Automatically Connect Subscribers to Wi-Fi Hotspots and Roaming Partners

Connect enables your users to instantly access hundreds of thousands Wi-Fi hotspots that normally require a password or web-based login. Devicescape automates the process of accessing Wi-Fi hotspots making it simple for users to stay connected at hotspots all over town as well as favorite places, such as Starbucks and McDonalds.

Launch Rich Media Services

With Connect, users benefit from rich media applications that you have empowered to now effortlessly work on Wi-Fi phones, media players, gaming systems and cameras.

Control High Bandwidth Traffic

The Connect Service allows cellular network operators to shift heavy and expensive data traffic onto Wi-Fi networks where possible. As an estimated 80 percent of data transactions are initiated indoors, the Connect Service gives users a faster Wi-Fi connection, excellent in-building penetration and potentially lower latency.

The Devicescape Solution

Devicescape’s patent pending solution called Connect is a combination of a small software client running on mobile wireless devices, a web-based service that assists devices in connecting to Wi-Fi networks, and a brandable web portal where consumers can opt to manage their devices and networks. The client software communicates with the Devicescape-operated web service to retrieve data that helps it connect to both public Wi-Fi hotspots and personal Wi-Fi networks.

Access to Public Wi-Fi Hotspots

Whenever a device running the Devicescape Connect client is within range of a public Wi-Fi hotspot, it will contact the Devicescape web service for information on how to get connected at that hotspot. The Connect client sends its unique device ID and the identity of the hotspot to our server, which responds with instructions on how to navigate the hotspot's captive portal pages. Out of the box, a device with the Connect client can automatically access millions of free and open hotspots that don't require a username and password.

 

For hotspots that do need a username and password, users can add their account information directly on a device. Or, they can register their account information via the Devicescape website. The user's account information is stored on our server in connection with an identifier for their device. Then, whenever their device encounters a hotspot requiring login credentials, the device will contact our server to get the username and password plus the necessary captive portal navigation instructions. No browser is needed on the device to facilitate the login.

Devices without browsers can now access all supported public networks. Additionally, devices which happen to have browsers will also enjoy easy and transparent access, without any need for user interaction.

Using a patent pending mechanism, the Connect client is able to communicate with the Devicescape web service prior to authentication using standard networking protocols. Service providers do not need to re-configure their software or hardware, whitelist the Devicescape servers or Connect-enabled devices, nor deploy any additional technology to enable this communication.

Delivering user credentials and captive portal navigation instructions on-demand from a server rather than storing this information on a device offers several advantages. New hotspot networks can be instantly added and made available to all devices without requiring any device software updates. Similarly, if a hotspot operator changes their captive portal page layout, navigation instructions can be quickly updated on the server instead of requiring an update of device software. The client software is also very small-under 75 KB in size-resulting in very little cost impact on a device.

Access to Personal Wi-Fi Networks

Devicescape Connect can also be used with personal Wi-Fi networks present in homes and some small businesses. In this case, a user registers their personal network via the Devicescape website ahead of time. The user's devices will then be provisioned with network profile information for their personal network. At that point, whenever the user's device detects their home network it will automatically connect. Since personal networks do not require credentials or have login pages, there is no need for the device to contact the Devicescape web service when it seeks to connect to one of these networks – the device will locally have sufficient information to fully connect and authenticate itself.

Using a feature called “Wi-Fi Buddies”, a user can also grant friends access to their home Wi-Fi network. Similar to the way an instant messaging service works, the user invites friends to become buddies and share the user’s Wi-Fi network via the Devicescape website. If these friends accept the invitation, then their devices provisioned to use the inviter’s home network.

A user can also ask one of their friends to grant them access to their personal Wi-Fi network. Again using the Devicescape website, the user makes a request to gain access to the personal Wi-Fi network of a friend. If the friend accepts the request, then the originating user’s devices are provisioned with the friend’s personal network profile.

• Connect White Paper
• Supported Platforms
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