US 11,700,562 B1Granted

Seamless Wi-Fi roaming authorization

AssigneeCSC Holdings, LLC

InventorsEdgar Crespi, James Digangi, Michael Olavarria, Paul Hess

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Abstract

Embodiments enable seamless Wi-Fi roaming by providing a user with a single username that is associated with a set of resources in the seamless network that includes different Wi-Fi networks (e.g., Wi-Fi networks with different domain names). As a user travels from a first access point in a first Wi-Fi network to a second access point in a second Wi-Fi network within the seamless network, network elements in the seamless network may recognize the user's single username as an already established session (e.g., with the first access point) and direct traffic accordingly to the second access point. Embodiments also satisfy business requirements by updating accounting data accordingly by indicating that the user accessed the seamless network from the first Wi-Fi network. Embodiments allow a user roaming on the seamless network to experience the policies and network requirements associated with the Wi-Fi domain of the second access point.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system, comprising:

a memory;
and
one or more processors communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
receive a query message identifying a first access point in a first wireless network, wherein the query message corresponds to an unauthorized client device requesting access to a seamless network comprising the first wireless network and a second wireless network;
cause a change in a charging rule to identify a portal site of the first wireless network to which one or more packets from the unauthorized client device are redirected;
receive an authorization that the unauthorized client device is authorized to access the seamless network, the authorization being based on credentials associated with the portal site, wherein the unauthorized client device becomes an authorized client device;
cause another change in the charging rule to allow the authorized client device to access the seamless network via the first access point;
receive a second query message comprising an IP address of a second access point in the second wireless network and a unique identifier of a user of the authorized client device corresponding to the seamless network;
determine a session established via the first wireless network based on the unique identifier of the user;
and
transmit a message enabling the session to continue on the second wireless network.

8 more elements

A method, comprising:

receiving a query message identifying a first access point in a first wireless network, wherein the query message corresponds to an unauthorized client device requesting access to a seamless network comprising the first wireless network and a second wireless network;
causing a change in a charging rule to identify a portal site of the first wireless network to which one or more packets from the unauthorized client device are redirected;
receiving an authorization that the unauthorized client device is authorized to access the seamless network, the authorization being based on credentials associated with the portal site, wherein the unauthorized client device becomes an authorized client device;
causing another change in the charging rule to allow the authorized client device to access the seamless network via the first access point;
receiving a second query message comprising an IP address of a second access point in the second wireless network and a unique identifier of a user of the authorized client device, corresponding to the seamless network;
determining a session established via the first wireless network based on the unique identifier of the user;
and
transmitting a message enabling the session to continue on the second wireless network.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/099,471Filed 16 Nov 2020 · continuation
Priority: 20 Jul 2016
Granted: 11 Jul 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

H04W 36/18
Performing reselection for specific purposes: for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
H04L 61/10
Mapping addresses: of different types
H04W 12/06
Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity: authentication
H04L 61/5014
Internet protocol [IP] addresses: using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]

Family

Application15/215,198Parent of this continuation · filed 20 Jul 2016
Application16/367,464Parent of this continuation · filed 28 Mar 2019
US 10,251,107 B1Parent of this continuation · filed 2 Apr 2019
US 10,841,850 B1Parent of this continuation
US 11,700,562 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.