Method and device for wireless controlled access to telematic and voice services

• US 20060007920A1
• Filed: 06/24/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Marie, Francois, Michel, Philippe, Courtemanche, Bernard
• Granted Patent: US 7,738,926 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

In a method for accessing voice or data services via a mobile telephony network, a communication device provided with wireless communication means detects within radio range communication terminals equipped with authentication means to connect to a mobile telephone network, selects a communication terminal to be used for accessing the network, by polling the terminal owner, sets up a wireless communication with the selected communication terminal, uses the latter'"'"'s authentication means to set up a connection with the network, determines by polling the user of the communication terminal whether a terminal is authorized to access the voice or data services via the communication device and the connection it has set up with the network, and refuses access to the voice or data services if the terminal is not authorized.

Claims

1. A method for managing access to voice or data services via a mobile telephony network, comprising the steps during which:

a communication device provided with wireless communication means detects within radio range communication terminals equipped with authentication means to connect to a mobile telephony network,

the communication device sets up a wireless communication with a communication terminal and uses authentication means of the communication terminal to set up a connection with the mobile telephony network, and

at least one terminal accesses voice or data services via the communication device and the connection set up by the latter with the mobile telephony network, wherein;

the communication device selects a communication terminal to be used to access the mobile telephony network, by polling the user of the selected communication terminal, and

the communication device determines, by polling the user of the selected communication terminal, whether the terminal is authorized to access the voice or data services, and refuses access to the voice or data services if the terminal is not authorized.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication device provides a list of identifiers of the terminals detected within radio range, indicating which terminals are equipped with authentication means to connect to the mobile telephony network to enable the user to select a terminal whose authentication means are to be used to connect to the mobile telephony network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the list of identifiers of terminals detected within radio range is used to allow the user of the communication terminal being used to access the mobile telephony network to select at least one terminal authorized to access the voice or data services through the connection set up with the mobile telephony network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein several terminals simultaneously access voice or data services via a hub provided in the communication device and via the connection set up by this device with the mobile telephony network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection between the communication device and the mobile telephony network is maintained for as long as a wireless communication is set up between the communication terminal and the communication device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising a pairing step conducted if the communication terminal has never been paired with the communication device, and an automatic authentication step using a session number obtained during a previous connection if the communication terminal has already been paired with the communication device.

7. A communication device to manage access to voice or data services via a mobile telephony network, the communication device comprising:

wireless communication means associated with means for detecting within radio range communication terminals equipped with authentication means for connecting to a mobile telephony network,

means for setting up a wireless communication with a communication terminal,

means for setting up a connection with the mobile telephony network using the authentication means of the communication terminal with which a wireless connection has been set up,

means for simultaneously setting up a wireless communication with a terminal in order to allow its access to voice or data services via the connection set up with the mobile telephony network,

means for determining which communication terminal is to be used for accessing a mobile telephony network, by polling the user of the communication terminal being used to access the mobile telephony network, and

means for determining, by polling the user of the communication terminal, whether the terminal is authorized to access the voice or data services, and refusing access to the voice or data services if the terminal has no authorization.

8. The device of claim 7, further comprising a hub to set up a communication with several terminals simultaneously to allow them access to voice or data services via the connection set up with the mobile telephony network.

9. The device of claim 7, further comprising a display to display the list of terminals detected within radio range, and means for determining for each detected terminal whether it is equipped with authentication means to access the mobile telephony network.

10. A computer program able to be executed by a communication device provided with wireless communication means and with means for connecting to a mobile telephony network, said program comprising instructions for:

detecting within radio range, using wireless communication means, communication terminals equipped with authentication means for connecting to a mobile telephony network,

setting up a wireless communication with a communication terminal,

setting up a connection with the mobile telephony network using the authentication means of the communication terminal with which a wireless connection has been set up,

simultaneously setting up a wireless communication with a terminal in order to allow access to voice or data services via the connection set up with the mobile telephony network,

determining which communication terminal is to be used for accessing a mobile telephony network, by polling the user of the communication terminal being used to access the mobile telephony network, and

determining, by polling the user of the communication terminal, whether the terminal is authorized to access the voice or data services, and refusing access to the voice or data services if the terminal has no authorization.