Patent ID: 8621590

Claim:
A method of facilitating zero sign-on access for a device that travels from a first access point to a second access point, the first access point having recently connected the device to the Internet such that a first access point sign-on operation previously completed by the device through the first access point is still valid, the second access point not having recently connected the device to the Internet such that any second access point sign-on operation previously completed by the device through the second access point is now invalid, the first and second access points communicating through an Internet gateway controller to connect the device with the Internet, the Internet gateway controller requiring a trusted authentication session token to permit the device to connect through the first and second access points to the Internet, an identity provider (IdP) being configured to provide the trusted authentication session token, the method comprising: provisioning the device with a trusted authentication session token as part of the first access point sign-on operation; and conducting a second access point sign-on operation for connecting the device to the Internet through the second access point, the second access point sign-on operation being completed with zero sign-on such that a username and password associated with the trusted authentication session token is not entered with the device through the second access point, the second access point sign-on operation including: i) the device transmitting the trusted authentication session token to the IdP through the second access point; ii) the IdP verifying the trusted authentication session token, and if verified, providing an assertion to the device through the second access point; and iii) the Internet gateway connecting the device to the Internet upon receipt of the assertion through the second access point from the device.