Patent ID: 9270681
Filing Date: 2016-02-23
CPC Classification: G06F,H04L

Claim Text:
1. A method for managing wireless network profiles, the method performed by a computer comprised of processing hardware, storage hardware, and a wireless network interface having communicated wirelessly with wireless networks, the method comprising: storing, in the storage hardware, a connection engine, and executing the connection engine by the processing hardware; storing, in the storage hardware, by the connection engine, a plurality of network profiles for the wireless networks, respectively, the network profiles having been automatically generated by the connection engine in association with connecting to the wireless networks, respectively, each network profile including at least a network name and a security code of a corresponding wireless network for authentication therewith, wherein the network name in each network profile is configured to be used by the connection engine in initiating a connection with the corresponding wireless network, wherein the security code in each of the network profiles is configured to be used by the connection engine to establish a connection with the corresponding wireless network by authenticating therewith; storing and maintaining, in the storage hardware, by the connection engine, indications of last-departure times for the network profiles, respectively, last-departure time corresponding to when a last device departure of a corresponding wireless network occurred, wherein the connection engine updates the last-departure times responsive to respective determinations of last device departures of corresponding wireless networks; and determining, by the connection engine, that, for at least one or more of the network profiles, a threshold amount of time has passed since their respective last-departure times, and in response deleting or disabling the at least some of the network profiles and disconnecting from the corresponding wireless networks, the deleting or disabling causing the at least one or more of the network profiles to not be able to be used by the connection engine to connect to the corresponding wireless networks.