Methods and apparatus to discover authentication information in a wireless networking environment

• US 9,820,149 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2017
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: McCann, Stephen, Montemurro, Michael Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): HOLDER, BRADLEY W
• Application Number:
  US15/431,501
• Publication Number:
  US 20170156063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 274 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• 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 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/14 using user query or user detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Examples to discover network authentication information in a wireless network involve transmitting during network discovery and prior to authentication, a Generic Advertisement Services (GAS) request to a network access point. The request requests authentication information. In addition, a response to the request is received from the network access point. The network authentication information is retrieved from the response. The network authentication information includes a re-direct frame.

Claims

1. A method to provide network authentication information in a wireless network, the method comprising:

receiving, by an access point, during network discovery and prior to authentication, a Generic Advertisement Service (GAS) request from a wireless terminal, the GAS request requesting network authentication information; and

transmitting, by the access point and to the wireless terminal, a response to the GAS request, wherein the response includes the network authentication information, the network authentication information includes an authentication type information and a re-direct uniform resource locator (URL) frame, and the authentication type information indicates that the wireless terminal uses the re-direct URL frame for at least one of;

(a) obtaining terms and conditions, or (b) hyper text transfer protocol (HTTP)/hyper text transfer protocol secure (HTTPS) redirection.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication type information further indicates that the wireless terminal performs at least one of:

(a) on-line login enrollment, or (b) domain name server (DNS) redirection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network authentication information includes a re-direct URL length field.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless terminal is a mobile communication device.

5. An access point that provides network authentication information in a wireless network, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one hardware processor communicatively coupled with the memory and configured to;

receive, during network discovery and prior to authentication, a Generic Advertisement Service (GAS) request from a wireless terminal, the GAS request requesting network authentication information; and

transmit, to the wireless terminal, a response to the GAS request, wherein the response includes the network authentication information, the network authentication information includes an authentication type information and a re-direct uniform resource locator (URL) frame, and the authentication type information indicates that the wireless terminal uses the re-direct URL frame for at least one of;

(a) obtaining terms and conditions, or (b) hyper text transfer protocol (HTTP)/hyper text transfer protocol secure (HTTPS) redirection.

6. A method for an access point to provide authentication information in a wireless network, the method comprising:

receiving, by the access point, during network discovery and prior to authentication, a Generic Advertisement Services (GAS) request from a wireless terminal, the GAS request requesting authentication information, the authentication information being indicative of an extensible authentication protocol method and indicative of a credential from the wireless terminal to use for authentication of the wireless terminal, and the credential being indicative of a username and password credential; and

transmitting, by the access point and to the wireless terminal, a response to the GAS request from the wireless terminal, wherein the response includes the authentication information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the wireless terminal is a mobile communication device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the response is transmitted at a media access control layer.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the credential is obtainable by the wireless terminal.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the credential is pre-stored in the wireless terminal.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving the credential from the wireless terminal.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the credential enables access to a subscription service provider network communicatively coupled to the access point.

13. An access point that provides authentication information in a wireless network, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one hardware processor communicatively coupled with the memory and configured to;

receive, during network discovery and prior to authentication, a Generic Advertisement Services (GAS) request from a wireless terminal, the GAS request requesting authentication information, the authentication information being indicative of an extensible authentication protocol method and indicative of a credential from the wireless terminal to use for authentication of the wireless terminal, the credential being indicative of a username and password credential; and

transmit, to the wireless terminal, a response to the GAS request from the wireless terminal, wherein the response includes the authentication information.