Patent ID: 8677125

Claim:
A method for authentication of a user of a wireless communication device, the method comprising: transmitting, from the wireless communication device, a request to gain access to a first wireless network through an access point associated with said first wireless network over a first air interface between the wireless communication device and the access point, the request being transmitted to a second wireless network over a second air interface between the wireless communication device and a base station in the second wireless network; receiving, at the wireless communication device in response to transmitting the request, a credential transmitted from the second wireless network over the second air interface, the credential being obtained from an authentication server and provided to the second wireless network for transmission to the wireless communication device over the second air interface, wherein the credential includes information that authenticates the user to the first wireless network; and authenticating said user to establish a connection between said wireless communication device and said first wireless network over the first air interface, said authentication being performed using the credential and a password known to the user and the authentication server.