PROCEDIMIENTO Y APARATO PARA LOCALIZAR USUARIOS DE DISPOSITIVOS MOVILES EN UNA RED INFORMATICA INALAMBRICA.

摘要

A computer network 100 is operable to provide location information about a user of a mobile device 10 whilst the device is connected to the computer network via a wireless access point 110 to the network. The computer network includes a captive portal server 120, for requiring a user to be authenticated and authorised by a service provider to which the user subscribes when the user's mobile device 10 is connected to the network 100 via the wireless access point 110 and for instructing the wireless access point 110 to provide the mobile device 10 with access to the network 100 once the user has been duly authenticated and authorised. The network 100 also includes a user location manager server 140 for managing the storage, processing and maintenance of user location details. The captive portal server 120 is further operable to notify the user location manager server 140, upon completion of a successful authentication or re-authentication of the user by the user's service provider, of the user's identity and the identity of the wireless access point 110 to which the device is connected. The network also includes or has access to a capability exposure platform for providing a secure interface exposed to third party applications via a convenient communication means such as the Internet. The network also includes, or has access to, an Authentication, Authorisation and Accounting (AAA) server 40 for performing the secure authentication of the user.