Credential Server for Wireless Network Access Curation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face challenges in accessing wireless networks due to the complexity of entering and managing multiple passwords, security concerns, and the difficulty in distinguishing between intentionally shared and unintentionally open networks, leading to potential legal issues and inefficient network selection.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for providing network credentials that involve a credential server receiving a request from a digital device, identifying a network record, and transmitting the necessary credentials, while also selecting a wireless network based on attributes stored in a network database, including performance metrics, shared indicators, and service identifiers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users manually enter and manage passwords for multiple hotspots, then network access is achieved, but user convenience deteriorates and security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a credential server as an intermediary between users and wireless networks. The server stores and manages network credentials centrally, allowing users to access multiple hotspots without manually entering passwords. The mobile device automatically communicates with the credential server to obtain credentials, eliminating the need for users to remember or manage multiple passwords locally.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables automatic credential retrieval where the mobile device autonomously communicates with the credential server to obtain network access credentials. The device self-manages the authentication process by automatically selecting networks based on attributes and retrieving appropriate credentials without user intervention, except for initial setup.
2Productivity
If users access open wireless networks without verification, then network connectivity is improved, but legal compliance deteriorates due to potential unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary verification by checking network attributes and credential availability before establishing a connection. The mobile device queries the credential server to verify that the network is authorized for access and obtains valid credentials in advance. This preliminary action ensures that connections are made only to legally accessible networks, preventing unauthorized access while maintaining fast connection speeds for verified networks.
3Speed
If users store passwords locally on devices, then access speed is improved, but security deteriorates due to device loss or theft
Solution Approach 1:
The credential server acts as a secure intermediary that stores credentials centrally rather than locally on user devices. When a device needs network access, it requests credentials from the server through secure communication. This eliminates the security vulnerability of storing passwords locally while maintaining fast access speeds, as the credential server can quickly provide credentials to authorized devices without requiring users to retrieve stored passwords from potentially compromised devices.
4Ease of operation
If the system automatically selects networks based on attributes, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to attribute management
Solution Approach 1:
The credential server serves as an intermediary that manages network attributes and selection logic centrally. The mobile device sends its capabilities and preferences to the server, which then selects appropriate networks based on stored attributes and returns the selected network information. This transfers the complexity of attribute management from the user device to the server, simplifying the user interface while maintaining intelligent automatic selection.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for network curation are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method comprises scanning, by a mobile device, an area to identify a network device for accessing a network, receiving, by the mobile device, a network identifier associated with the network device, providing a curation indicator request to a curation server, the curation indicator request comprising the network identifier, receiving a curation indicator from the curation server, the curation indicator being retrieved, based on the network identifier, from a database of a plurality of curation indicators, the curation indicator associated with a likelihood of intent to publicly share the network by the network device, comparing the curation indicator to an access setting, the access setting indicating acceptability of network access based on the likelihood of intent to publicly share the network by the network device, and accessing the network via the network device based on the comparison.