Provisioned configuration for automatic wireless connection

• US 9,071,583 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2007
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ruckus IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Ruckus Wireless, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yang, Bo-Chieh, Sheu, Ming, Kuo, Ted Tsei, Lin, Tian-Yuan, Jou, Tyan-Shu
• Primary Examiner(s): Iqbal, Khawar
• Application Number:
  US11/789,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20070287450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,990 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/418, 455/419, 455/433, 455/434, 713168-175, 726 1- 4, 726/10, 726/21, 709/220, 709/228, 709/229
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Systems and methods for provisioned configuration of wireless devices to allow access to restricted wireless networks are provided. Using an open wireless or wired network, a user of a wireless device may be authenticated. A configuration application, which includes the parameters and policies of the provisioned configuration, is generated, transferred to, and executed on the wireless device. Following configuration by the application, the wireless device is allowed to access the restricted wireless network within the parameters and policies of the provisioned configuration.

Claims

1. A method for provisioned configuration of a wireless device, the method comprising:

authenticating a user of the wireless device at an authentication server;

identifying a set of parameters and policies associated with the user and the wireless device, the set of parameters and policies identified from a provisioned configuration database in memory that stores a plurality of parameters and policies;

generating an executable application based on authentication information regarding the user and provided by the wireless device, the generated executable application being executable to install the identified set of parameters and policies, wherein the executable application is generated through execution of an application generation module stored in memory at the authentication server;

transferring the executable application from the authentication server to the wireless device, wherein execution of the executable application by the wireless device configures the wireless device for access to a restricted wireless network, wherein the configuration includes installing at the wireless device the identified set of parameters and policies governing access by the user and the wireless device to the restricted wireless network; and

restricting access of the wireless device to the restricted wireless network at the authentication server, wherein access to the restricted wireless network is allowed based on at least the set of parameters and policies installed on the wireless device as a part of the wireless device configuration by the executable application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration further includes a certificate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration further includes a shared secret.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration further includes a private key.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating the user of the wireless devices occurs over an open wireless network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein authenticating the user of the wireless device occurs over a wired network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication information is associated with provisioned configuration information in a provisioned configuration database.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the configuration settings for the wireless device with the authentication information in a provisioned configuration database.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication information comprises information concerning the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication information comprises information concerning the wireless device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the executable application includes a plurality of configuration settings for the wireless device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of configuration settings includes parameters and policies for a different restricted wireless network.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of configuration settings includes a certificate.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of configuration settings includes a shared secret.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of configuration settings includes a private key.

16. A system for provisioned configuration of a wireless device, the system comprising:

an authentication module stored in memory and executable by a processor to authenticate a user of the wireless device;

a provisioned configuration database stored in memory and including a provisioned configuration for the wireless device, the provisioned configuration based on at least authentication information identified by the execution of the authentication module, wherein the provisioned configuration includes parameters and policies for installation in the wireless device, the parameters and policies governing access to a restricted wireless network; and

an application generation module stored in memory at an authentication server and executable by the processor to;

identify a set of parameters and policies associated with the user and the wireless device, the set of parameters and policies identified from the provisioned configuration database;

generate an executable application for the wireless device based on authentication information regarding the user and provided by the wireless device, the executable application being executable by the wireless device to configure the wireless device for access to the restricted wireless network based on at least the provisioned configuration, wherein the configuration includes installing at the wireless device the identified set of parameters and policies governing access by the user and the wireless device to the restricted wireless network, wherein access to the restricted wireless network is allowed based on at least the set of parameters and policies.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the authentication information comprises information concerning the user.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the authentication information comprises information concerning the wireless device.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the provisioned configuration database is further configured to store information concerning a plurality of parameters and policies of access to restricted wireless networks, associations with users, and associations with wireless devices.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the provisioned configuration database is further configured to store information concerning certificates.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the provisioned configuration database is further configured to store shared secrets.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the provisioned configuration database is further configured to store private keys.

23. The system of claim 16, further comprising a provisioning module stored in memory and executable by a processor to deliver the generated executable application to the wireless device over a communications network.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the communications network is an open wireless network.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the communications network is a wired network.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the executable application is executable to provide a plurality of provisioned configurations.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein each of the plurality of provisioned configurations includes parameters and policies for a different restricted wireless network.

28. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a computer processor to perform a method for provisioned configuration of a wireless device, the method comprising:

authenticating a user of the wireless device;

identifying a set of parameters and policies associated with the user and the wireless device, the set of parameters and policies identified from a provisioned configuration database in memory that stores a plurality of parameters and policies;

generating an executable application based on authentication information regarding the user and provided by the wireless device, the generated executable application being executable to install the identified set of parameters and policies, wherein the executable application is generated through execution of an application generation module stored in memory at the authentication server;

transferring the executable application to the wireless device, wherein execution of the executable application by the wireless device configures the wireless device for access to a restricted wireless network, wherein the configuration includes installing at the wireless device the identified set of parameters and policies governing access by the user and the wireless device to the restricted wireless network; and

restricting access of the wireless device to the restricted wireless network based on at least the set of parameters and policies installed on the wireless device as a part of the wireless device configuration by the executable application.