each of the two or more access points that are determined to be participating in the alternative access network, receiving, via the radio system, terms and conditions, for a connectivity service provided by the access point, wherein the terms and conditions for each of the two or more access points comprise a usage price for the connectivity service provided by that access point;

selecting one of the two or more access points that are determined to be participating in the alternative access network, based, at least in part, on the terms and conditions received for at least that access point, by, when signal strengths of two or more access points are above a threshold, selecting the one access point based on the usage price; and

connecting to the connectivity service provided by the selected access point via the radio system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, for each of the two or more access points, the terms and conditions comprise a level of security available for the connectivity service provided by that access point.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, by the at least one hardware processor, prior to selecting one of the two or more access points, measuring one or more characteristics for each of the two or more access points, wherein selecting one of the two or more access points is based on the one or more characteristics measured for each of the two or more access points.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, for each of the two or more access points, the one or more characteristics measured for that access point comprise a signal quality for that access point.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein, for each of the two or more access points, the one or more characteristics measured for that access point comprise a result of a performance test performed on that access point.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting one of the two or more access points is further based on an application, executing on the mobile device, which will use the connectivity service provided by the selected access point.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein selecting one of the two or more access points based on an application comprises comparing a bandwidth need of the application to a bandwidth available through each of the two or more access points.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, by the at least one hardware processor:

tracking usage, by the mobile device, of the connectivity service provided by the selected access point; and

reporting the usage to a server over at least one network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting one of the two or more access points is further based on one or more first selection rules.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more first selection rules are user-specified selection rules, and wherein the method further comprises, by the at least one hardware processor, before selecting one of the two or more access points, receiving the user-specified selection rules from a user interface of the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising, by the at least one hardware processor, after connecting to the connectivity service provided by the selected access point:

receiving one or more second selection rules via the connectivity service provided by the selected access point; and

,

after receiving the one or more second selection rules, determining whether or not to maintain the connection to the connectivity service provided by the selected access point based, at least in part, on the one or more second selection rules.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more second selection rules comprise an amount of second selection rules that is greater than an amount of the one or more first selection rules.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising, by the at least one hardware processor, when determining to not maintain the connection to the connectivity service provided by the selected access point, waiting a predetermined time period before disconnecting from the connectivity service provided by the selected access point.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising, by the at least one hardware processor, receiving authentication information for connecting to the connectivity service provided by the selected access point.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the authentication information is received after selecting the selected access point and before connecting to the connectivity service provided by the selected access point, and wherein the method further comprises, by the at least one hardware processor, subsequent to connecting to the connectivity service provided by the selected access point, erasing the authentication information.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying information comprises one or more of a Service Set Identifier (SSID), Basic SSID (BSSID), and Media Access Control (MAC) address.

17. A system comprising:

a radio system;

at least one hardware processor; and

one or more software modules configured to, when executed by the at least one hardware processor,

control the radio system to perform a scan to identify a plurality of access points,

from the identified set of access points, determine two or more access points that are participating in an alternative access network, based on identifying information received directly from the two or more access points via the radio system,

for each of the two or more access points that are determined to be participating in the alternative access network, receive, via the radio system, terms and conditions, for a connectivity service provided by the access point, wherein the terms and conditions for each of the two or more access points comprise a usage price for the connectivity service provided by that access point,

select one of the two or more access points that are determined to be participating in the alternative access network, based, at least in part, on the terms and conditions for at least the selected access point, by, when signal strengths of two or more access points are above a threshold, selecting the one access point based on the usage price, and

connect to the connectivity service provided by the selected access point via the radio system.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

control a radio system to perform a scan to identify a set of access points;

from the identified set of access points, determine two or more access points that are participating in an alternative access network, based on identifying information received directly from the two or more access points via the radio system;

for each of the two or more access points that are determined to be participating in the alternative access network, receive, via the radio system, terms and conditions, for a connectivity service provided by the access point, wherein the terms and conditions for each of the two or more access points comprise a usage price for the connectivity service provided by that access point;

select one of the two or more access points that are determined to be participating in the alternative access network, based, at least in part, on the terms and conditions for at least the selected access point, by, when signal strengths of two or more access points are above a threshold, selecting the one access point based on the usage price; and

connect to the connectivity service provided by the selected access point via the radio system.

19. A method performed by at least one hardware processor of a mobile device, the method comprising:

controlling a first radio system to perform a scan to identify a set of access points, wherein the first radio system communicates via a first wireless communication protocol;

from the identified set of access points, determining one or more access points that are participating in an alternative access network, based on identifying information received directly from the one or more access points via the first radio system;

for each of the one or more access points that are determined to be participating in the alternative access network, receiving, via a second radio system, terms and conditions, for a connectivity service provided by the access point, from a remote server, wherein the second radio system communicates via a second wireless communication protocol that is different than the first wireless communication protocol;

selecting one of the one or more access points that are determined to be participating in the alternative access network, based, at least in part, on the terms and conditions for at least that access point; and

connecting to the connectivity service provided by the selected access point via the first radio system.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

control a first radio system to perform a scan to identify a set of access points, wherein the first radio system communicates via a first wireless communication protocol;

from the identified set of access points, determine one or more access points that are participating in an alternative access network, based on identifying information received directly from the one or more access points via the first radio system;

for each of the one or more access points that are determined to be participating in the alternative access network, receive, via a second radio system, terms and conditions, for a connectivity service provided by the access point, from a remote server, wherein the second radio system communicates via a second wireless communication protocol that is different than the first wireless communication protocol;

select one of the one or more access points that are determined to be participating in the alternative access network, based, at least in part, on the terms and conditions for at least the selected access point; and

connect to the connectivity service provided by the selected access point via the first radio system.

21. A method performed by at least one hardware processor of a remote server, the method comprising:

receiving a current location of a mobile device from the mobile device;

identifying a set of access points that are in a vicinity of the current location of the mobile device;

from the identified set of access points, determining one or more access points that are participating in an alternative access network, based on identifying information of the one or more access points;

selecting one of the one or more access points that are determined to be participating in the alternative access network, based, at least in part, on terms and conditions for a connectivity service for at least that access point; and

sending the identifying information of the selected access point to the mobile device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein, for each of the one or more access points, the terms and conditions comprise a price for using the connectivity service provided by that access point.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein, for each of the one or more access points, the terms and conditions comprise a level of security available for the connectivity service provided by that access point.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more access points that are determined to be participating in the alternative access network comprise two or more access points, and wherein selecting one of the two or more access points is based, at least in part, on the terms and conditions for the connectivity service for the two or more access points.

25. A remote server comprising memory and a processor configured to perform:

receiving a current location of a mobile device from the mobile device;

identifying a set of access points that are in a vicinity of the current location of the mobile device;

from the identified set of access points, determining one or more access points that are participating in an alternative access network, based on identifying information of the one or more access points;

selecting one of the one or more access points that are determined to be participating in the alternative access network, based, at least in part, on terms and conditions for a connectivity service for at least that access point; and

sending the identifying information of the selected access point to the mobile device.