For many computer users, Internet access is a basic necessity. Computer system users often desire access to the Internet so they can retrieve information from websites, shop on-line, send and receive email, download software programs or patches, manage data and files, or perform any of the many other tasks or functions that are possible with Internet access. Until relatively recently, a user desiring Internet access was required to establish a cable connection from the user's computer to a telephone jack, DSL connection, or cable connection. Alternatively, a user could connect a computer to the Internet through a local area network (LAN) connection.
Wireless networks permit desktop, laptop and other computers to access the Internet without requiring physical cables between the computer and the broadband or phone connector, or between the computer and a LAN. Instead of physical cables, the computer connects to the broadband or phone connection via a wireless transmission medium, such as radio frequency (rf) waves. A wireless access point, which includes an antenna for transmitting and receiving wireless transmissions, links the computer to the broadband or phone connector.
Wireless access points are designed to permit multiple computers to conduct wireless transmissions substantially simultaneously, so that multiple computers may access the Internet through the wireless access point. As a result, each computer in a wireless network is assigned a unique address that then is used to perform Internet communications through the access point.
Because wireless networks do not require cabling to connect a computer to the Internet, it has become increasingly popular for business establishments to provide wireless access points or on-ramps to enable customers and/or employees to access the Internet and email accounts. The manner in which these business establishments are compensated for constructing the infrastructure necessary to support a wireless network, however, has yet to be resolved.
An access point includes a wireless interface that permits one or more guests to obtain Internet access via wireless transmissions with the access point. The access point includes authentication and authorization logic that may be configured by a host to identify the privileges provided to each guest. When a guest requests access to the Internet, the authentication and authorization logic identifies if the guest is authorized to use the access point, and further identifies the guest's privileges.
Another embodiment relates to a method of providing guests with Internet service, including detecting a request for Internet access, and determining whether the guest's privileges are sufficient to allow the requested access.
Another embodiment includes an access point that comprises an ISP network interface coupling the access point to the Internet and a wireless network interface that permits multiple guests to obtain Internet access via wireless transmissions with the access point. Packet monitor logic determines a guest's type of Internet usage, and authentication and authorization logic determine if the usage is permitted according to the guests privileges.
These and other embodiments of the invention will become apparent upon a review of the drawings and detailed description.
For a detailed description of the embodiments of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular system components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, companies may refer to a component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function. In the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . ” Also, the term “couple” or “couples” is intended to mean either an indirect or direct electrical connection. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that connection may be through a direct electrical connection, or through an indirect electrical connection via other devices and connections. The term “access point,” as used herein, is intended to mean a device that operates as a bridge or hub to link one or more computer systems to a broadband or telephone jack or connecting device from which an Internet connection may be obtained. An Internet café refers to a business establishment or other structured environment that includes infrastructure to enable customers, employees and/or students to obtain Internet access. Unless otherwise explicitly indicated, embodiments discussed herein should be construed as exemplary, and not limiting in scope.
The following discussion is directed to various embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the following description has broad application, and the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be exemplary and not intended to intimate or suggest that the scope of the disclosure and claims is limited to that embodiment, unless explicitly indicated.
Referring now to
The jack 50 comprises a connector or terminal to which the access point may couple via an electrical or fiber optic cable 55. Alternatively, another communication medium, such as a wireless transmission, may be used to couple the access point 100 to jack 50. The jack 50 may be located in a wall or floor of a room or patio, or any other convenient location permitting physical access via a suitable communication medium. Thus, according to the exemplary embodiment of
According to the embodiments exemplified by the system of
The integrated access point 100 may be used by a business entity to permit customers or employees to access the Internet. As an example, an Internet café owner may procure an integrated access point 100 and make it available to customers, employees and/or students, which are depicted in
Because of the functionality provided by the integrated access point 100, the owner of the integrated access point may configure the access point 100 in various ways to control the accessibility of the access point by guests, and the manner by which the owner will be reimbursed for providing the access point to guests. The configuration of the access point may include identifying how customers and/or other users are charged for using the access point; the content and services available via the access point; the services that a guest may freely access, those that a guest must pay for, and the amount and periods for which a guest will be charged; whether the access point supports Remote Authentication Dial-In User Services (RADIUS); the types of maintenance and diagnostic applications used to maintain the access point 100; and various other features that will be apparent to one skilled in the art.
Referring still to
As shown in the exemplary embodiment of
The web server interface 120 executes an appropriate web server software application capable of presenting web pages and performing other tasks on the clients behalf, such as logging on/logging off, acquiring new services (and possibly collecting payment) as well as providing the host with a mechanism to control other services on access point 100. Guests may use a client web browser software application such as Internet Explorer® software sold by Microsoft Corp.®, although it should be understood that any generic browser may be used. During operation, the web server interface 120 executes the web server software application, which enables the access point 100 to access and obtain data maintained on the access point or from other Internet services. This data may be passed to other devices that couple to the access point 100, or may be used by other functional components which form a part of the access point 100 to configure, operate, and maintain the access point.
The Guest PCs 175a-d are issued an Internet Protocol (IP) address to enable the access point to route requested web pages and email to the appropriate Guest. According to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the IP address is assigned by dynamic host configuration protocol logic 130. The dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) logic 130 comprises a software and/or hardware mechanism to allocate users or guests with an IP address. DHCP is an Internet protocol for automating the configuration of computers that use TCP/IP, which is the communication protocol implemented to move packets of data from node to node in the Internet and verify that the data has been delivered to the appropriate destination. DHCP can be used to automatically assign IP addresses, to deliver TCP/IP stack configuration parameters to the Guest PCs 175a-d, and to provide other configuration information such as the addresses for printer servers.
The access point 100 also includes software logic 125 that prevents improper access to the access point from both the guest side and the Internet side. Software logic 125 thus provides firewall protection, while also authenticating guests who have permission to use the access point for Internet access. The firewall protection portion of logic 125 prevents external attackers and viruses from obtaining access to the Host PC 150, the Guest PCs 175a-d, or other devices resident on LAN 80. In addition, the firewall logic 125 prevents unauthorized Internet traffic from reaching and adversely modifying software, hardware or data resident in the access point 100. Various commercial applications are available for implementing such firewall protection, and may be used in the exemplary embodiment of
Logic 125 also includes authentication and authorization software, which determines if a Guest PC has appropriate privileges to access and use various features of access point 100. Based on the configuration established by the host, guests may be required to have purchased products or services offered by the host, or to have paid the host for the right to use the access point. The authentication software determines if the Guest has permission to use the access point. According to the exemplary embodiment, the authentication software engages in a process of establishing user identity. In one embodiment, this involves presenting a username and a password to establish the identify of the Guest. The authentication software then checks the credential against a store of known approved users and their passwords and verifies that the evidence presented by the Guest matches the information stored in the database.
The content available to guests may vary depending on what they have purchased from the host, or what they have paid the host. Consequently, the access point may recognize levels of privileges, and may have time limits during which that privilege exists. The authentication logic establishes a Guest's privilege level. The host may configure the authorization software to recognize multiple privilege levels or timing requirements.
Referring still to
Referring now to
In the event that the guest is approved, the authorization level of the guest is determined (step 307) and compared to the services requested by the guest, as shown in step 308. If the guest only requests services for which it is authorized, then, as shown in step 310, the authorization software permits the requested exchange to complete. If the guest is not so authorized, then the authorization software may deny that request and post an appropriate message to the guest, as discussed above in relation to step 306. An example where a host may delineate different privileges (and thus possibly different costs or customer levels), is based on the destinations for which the guest requests access, as shown in step 310. A host may decide that particular destinations or URLs (universal resource locators) may consume excessive bandwidth of the system, and thus may require that guests pay more or achieve higher customer levels in order to access such destinations. Examples of such destinations are those website relating to the downloading of large programs, patches or videos. These examples are meant, of course, to be merely illustrative and to make the point that in the embodiments of the access point exemplified by
Referring still to
Referring again to
The Quality of Service (QoS) probes 135 are designed to monitor the quality of service provided by the access point 100. As an example, the QoS probes 135 may schedule tasks during various periods that are designed to measure the response time to access a web site, or to obtain a web page, or to download a program. The QoS probes 135 can measure latency, delays, and bandwidth of the access point and of the Internet connection to which the access points couples. If the QoS probes determine that quality is less than optimal, the probes 135 may include diagnostic software that provides troubleshooting and error messages to the host (or to the manufacturer of the access point) so corrective action may be taken. The QoS probes 135 may recommend or automatically obtain patches or new drivers that eliminate or reduce problems detected by the scheduled tasks or diagnostic software.
Referring still to
The wireless network interface 165 provides the necessary infrastructure for supporting wireless communications to and from the access point and the Guest PCs or Host PC. The wireless interface 165 may include an antenna for improving transmission and reception of wireless signals. The wireless interface 165 of the exemplary embodiment of
The ISP network interface 170 coordinates data transfers between the access point 100 and the Internet. In the exemplary embodiment of
Referring now to
The RADIUS client 255 functions as an alternative authentication and authorization mechanism for the access point 200. In addition to charging guests locally for access to Internet services, or limiting use of the access point to guests, as was discussed above in
When accessing the Internet, requests and transactions from the access point 200 are routed to an Internet Service Provider 300. If a guest has a RADIUS account and seeks authentication based on that RADIUS account, access point 200 confirms that the guest is seeking authentication and access to the Internet based on a RADIUS account, and then routes the guest's access request to the appropriate RADIUS server 325 for authentication. If the RADIUS server 325 confirms the guest has an authorized RADIUS account, then the Radius client 255 in access point 200 associates the returned privileges with that guest to obtain Internet access using the access point. While a RADIUS client 255 is shown in
According to the exemplary embodiments of
During initial set-up (or subsequent modifications), the host proceeds through a menu-based system that assists the host in determining the billing structure to be implemented for the access point, and the local content that will be provided initially to guests, and to unauthorized users. The host also may determine the type of metering and Quality of Service probes that may be used, and when tasks may be scheduled, or optionally, may select default schemes for these services.
The above discussion is meant to be illustrative of the principles and various embodiments of the present invention. Numerous variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated. For example, although the above description of the access point focuses on the ability to provide Internet access to guests, it should be understand that this concept is meant to extend to future iterations of the Internet. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, the provision of such services can be readily implemented in the systems described above. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such variations and modifications.