METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RESTRICTED ACCESS CONFIGURATION OF ACCESS POINT BASE STATIONS

• US 20100056104A1
• Filed: 08/28/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Nanda, Sajiv, Butler, Brian K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,744,404 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/00 Access restriction access security to prevent unauthorised access H04W12/08; Network selection; Access point selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support

Abstract

Devices and methods are provided for the controlling access to access point (AP) base stations. In particular, described herein are techniques for the automated configuration of AP base stations for restricted access. For example, the technique may involve receiving a contact list from an access terminal (AT) associated with the AP base station and a network operator. From the received contact list, saved contacts associated with the operator may be identified. The technique may further involve retrieving identifiers for the identified contacts, and generating an allowed user list from the identifiers, which may be used to configure the AP base station for restricted access.

Claims

1. A method for restricted access configuration of an access point (AP) base station, comprising:

retrieving a contact list from an access terminal (AT) associated with the AP base station, the contact list comprising information regarding saved contacts of an AT user; and

configuring restricted access to the AP base station based at least in part on the information of the contact list.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising verifying ownership of the AP base station.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein verifying ownership comprises receiving a password associated with the AP base station.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the AP base station is associated with a network operator.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether any of the saved contacts are associated with a network operator.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of determining comprises retrieving at least one identifier for those saved contacts associated with the operator.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein retrieving the at least one identifier comprises retrieving the at least one identifier from the contact list.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein retrieving the at least one identifier comprises retrieving the at least one identifier from a registry of the operator.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein retrieving the at least one identifier from the registry comprises accessing a home location register (HLR) of the operator.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising generating an allowed user list based at least in part on the at least one identifier.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising utilizing the allowed user list to configure the restricted access.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising, in response to a visitor AT entering a coverage area of the AP base station, determining whether a visitor identifier of the visitor AT matches at least one entry of the allowed user list.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising, in response to the visitor identifier matching the at least one entry of the allowed user list, allowing the visitor AT to access the AP base station.

14. A wireless communication device for restricted access configuration of an access point (AP) base station, comprising:

a receiver adapted to receive a contact list from an access terminal (AT) associated with the AP base station, the contact list comprising information regarding saved contacts of an AT user;

at least one processor in operative communication with the receiver; and

a memory in operative communication with the at least one processor and comprising executable code for the at least one processor to configure restricted access to the AP base station based at least in part on the information of the contact list.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor verifies ownership of the AP base station.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is adapted to receive a password associated with the AP base station.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the AP base station is associated with a network operator.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is adapted to determine whether any of the saved contacts are associated with a network operator.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the at least one processor is adapted to retrieve at least one identifier for those saved contacts associated with the operator.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the at least one processor is adapted to generate an allowed user list that includes the at least one identifier.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the at least one processor is adapted to utilize the allowed user list to restrict access to the AP base station.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the at least one processor (942) is adapted to, in response to a visitor AT entering a coverage area of the AP base station, determine whether a visitor identifier of the visitor AT matches at least one entry of the allowed user list.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor (944) is adapted to, in response to the visitor identifier matching the at least one entry of the allowed user list, allow the visitor AT to access the AP base station.

24. A wireless communication apparatus for restricted access configuration of an access point (AP) base station, comprising:

means for retrieving a contact list from an access terminal (AT) associated with the AP base station, the contact list comprising information regarding saved contacts of an AT user; and

means for configuring restricted access to the AP base station based at least in part on the information of the contact list.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising means for verifying ownership of the AP base station.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the means for verifying is adapted to receive a password associated with the AP base station.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the AP base station is associated with a network operator.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising means for determining whether any of the saved contacts are associated with a network operator.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising means for retrieving at least one identifier for those saved contacts associated with the operator.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising means for generating an allowed user list that includes the at least one identifier.

31. A method for restricted access configuration of an access point (AP) base station, comprising:

retrieving a calling history from an access terminal (AT) associated with the AP base station, the calling history comprising a list of saved telephone numbers called or received by an AT user; and

configuring restricted access of the AP base station based at least in part on the calling history.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising verifying ownership of the AP base station.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein verifying ownership comprises receiving a password associated with the AP base station.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the AP base station is associated with a network operator.

35. The method of claim 31, further comprising determining whether any of the saved telephone numbers are associated with a network operator.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the step of determining comprises retrieving at least one identifier for those saved telephone numbers associated with the operator.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein retrieving the at least one identifier comprises retrieving the at least one identifier from the calling history.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein retrieving the at least one identifier comprises retrieving the at least one identifier from a registry of the operator.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein retrieving the at least one identifier from the registry comprises accessing a home location register (HLR) of the operator.

40. The method of claim 36, further comprising generating an allowed user list based at least in part on the at least one retrieved identifier.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising utilizing the allowed user list to configure the restricted access.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising, in response to a visitor AT entering a coverage area of the AP base station, determining whether a visitor identifier of the visitor AT matches at least one entry of the allowed user list.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising, in response to the visitor identifier matching the at least one entry of the allowed user list, allowing the visitor AT to access the AP base station.

44. A wireless communication device for restricted access configuration of an access point (AP) base station, comprising:

a receiver adapted to receive a calling history from an access terminal (AT) associated with the AP base station, the calling history comprising a list of saved telephone numbers called or received by an AT user;

at least one processor in operative communication with the receiver; and

a memory in operative communication with the at least one processor and comprising executable code for the at least one processor to configure restricted access to the AP base station based at least in part on the calling history.

45. The device of claim 44, wherein the at least one processor verifies ownership of the AP base station.

46. The device of claim 45, wherein the at least one processor is adapted to receive a password associated with the AP base station.

47. The device of claim 44, wherein the AP base station is associated with a network operator.

48. The device of claim 44, wherein the at least one processor is adapted to determine whether any of the saved telephone numbers are associated with a network operator.

49. The device of claim 48, wherein the at least one processor is adapted to retrieve at least one identifier for those saved telephone numbers associated with the operator.

50. The device of claim 49, wherein the at least one processor generates an allowed user list that includes the at least one identifier.

51. A wireless communication apparatus for restricted access configuration of an access point (AP) base station, comprising:

means for retrieving a calling history from an access terminal (AT) associated with the AP base station, the calling history comprising a list of telephone numbers called or received by an AT user; and

means for configuring restricted access to the AP base station based at least in part on the calling history.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, further comprising means for verifying ownership of the AP base station.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the means for verifying is adapted to receive a password associated with the AP base station.

54. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the AP base station is associated with a network operator.

55. The apparatus of claim 51, further comprising means for determining whether any of the saved telephone numbers are associated with a network operator.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, further comprising means for retrieving at least one identifier for those saved telephone numbers associated with the operator.

57. The apparatus of claim 56, further comprising means for generating an allowed user list that includes the at least one identifier.

58. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing a computer to retrieve a data file from an access terminal (AT) associated with an access point (AP) base station of a network operator; and

code for causing a computer to configure restricted access to the AP base station based at least in part on the data file.

59. The computer program product of claim 58, wherein the data file comprises a contact list from the AT, the contact list comprising information regarding saved contacts of an AT user.

60. The computer program product of claim 58, wherein the data file comprises a calling history from the AT, the calling history comprising a list of telephone numbers called or received by an AT user.