Short term internet access

Details Short term internet access Short term internet access

1998-06-26

2001-02-20

Peeso, Thomas R. (Department: 2767)

Cryptography

Key management

Key distribution

C702S010000, C702S010000, C702S010000, C713S155000, C713S182000, C713S183000, C713S185000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06192132

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to the Internet.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The information on the Internet has increased not only in volume but in quality to the point where many people rely on these informational databases for many aspects of their life. Particularly, when people are traveling the information databases available through the Internet are important. For example, airline and hotel reservations and schedules can be easily accessed via the Internet. Another example is that detailed maps plus instructions on how to get to different locations are available on the Internet. Also, up-to-date weather information is available on the Internet. A number of services are offered via the Internet such as the ability to receive and send email thus freeing people from receiving email only on their dedicated systems. Unfortunately, when an individual is traveling it becomes difficult if not impossible to access the Internet and have the same Internet access capability that is available to the individual while at home. This may be because the individual can only access the Internet from their place of business or that their Internet service provider (ISP) only provides local service. However, even an ISP that has national coverage such as AT&T or America On Line, a problem is encountered when an individual travels outside of the United States. A business trip or vacation trip can leave an individual without access to the Internet service when the individual needs such access the greatest. It is difficult for the Internet service providers to provide service for individuals for short periods of time such as a few days. The reason for this is that the typical Internet service provider has a fairly cumbersome manner in which accounts are set up and terminated.
What is needed is a mechanism whereby service vendors such as tour services, hotels, car rental companies, etc. could offer to their customers Internet access for short periods of time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The preceding problem is solved and a technical advance is achieved by an apparatus and method that allows a service vendor to establish a set of Internet access accounts with an Internet service provider and to have the capability of activating or deactivating an Internet access account by directly interacting with the Internet service provider system via a digital link. In addition, the service vendor can determine the amount of access time that has been spent on each of the Internet access accounts owned by the service vendor. Advantageously, the service vendor also rents to a user an Internet terminal which can only be utilized to access the Internet access account rented to that user. The Internet access account is encrypted and cannot be modified by the user. In addition, the service provider has the capability of disabling the rented Internet terminal by transmission of a message via the Internet service provider system.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention considered together with the drawing.


REFERENCES:
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patent: 5970477 (1999-10-01), Roden
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patent: 5987123 (1999-11-01), Scott et al.
patent: 6021202 (2000-02-01), Anderson et al.

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