IP Library › Granted Patent US 12684465
Granted Patent B2
US 12684465 · App. 18/223,255 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Internet protocol (IP) privacy indication and activation in access networks

Inventors: Srinath Gundavelli (San Jose, CA); Pradeep Kumar Kathail (Los Altos, CA); Eric Voit (Bethesda, MD); David A. Maluf (Mountain View, CA); Ali Sajassi (Alamo, CA)
H04W48/12H04W12/02H04W12/08H04W84/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12684465
App. No.
18/223,255
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques for establishing connections between user devices and access points to connect to networks. Access points may indicate privacy-support capabilities, enabling a user device to discover privacy-capable access networks, and use this capability for network selection. Furthermore, the techniques enable the user device to request to enable and/or disable privacy support on an on-demand basis. The techniques described herein include the use of an access point that indicates the network's privacy capability to an endpoint device (e.g., source device, user device, etc.) over one or more link-layer messages, IP address configuration mechanisms, and over authentication protocols.

Claims (63)

1 . A method performed by a source device, the method comprising:

establishing a connection between the source device and an access point using a communication protocol;

receiving, from the access point, a beacon message that includes a source device privacy capability indication to provide privacy for an IP address associated with the source device while communicating with the access point;

receiving a second beacon message associated with a second access point;

determining, based at least in part on the second beacon message, that the second access point does not include the source device privacy capability indication;

receiving, at the source device, user input including an instruction to enable source device privacy capability;

sending, from the source device to the access point, an instruction to enable the source device privacy capability during a communication session, wherein the communication session comprises a first communication session associated with a first application operating on the source device;

sending, from the source device to the access point, one or more IP packets that include data using the source device privacy capability;

determining a first privacy setting associated with the first application and determining to utilize the access point for the first communication session associated with the first application based at least in part on the first privacy setting; and

determining a second privacy setting associated with a second application and determining to utilize the second access point for a second communication session associated with the second application based at least in part on the second privacy setting.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the access point comprises an IEEE 802.11 capable Wi-Fi access point and the beacon message is i) received during a target beacon transit time; and ii) includes an SSID associated with the access point.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising presenting, via a user interface of the source device, a first selectable option to utilize the first access point during the communication session and a second selectable option to access the second access point during the communication session.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a first instruction to utilize the first access point for the first communication session associated with the first application; and

receiving a second instruction to utilize the second access point for the second communication session associated with the second application.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the beacon message indicates that the access point is capable of operating in a first setting in which source device privacy capabilities are enabled and operating in a second setting in which source device privacy capabilities are disabled; and

presenting, via a user interface of the source device, a first selectable option to communicate via the first setting and a second selectable option to communicate via the second setting.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the instruction to enable the source device privacy capability during the communication session comprises at least one of a bit or a flag included in an association request for joining a basic service set (BSS).

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the instruction to enable the source device privacy capability during the communication session is performed during at least one of 802.1x or EAP authentication procedures.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining that the access point provides IP address privacy in response to an Access Network Query Protocol (ANQP) query using a Generic Advertising Service (GAS) request frame.

9 . A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

establishing a connection between a source device and an access point using a communication protocol;

receiving, from the access point, a beacon message that includes a source device privacy capability indication to provide privacy for an IP address associated with the source device while communicating with the access point;

receiving a second beacon message associated with a second access point;

determining, based at least in part on the second beacon message, that the second access point does not include the source device privacy capability indication;

receiving user input including an instruction to enable source device privacy capability;

sending, to the access point, an instruction to enable the source device privacy capability during a communication session, wherein the communication session comprises a first communication session associated with a first application operating on the source device;

sending, to the access point, one or more IP packets that include data using the source device privacy capability;

determining a first privacy setting associated with the first application and determining to utilize the access point for the first communication session associated with the first application based at least in part on the first privacy setting; and

determining a second privacy setting associated with a second application and determining to utilize the second access point for a second communication session associated with the second application based at least in part on the second privacy setting.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the access point comprises an IEEE 802.11 capable Wi-Fi access point and the beacon message is i) received during a target beacon transit time; and ii) includes an SSID associated with the access point.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise presenting, via a user interface of the source device, a first selectable option to utilize the access point during the communication session and a second selectable option to access the second access point during the communication session.

12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a first instruction to utilize the access point for the first communication session associated with the first application; and

receiving a second instruction to utilize the second access point for the second communication session associated with the second application.

13 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the beacon message indicates that the access point is capable of operating in a first setting in which source device privacy capabilities are enabled and operating in a second setting in which source device privacy capabilities are disabled; and

presenting, via a user interface of the source device, a first selectable option to communicate via the first setting and a second selectable option to communicate via the second setting.

14 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the instruction to enable the source device privacy capability during the communication session comprises at least one of a bit or a flag included in an association request for joining a basic service set (BSS).

15 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the instruction to enable the source device privacy capability during the communication session is performed during at least one of 802.1x or EAP authentication procedures.

16 . A device comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

establishing a connection between the device and an access point using a communication protocol;

receiving, from the access point, a beacon message that includes a device privacy capability indication to provide privacy for an IP address associated with the device while communicating with the access point;

receiving a second beacon message associated with a second access point;

determining, based at least in part on the second beacon message, that the second access point does not include the device privacy capability indication;

receiving user input including an instruction to enable device privacy capability;

sending, to the access point, an instruction to enable the device privacy capability during a communication session, wherein the communication session comprises a first communication session associated with a first application operating on the device;

sending, to the access point, one or more IP packets that include data using the device privacy capability;

determining a first privacy setting associated with the first application and determining to utilize the access point for the first communication session associated with the first application based at least in part on the first privacy setting; and

determining a second privacy setting associated with a second application and determining to utilize the second access point for a second communication session associated with the second application based at least in part on the second privacy setting.

17 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the access point comprises an IEEE 802.11 capable Wi-Fi access point and the beacon message is i) received during a target beacon transit time; and ii) includes an SSID associated with the access point.

18 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise presenting, via a user interface of the device, a first selectable option to utilize the access point during the communication session and a second selectable option to access the second access point during the communication session.

19 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a first instruction to utilize the access point for the first communication session associated with the first application; and

receiving a second instruction to utilize the second access point for the second communication session associated with the second application.

20 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining that the beacon message indicates that the access point is capable of operating in a first setting in which device privacy capabilities are enabled and operating in a second setting in which device privacy capabilities are disabled; and

presenting, via a user interface of the device, a first selectable option to communicate via the first setting and a second selectable option to communicate via the second setting.