Systems and methods for controlling device network access through a wireless router

Abstract

A wireless router comprises a wide area network radio interface configured to enable communications between a wide area network and the wireless router; a local area network radio interface configured to enable communications between the wireless router and a plurality of computing device; memory configured to store instructions; and a processor coupled with memory, the instructions configured to cause the processor to perform the following in response to an activation of the power input: automatically establish a data connection with a base station associated with the wide area network over the wide area network, automatically establish a data connection with the plurality of computing devices over the local area network, automatically discover, for each of the plurality of device, a device type, determine whether the device type is an authorized device type, and allow the associated computing device to access the wide area network only if the device type is an authorized device type.

1 . A wireless router, comprising:
 a wide area network radio interface configured to enable communications between a wide area network and the wireless router;   a local area network radio interface configured to enable communications between the wireless router and one or more computing device;   memory configured to store instructions; and   a processor coupled with memory, the instructions configured to cause the processor to perform the following:
 establish a data connection with a base station associated with the wide area network over the wide area network, 
 establish a data connection with a computing device over the local area network, 
 discover, the computing device, 
 determine whether the computing device is an authorized device, and 
 allow the computing device to access the wide area network only if the device is an authorized device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The wireless router of  claim 1 , wherein the wide area network is a cellular type network. 
     
     
         3 . The wireless router of  claim 2 , wherein the cellular network is a WiMAX, UMTS, HSPA, HSPA+, LTE or DOrA network. 
     
     
         4 . The wireless router of  claim 1 , wherein the local area network is a WiFi network. 
     
     
         5 . The wireless router of  claim 1 , wherein the local area network is a wireless USB network or an Ultarwideband network, or a Zigbee network. 
     
     
         6 . The wireless router of  claim 1 , wherein the wide area data connection is a Point-to-Point (PPP) connection. 
     
     
         7 . The wireless router of  claim 1 , wherein the local area network data connection is a TCP/IP connection. 
     
     
         8 . The wireless router of  claim 1 , wherein the memory is further configured to store authentication procedures for determining whether a computing device is attempting to access an authorized service. 
     
     
         9 . The wireless router of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to allow the computing device to access the service only if the service is an authorized service. 
     
     
         10 . The wireless router of  claim 1 , wherein the wide area network is configured to provision a Quality of Service (QoS) to the computing device based on the computing device. 
     
     
         11 . The wireless router of  claim 10 , wherein the QoS can be at least one of the following: time delay of transmission, bandwidth allocation, or priority of packets. 
     
     
         12 . The wireless router of  claim 9 , wherein the wide area network is configured to provision a Quality of Service (QoS) to the computing device based on at least one of the computing device and the service being requested. 
     
     
         13 . The wireless router of  claim 12 , wherein the QoS can be at least one of the following: time delay of transmission, bandwidth allocation, or priority of packets. 
     
     
         14 . The wireless router of  claim 1 , wherein discovering the computing device comprises discovering the computing device based on a Media Access (MAC) address. 
     
     
         15 . The wireless router of  claim 14 , wherein the memory is further configured to store authorized MAC addresses, and wherein the processor is further configured to use the stored authorized MAC addresses to discover the computing device. 
     
     
         16 . The wireless router of  claim 14 , wherein authorized Mac addresses are stored on a server interfaced with the wireless router, and wherein the processor is further configured to use the stored authorized MAC addresses to discover the computing device. 
     
     
         17 . The wireless router of  claim 1 , wherein discovering the computing device comprises discovering the computing device based on a browser used by the computing device. 
     
     
         18 . The wireless router of  claim 1 , wherein discovering the computing device comprises discovering the computing device based on a device identifier received from the computing device. 
     
     
         19 . The wireless router of  claim 14 , wherein the memory is further configured to store authorized device identifiers, and wherein the processor is further configured to use the stored authorized device identifiers to discover the computing device. 
     
     
         20 . The wireless router of  claim 14 , wherein authorized device identifiers are stored on a server interfaced with the wireless router, and wherein the processor is further configured to use the stored authorized device identifiers to discover the computing device. 
     
     
         21 . The wireless router of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to deactivate the wide area network radio interface when a lack of traffic is detected over the local area network radio interface. 
     
     
         22 . A wireless router, comprising:
 a wide area network radio interface configured to enable communications between a wide area network and the wireless router;   a local area network radio interface configured to enable communications between the wireless router and one or more computing devices;   memory configured to store instructions; and   a processor coupled with memory, the instructions configured to cause the processor to perform the following:
 establish a data connection with a base station associated with the wide area network over the wide area network, 
 establish a data connection with a computing device over the local area network, 
 discover a service being requested by the computing device, 
 determine whether the service is an authorized service, and 
 allow the computing device to access the service only if the service is an authorized service. 
   
     
     
         23 . The wireless router of  claim 22 , wherein the wide area network is a cellular type network. 
     
     
         24 . The wireless router of  claim 23 , wherein the cellular network is a WiMAX, UMTS, HSPA, HSPA+, LTE or DOrA network. 
     
     
         25 . The wireless router of  claim 23 , wherein the local area network is a WiFi network. 
     
     
         26 . The wireless router of  claim 22 , wherein the local area network is a wireless USB network or an Ultarwideband network, or a Zigbee network. 
     
     
         27 . The wireless router of  claim 22 , wherein the wide area data connection is a Point-to-Point (PPP) connection. 
     
     
         28 . The wireless router of  claim 22 , wherein the local area network data connection is a TCP/IP connection. 
     
     
         29 . The wireless router of  claim 22 , wherein the memory is further configured to store authentication procedures for determining whether a computing device is an authorized computing device. 
     
     
         30 . The wireless router of  claim 29 , wherein the processor is further configured to allow the computing device to access the wide area network only if the computing device is an authorized computing device. 
     
     
         31 . The wireless router of  claim 22 , wherein the wide area network is configured to provision a Quality of Service (QoS) to the computing device based on the service being requested. 
     
     
         32 . The wireless router of  claim 31 , wherein the QoS can be at least one of the following: time delay of transmission, bandwidth allocation, or priority of packets. 
     
     
         33 . The wireless router of  claim 30 , wherein the wide area network is configured to provision a Quality of Service (QoS) to the computing device based on at least one of the computing device and the service being requested. 
     
     
         34 . The wireless router of  claim 33 , wherein the QoS can be at least one of the following: time delay of transmission, bandwidth allocation, or priority of packets. 
     
     
         35 . The wireless router of  claim 22 , wherein the wireless router is a mobile, battery powered wireless router. 
     
     
         36 . The wireless router of  claim 22 , wherein the service being requested is discovered based on a service identifier. 
     
     
         37 . The wireless router of  claim 36 , wherein the service identifier is known to both the wireless router and the computing device. 
     
     
         38 . The wireless router of  claim 22 , wherein discovering the service being requested comprises analyzing data traffic between the device and the wide area network and passing through the wireless router. 
     
     
         39 . A wireless router, comprising:
 a wide area network radio interface configured to enable communications between a wide area network and the wireless router;   a local area network radio interface configured to enable communications between the wireless router and one or more computing devices running one or more services;   memory configured to store instructions; and   a processor coupled with memory, the instructions configured to cause the processor to perform the following:
 establish a data connection with a base station associated with the wide area network over the wide area network, 
 establish a data connection with a computing device over the local area network, 
 discover a service being run by the computing device, 
 determine whether the service is an authorized service, and 
 allow the computing device to access the wide area network only if the service is an authorized service. 
   
     
     
         40 . The wireless router of  claim 39 , wherein the wide area network is a cellular type network. 
     
     
         41 . The wireless router of  claim 40 , wherein the cellular network is a WiMAX, UMTS, HSPA, HSPA+, LTE or DOrA network. 
     
     
         42 . The wireless router of  claim 39 , wherein the local area network is a WiFi network. 
     
     
         43 . The wireless router of  claim 39 , wherein the local area network is a wireless USB network or an Ultarwideband network, or a Zigbee network. 
     
     
         44 . The wireless router of  claim 39 , wherein the wide area data connection is a Point-to-Point (PPP) connection. 
     
     
         45 . The wireless router of  claim 39 , wherein the local area network data connection is a TCP/IP connection. 
     
     
         46 . The wireless router of  claim 39 , wherein the memory is further configured to store authentication procedures for determining whether a computing device is an authorized computing device. 
     
     
         47 . The wireless router of  claim 46 , wherein the processor is further configured to allow the computing device to access the wide area network only if the computing device is an authorized computing device. 
     
     
         48 . The wireless router of  claim 39 , wherein the wide area network is configured to provision a Quality of Service (QoS) to the computing device based on the service being run by the computing device. 
     
     
         49 . The wireless router of  claim 48 , wherein the QoS can be at least one of the following: time delay of transmission, bandwidth allocation, or priority of packets. 
     
     
         50 . The wireless router of  claim 47 , wherein the wide area network is configured to provision a Quality of Service (QoS) to the computing device based on at least one of the computing device and the service being run by the computing device. 
     
     
         51 . The wireless router of  claim 50 , wherein the QoS can be at least one of the following: time delay of transmission, bandwidth allocation, or priority of packets. 
     
     
         52 . The wireless router of  claim 39 , wherein the wireless router is a mobile, battery powered wireless router. 
     
     
         53 . The wireless router of  claim 39 , wherein the service being run is discovered based on a service identifier. 
     
     
         54 . The wireless router of  claim 53 , wherein the service identifier is known to both the wireless router and the computing device.