Airborne pico cell security system

• US 20080085691A1
• Filed: 10/05/2006
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cellco Partnership, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Pawlik, John Frank, Harvey, Richard Lee
• Granted Patent: US 8,244,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/187.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

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.

Claims

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. The method as in claim 1, further comprising permitting the mobile station to utilize wireless communication service through the pico cell system in the vehicle for communications extending outside the vehicle, if the received input code matches the security access code.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle is an aircraft;

the one segment is a flight of the aircraft; and

the providing of the security access code to the user occurs after the aircraft reaches a predetermined altitude during the flight.

4. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a personal identification number (PIN) code for the user of the mobile station;

correlating the PIN code to the user and to a seat assignment within the vehicle for the user of the mobile station;

issuing the PIN code to the user of the mobile station;

receiving another input code from the mobile station in the pico cell system during the travel of the vehicle over the one segment; and

checking validity of the other received input code as a PIN code.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the checking comprises determining if the other received input code has a format corresponding to a valid format for the PIN code.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the checking comprises:

comparing the other received input code to the PIN code; and

denying the mobile station wireless communication service through the pico cell system in the vehicle, if comparison indicates that the other received input code does not match the PIN code.

7. The method as in claim 6, further comprising permitting the mobile station to utilize wireless communication service through the pico cell system in the vehicle for communications extending outside the vehicle only when the received input codes respectively match the security access code and the PIN code.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the PIN code is issued to the user of the mobile station at or after baggage check-in for the segment of travel of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

invalidating the security access code after the vehicle completes the travel segment; and

assigning a different security access code to the vehicle for a subsequent travel segment of the vehicle.

10. A method of operating a pico cell system in an aircraft to provide wireless communications to and from the aircraft, comprising:

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.

11. The method as in claim 10, wherein the security access code is provided to the user of the mobile station only after the aircraft reaches a predetermined altitude during the scheduled flight.

12. The method as in claim 10, further comprising:

invalidating the security access code after the aircraft completes the scheduled flight; and

subsequently assigning a different security access code for a subsequent scheduled flight of the aircraft.

13. A pico cell system for use in a vehicle to provide wireless communications for mobile stations of users riding in the vehicle, comprising:

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.

14. The pico cell system of claim 13, wherein the security server is further configured to permit one of the mobile stations to access communications through the interface to and from the public communication network if the one mobile station has provided an input code that matches the security access code.

15. The pico cell system of claim 13, wherein the security server is further configured 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 also provided an input code satisfying a validation criteria for a personal identification number (PIN) code.

16. The pico cell system of claim 15, wherein the security server is further configured to permit one of the mobile stations to access communications through the interface to and from the public communication network if the one mobile station has both:

provided a first input code that matches the security access code; and

provided a second input code satisfying the PIN code validation criteria.

17. The pico cell system of claim 16, wherein the pico cell system is configured to compile a usage record in association with the second input code, for each permitted communication of the one mobile station.

18. The pico cell system of claim 17, wherein the security server is further configured to deliver/output usage records to a security agency.

19. The pico cell system of claim 13, wherein the security server is further configured to output the security access code after the vehicle begins travel of the scheduled segment in a manner to enable distribution of the security access code to users of the mobile stations within the vehicle.

20. The pico cell system of claim 19, wherein:

the pico cell system is for use in an aircraft; and

the security server is configured to output the security access code after the aircraft reaches a predetermined altitude in flight on the scheduled travel segment.

21. A program product comprising:

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.

22. The product of claim 21, wherein the controlled operations steps further comprise permitting one of the mobile stations to access communications between the pico cell system and the public communication network if the one mobile station has provided an input code that matches the security access code.

23. The product of claim 21, wherein the controlled operations steps further comprise denying each respective mobile station access to communications between the pico cell system and from a public communication network if the respective mobile station has not also provided an input code satisfying a validation criteria for a personal identification (PIN) code expected to correspond to a passenger.

24. The product of claim 23, wherein the controlled operations steps further comprise permitting one of the mobile stations to access communications between the pico cell system and the public communication network if the one mobile station has provided both a first input code that matches the security access code and a second input code that satisfies the PIN code validation criteria.

25. The product of claim 24, wherein the controlled operations steps further comprise compiling a usage record in association with the second input code, for each permitted communication of the one mobile station.

26. The product of claim 25, wherein the controlled operations steps further comprise transferring one or more usage records for permitted communication of the one mobile station to a security agency.

27. A method of operating a pico cell system in an aircraft to provide wireless communications to and from the aircraft, comprising:

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.

28. The method as in claim 27, wherein:

the checking of validity of the input code comprises comparing the received input code to the assigned PIN code;

the wireless communication service through the pico cell system in the vehicle is denied if comparison indicates that the received input code does not match the assigned PIN code; and

the wireless communication service is provided for the mobile station if comparison indicates that the received input code matches the assigned PIN code.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein:

the checking of validity of the input code comprises determining if the received input code has a format corresponding to a valid format for the assigned PIN code;

the wireless communication service through the pico cell system in the vehicle is denied if the format of the received input code does not correspond to the valid format for the assigned PIN code; and

the wireless communication service is provided for the mobile station if the format of the received input code corresponds to the valid format for the assigned PIN code.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the assigned PIN code is issued to the user of the mobile station at or after baggage check-in for the scheduled flight of the aircraft.

31. The method of claim 27, further comprising communicating the usage record to a security agency.

32. The method of claim 27, the usage record is communicated to the security agency in response to a request received from the security agency.

33. A pico cell system for use in a vehicle to provide wireless communications for mobile stations of users riding in the vehicle, comprising:

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.

34. A program product comprising:

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.