Patent ID: 7551574

Claim:
A method for controlling access privileges in a wireless network having a plurality of access points based on the location of a wireless client that is connected to the network via radio-frequency signals sent between the wireless client and one of the plurality of access points wherein the one access point interacts with a RADIUS server to obtain access to the network, the method comprising: (a) computing, using a location system that is associated with the network and does not involve the wireless client, the location of the wireless client with an RF fingerprinting method from measured properties of radio frequency signals generated by the wireless client and received at a plurality of sensors connected to the network; (b) receiving information that identifies the wireless client; (c) generating a set of access privileges based on the location and the identifying information of the wireless client; and (d) sending the access privileges to the RADIUS server and using the RADIUS server to cause the one access point to apply the access privileges to the wireless client before the wireless client accesses the network via the one access point.