Inhibiting system traffic from unregistered mobile stations

• US 20060068829A1
• Filed: 09/29/2004
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cingular Wireless LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cingular Wireless II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mecca, Paul J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,215,944 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/522
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A method and system for reducing transmissions from unregistered mobile wireless devices including inhibiting administrative type transmissions from the mobile wireless device upon detection that the mobile wireless device is in a first transmission mode indicating that the mobile wireless device is deactivated or unregistered. Moreover, the administrative type transmission functionality is automatically restorable. Transmissions from the mobile wireless device are preferably comprised of traffic transmissions that contain data packets and other transmissions that contain information for administrative purposes, such as for communication link management operations between the mobile wireless device and the wireless packet switched network. Preferably, the administrative type transmissions include roam transmissions, activation transmissions, and born transmissions.

Claims

1. A method for managing transmissions from a mobile wireless device in a wireless packet switched network, wherein the mobile wireless device is associated with a switch to activate a system, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring for a first transmission mode indicating that the mobile wireless device has attempted and failed to be validated for use on the wireless packet switched network; and

inhibiting administrative transmissions from the mobile wireless device responsive to detecting of a first transmission mode, wherein the administrative transmission functionality is restorable automatically.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein transmissions from the mobile wireless device are comprised of traffic transmissions that contain data packets and administrative transmissions that contain information functional for communication link management operations between the mobile wireless device and the wireless packet switched network, and wherein the first transmission mode is functional for instructing the mobile wireless device to suspend traffic transmissions.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the administrative transmissions include roam transmissions, activation transmissions, and born transmissions.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

monitoring for activation of the system switch; and

restoring administrative transmission functionality responsive to detection of activation of the system switch.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the inhibiting step comprises suspending administrative transmissions for a time interval and restoring the administrative transmission functionality after the time interval.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the time interval comprises one of twelve hours, twenty-four hours, and forty-eight hours.

7. A method as claimed in claim 5 further comprising varying the time interval depending on the length of time elapsed from detection of the first transmission mode.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the time interval is twelve hours for the first two weeks following detection of the first transmission mode, twenty-four hours for weeks two through six following detection of the first transmission mode, and forty-eight hours for weeks six through fifty-two following detection of the first transmission mode.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the administrative transmission functionality is restored by a manual reset of the mobile wireless device or a power cycling of the mobile wireless device following one year from detection of the first transmission mode.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mobile wireless device is associated with a motor vehicle and the system switch is part of the motor vehicle.

11. A system for managing transmissions of a mobile wireless device in a wireless packet switched network having a plurality of transceivers each adapted for serving a discrete geographical area and for communicating with the mobile wireless device over a radio link, wherein the mobile wireless device is associated with a system switch, the system comprising:

a first controller in communication with the plurality of transceivers and adapted for validating use of a mobile wireless device on the wireless packet switched network, the controller further adapted for dispatching a notification signal for placing the mobile wireless device in a first transmission mode responsive to a determination that the mobile wireless device is not valid for use on the wireless packet switched network; and

a second controller coupled with the mobile wireless device and adapted to inhibit administrative transmissions from the mobile wireless device responsive to detecting a first transmission mode, wherein the administrative transmission functionality is restorable automatically.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein transmissions from the mobile wireless device are comprised of traffic transmissions that contain data packets and administrative transmissions that contain information functional for communication link management operations between the mobile wireless device and the wireless packet switched network, and wherein the notification signal is functional for instructing the mobile wireless device to suspend traffic transmissions.

13. A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the system switch is part of a motor vehicle and the second controller is also adapted to restore the administrative transmission functionality responsive to sensing activation of the ignition of the motor vehicle associated with the mobile wireless device.

14. A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the second controller is adapted to suspend administrative transmissions for a time interval and reinstate the administrative transmission functionality after the time interval.

15. A system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the second controller is adapted to vary the time interval depending on the time period from detection of the first transmission mode.

16. A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the second controller varies the time interval from a twelve hour interval for the first two weeks following detection of the first transmission mode, to a twenty-four hour interval for weeks two through six following detection of the first transmission mode, and to a forty-eight hour interval for weeks six through fifty-two following detection of the first transmission mode.

17. A computer program for managing transmissions from a mobile wireless device in a wireless packet switched network, the computer program being embodied on a computer-readable medium, the program comprising:

a first code segment for monitoring of a first transmission mode indicating that the mobile wireless device is not valid for use in the wireless packet switched network, wherein the first transmission mode restricts the mobile wireless device from transmitting user data packets; and

a second code segment for activating a transmission inhibiting mode of operation for the mobile wireless device responsive to receipt of the notification signal, wherein administrative transmissions are inhibited subsequent to receiving a notification signal.

18. A computer program as claimed in claim 17 wherein the mobile wireless device is embedded in a motor vehicle, further comprising:

a third code segment for monitoring activation of the motor vehicle ignition; and

a forth code segment for deactivating the transmission inhibiting mode of operation responsive to detection of activation of the motor vehicle ignition.

19. A computer program as claimed in claim 17 further comprising a third code segment for deactivating the transmission inhibiting mode of operation at the end of a time interval.

20. A computer program as claimed in claim 19 wherein the time interval is varied depending on the time elapsed from detection of the first transmission mode.

21. A computer program as claimed in claim 20 wherein the transmission inhibiting mode of operation can only be deactivated after the elapsed time by a manual reset of the mobile wireless device or a power cycling of the mobile wireless device.

22. In a method of operating a wireless communication network for communicating with a mobile device, the network being configured and operated to examine the ESN of the mobile station to validate the mobile station, the network further being operated to block the mobile station from accessing user services in the event that the ESN of the mobile station is invalid, the improvement therein comprising:

in addition to blocking the mobile station from accessing user services, blocking the mobile station from administrative communications with the network until a time interval has passed or until a criterion has been satisfied, whereby wasteful system traffic can be minimized.

23. The improvement of claim 22 wherein the wireless communication network comprises a WPSN network.

24. The improvement of claim 22 wherein the mobile station is associated with a vehicle.

25. The improvement of claim 24 wherein access to administrative communications is restored in the mobile station upon operating the vehicle in some manner.

26. The improvement of claim 25 wherein the manner of operating the vehicle comprises turning on the vehicle or turning on an ignition system portion thereof.

27. The improvement of claim 22 wherein the administrative communications include ROAM, ACTIVATION, and BORN transmissions.