Network Access Control via Linked Device Trust
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for accessing wireless home networks require manual password entry or reliance on shared social media accounts, making it cumbersome for guests to connect without revealing passwords.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that allow user devices to access local networks like Wi-Fi or Ethernet without manual interaction by leveraging existing access relationships through linked user devices and networks, using an authentication server to grant access based on trust and communication history between network access devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual password entry is required for network access, then network security is maintained, but ease of operation deteriorates due to cumbersome connection process
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication by checking if the visiting device has accessed other networks owned by the same user before allowing connection. This pre-verification eliminates the need for real-time password entry and manual authentication steps, enabling seamless access while maintaining security through prior established trust relationships.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication system operates autonomously by automatically verifying device credentials against the user's network access history and trust relationships. The process occurs without requiring user interaction or manual password entry, as the system self-automates the authentication decision based on pre-established device trust levels and network access patterns.
2Ease of operation
If password is shared with guests, then ease of operation improves, but security deteriorates due to password disclosure
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments network access rights by creating unique device-specific credentials and trust relationships instead of using a single shared password. Each device is individually authenticated based on its own access history and trust level with the user, allowing multiple devices to connect with different authentication states without compromising overall network security through password sharing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary authentication mechanism that verifies device credentials against the user's network access history and trust relationships. This intermediary layer replaces direct password sharing by mediating authentication through established device trust levels and network access patterns, maintaining security while enabling guest access.
3Ease of operation
If social network accounts are required for authentication, then ease of operation improves, but adaptability deteriorates due to platform dependency
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication system achieves universality by working across multiple platforms and networks without requiring specific social media accounts. It uses a platform-independent approach based on device access history and trust relationships that can be implemented on any network infrastructure, making the system adaptable to different environments including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Ethernet networks without platform-specific dependencies.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for controlling access to a first network, comprising receiving, by a first network access device of the first network, an access request from a visiting user device, determining, by the first network access device, if the visiting user device was granted an access to the first network, if the visiting device has not been granted an access to the first network, determining if there is a second network access device that granted the visiting user device an access to a second network and the second network access device is linked to the first network access device, and if the second network access device exists, granting the visiting user device an access to the first network by the first network access device.