System and method for inhibiting features for wireless terminals

• US 20030073427A1
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Rocha, Francisco Olympio Marcon Da, Zaniolo, Luiz Cesar, Lima, Robinson Osmar, Ragin, Enoch Jr., Geck, Bertram
• Granted Patent: US 7,567,803 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

A system and method is presented for the restricting features in a wireless network. A database contains representations of rules that restrict the features of terminals connected to a base station. For an incoming communication, a determination is made as to which terminal is associated with the call, and a database is accessed to look up rules governing restrictions on the terminal and/or the base station connected to the terminal; the terminal is then activated depending on the restrictions. For outgoing communication, when a signal associated with a request for an outgoing communication is received from a terminal, a database is accessed to look up rules governing restrictions; the terminal is connected for outgoing communication depending on whether the restrictions allow it.

Claims

1. A system for restricting features in a wireless network, comprising:

at least one base station; and

at least one database comprising representations of rules for restriction on features of at least one terminal wirelessly connected to the at least one base station.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the restriction on features depends at least on the time of day.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the restriction on features depends at least on the priority of the at least one terminal.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the restriction on features depends at least on whether a communication is incoming or outgoing.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the restriction on features depends at least on whether a communication is designated as an emergency.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the terminal is a wireless telephone.

7. The system in claim 1, wherein the restriction on features is that the terminal may not ring.

8. The system in claim 1, wherein whether the rules apply depends at least on whether the at least one terminal is wirelessly connected to the at least one base station but otherwise does not depend on the location of the at least one terminal.

9. A method for the restriction of features in a wireless network, comprising the steps of:

determining which one of a plurality of terminals is associated with an incoming communication;

accessing at least one database to look up rules governing restriction on a base station connected to the one of a plurality of terminals;

activating the one of a plurality of terminals if allowed, wherein the allowance depends at least on the restriction on the base station.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of accessing the at least one database to look up rules governing restriction on the one of a plurality of terminals, and wherein the allowance depends at least on the restriction on the one of a plurality of terminals.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the allowance does not depend on the location of the at least one terminal.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the allowance depends at least on whether the communication is designated as an emergency.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the restriction on the base station is time-dependant.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the allowance depends at least on the format of communication.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the one of a plurality of terminals is a wireless telephone.

16. The system in claim 9, wherein the restriction on the base station is that the base station may not cause the one of a plurality of terminals to ring.

17. A method for the restriction of features in a wireless network, comprising the steps of:

accessing at least one database to look up rules governing restriction on a base station receiving a signal from a terminal associated with a request for an outgoing communication; and

connecting the terminal for the outgoing communication if allowed, wherein the allowance depends at least on the restriction on the base station.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of accessing the at least one database to look up rules governing restriction on the terminal, and wherein the allowance depends at least on the restriction on the terminal.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the allowance depends at least on whether the terminal is inside a predetermined room.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the allowance depends at least on whether the communication is designated as an emergency.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the restriction on the base station is time-dependant.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the allowance depends at least on the format of communication.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the terminal is a wireless telephone.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the allowance does not depend on the location of terminal.