Method and apparatus for utilizing mobile subscriber identification information with multiple devices based on registration errors

• US 10,542,417 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2019
• Issued: 01/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chastain, Walter Cooper, Chin, Stephen Emille
• Primary Examiner(s): Taylor, Nathan S
• Application Number:
  US16/237,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20190159017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 455433, 455411, 4554322
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/654 International mobile subscriber identity [IMSI] numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4588 containing mobile subscriber information, e.g. home subscriber server [HSS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/43 using shared identity modules, e.g. SIM sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/76 Group identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a system that manages utilization of mobile subscriber identity information including enabling use of such information by different communication devices. The use of the same mobile subscriber identity information by multiple devices can be based on locations and registration error messages, and other mobile subscriber identity information can be assigned to devices based on the locations. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining, by a system including a processor, a registration error message and a first international mobile subscriber identity associated with a first communication device, wherein the obtaining of the registration error message by the system is from a registration function server, wherein the registration function server provides the registration error message to the system without providing the registration error message to the first communication device when the system obtains the registration error message;

determining that the first international mobile subscriber identity is included in a group of international mobile subscriber identities that are shared with other communication devices;

determining, by the system, that the first communication device is not authorized for registration in a particular registration service area, wherein a second communication device is authorized to utilize the first international mobile subscriber identity in the particular registration service area;

determining, by the system, that the first communication device is eligible for communication services; and

reassigning a second international mobile subscriber identity to the first communication device via an over-the-air interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the registration error message comprises an authentication failure message, and wherein the registration function server is one of a Visitor Location Register or a Mobility Management Entity.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the reassigning the second international mobile subscriber identity to the first communication device is based on a third determination that the first communication device is eligible for the communication services.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the third determination that the first communication device is eligible for the communication services is based on device hardware requirements, device software requirements, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the third determination that the first communication device is eligible for the communication services is based on billing records.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

transmitting an authentication request, based on the second international mobile subscriber identity, to enable the first communication device to complete a registration process.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second communication device is authorized to utilize the first international mobile subscriber identity in the particular registration service area, and wherein a secret key stored by the first communication device is utilized in the registration process.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

simulating, by the system, a registration of the first communication device resulting in a simulated registration, wherein the determining whether the first communication device is authorized for the registration in the particular registration service area is based on the simulated registration.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the system is selected from a group of systems based on location information associated with the first communication device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication device is a machine-to-machine communication device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the system operates as a visitor location register, and wherein the visitor location register is selected from a group of visitor location registers based on a registration service area of the visitor location register.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the system operates as a mobility management entity, and wherein the mobility management entity is selected from a group of mobility management entities based on a registration service area of the mobility management entity.

13. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system of a communication device that includes a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

requesting registration in a service area by providing a first international mobile subscriber identity, wherein the requesting the registration causes the processing system to intercept a registration error message directed to the communication device from a registration function server;

determining that the first international mobile subscriber identity is included in a group of international mobile subscriber identities that are shared with other communication devices resulting in a first determination;

determining that the communication device is not authorized for registration in a particular registration service area resulting in a second determination;

determining that the communication device is eligible for communication services resulting in a third determination; and

responsive to the first, second and third determinations, receiving a second international mobile subscriber identity, wherein the second international mobile subscriber identity is received via an over-the-air interface.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein a secret key of the communication device is utilized in a registration process for the communication device that utilizes the second international mobile subscriber identity.

15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the registration process utilizes a first registration function comprising one of a home location register or a home subscriber server.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the communication device is a machine-to-machine communication device.

17. A server, comprising:

a processing system including a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

obtaining a registration error message associated with a communication device, wherein the registration error message is based on another communication device being authorized to utilize a first international mobile subscriber identity in a particular registration service area;

determining that the first international mobile subscriber identity is included in a group of international mobile subscriber identities that are shared with other communication devices;

determining that the communication device is not authorized for registration in the particular registration service area;

determining that the communication device is eligible for communication services;

reassigning a second international mobile subscriber identity to the communication device via an over-the-air interface; and

facilitating a registration process by the communication device according to the second international mobile subscriber identity that enables the communication device to access the communication services.

18. The server of claim 17, wherein the communication device is a machine-to-machine communication device.

19. The server of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise determining whether the communication device is eligible for the communication services according to device hardware requirements.

20. The server of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise determining whether the communication device is eligible for the communication services according to billing records.