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US 12,026,762 B2Granted
Network connection system
OwnerStephen Ball, Kathleen Chapman +1inventors
InventorsStephen Ball, Kathleen Chapman, Curtis J. Spacht
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for automatically negotiating Internet access between a user and one of a plurality of Internet connection providers. Users can buy or bid for Internet bandwidth, for example, through a server or website or by direct communications with an Internet access point such as, for example, a WIFI access point.
Claims20
A system for providing a computer with a connection to a network, comprising:
- a plurality of network providers each offering to provide access to the network;
- each of the plurality of network providers having an application executing thereon that, in response to user input, alternately enables or disables an offer to provide access to the network;
- a connection request sent to the plurality of network providers;
- a plurality of connection offers, each sent from one of the plurality of network providers in response to the connection request;
- the computer accepting one of the plurality of connection offers based at least in part on comparing the plurality of connection offers;
- a connection to the network enabled for the computer by the network provider associated with the accepted connection offer.
3 more elements
A method for providing a computer with a connection to a network, comprising:
- providing a plurality of network providers each offering to provide access to the network;
- executing an application on each of the plurality of network providers that, in response to user input, alternately enables or disables an offer to provide access to the network;
- one of the plurality of network providers a wireless router offering bandwidth provided by an internet service provider when an offer to provide access is enabled;
- providing an app on the computer, the app having a user interface;
- sending a connection request to the plurality of network providers in response to user input received by the user interface;
- sending a plurality of connection offers, each sent from one of the plurality of network providers in response to the connection request;
- accepting one of the plurality of connection offers based at least in part on comparing the plurality of connection offers;
- enabling a connection to the network for the computer by the network provider associated with the accepted connection offer.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.