Pre-paid data card authentication in a public wireless LAN access system
US6954793B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 27, 2002 |
| Grant date | Oct 11, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 29, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04W84/12
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A user (121, 122) can gain access to a Local Area Network (LAN) (20) on a fee basis without the risk of having to transmit an un-encrypted PIN at upon initial access. The user initially sends a request to the LAN identifying a Billing Agent (26) that maintains an account associated with the user for payment of LAN access charges. In practice, the account can take the form of a pre-paid account identified only by a PIN known to the user. After the user has identified the Billing Agent, the LAN queries the Billing Agent for its digital certificate, which the LAN forwards to the user. The user utilizes the certificate to encrypt a PIN for transmission via the LAN to the Billing Agent for authentication. Upon successful authentication, the Billing Agent authorizes the LAN to grant access to the user, thus allowing the user to obtain a connection via the LAN to a private network (14) or a public network (16).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.