Method and System for Providing Registration, Authentication and Access Via a Broadband Access Gateway

Abstract

A system and method supporting user registration, authentication and access to multimedia services via a broadband access gateway is disclosed. A representative embodiment of the present invention may comprise a wireless interface and may be capable of exchanging multimedia communication between the wireless interface and a broadband network. The gateway may determine access to available media-related services based upon information that is provisioned in a broadband access gateway prior to the first access by a user of an access device. The gateway may automatically allow access to access devices that are pre-registered, and may support opportunistic registration for those users of access devices that have not been pre-registered. Restricted access to services and networks available through the gateway may be provided even when registration is not successful, or when the access device is not pre-registered. Interactive registration for gateway access may be supported, and one-button access using either soft or hard buttons may be provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 at a gateway operable to communicate data between a broadband modem which is configured for communication with a broadband network and a wireless communication interface which is configured for communication over a wireless network with wireless devices in a coverage area,
 detecting presence of an access device in the coverage area; 
 initiating communication with the access device including receiving an access identifier from the access device; 
 using the received access identifier to determine if the access device is pre-registered with the gateway; 
 if the access device is not pre-registered with the gateway, transmitting to the access device a communication prompting the access device for access credentials; 
 receiving a communication from the access device including receiving the access credentials; 
 comparing the received access credentials with stored data for the access device; and 
 permitting access by the access device to at least some data and at least some services provided on the wireless network in the coverage area. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein determining if the access device is pre-registered with the gateway comprises:
 retrieving from storage registration data about potential users registered for access to the gateway; 
 comparing information about the access device with the retrieved registration data; 
 upon a match of the received access identifier with at least some of the retrieved registration data, registering the access device for access to data and services provided on wireless network in the coverage area. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein registering the access device for access to data and services comprises:
 determining a qualified service tier for which the access device is qualified, the qualified service tier being selected from among a plurality of respective service tiers defining respective types of services available to access devices qualifying for the respective service tiers; 
 communicating to the access device information about the qualified service tier; and 
 subsequently, permitting the access device to access data and services only available for the qualified service tier. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 prompting the access device for tier access information; 
 receiving tier access information from the access device; 
 based on the received tier access information from the access device, permitting the access device to access data and services defined for a service tier associated with the tier access information. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein receiving tier access information comprises receiving billing information and wherein permitting access comprises permitting unlimited access to data and services. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving the access credentials comprises:
 receiving digital data assigned to the access device by the gateway for access to data and services on the wireless network. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving the access credentials comprises:
 receiving data defining a user identifier and password of a user of the access device for comparison with stored user information by the gateway to permit access to data and services on the wireless network. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein permitting access by the access device to at data and services provided on the wireless network comprises:
 communicating, at the wireless communication interface, data with the access device over the wireless network for communication with the broadband network; and 
 at the broadband modem, communicating the communicated data with the broadband network. 
 
     
     
         9 . A communication system comprising:
 communication circuitry for data communication with a local wireless network, including one or more access devices, and a broadband network; and   gateway circuitry configured for data communication with the communication circuitry, the gateway circuitry including
 circuitry operable to detect presence of an access device on the local wireless network; 
 circuitry operable to receive an access identifier from the access device; 
 circuitry to compare the received access identifier with stored information about access devices that have previously registered with the communication system; 
 circuitry operable to determine if the received access identifier indicates that the access device is registered, and then determine a qualified service tier for which the access device is authorized, the qualified service tier being one service tier of a plurality of respective service tiers defining respective types of communication services available to access devices, including the access device, qualifying for the respective service tiers; 
 circuitry operable to grant access for the access device to communication services defined by the qualified service tier; 
 registration circuitry operable to determine if the received access identifier indicates that the access device is not registered, and to communicate a prompt advising a user of the access device of the availability of communication with the communication system on the local wireless network; 
 circuitry operable to subsequently receive from the access device registration information for the access device; 
 verification circuitry operable to verify the received registration information; and 
 upon successful verification of the received registration information, circuitry operable to permit access by the access device to at least some data and at least some services provided on the wireless network in the coverage area. 
   
     
     
         10 . The communication system of  claim 9  wherein the registration circuitry comprises circuitry to communicate to the access device a one-click prompt advising the user of the availability of communication with the communication system, identifying the local wireless network, and inviting the user to actuate a single actuator of the access device to cause the access device to communicate the registration information for the access device to the communication system. 
     
     
         11 . The communication system of  claim 10  wherein the registration circuitry comprises circuitry to prepare a one-click prompt message for communication to the access device, the one-click prompt message including data to cause the access device to display a software-enabled button on a display screen of access device, the software-enabled button programmed to cause the access device to transmit identifying information as the access identifier from the access device to the communication system. 
     
     
         12 . The communication system of  claim 10  wherein the registration circuitry comprises circuitry to prepare a one-click prompt message for communication to the access device, the one-click prompt message including data to cause the access device to display a user-defined button on a display screen of access device, the user-defined button designated by the user of the access device for response to the one-click prompt message, the user-defined button programmed to cause the access device to transmit identifying information as the access identifier from the access device to the communication system. 
     
     
         13 . The communication system of  claim 9  wherein the circuitry operable to receive registration information comprises circuitry to receive one or more of user identification information for the user of the access device and proof of ability to pay for provided on the wireless network in the coverage area. 
     
     
         14 . The communication system of  claim 9  wherein the circuitry operable to receive registration information comprises circuitry to receive identification information for the access device and identification information for the user of the access device. 
     
     
         15 . The communication system of  claim 14  wherein the circuitry operable to receive registration information comprises circuitry to receive as the identification information for the access device at least one of an electronic serial number, a media access control (MAC) address, or other unique identifying information of the access device. 
     
     
         16 . The communication system of  claim 9  wherein the verification circuitry comprises:
 circuitry operable to detect a registration attempt by an access device that is not registered; and 
 circuitry to prepare and communicate an access-approval message to a user of an access approval device, the message including information identifying the access device or the user of the access device, or both, and prompting the user to allow access; 
 circuitry to receive from the access approval device an access-allowed message approving access by the access device to the at least some data and at least some services provided on the wireless network in the coverage area. 
 
     
     
         17 . The communication system of  claim 16  wherein the circuitry to prepare and communicate the access-approval message is operable to prepare the access-approval message including data to prepare 
       a one-click approval message for communication to the approval device, the one-click approval message including data to cause the approval device to display a software-enabled button on a display screen of approval device, the software-enabled button programmed to cause the approval device to transmit the access-allowed message from the approval device to the communication system. 
     
     
         18 . The communication system of  claim 16  wherein the circuitry to prepare and communicate the access-approval message is operable to identify a network location of the access approval device and to communicate the access-approval message to the access approval device over the broadband network. 
     
     
         19 . The communication system of  claim 9  wherein the registration circuitry is operable to compare the received access identifier with previously stored identification information for one or more access-approved devices and to determine that the received access identifier indicates that the access device is registered based on a matching comparison. 
     
     
         20 . The communication system of  claim 9  further comprising:
 circuitry operable to grant restricted access to communication services on the local wireless network for the access device if the registration circuitry determines that the access device is not registered.