Patent ID: 12219472

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a WiFi sharing system for sharing a secure WiFi signal with others within the same proximity. The system is a formalized system that allows neighbors to share WiFi signals, with each other and effect payment from one neighbor as rent for the WiFi signal use to the neighbor providing the source of WiFi signal and Internet connection. It establishes an organized system with a set of rules of expectation of each party. The system may include the use of a software application, a web application or a mobile application operating on a user computing device and a provider computing device that may be a mobile computing device like a smartphone, a tablet, a wearable, a laptop, a desktop computer and the like.

FIG.1depicts a WiFi sharing system10in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The system10includes a WiFi source12, a user computing device14, the Internet16and a server18. In broad operation, the WiFi source12is placed in a share WiFi mode and allows the user computing device14to rent usage of the WiFi source12to connect to the Internet16. The server16operates to establish the connection and transaction of the rental of usage of the WiFi signal of the WiFi source12.

FIG.2depicts an urban setting with several users that are sharing WiFi signals in accordance with embodiments of the system. The operation of the system10establishes an anonymous platform for neighbors to share a WiFi signal to access the Internet. In this embodiment, users of the system may establish a master lease agreement with established payment structure in order ensure that the user always has a WiFi connection with a minimum signal strength. In order to accomplish this, the system10may allow a user, as shown inFIG.2, to establish a connection with one shared WiFi signal, however, if there is a stronger signal or the established connected signal drops below an established minimum signal strength, the user computing device14of that user can be automatically switched to connection of another shared WiFi signal without the need for reconnecting. In at least this way, all signals within a WiFi proximity of the user computing device12of that user can operate as a mesh WiFi network, ensuring that the user computing device12may always have proper signal strength. In these embodiments, the system10accounts for the amount of time and/or the amount of data the user computing device14uses when connected to each shared WiFi network of the system and apportions out payment from the user to each of the networks based on the tracked amount of time and/or amount of data used on each shared WiFi network.

It will be understood that the operation of the system10is accomplished with security and privacy protocols as a consideration. The sharing of the WiFi signal includes security and encryption technology (such as, but not limited to, virtual private network (“VPN”) technology) to prevent all users sharing a WiFi connection from viewing files and communications and the like from any of the other users. Further, the provider's personal network and computers coupled thereto are protected from access by other renting the WiFi signal. This allows for the renting of and sharing of WiFi connections without compromising the security of the provider and the user. This system will have standard and consistent security protocols that the user and the provider can both have confidence in.

The WiFi source12may include a provider computing device13coupled to the WiFi source12. The provider computing device13may connect to the server18through the WiFi source12. A user interface, as shown inFIG.3, either through an application or a web application may present the provider an option to “Start Sharing Your WiFi Connection” or the equivalents thereto. The provider computing device13would select the “Start Sharing Your WiFi Connection” button. In so doing, the provider computing device13will display another user interface to enter or confirm WiFi network settings as shown inFIG.4. The user making the WiFi network available may be prompted to enter or confirm certain information, such as, but not limited to, Network Name utilized on the shared WiFi system10, SSID, Password, Network Availability (such as time of day, number of days and the like), number of users that can share (updated as users rent access to the WiFi signal), and the like. Once the information is entered, the user may select the “Share WiFi Now” button to share it with multiple users, select the “Provide Dedicated WiFi Now” button to provide a dedicated connection to a single user or a button equivalent to these two buttons. This sends a signal to the server18that the WiFi source12is being shared and the server18can place the WiFi network in a share WiFi mode under the selected type of sharing. The share WiFi mode makes the WiFi network visible on the system10.

A user computing device14that accesses the system by operating an application or a web application may be presented the user interface ofFIG.5Ato “Piggy Back A WiFi Signal.” Various WiFi networks on the system10that are in the share WiFi mode are displayed. The system only displays the WiFi networks that are also within WiFi proximity of the user computing device14, wherein WiFi proximity means that a WiFi signal can be detected. The user computing device14may sort the available WiFi networks be certain filters, such as, but not limited to signal strength, provider rating, availability time, shared signal, dedicated signal and the like. The user may select the WiFi network she wishes to join by selecting the button with the WiFi network name the user wishes to rent from. The selection of the WiFi network to join results in the display of the user interface for login depicted inFIG.6. The user is prompted to enter or confirm the User Name and password of the user to access the system10. The selection of a button, such as “Login Now” shown inFIG.6may be selected to send the login information to the server18through the WiFi Network connection. This is done with encryption and without having to send the information through the provider computing device, but strictly through a limited connection between the user computing device and the WiFi network. The server18confirms the user name and password, and the confirmation of the user name and password institutes the full connection to the WiFi network. Confirmation of the user name and password includes confirming that there is an active payment instrument saved and available to pay for the time using the system. In some embodiments, the connection may be automatically established after payment for renting use of the WiFi network is confirmed. In other embodiments, the WiFi provider computing device13may be notified of the request and have the option to accept or reject the rental of the WiFi by the user. Further still, the system may charge a deposit and then track the amount of time on the WiFi network and dynamically create a bill based on a dollar per minute of use rate, wherein the payment instrument is charged once the user logs off the system10.

FIG.5Bdepicts another way for connecting to the system. The user computing device12may be utilized to access the device's native Wi-Fi settings, wherein a list of available networks is provided. This list may include shared WiFi signals from the system10. Once the user selects to connect to a system shared WiFi network, the user is directed to the interface depicted inFIG.6and proceeds as described above.

The system or the provider may control usage of the shared WiFi signal. For example, and without limitation, the system either automatically, or by entry of a provider, may establish a threshold of users on a WiFi network, wherein the system does not allow more than a predetermined number of users on a single WiFi network in order to avoid bandwidth issues. Further, the system may require a minimum signal strength in order for a user to access a shared WiFi network.

The WiFi sharing system10provides many benefits. These benefits include providing a unique identifiable address to find and login from a user computing device that is not previously connected to the WiFi network. Further, the system10provides data collection of time used and/or data used and incorporates a billing process that may be tied to time of use and/or tied to amount of data used. The system10may compensate for signal strength, surge demand and flexible pricing by establishing a different rate structure for each of these and other situations.

Use of the system10empowers home owners and individuals to make extra money from their WIFI signal, and further allows them to be a part of a sharing economy to utilize unused assets. In doing so, control may be given to the users by allowing them to limit participants on same address to maintain signal strength at a desired threshold. This limit may also be system controlled.

Embodiments may be available on or through the internet, such as through domain names reserved and owned by Applicant that include piggybackwifi.com, 5barswifi.com, wifipls.com, wifi-rent.com, wifipronto.com, wifi4.rent, wifirent.online, piggywifi.com, or the like.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system, method, or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon.

Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wire-line, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.

Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object-oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).

Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, cloud-based infrastructure architecture, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

The embodiments and examples set forth herein were presented in order to best explain the present invention and its practical application and to thereby enable those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the foregoing description and examples have been presented for the purposes of illustration and example only. The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the teachings above without departing from the spirit and scope of the forthcoming claims.