Integrating a mobile hotspot into a larger network environment
AssigneeBright House Networks, LLC
InventorLeo Cloutier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Integration of a mobile hotspot into a service provider network is disclosed. A network node establishes a first wireless communication link with a mobile hotspot device. The mobile hotspot device is configured to establish a second wireless communications link with at least one client device. The network node receives an access request message from the mobile hotspot device which comprises credentials provided by the at least one client device. The network node determines that the at least one client device is authorized to access the service provider network through the mobile hotspot device based on the credentials and indicates to the mobile hotspot device that the at least one client device is authorized to access the service provider network through the mobile hotspot device.
Claims19
A method for providing access to a service provider network associated with a service provider and comprising at least one network node, comprising:
- establishing, by the at least one network node, a cellular communication link with a mobile hotspot device associated with a first subscriber of the service provider, the mobile hotspot device configured to establish a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication link with at least one client device associated with a second subscriber of the service provider;
- automatically provisioning, by the at least one network node, the mobile hotspot device with a wireless network having a predetermined service set identifier (SSID);
- receiving, by the at least one network node, an access request message from the mobile hotspot device, the access request message comprising credentials provided by the at least one client device, wherein the at least one client device seeks access to the mobile hotspot device in response to detecting the predetermined SSID;
- determining, by the at least one network node, that the at least one client device is authorized to access the service provider network through the mobile hotspot device based on the credentials, the credentials identifying the second subscriber as having permission to access the service provider network;
- and
- indicating to the mobile hotspot device that the at least one client device is authorized to access the service provider network through the mobile hotspot device.
A mobile hotspot device, comprising:
- at least one cellular interface configured to establish a cellular communication link with a service provider network;
- at least one wireless communication interface configured to establish a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication link with a client device;
- a processor coupled to the at least one cellular interface and the at least one wireless communication interface and configured to:
- communicate with the service provider network via the cellular communication link;
- communicate with the client device via the WLAN communication link;
- receive, from a network node in the service provider network, instructions to automatically provision the mobile hotspot device with a wireless network having a predetermined service set identifier (SSID);
- receive a request from the client device to access the service provider network in response to the predetermined SSID, the request including credentials associated with the client device that identify a subscriber associated with the client device as having permission to access the service provider network;
- submit the request, including the credentials, to the service provider network;
- and
- receive authorization from the service provider network that the client device is authorized to access the service provider network.
A method for facilitating access to a service provider network via a mobile hotspot device, comprising:
- establishing, by the mobile hotspot device, a cellular communication link with the service provider network;
- establishing, by the mobile hotspot device, a wireless local area network (WLAN) communication link with a client device;
- receiving, from a network node in the service provider network, instructions to automatically provision the mobile hotspot device with a wireless network having a predetermined service set identifier (SSID);
- receiving, by the mobile hotspot device, in response to the predetermined SSID, a request from the client device to access the service provider network, the request including credentials associated with the client device that identify a subscriber associated with the client device as having permission to access the service provider network;
- submitting the request, including the credentials, to the service provider network;
- and
- receiving authorization from the service provider network that the client device is authorized to access the service provider network via the mobile hotspot device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.