MOBILE TERMINAL, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ACCESS TO AN ENHANCED SERVICES SYSTEM

• US 20070123231A1
• Filed: 09/19/2006
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KIM, Jeong-Ho
• Granted Patent: US 7,813,721 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00

Abstract

A mobile terminal having restricted access to an enhanced services system includes a transceiver which transmits and receives wireless signals, a memory which stores a first preferred roaming list (PRL) listing a basic communication system and an enhanced services system, and a second PRL listing the basic communication system but not the enhanced services system, and a controller which restricts access of the mobile terminal to the enhanced services system by deactivating the first PRL and activating the second PRL in response to receipt of an authentication failure report from the enhanced services system. A system for restricting access to an enhanced services system includes an enhanced services system which provides enhanced services to authorized users and prevents unauthorized users from communicating with the enhanced services system.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal having restricted access to an enhanced services system, comprising:

a transceiver which transmits and receives wireless signals;

a memory which stores a first preferred roaming list (PRL) listing a basic communication system and an enhanced services system, and a second PRL listing the basic communication system but not the enhanced services system; and

a controller which restricts access of the mobile terminal to the enhanced services system by deactivating the first PRL and activating the second PRL in response to receipt of an authentication failure report from the enhanced services system.

2. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the basic communication system is a 1×

system.

3. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the enhanced services system is an Evolution-Data Optimized system.

4. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the enhanced services system sends the authentication failure report to the mobile terminal if a user of the mobile terminal is not an authorized user of the enhanced services system.

5. The mobile terminal according to claim 4, wherein the user of the mobile terminal is not an authorized user of the enhanced services system if the user is not a subscriber to the enhanced services system, the user is a subscriber who has not paid his bills, or the user is a subscriber whose subscription period has expired.

6. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the controller enables access to the enhanced services system by activating the first PRL.

7. The mobile terminal according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of a display and a speaker which outputs a message notifying a user to contact his service provider when the second PRL is activated.

8. A system for restricting access to an enhanced services system, comprising:

an enhanced services system which provides enhanced services to authorized users and prevents unauthorized users from communicating with the enhanced services system.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the enhanced services system determines whether a mobile terminal user is an authorized user of the enhanced services system based on a subscriber identifier of a mobile terminal of the user.

10. The system according to claim 8, wherein the enhanced services system prevents an unauthorized user from communicating with the enhanced services system by deleting a first preferred roaming list (PRL) stored in a mobile terminal of the unauthorized user which lists a basic communication system and the enhanced services system, and downloading to the mobile terminal a second PRL which lists the basic communication system but not the enhanced services system.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the enhanced services system allows the unauthorized user to communicate with the enhanced services system when the unauthorized user becomes an authorized user by deleting the second PRL and downloading the first PRL to the mobile terminal.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein the basic communication system is a 1×

system, and the enhanced services system is an Evolution-Data Optimized system.

13. A method for restricting access to an enhanced services system, comprising:

obtaining service from an enhanced services system;

attempting to use the enhanced services system with a mobile terminal;

determining whether a user of the mobile terminal is an authorized user of the enhanced services system; and

downloading a first preferred roaming list (PRL) listing a basic communication service but not the enhanced services system to the mobile terminal if it is determined that the user of the mobile terminal is not an authorized user of the enhanced services system.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the determination of whether the user of the mobile terminal is an authorized user of the enhanced services system is performed based on a subscriber identifier of the mobile terminal.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising deleting a second PRL stored in the mobile terminal which lists the basic communication system and the enhanced services system.

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

deleting the first PRL and downloading a second PRL to the mobile terminal which lists the basic communication system and the enhanced services system when the user of the mobile terminal becomes an authorized user of the enhanced services system;

obtaining service from the enhanced services system; and

accessing the enhanced services system with the mobile terminal.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the basic communication system is a 1×

system, and the enhanced services system is an Evolution-Data Optimized system.

18. A method for restricting access to an enhanced services system, comprising:

obtaining service from an enhanced services system;

attempting to use the enhanced services system with a mobile terminal;

determining whether a user of the mobile terminal is an authorized user of the enhanced services system;

notifying the user of the mobile terminal of an authentication failure if the user of the mobile terminal is not an authorized user of the enhanced services system; and

preventing the mobile terminal from communicating with the enhanced services system by activating a first preferred roaming list (PRL) stored in the mobile terminal which lists a basic communication system but does not list the enhanced services system.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein preventing the mobile terminal from communicating with the enhanced services system comprises deactivating a second PRL stored in the mobile terminal which lists the basic communication system and the enhanced services system.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising allowing the mobile terminal to access the enhanced services system by deactivating the first PRL and activating a second PRL stored in the mobile terminal which lists the basic communication system and the enhanced services system.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein the basic communication system is a 1×

system, and the enhanced services system is an Evolution-Data Optimized system.