INTERACTIVE WHITE LIST PROMPTING TO SHARE CONTENT AND SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH A FEMTOCELL

• US 20090285166A1
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huber, Kurt Donald, Flynn, Judson John, Mansfield, William Gordon
• Granted Patent: US 8,179,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• 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: H04L 63/0876 : based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 : Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/108 : when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/73 : Validating charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 : using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 : using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 : using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 : using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 : Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 : for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 : Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 : based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 : Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 : Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 : with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 : Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 : Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 : Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 : using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

System(s) and method(s) provide access management to femtocell service through access control list(s) (e.g., white list(s)). A white list(s) includes a set of subscriber station(s) identifier numbers, codes or tokens, and also can include additional fields for femtocell access management based on desired complexity. Various example aspects such as white list(s) management, maintenance and dissemination; pre-configuration; and inclusion of wireless device(s) or subscriber(s) are also provided. An access management component can facilitate interactive and automatic prompting of detected communication devices to facilitate granting access to content and/or services associated with the femtocell to a desired communication device(s) and adding a desired communication device(s) to the white list(s) associated with a femtocell, and to facilitate modifying or terminating access of the femtocell by a communication device(s) based in part on monitored activity of the communication device(s) with regard to femtocell access.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates interactive white list prompts and management of access to femtocell coverage, comprising:

an access management component that automatically generates and transmits a query to at least one communication device, which is detected in a femtocell coverage area of a femtocell, to prompt the at least one communication device to request access to the femtocell coverage and be entered on a white list associated with the femtocell, and grants access to the femtocell coverage, and grants access to a subset of content or services associated with the femtocell, to the at least one communication device, based at least in part on the white list and predefined access criteria; and

the femtocell that facilitates provision of access of the femtocell coverage and the subset of content or services to the at least one communication device.

2. The system of claim 1, the access management component detects at least one of resources available in the at least one communication device, functionality or communication technology supported by the at least one communication device, type of device of the at least one communication device, type of services supported by the at least one communication device, type of content supported by the at least one communication device, bandwidth requirements of the at least one communication device, or applications available on the at least one communication device.

3. The system of claim 2, the access management component automatically generates and transmits a query to the at least one communication device to prompt the at least one communication device to indicate at least one of type of access, type of content, or type of service, of the femtocell requested by the at least one communication device.

4. The system of claim 3, the access management component determines whether the at least one of type of access, type of content, or type of service, of the femtocell requested by the at least one communication device is available.

5. The system of claim 4, the access management component grants access of the femtocell and the subset of content or services based at least in part on the at least one of type of access, type of content, or type of service, of the femtocell requested by the at least one communication device when available, or prompts the at least one communication device to request at least one of another type of access, another type of content, or another type of service, of the femtocell when the at least one of type of access, type of content, or type of service, of the femtocell is not available.

6. The system of claim 1, the access management component monitors activity associated with access to the femtocell and the subset of content or services by the at least one communication device.

7. The system of claim 6, the access management component determines whether the at least one communication device has been inactive in relation to accessing the femtocell and the subset of content or services, or a portion thereof, for at least a predefined period of time.

8. The system of claim 7, the access management component automatically generates and transmits a query to the at least one communication device to prompt the at least one communication device to indicate whether the at least one communication device requests to continue access to the femtocell and the subset of content or services.

9. The system of claim 8, the access management component continues to grant access to the femtocell and the subset of content or services to the at least one communication device if the request for continued access is received by the access management component, or terminates access to the femtocell and the subset of content or services if no request for continued access is received.

10. The system of claim 1, the subset of content or services comprising at least one of voice services, data services, access to applications, electronic gaming, or access to content, wherein the content is at least one of data content, web content, audio content, video content, multimedia content, or digital images.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one content provider that is connected to the femtocell and provides content to the at least one communication device via the femtocell; and

at least one service provider that is connected to the femtocell and provides at least one service to the at least one communication device via the femtocell.

12. The system of claim 11, the at least one content provider or the at least one service provider employs at least one of a cellular phone, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a computer, a server, a digital video recorder or player, a digital music recorder or player, an analog video recorder or player with a digital converter, an analog music recorder or player with a digital converter, an electronic game, a television, a set-top box, a camera, or a navigation device, to facilitate providing the content or the at least one service, respectively.

13. The system of claim 1, the femtocell facilitates transmission of the content or provision of the services to the at least one communication device at a broadband data transmission rate.

14. The system of claim 1, the access management component scans a frequency band and detects the at least one communication device when the at least one communication device enters a femtocell coverage area associated with the femto access point.

15. The system of claim 1, the access management component stores information related to the at least one communication device in the white list.

16. The system of claim 15, the information comprising at least one of identifier numbers, codes, or token of the at least one communication device, type of communication device, services that can be utilized by the at least one communication device, type of access granted or the subset of services associated with the femto access point for which access is granted, type of communication technologies supported by the at least one communication device, bandwidth requirements of the at least one communication device, bandwidth allocated to the at least one communication device, Quality of Service policy associated with the at least one communication device, time the at least one communication device is entered on the access control list, or historical data related to use of the femto access point by the at least one communication device.

17. The system of claim 1, the predefined access criteria relates to at least one of information stored in the access control list, slot availability in the femto access point or the access control list, services available from the femto access point, type of communication device, bandwidth available to be allocated to the at least one communication device, services that can be utilized by the at least one communication device, historical data associated with the at least one communication device in relation to the femto access point, quality of service associated with the at least one communication device, type of communication technologies supported by the at least one communication device, or type(s) of service(s) requested by the at least one communication device.

18. The system of claim 1, the access management component denies access to the femtocell coverage and the subset of content or services to at least one other communication device based at least in part on the predefined access criteria and enters information relates to the at least one other communication device on a black list associated with the femtocell.

19. A method, comprising:

automatically prompting a mobile communication device detected in a cell coverage area of the femto access point to request to access the femto access point and a subset of content or services provided via the femto access point and to be entered on the access control list;

updating the access control list to include information related to the mobile communication device; and

granting access of the femto access point and the subset of content or services to the mobile communication device based at least in part on information in the access control list, level of access granted to the mobile communication device, and predefined access criteria.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

scanning a frequency spectrum associated with wireless communications to facilitate detecting the mobile communication device in the cell coverage area;

detecting the mobile communication device;

automatically generating a query to prompt the mobile communication device to request to be entered on the access control list and access the femto access point and the subset of content or services, in response to detecting the mobile communication device; and

transmitting the query to the mobile communication device.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

detecting information related to at least one of resources available in the mobile communication device, functionality or communication technology supported by the mobile communication device, type of device of the mobile communication device, type of services supported by the mobile communication device, type of content supported by the mobile communication device, bandwidth requirements of the mobile communication device, or applications available on the mobile communication device;

prompting the mobile communication device to have the mobile communication device indicate at least one of type of access, type of content, or type of service, requested by the mobile communication device;

receiving information that indicates the at least one of type of access, type of content, or type of service, requested by the mobile communication device; and

determining access of the femto access point and the subset of content or services to be granted to the mobile communication device based at least in part on the detected information and the received information.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

storing the detected information and the received information in the access control list.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

monitoring the access of the femto access point and the subset of content or service by the mobile communication device; and

determining whether the mobile communication device has been inactive with regard to accessing the femto access point and the subset of content or services, or a portion thereof, for at least a predefined period of time.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

prompting the mobile communication device to indicate whether the mobile communication device requests to continue access of the femto access point and the subset of content or services, or a portion thereof, when the mobile communication device is determined to have been inactive with regard to accessing the femto access point and the subset of content or services, or a portion thereof, for at least a predefined period of time.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

at least one of;

continuing to grant access of the femto access point and the subset of content or services to the mobile communication device when a request to continue access is received from the mobile communication device;

or

terminate access of the femto access point and the subset of content or services to the mobile communication device when no request to continue access is received from the mobile communication device.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

inferring, based at least in part on the access control list and current or historical information related to the mobile communication device, at least one of whether a mobile communication device is to be granted access to the femto access point and associated content or services;

a level of access to be granted to a mobile communication device with regard to the femto access point;

an identity of a particular user of a mobile communication device;

type of access, type of content, or type of service to be utilized by a mobile communication device;

available functionality of a mobile communication device.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

collecting historical information associated with the mobile communication device;

storing the historical information;

analyzing at least one of the historical information, current information associated with the mobile communication device, or the access control list, to facilitate generating at least one inference related to at least one of access to the femto access point by the mobile communication device;

identifying the mobile communication device;

type of access, type of content, or type of service to be utilized by a mobile communication device;

or available functionality of a mobile communication device.

28. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

connecting at least one content provider to the femto access point, wherein the at least one content provider is connected via a wired connection or a wireless connection;

connecting at least one service provider to the femto access point, wherein the at least one service provider is connected via a wired connection or a wireless connection; and

controlling access to content associated with the at least one content provider or at least one service associated with the at least one service provider based at least in part on the access control list or the predefined access criteria.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein the predefined access criteria relates to at least one of information stored in the access control list, slot availability in the femto access point or the access control list, services available from the femto access point, type of mobile communication device, bandwidth available to be allocated to the mobile communication device, services that can be utilized by the mobile communication device, historical data associated with the mobile communication device in relation to the femto access point, quality of service associated with the mobile communication device, type of communication technologies supported by the mobile communication device, or type(s) of service(s) requested by the mobile communication device.

30. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

denying access of the femto access point and the subset of content or services to at least one other mobile communication device based at least in part on at least one of a refusal of access received from the at least one other mobile communication device or the predefined access criteria; and

storing information related to the at least one other mobile communication device in a black list(s) associated with the femto access point.

31. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

transmitting the subset of content of services to the mobile communication device at a broadband data transmission rate.

32. The method of claim 19, the subset of content or services comprising at least one of voice services, data services, access to applications, electronic gaming, or access to content, wherein the content is at least one of data content, web content, audio content, video content, multimedia content, or digital images.

33. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a request to update a subset of the information associated with the mobile communication device stored in the access control list;

updating the subset of the information associated with the mobile communication device stored in the access control list based at least in part on the received request; and

storing the updated access control list.

34. The method of claim 33, the subset of the information comprising at least one of an identifier number, a code, or a token associated with the mobile communication device;

or a phone number associated with the mobile communication device.

35. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause a computer to perform the following acts:

automatically querying at least one subscriber station detected in a femtocell coverage area of a femtocell to prompt the at least one subscriber station to request to be entered on an access control list associated with the femtocell and to access the femtocell and a subset of content or services provided via the femtocell;

updating the access control list to include information related to the at least one subscriber station; and

granting access of the femtocell and the subset of content or services to the at least one subscriber station based at least in part on information in the access control list and predefined access criteria.

36. An apparatus comprising:

means for automatically querying a wireless communication device detected in a cell coverage area of a femtocell to prompt the wireless communication device to request access to the femtocell and a subset of content or services provided via the femtocell and to be entered on a white list associated with the femtocell;

means for updating the access control list to include information related to the wireless communication device; and

means for granting access of the femtocell and the subset of content or services to the wireless communication device based at least in part on information in the white list and predefined access criteria.