Seamless personal hotspot connectivity via personal hotspot tokens

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12501264-B2
Application number	US-202217898517-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2022
Priority date	Aug 30, 2022
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for seamless personal hotspot connectivity via personal hotspot tokens. According to one aspect disclosed herein, a personal hotspot-enabled device can include a processor and a memory. The memory can store instructions of an operating system and a personal hotspot application. The personal hotspot-enabled device can receive a personal hotspot token. The personal hotspot application can recognize, via a short-range communication component, a device identification associated with a peripheral device operating in proximity to the personal hotspot-enabled device. The personal hotspot application can request the personal hotspot token from the operating system. The personal hotspot application can inform the operating system of the device identification. The personal hotspot application can then receive the personal hotspot token associated with the device identification. The operating system can create a personal hotspot. The operating system can automatically authenticate the peripheral device to connect to the personal hotspot.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
receiving, by a personal hotspot-enabled device comprising a processor executing an operating system and a personal hotspot application, a personal hotspot token; recognizing, by the personal hotspot application via a short-range communication component, a device identification associated with a peripheral device operating in proximity to the personal hotspot-enabled device; requesting, by the personal hotspot application, the personal hotspot token from the operating system; informing, by the personal hotspot application, the operating system of the device identification; receiving, by the personal hotspot application, the personal hotspot token from the operating system; prompting, by the operating system, a user to provide an approval to allow the peripheral device to access a personal hotspot; receiving, by the operating system, the approval from the user; and in response to receiving the approval,
creating, by the operating system via a personal hotspot function, the personal hotspot, and
automatically authenticating, by the operating system, the peripheral device to connect to the personal hotspot using the personal hotspot token.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the personal hotspot token is specific to the peripheral device.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the personal hotspot token is specific to an original equipment manufacturer associated with the peripheral device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral device comprises an extended reality device.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral device comprises a device with a limited input capability.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving, by the personal hotspot-enabled device, the personal hotspot token comprises receiving, by the personal hotspot-enabled device, the personal hotspot token in accordance with a personal hotspot agreement between a mobile network operator and a peripheral device provider.

7 . A personal hotspot-enabled device comprising:
a short-range communication component; a processor; and a memory comprising an operating system and a personal hotspot application together comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising
receiving a personal hotspot token,
recognizing, by the personal hotspot application, via the short-range communication component, a device identification associated with a peripheral device operating in proximity to the personal hotspot-enabled device,
requesting, by the personal hotspot application, the personal hotspot token from the operating system,
informing, by the personal hotspot application, the operating system of the device identification,
receiving, by the personal hotspot application, the personal hotspot token from the operating system,
prompting, by the operating system, a user to provide an approval to allow the peripheral device to access a personal hotspot,
receiving, by the operating system, the approval from the user, and
in response to receiving the approval,
creating, by the operating system via a personal hotspot function, the personal hotspot, and
automatically authenticating, by the operating system, the peripheral device to connect to the personal hotspot using the personal hotspot token.

8 . The personal hotspot-enabled device of claim 7 , wherein the personal hotspot token is specific to the peripheral device.

9 . The personal hotspot-enabled device of claim 7 , wherein the personal hotspot token is specific to an original equipment manufacturer associated with the peripheral device.

10 . The personal hotspot-enabled device of claim 7 , wherein the peripheral device comprises an extended reality device.

11 . The personal hotspot-enabled device of claim 7 , wherein the peripheral device comprises a device with a limited input capability.

12 . The personal hotspot-enabled device of claim 7 , wherein receiving the personal hotspot token comprises receiving the personal hotspot token in accordance with a personal hotspot agreement between a mobile network operator and a peripheral device provider.

13 . A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions of an operating system and a personal hotspot application that, when executed by a processor of a personal hotspot-enabled device, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving a personal hotspot token; recognizing, by the personal hotspot application via a short-range communication component, a device identification associated with a peripheral device operating in proximity to the personal hotspot-enabled device; requesting, by the personal hotspot application, the personal hotspot token from the operating system; informing, by the personal hotspot application, the operating system of the device identification; receiving, by the personal hotspot application, the personal hotspot token from the operating system; prompting, by the operating system, a user to provide an approval to allow the peripheral device to access a personal hotspot; receiving, by the operating system, the approval from the user; and in response to receiving the approval,
creating, by the operating system via a personal hotspot function, the personal hotspot; and
automatically authenticating, by the operating system, the peripheral device to connect to the personal hotspot using the personal hotspot token.

14 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the personal hotspot token is specific to the peripheral device.

15 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the personal hotspot token is specific to an original equipment manufacturer associated with the peripheral device.

16 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the peripheral device comprises an extended reality device or a device with a limited input capability.

17 . The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein receiving the personal hotspot token comprises receiving the personal hotspot token in accordance with a personal hotspot agreement between a mobile network operator and a peripheral device provider.

Assignees

• At & T Ip I Lp
• At & T Mobility Ii Llc

Inventors

• Sikes Jason
• Wallace Todd
• Wallace Matthew
• Schrider Arnold

Classifications

• H04W12/08

  Access security · CPC title

• H04W84/12

  WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] · CPC title

• H04W88/04

  adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user · CPC title

• H04W12/50

  Secure pairing of devices · CPC title

• H04W12/06

  Authentication · CPC title