Patent ID: 7515569

Claim:
In a wireless system comprising a server and at least one access point operatively coupled to the server, a method for controlling access to the at least one access point, the method comprising the steps of: assigning a profile to a station adapted for communication with the wireless system, the profile corresponding to at least one user type and representing at least an access characteristic of the station; and associating the station to the at least one access point based at least in part on the profile assigned to the station; whereby access to the at least one access point by the station is selectively controlled by the at least one access point such that the at least one station is given selective access to the at least one access point based at least in part on the profile assigned to the at least one station; wherein at least a portion of the profile is encrypted using a key shared by the server and the at least one access point but not the station; and wherein the method further comprises the step of setting an expiration of the profile, the step of setting the expiration of the profile comprising: assigning a timeout period to the profile, the timeout period corresponding to an interval of time in which the profile is valid; assigning a timestamp to the profile, the timestamp indicating a start of the timeout period; and storing the timeout period and the timestamp within the profile, at least one of the timeout period and the timestamp being stored in both an encrypted format and an unencrypted format.