Charter Communications Operating, LLC

Donald W Sherker

Peter Andrew Ericksen

Jon Jasiunas

Shane B Newberg

Christopher J Teague

Mohamed Abdul Kader

Roger Vidal Burelo

Nad P Weyer

Sean Dougherty

Sushma Sangameswaran

Communication management hardware controls network access via generation and distribution of wireless access profiles. For example, the communication management hardware receives a network access request from first user equipment to use a network over an open SSID network. In response to detecting that the first user equipment operated by a non-subscriber is not yet authorized to use the network, such as because the first user equipment has not signed up for use of the network, the communication management hardware directs the first user equipment to a portal. The communication management hardware then communicates a wireless access profile to the first user equipment. In one arrangement, the wireless access profile is derived based on input from the first user equipment. The wireless access profile provides the first user equipment wireless access to the network via a secure SSID.

Network access and management via wireless access profiles

A new type of Network Function (NF), referred to as Network Management Function (NMF), is introduced and included in communications network. The NMF implemented in accordance with some embodiments of the invention includes a Network Management Function database (NMFDB) including maintenance mode (MM) flag(s) and control logic for processing received messages from NFs, said control logic using the maintenance mode flag value information in determining which processing operations to perform. The NMF is placed between NFs, which are to be managed by the NMF, and a Network (function) Repository Function (NRF), which includes a typical NRF database which does not include any MM flags. By using the MM flags at the NMF, it is possible to centrally manage the traffic flow and use of individual instances of NFs in the network allowing instances of NFs to be easily taken in and out of service, e.g., as maintenance is required.

Methods and apparatus for managing network functions in a network core

A same wireless access profile is installed on each of multiple mobile communication devices. The wireless access profile includes outer identity information and anonymous inner identity information for each service. The anonymous inner identity information includes a credential used by each of the multiple mobile communication devices to use the service. To use the service such as access a remote network, a respective mobile communication device communicates an anonymous username and password assigned to the service to a policy server during first level authentication. The policy server stores a network address of the authenticated mobile communication device. During second level authentication, the policy server receives an identity of the mobile communication device from a network gateway. The policy server provides access control information (assigned to the service) to the network gateway. The network gateway then provides access to the mobile communication device in accordance with the access control information.

Anonymous network access in a network environment

Systems, methods, and devices for using a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) parameter to pass variables between authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) servers and a portal so as to intelligently select and display a different captive portal landing page on a user equipment (UE) device based on any combination of the geographic location of the UE device, the service set identifier (SSID) of the access point, the UE device's media access control (MAC) address.

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Englewood, CO, United States of America

Donald W Sherker