INTERACTIVE CLIENT MANAGEMENT OF A WHITE LIST

• US 20090288145A1
• 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 8,763,082 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/3
• 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)). Such white list(s) can be configured via a networked interface which facilitates access management to a femtocell. 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 automatic population of a white list(s) associated with a femtocell and can prompt a communication device detected in the femtocell coverage area to inquire whether the communication device desires to connect to the femtocell, be entered into the white list(s), and access a services associated with the femtocell, on a permanent basis or temporarily for a specified period of time.

Claims

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

a femto access point that provides access of the femtocell coverage and a subset of services to at least one communication device that is granted access to the femto access point; and

an access management component that automatically generates and transmits a query to the at least one communication device to prompt the at least one communication device to request access of the femtocell coverage and be entered on an access control list associated with the femto access point, and grants access to the femtocell coverage and the subset of services to the at least one communication device based at least in part on the access control list and predefined access criteria.

2. 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.

3. The system of claim 1, the access management component stores information related to the at least one communication device into the access control list.

4. The system of claim 3, 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.

5. 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.

6. The system of claim 1, the access management component grants access of the femtocell coverage and the subset of services to the at least one communication component on at least one of a permanent basis or a temporary basis based at least in part on at least one of the predefined access criteria or a preference received from the at least one communication device.

7. The system of claim 6, the access management component updates the access control list to delete information related to the at least one communication device in the access control list when a predefined amount of time is expired or the at least one communication device is no longer detected in a femtocell coverage area of the femto access point.

8. The system of claim 7, the access management component prompts the at least one communication device prior to the expiration of the predefined amount of time and queries the at least one communication device to determine whether the at least one communication device requests additional time to access the femtocell coverage and the subset of services, and re-sets a timer to the predefined amount of time, if the at least one communication device requests the additional time.

9. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

the at least one communication device that, in response to the query, at least one of requests access to the femtocell coverage and to be entered on the access control list on a permanent basis, requests access to the femtocell coverage and to be entered on the access control list on a temporary basis, or refuses access to the femtocell coverage and to be entered on the access control list.

10. The system of claim 1, the access management component denies access of the femtocell coverage and the subset of 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 femto access point.

11. The system of claim 10, the access management component maintains information related to the at least one other communication device in the black list on a permanent basis or a temporary basis.

12. The system of claim 11, when information related to the at least one other communication device is maintained in the black list on a temporary basis, the access management component updates the black list to delete the information related to the at least one other communication device when at least one of a predefined amount of time is expired, the at least one other communication device leaves a femtocell coverage area of the femto access point, or the at least one other communication device is powered down.

13. The system of claim 1, the subset of services comprising at least one of voice services, data services, access to applications, electronic gaming, or access to content.

14. A method that facilitates interactive prompting relating to femtocell access to facilitate automatically populating a white list associated with a femto access point, comprising:

automatically querying a mobile communication device detected in a cell coverage area of the femto access point to prompt the mobile communication device to access the femto access point and a subset of services provided via the femto access point and to be entered on the white list; and

granting access of the femto access point and the subset of services to the mobile communication device based at least in part on information in the white list and predefined access criteria.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a message from the mobile communication device that indicates that information related to the mobile communication device is to be entered into the white list on at least one of a temporary basis or a permanent basis; and

storing information related to the mobile communication device in the white list on at least one of a permanent basis or a temporary basis based at least in part on at least one of the received message or the predefined access criteria.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving information indicating that at least one of a predefined amount of time or an additional period of time has expired with regard to information related to the mobile communication device being stored on the white list or the mobile communication device is not detected in a femtocell coverage area of the femto access point; and

updating the white list to delete the information related to the mobile communication device, when the information related to the mobile communication device is stored in the white list on a temporary basis.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

prompting the mobile communication device prior to expiration of the predefined amount of time to query the mobile communication device as to whether the mobile communication device requests an additional period of time to access the femto access point and the subset of services; and

granting the additional time period of time to the mobile communication device, if a response, which indicates the additional period of time is requested, is received from the mobile communication device.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

denying access of the femto access point and the subset of 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 on at least one of a permanent basis or a temporary basis.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving information indicating that at least one of a predefined amount of time has expired with regard to information related to the at least one other mobile communication device being stored on the black list or the at least one other mobile communication device is not detected in a femtocell coverage area of the femto access point; and

updating the black list to delete the information related to the at least one other mobile communication device, when the information related to the at least one other mobile communication device is stored in the black list on a temporary basis.

20. The method of claim 14, 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.

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

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

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

22. 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 access the femtocell and a subset of services provided via the femtocell and to be entered on a white list associated with the femtocell; and

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