Patent ID: 7242676

Claim:
An authentication, authorization and accounting (AAA) method for a plurality of wireless local area networks (WLANs) operated by a plurality of WLAN operators comprising the steps of: (a) connecting a mobile communications device to a terminal having an Internet access application program for accessing the Internet, a personal identification number (PIN) application program, and a subscriber identity module (SIM) application program; (b) requesting an Internet access session from said mobile device by activating said Internet access application program in said terminal; (c) requesting entry of a PIN by activating said PIN application program in said terminal; (d) authenticating said PIN; (e) if said PIN is authenticated in step (d), (f) retrieving an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) number from said mobile device by activating said SIM application program in said terminal wherein said IMSI number is accepted by all of said plurality of WLANs operated by said WLAN operators; (g) sending said IMSI number to an authentication server for WLAN authentication; (h) authenticating said IMSI number at said authentication server; (i) if said IMSI number is authenticated in step (h), (j) instructing an access server that said IMSI number is authenticated; (k) providing said Internet access session to said mobile device; (l) instructing an accounting server from said access server to begin access fee calculation; (m) performing said access fee calculation at said accounting server; (n) determining if said Internet access session has ended at said access server; (o) if it is determined in step (n) that said Internet access session has ended, (p) ending said access fee calculation at said accounting server; (q) calculating a total fee from said access fee calculation ended in step (p).