Control of cellular data access

• US 20070155384A1
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Cellular Corporation (Telephone & Data Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United States Cellular Corporation (Telephone & Data Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Saxena, Narothum, Irizarry, Michael, Haran, Narayanan
• Granted Patent: US 8,274,985 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/434
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/37 Managing security policies for mobile devices or for controlling mobile applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for controlling cellular access to data services from a mobile device such as a cellular telephone or PDA. The wireless network monitors IP traffic to and from the mobile device. Attempts to access an data service are checked to determine whether the requested access is authorized. Access to the data service is granted subject to the authorization. Access to the mobile device from external sources is also restricted.

Claims

1. A method for controlling data access from a mobile station, the method comprising:

receiving from the mobile station a request to determine a network address of a server identified by name;

determining whether access to the named server is permitted;

resolving the name to a network address; and

returning to the mobile station the resolved network address of the named data server subject to the determined access.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is a query of the Domain Name System (DNS) and resolving the name to a network address comprises sending the query to a DNS server.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the name of the server is obtained from a Uniform Resource Locator.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising caching the results of the determined access and resolved network address.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining and resolving are performed in parallel.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining access comprises querying a database to determine is access to the named server is permitted.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the database is provided by a third party.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein determining access comprises determining access based on a indicia associated with the named server.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the indicia indicates the type of content available from the server.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the indicia is provided by at least one of a governmental entity, a public entity, and a private entity.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the indicia indicates a suggested minimum age of a person accessing the content.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the indicia indicates categories of content available from the server.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing an communication channel to the mobile station, wherein the request is received over the communication channel.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the channel is an IP-IP tunnel.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the IP-IP tunnel provides the communication channel between a roaming mobile station and a home agent associated with the mobile station.