Providing wireless network access

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12314966-B2
Application number	US-202418601065-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2024
Priority date	May 15, 2014
Publication date	May 27, 2025
Grant date	May 27, 2025

Abstract

A network access point may control access by limiting time of access to users, and by granting additional access time in exchange for certain user behavior, such as viewing advertisements. Other rewards may be granted as well, such as changes to the user's network access quality, or access to restricted content.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a user device, from a network access device, and based on a request to access a wireless network, a grant of access rights to the wireless network;
receiving a parameter for accessing the wireless network, wherein the parameter indicates:
at least one content item, and
a network access reward associated with the at least one content item;

sending a selection of the at least one content item;
pausing, based on receiving the parameter, the access rights to the wireless network;
adjusting, based on consumption of the at least one content item, a wireless network access quality of the wireless network; and
resuming, after the adjusting the wireless network access quality, the access rights to the wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising increasing, based on the at least one content item, a data amount for a connection with the network access device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the grant of access rights provides different levels of wireless network access quality to the user device based on past content item presentations by the user device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving the at least one content item in a format that is based on a network usage history of the user device.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
outputting a user interface comprising an indication of a network access status and a description of a bandwidth associated with the at least one content item.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying an update to a network access status based on a bandwidth associated with the at least one content item.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
outputting a progress bar that indicates a progress of the user device through the at least one content item.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting the wireless network access quality is based on an indication that playback of the at least one content item was stopped before an end of the at least one content item was reached.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the parameter comprises a configuration setting stored in memory of the network access device and wherein the adjusting comprises increasing a network bandwidth usage.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
establishing, based on the grant of the access rights, a wireless connection with the network access device,
wherein the adjusting the wireless network access quality of the wireless network comprises adjusting the wireless connection.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting the wireless network access quality of the wireless network comprises adjusting one or more of:
a network bandwidth usage of a wireless connection associated with the network access device,
a transmission speed of a wireless connection associated with the network access device, or
a latency of a wireless connection associated with the network access device.

12. An apparatus comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
receive, from a network access device and based on a request to access a wireless network, a grant of access rights to the wireless network;
receive a parameter for accessing the wireless network, wherein the parameter indicates:
at least one content item, and
a network access reward associated with the at least one content item;

send a selection of the at least one content item;
pause, based on receiving the parameter, the access rights to the wireless network;
adjust, based on consumption of the at least one content item, a wireless network access quality of the wireless network; and
resume, after the adjusting the wireless network access quality, the access rights to the wireless network.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the grant of access rights provides different levels of wireless network access quality to the apparatus based on past content item presentations by the apparatus.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to receive the at least one content item in a format that is based on a network usage history of the apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to output a user interface comprising an indication of a network access status and a description of a bandwidth associated with the at least one content item.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to display an update to a network access status based on a bandwidth associated with the at least one content item.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to output a progress bar that indicates a progress of the apparatus through the at least one content item.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the parameter comprises a configuration setting stored in memory of the network access device and wherein the adjusting comprises increasing a network bandwidth usage.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
establish, based on the grant of the access rights, a wireless connection with the network access device,
wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to adjust the wireless network access quality of the wireless network by adjusting the wireless connection.

20. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to adjust the wireless network access quality of the wireless network by adjusting one or more of:
a network bandwidth usage of a wireless connection associated with the network access device,
a transmission speed of a wireless connection associated with the network access device, or
a latency of a wireless connection associated with the network access device.

21. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to increase, based on the at least one content item, a data amount for a connection with the network access device.

22. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to adjust the wireless network access quality based on an indication that playback of the at least one content item was stopped before an end of the at least one content item was reached.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause:
receiving, from a network access device and based on a request to access a wireless network, a grant of access rights to the wireless network;
receiving a parameter for accessing the wireless network, wherein the parameter indicates:
at least one content item, and
a network access reward associated with the at least one content item;

sending a selection of the at least one content item;
pausing, based on receiving the parameter, the access rights to the wireless network;
adjusting, based on consumption of the at least one content item, a wireless network access quality of the wireless network; and
resuming, after the adjusting the wireless ne

Assignees

• Comcast Cable Comm Llc

Inventors

• Stephens Billy Edison
• Tsoi Kam-Cheong Anthony

Classifications

• H04W48/02

  Access restriction performed under specific conditions · CPC title

• H04W74/002

  Transmission of channel access control information · CPC title

• G06Q30/0267

  Wireless devices · CPC title

• H04W28/0268

  using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] (negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24) · CPC title

• G06Q30/02 Primary

  Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising · CPC title