Methods and apparatus for use in facilitating access to a communication service via a WLAN hotspot
US9888437B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 2, 2015 |
| Grant date | Feb 6, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 25, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04W84/12
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A mobile communication device identifies and selects a wireless local area network (WLAN) available for communications in its coverage area. Automatically, without detecting any requests made by a user via a browser application. The mobile device initiates a request (e.g. an HTTP GET request) to a predetermined server site of a communication network which is outside of the WLAN. In response to initiating the request, the mobile device receives a response message via the WLAN and identifies, from the response message, whether the request to the predetermined server site has been redirected to a redirect server site. The WLAN may be a WLAN “hotspot,” where the redirect server site is a login server. The identifying may be performed by comparing content from the response message to predetermined content of the predetermined server site. In response to identifying that the request has been redirected, the mobile device causes an indication to be produced at its user interface. Access to a communication service (such as a “push”-data service) may be subsequently expediently obtained.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.