Method and system for wirelessly accessing a network

Abstract

Systems and methods for wirelessly accessing a network are set forth in this disclosure. Specifically, this disclosure sets forth systems and methods for using advertising to regulate wireless access to a network.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at an Internet Service Provider (ISP) server associated with a wireless access point, a network access request from a computing device wirelessly connected to the wireless access point, the wireless access point connected to a network via the service provider;   determining, via the ISP server, whether the computing device comprises an executable program that displays an advertising interface;   transmitting, via the ISP server, instructions for displaying the advertising interface to the computing device only when it is determined that the computing device does not include functionality for displaying the advertising interface;   retrieving, via the ISP server, advertising information from an advertising source, the advertising information comprising digital media that is renderable by the advertising interface, said advertising source being associated with a third-party network resource;   electronically connecting, via the ISP server, the computing device to the network based on the computing device having said functionality for rendering said advertising information; and   transmitting, via the ISP server, the advertising information to the computing device via the established electronic connection.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 notifying the computing device that network access requires the advertising interface; and 
 querying the computing device to include the advertising interface. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 retrieving the advertising interface from a remote computing device. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 regulating, by the wireless access point, the connection between the computing device and the network. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the step of
 regulating is based upon an amount of the advertising information transmitted to the computing device. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 regulating, by the service provider, the connection between the computing device and the network. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the step of regulating is based upon an amount of the advertising information transmitted to the computing device. 
     
     
         8 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein transmitting the advertising interface comprises: transmitting one or more executable files to the computing device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the one or more executable files renders a toolbar on the computing device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the toolbar renders the advertising information. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein transmitting the advertising interface comprises:
 retrieving one or more files from a network address corresponding to the advertising interface, the one or more files renderable by at least a portion of a display connected to the computing device; and transmitting the one or more files to the computing device. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the one or more files are renderable by a browser. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the network access request identifies a location of the computing device and the method further comprises:
 transmitting advertising information corresponding to the location of the computing device. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the computing device is disconnected from the network if a user of the computing device does not accept transmission of the advertising information. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the computing device is disconnected from the network if a user of the computing device does not accept transmission of the advertising interface. 
     
     
         22 - 65 . (canceled) 
     
     
         66 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly encoded with computer-executable instructions, that when executed by a processor associated with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) server, performs a method comprising:
 receiving, at the (ISP) server associated with a wireless access point, a network access request from a computing device wirelessly connected to the wireless access point, the wireless access point connected to a network via the service provider;   determining, via the ISP server, whether the computing device comprises an executable program that displays an advertising interface;   transmitting, via the ISP server, instructions for displaying the advertising interface to the computing device only when it is determined that the computing device does not include functionality for displaying the advertising interface;   retrieving, via the ISP server, advertising information from an advertising source, the advertising information comprising digital media that is renderable by the advertising interface, said advertising source being associated with a third-party network resource;   electronically connecting, via the ISP server, the computing device to the network based on the computing device having said functionality for rendering said advertising information; and   transmitting, via the ISP server, the advertising information to the computing device via the established electronic connection.   
     
     
         67 . An Internet Service Provider (ISP) server comprising:
 a processor; and   a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising:
 logic executed by the processor for receiving, at the (ISP) server associated with a wireless access point, a network access request from a computing device wirelessly connected to the wireless access point, the wireless access point connected to a network via the service provider; 
 logic executed by the processor for determining, via the ISP server, whether the computing device comprises an executable program that displays an advertising interface; 
 logic executed by the processor for transmitting, via the ISP server, instructions for displaying the advertising interface to the computing device only when it is determined that the computing device does not include functionality for displaying the advertising interface; 
 logic executed by the processor for retrieving, via the ISP server, advertising information from an advertising source, the advertising information comprising digital media that is renderable by the advertising interface, said advertising source being associated with a third-party network resource; 
 logic executed by the processor for electronically connecting, via the ISP server, the computing device to the network based on the computing device having said functionality for rendering said advertising information; and 
 logic executed by the processor for transmitting, via the ISP server, the advertising information to the computing device via the established electronic connection.