Systems and methods for initiating network access according to automatic authentication utilizing a mobile device

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes obtaining a request to connect a mobile device to a network of a third party, wherein the request includes first credentials, and wherein the request is automatically generated by the mobile device without interaction from a user and without requiring a mobile application to be open on the mobile device. The method further includes evaluating second credentials separately obtained from the mobile device to determine whether the second credentials comprise anonymized credentials, and proxying to equipment of the third party, a response to the second credentials including the anonymized credentials. Connection of the mobile device to the network of the third party, is facilitated responsive to the second credentials not including anonymized credentials, that allow the mobile device to connect to the network of the third party. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 obtaining, by a processing system including a processor, a request to connect a mobile device to a network of a third party, wherein the request comprises first credentials, and wherein the request is automatically generated by the mobile device without interaction from a user of the mobile device and without requiring a mobile application to be open on the mobile device;   evaluating, by the processing system, second credentials separately obtained from the mobile device to determine whether the second credentials comprise anonymized credentials;   proxying, by the processing system and to equipment of the third party, a response to the second credentials comprising the anonymized credentials; and   facilitating, by the processing system, connection of the mobile device to the network of the third party, responsive to the second credentials not comprising anonymized credentials, that allow the mobile device to connect to the network of the third party.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining, by the processing system, a request for notification information from the equipment of the third party; and   communicating, by the processing system, the notification information to the equipment of the third party, wherein the notification information comprises one or more of the following:
 an identification of the user; 
 a time when the request was obtained; 
 a date when the request was obtained; 
 a location of the mobile device at the time the request was obtained; 
 a result of determining whether to authenticate the mobile device; and 
 a connection mechanism. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the obtaining the first credentials from the mobile application further comprises obtaining, by the processing system, the first credentials from an authenticator that received the first credentials from the mobile application installed on the mobile device, and wherein the obtaining the request to connect further comprises automatically receiving the request from the mobile device to connect the mobile device to the network of the third party. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 assigning, by the processing system, an application program interface (API) to the equipment of the third party, wherein the API allows the equipment of the third party to perform one or more of the following actions:
 add users and credentials; 
 modify the users and the credentials; 
 delete the users and the credentials; 
 turn on system-wide notifications; and 
 turn off system-wide notifications. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile device connects to the network of the third party using an authenticator located at a location associated with the third party. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first credentials further comprise information associated with the mobile device and information associated with a user of the mobile device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anonymized credentials are shadow credentials generated by the third party. 
     
     
         8 . An system comprising:
 a processing system including a processor; and   a memory that stores instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 obtaining, from a device, a request to connect the device to a network of a third party, wherein the request comprises first credentials, and wherein the request is automatically generated by the device without interaction from a user of the device and without requiring a mobile application installed on the device to be open; 
 evaluating second credentials obtained from the device to determine whether the second credentials comprise anonymized credentials; 
 proxying to equipment of the third party, a response to the second credentials comprising the anonymized credentials; and 
 facilitating connection of the device to the network of the third party, responsive to the second credentials not comprising the anonymized credentials, that allow the device to connect to the network of the third party. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 identifying a request for notification information from the equipment of the third party; and   providing the notification information to the equipment of the third party, wherein the notification information comprises one or more of the following:
 an identification of the user; 
 a time when the request was received; 
 a date when the request was received; 
 a location of the device at the time the request was received; 
 a result of determining whether to authenticate the device; and 
 a connection mechanism. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first credentials are obtained from an authenticator that obtained the first credentials from the mobile application installed on the device, and wherein the obtaining the request to connect the device to the network of the third party further comprises automatically obtaining the request from the authenticator that obtained the request from the device. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 assigning an application program interface (API) to the equipment of the third party, wherein the API allows the equipment of the third party to perform one or more of the following actions:
 add users and credentials; 
 modify the users and the credentials; 
 delete the users and the credentials; 
 turn on system-wide notifications; and 
 turn off system-wide notifications. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the device connects to the network of the third party using an authenticator located at a location associated with the third party. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first credentials further comprise information associated with the device and information associated with the user of the device. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first credentials are shadow credentials generated by the third party. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory, machine-readable storage media comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 obtaining from a device having a mobile application installed thereon, a request to connect the device to a network of a third party, wherein the request comprises first credentials;   evaluating second credentials obtained from the device to determine whether the second credentials comprise anonymized credentials;   proxying to equipment of the third party, a response to the second credentials comprising the anonymized credentials; and   communicating a packet to the device, responsive to the first credentials not comprising the anonymized credentials, that allows the device to connect to the network of the third party.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage media of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 identifying a request for notification information from the equipment of the third party; and   providing the notification information to the equipment of the third party, wherein the notification information comprises one or more of the following:
 an identification of a user of the device; 
 a time when the request was received; 
 a date when the request was received; 
 a location of the device at the time the request was received; 
 a result of determining whether to authenticate the device; and 
 a connection mechanism. 
   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage media of  claim 15 , wherein the first credentials are obtained from an authenticator that obtained the first credentials from the mobile application installed on the device, and wherein the obtaining the request to connect the device to the network of the third party further comprises automatically obtaining the request from the authenticator that obtained the request from the device. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage media of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 assigning an application program interface (API) to the equipment of the third party, wherein the API allows the equipment of the third party to perform one or more of the following actions:
 add users and credentials; 
 modify the users and the credentials; 
 delete the users and the credentials; 
 turn on system-wide notifications; and 
 turn off system-wide notifications. 
   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage media of  claim 15 , wherein the device connects to the network of the third party using an authenticator located at a location associated with the third party. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage media of  claim 15 , wherein the first credentials further comprise information associated with the device and information associated with a user of the device.