Method for provisioning walk-in wi-fi devices

Abstract

Various embodiments include a method for using Access Network Query Protocol (ANQP) messages to provision a mobile device to access a Wi-Fi network via an access point. The method may include broadcasting beacon frames advertising support for ANQP and a walk-in provisioning capability. The access point may receive an ANQP query from a mobile device requesting login information, and transmit an ANQP response including account creation and provisioning information with a public key and configuration instructions. The access point may receive a subsequent ANQP query containing encrypted credentials, and upon successful authentication of the credentials by the access point or a network backend service, request a public key from the mobile device. The access point may generate or receive from the network backend service an encrypted Wi-Fi profile, and transmit it to the mobile device in an ANQP response. Finally, a secure connection may be established with the mobile device.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.