SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING CONTENT AND SERVICES ON A NETWORK SYSTEM

• US 20120096159A1
• Filed: 12/19/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nomadix, Inc. (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nomadix, Inc. (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Short, Joel E., Pagan, Florence C.I., Goldstein, Josh J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,269 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/086 using security domains
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/12 Reselecting a serving backbone network switching or routing node
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing and providing content and services on a network system. Aspects of the invention include location-based determination of network content and services that may be provided to client computers. Other aspects of the invention include authorization and authentication components that determine access rights of client computers. Additional aspects include systems and methods for redirecting client computers to different network content. The disclosed systems and methods may be used in numerous network system applications.

Claims

1. A system for performing redirection of a user device attempting to communicate through a network, comprising:

a network access management system including at least one processor and at least one communications port configured to communicate on a network;

the network access management system configured to send connection handshake completion data to a user device in response to a connection request from the user device directed to a first device that is external to the network access management system, the connection handshake completion data configured to appear to be from the first device, wherein the network access management system need not communicate with the first device;

the network access management system further configured to process an incoming request for access to the first device; and

the network access management system further configured to send a response to the incoming request for access to the first device, the response configured to redirect the user device to a second device, the response including a source address corresponding to the first device, whereby the response appears to be from the first device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the user device is a mobile device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first device is one or more servers.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the second device comprises a portal page server configured to present a portal page to the user device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the portal page server is internal to the network access management device.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the portal page server is external to the network access management device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the network access management system is further configured to determine whether the user device should be redirected in response to a second incoming request from the user device, the determination being based at least in part on a MAC address received from the computer.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the connection handshake completion data comprises Transmission Control Protocol handshake completion data.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the network access management system comprises multiple computing devices.

10. A network management system, configured to redirect a user device to a different network location than was requested by the user device, the user device being connected to the network management system, the system comprising:

a communications port configured to receive incoming data from the user device relating to accessing a first network location external to the network management system; and

a processor configured to complete a connection handshake with the user device while appearing to be the first network location, the connection handshake being completed in response to the incoming data and without the need to communicate with the first device;

the processor further configured to send to the user device a redirection message configured to cause the user device to initiate a request to access a second network location, the second network location being different from the first network location, the redirection message including a source address corresponding to first network location, whereby the redirection message appears to have originated from the first network location.

11. The network management system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further programmed to determine if the user device is entitled to access the external server.

12. The network management system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive second incoming data from the user device; and

determine whether to send a second redirection message configured to cause the user device to initiate another request for a third network location, the determination being based at least in part upon a MAC address associated with the user device.

13. The network management system of claim 12, wherein the third network location is the second network location.

14. The network management system of claim 10, wherein the second location is a portal page.

15. The network management system of claim 10, wherein the first network location is a server.

16. The network management system of claim 10, wherein the first network location is a network address.

17. A method of performing redirection, the method being performed at an access control system, the method comprising:

sending connection handshake completion data to a user device in response to a connection request from the user device directed to a first device that is external to the access control system, the connection handshake completion data configured to appear to be from the first device, wherein the access control system need not communicate with the first device;

receiving, at the access control system from the user device, an incoming request for access to the first device;

sending, from the access control system, a response to the incoming request for access to the first device, the response configured to redirect the user device from the first device to a second device, the response including a source address corresponding to the first device, whereby the response appears to be from the first device.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a second incoming request from the user device; and

determining whether to send a second response configured to cause the user device to initiate another request for content from the second device, the determination being based at least in part upon a MAC address associated with the user device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the incoming request comprises a request for a web page located on the first device.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the access control system comprises a gateway device.