Back to results
US 9,288,674 B2Granted
Convenient WiFi network access using unique identifier value
AssigneeTime Warner Cable Enterprises LLC
InventorsArun Manroa, Ahmed Bencheikh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A WiFi network manager stores a unique identifier value such as a network address associated with a communication device as being a valid credential for the communication device to subsequently access a WiFi network including one or more access points. The WiFi network manager monitors use of the unique identifier value to access the WiFi network. In response to detecting misuse of the unique identifier value by two or more communication devices using the unique identifier value to use the WiFi network, the WiFi network manager at least temporarily prevents access to the WiFi network.
Claims27
A method comprising:
- monitoring use of a network address to access a wireless network;
- in response to detecting initial use of the network address to establish a first communication session and following subsequent use of the network address to establish a second communication session to access the wireless network within a predetermined time of the first communication session ending, at least temporarily preventing the second communication session access to the wireless network;
- wherein a first communication device uses the network address to establish the first communication session with a first wireless access point in the wireless network;
- and
- wherein a second communication device uses the network address to establish the second communication session to communicate with a second wireless access point in the wireless network, the second wireless access point disparately located with respect to the first wireless access point, the predetermined time derived based at least in part on a calculated physical distance between the second wireless access point and the first wireless access point.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- storing a network address as being a valid credential to access a wireless network including multiple access points;
- monitoring use of the network address to access the wireless network;
- and
- in response to detecting misuse of the network address to access the wireless network, at least temporarily preventing a resource purporting to be assigned the network address from accessing the wireless network;
- wherein detecting misuse of the network address includes:
- detecting use of the network address by a first communication device to access the wireless network via a first wireless access point of the wireless network;
- detecting use of the network address by the resource to access the wireless network via a second wireless access point of the wireless network, access by the first communication device and the resource occurring at non-overlapping times;
- calculating a distance separating the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point;
- deriving a time value based on the distance;
- and
- determining the misuse based on detecting that the use of the first wireless access point and use of the second wireless access point occur within the derived time value.
8 more elements
A computer system comprising:
- at least one processor device;
- and
- a hardware storage resource in communication with the at least one processor device, the hardware storage resource storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor device, cause the at least one processor device to perform operations of:
- monitoring use of unique identifier value to access wireless network;
- and
- in response to detecting misuse of the unique identifier value to access the wireless network, at least temporarily preventing a resource from accessing the wireless network;
- wherein detecting misuse of the network address includes:
- detecting use of the network address by a first communication device to access the wireless network via a first wireless access point of the wireless network;
- detecting use of the network address by a second communication device to access the wireless network via a second wireless access point of the wireless network, access by the first communication device and the second communication device occurring at non-overlapping times;
- wherein detecting misuse of the unique identifier value further includes:
- calculating a distance separating the first wireless access point and the second wireless access point;
- deriving a time value based on the distance;
- and
- determining the misuse based on detecting that the use of the first wireless access point and use of the second wireless access point occur within the derived time value.
11 more elements
A computer system comprising:
- at least one processor device;
- and
- a hardware storage resource in communication with the at least one processor device, the hardware storage resource storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor device, cause the at least one processor device to perform operations of:
- monitoring use of a unique identifier value to access a wireless network;
- and
- in response to detecting misuse of the unique identifier value to access the wireless network, at least temporarily preventing a resource from accessing the wireless network;
- wherein detecting misuse of the network address includes:
- detecting use of the network address by a first communication device to access the wireless network via a first wireless access point of the wireless network;
- detecting use of the network address by a second communication device to access the wireless network via a second wireless access point of the wireless network, access by the first communication device and the second communication device occurring at non-overlapping times;
- wherein detecting the misuse of the unique identifier value includes:
- detecting that the second communication device attempts to use the network address to access the second wireless access point within a predetermined amount of time of the first communication device ending a respective communication session with the first wireless access point;
- and
- deriving the predetermined amount of time based at least in part upon a calculated physical distance between the second wireless access point and the first wireless access point.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.