Airborne pico cell security system
First Claim
1. A method of operating a pico cell system in a vehicle to provide wireless communications for a mobile station of a user riding in the vehicle, comprising:
- assigning a security access code to the vehicle for a travel segment of the vehicle;
after travel of the vehicle over the segment commences, providing the security access code for one or more people riding in the vehicle, including the user of the mobile station;
receiving an input code from the mobile station in the pico cell system during the travel of the vehicle over the segment;
comparing the received input code to the security access code;
denying the mobile station wireless communication service through the pico cell system in the vehicle, if the comparison fails to produce a match of the received input code to the security access code.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Security is provided in a wireless communication system in a moving vehicle, e.g. an aircraft, by requiring user input of one or more security codes for validation before the system permits communication. One code, a security access code (SAC), corresponds to the vehicle travel segment (e.g. flight) and is given to the passenger(s) in transit, e.g. after the aircraft reaches a particular altitude. The second type of possible code, a personal identification number (PIN), is given to the passenger after baggage check-in. The PIN code would be correlated to the passenger and/or seat assignment. The use of either or both codes helps prohibit connectivity for mobile phone handsets or other wireless devices stored in the cargo bay or in other baggage. PIN use enables associated data systems to report the seat number or location of all parties engaging in wireless communications within the vehicle.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of operating a pico cell system in a vehicle to provide wireless communications for a mobile station of a user riding in the vehicle, comprising:
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assigning a security access code to the vehicle for a travel segment of the vehicle; after travel of the vehicle over the segment commences, providing the security access code for one or more people riding in the vehicle, including the user of the mobile station; receiving an input code from the mobile station in the pico cell system during the travel of the vehicle over the segment; comparing the received input code to the security access code; denying the mobile station wireless communication service through the pico cell system in the vehicle, if the comparison fails to produce a match of the received input code to the security access code. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of operating a pico cell system in an aircraft to provide wireless communications to and from the aircraft, comprising:
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assigning a security access code for a scheduled flight of the aircraft; assigning a personal identification number (PIN) code for a user of a mobile station for travel on the scheduled flight; correlating the PIN code to the user and to a seat assignment within the aircraft for the user of the mobile station; issuing the PIN code to the user of the mobile station at or after the user checks-in for the scheduled flight; after the scheduled flight of the aircraft commences, providing the security access code to one or more people in the aircraft, including the user of the mobile station; receiving first and second input codes from the mobile station in the pico cell system during the scheduled flight of the aircraft; comparing the first input code to the security access code; checking validity of the second input code with respect to a criteria relating to the PIN code; denying the mobile station wireless communication service through the pico cell system in the aircraft, when the first input code does not match the security access code; denying the mobile station wireless communication service through the pico cell system in the aircraft, when the second input code fails the validity check; and providing the mobile station wireless communication service through the pico cell system in the aircraft, when the first input code matches the security access code and the second input code passes the validity check. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A pico cell system for use in a vehicle to provide wireless communications for mobile stations of users riding in the vehicle, comprising:
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a base station for wireless communication with the mobile stations within the vehicle; a base station controller for controlling wireless operations of the base station; a communication interface coupled to the base station for providing two-way communications to and from a public communication network; and a security server for controlling mobile station access to communications through the interface to and from the public communication network, wherein; (a) the security server is configured to receive input codes from the mobile stations within the vehicle via the base station during a scheduled travel segment of the vehicle and to deny each respective mobile station access to communications through the interface to and from the public communication network if the respective mobile station has not provided an input code that matches a security access code; and (b) the security access code corresponds to the scheduled travel segment of the vehicle, is valid only for the scheduled travel segment, and is given to users of the mobile stations within the vehicle only after the vehicle begins travel of the scheduled segment. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A program product comprising:
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a machine readable medium; and executable code embodied on the medium, wherein execution of the code by a programmable security controller of a pico cell system operating in an aircraft will cause the security controller to control operations of the pico cell system to provide wireless communications for mobile stations within the aircraft, the controlled operations including steps comprising; (a) issuing to mobile station users in the aircraft a security access code corresponding to a scheduled flight of the aircraft, after the aircraft begins the scheduled flight; and (b) denying each respective mobile station access to communications between the pico cell system and a public communication network, if the respective mobile station has not provided an input code that matches the security access code. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of operating a pico cell system in an aircraft to provide wireless communications to and from the aircraft, comprising:
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assigning a personal identification number (PIN) code for a user of a mobile station for travel on a scheduled flight of the aircraft; correlating the PIN code to the user and to a seat assignment within the aircraft for the user of the mobile station on the scheduled flight; issuing the PIN code to the user of the mobile station at or after the user checks-in as a passenger on the scheduled flight; after the scheduled flight of the aircraft commences, receiving an input code from the mobile station in the pico cell system during the scheduled flight of the aircraft; checking validity of the input code with respect to a criteria relating to the PIN code; denying the mobile station wireless communication service through the pico cell system in the aircraft, when the input code fails the PIN code validity check; providing the mobile station wireless communication service through the pico cell system in the aircraft, when the input code passes the PIN code validity check; and recording usage of the provided wireless communication service by the mobile station, the recording including data indicating the validated input code. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A pico cell system for use in a vehicle to provide wireless communications for mobile stations of users riding in the vehicle, comprising:
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a base station for wireless communication with the mobile stations within the vehicle; a base station controller for controlling wireless operations of the base station; a communication interface coupled to the base station for providing two-way communications to and from a public communication network; and a security server for controlling mobile station access to communications through the interface to and from the public communication network, wherein; (a) the security server is configured to receive input codes from the mobile stations within the vehicle via the base station during a scheduled travel segment of the vehicle and to deny each respective mobile station access to communications through the interface to and from the public communication network if the respective mobile station has not provided an input code that satisfies one or more criteria relating to a valid personal identification (PIN) code assigned to a passenger on the scheduled travel segment of the vehicle; (b) the security server is configured to permit one of the mobile stations to access communications through the interface to and from the public communication network in response to receipt of an input code from the one mobile station that satisfies the one or more criteria relating to the valid PIN code; and (c) the security server is configured to record an association of the received input code that satisfied the one or more criteria, with respect to each record of a communication provided through the pico cell system for the one mobile station.
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34. A program product comprising:
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a machine readable medium; and executable code embodied on the medium, wherein execution of the code by a programmable security controller of a pico cell system operating in an aircraft will cause the security controller to control operations of the pico cell system to provide wireless communications for mobile stations within the aircraft, the controlled operations including steps comprising; (a) receiving input codes from the mobile stations within the vehicle via the base station during a scheduled travel segment of the vehicle and denying each respective mobile station access to communications through the interface to and from the public communication network if each respective mobile station has not provided an input code that satisfies one or more criteria relating to a valid personal identification (PIN) code assigned to a passenger on the scheduled travel segment of the vehicle; (b) permitting one of the mobile stations to access communications through the interface to and from the public communication network in response to receipt of an input code from the one mobile station that satisfies the one or more criteria relating to the valid PIN code; and (c) recording an association of the received input code that satisfied the one or more criteria, with respect to each record of a communication provided through the pico cell system for the one mobile station.
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Specification