Access Point Status Determination System for Wi-Fi

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional access point systems fail to accurately distinguish between public and private Wi-Fi networks, leading to unintended and potentially illegal use of privately owned resources, as they rely on password-based permissions and lack effective methods to discern public from private access points.

Innovation Solution

A system that determines the public or private status of an access point by analyzing geospatial information, access point identifiers, and historical user equipment density, using keyword analysis, whitelisting, blacklisting, and ranking to generate access permission data, which helps user equipment decide whether to connect to an access point based on its status.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If password-based access permission is used, then access control is implemented, but public access points cannot be easily distinguished from private access points

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess controlVSAvoidaccess point identification

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary system that acts as a mediator between user equipment and access points. This intermediary maintains a database of access point classifications (public/private) and provides permission determinations, resolving the contradiction by adding a specialized intermediary component rather than complicating the access points themselves.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the access point classification functionality from the access points themselves and places it in a separate permission determination system. By taking out the classification logic and maintaining it separately in a database, the system avoids complicating individual access points while still providing reliable public/private distinction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of operation

If no password is set on private access points, then ease of connection is improved, but unauthorized consumption of resources occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconnection easeVSAvoidunauthorized resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by determining access permission status before user equipment actually connects to the access point. The system queries the permission determination component with the access point identifier, receives a determination of whether the AP is public or private, and only allows connection if permission is granted. This prevents unauthorized resource consumption while maintaining ease of connection for authorized users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback by having user equipment query the permission determination system before connecting to an access point. The system provides feedback in the form of a permission determination (public/private status), which guides the user equipment's connection decision. This feedback mechanism prevents unauthorized access while maintaining simplicity for authorized connections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If conventional access point systems are used, then device simplicity is maintained, but legal and unauthorized use of resources cannot be prevented

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidillegal resource use

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a permission determination component as an intermediary between user equipment and access points. This intermediary maintains a database of access point classifications and provides permission determinations without significantly complicating the overall system architecture. The intermediary handles the legal compliance aspect while keeping the access point and user equipment relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the access control functionality into separate components: access points that provide network access, user equipment that connects to networks, and a separate permission determination component that maintains classification databases and provides permission decisions. This segmentation allows the system to prevent illegal resource use while maintaining simplicity in individual components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10200936B2Public/private indicator based access point connection permission

Publication Date: 2019.02.05 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

Determining a permission for a user equipment to connect to an access point based on the public/private status of the access point device is disclosed. The permission can be based on a historic user equipment density for an area comprising the location of the access point device. The permission can be further based on analysis of an access point device identifier. Analysis of the access point device identifier can be based on comparing a portion of the access point device identifier to a term associated with either a public status or a private status of the access point device. In an embodiment, the access point device identifier can be an SSID, such as for a Wi-Fi network, whereby the SSID can be parsed into keywords that can be compared to the term. Ranking and/or white/blacklisting can be performed based on the analysis of the access point device identifier.