APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RESTRICTING ACCESS TO DATA

• US 20100151826A1
• Filed: 12/16/2009
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Starr, Robert J., Tischer, Steven, Zellner, Samuel N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,000,682 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

An apparatus and method for restricting access to data are provided. According to one aspect, an interface device for providing communications between a communications network and a device comprises an input, logic, and an output. The input receives data in a first format from the communications network. The logic receives a request from the device to access the data and determines whether the interface device is authorized to access the data. If the interface device is authorized to access the data, then the logic receives the data from the communications network. The logic then identifies a second format compatible with the device, translates the data to the second format, and transmits the translated data to the device.

Claims

1. An interface device for providing communications between a communications network and a device, comprising:

an input for receiving data in a first format from the communications network;

logic configured for

receiving a request from the device to access the data,

determining location information associated with the interface device,

determining whether the interface device is authorized to access the data based on the location information associated with the interface device,

determining whether the interface device is authorized to access the data,

if the interface device is authorized to access the data, then

receiving the data from the communications network via the input,

identifying a second format compatible with the device, and

translating the data to the second format, and

if the interface device is not authorized to access the data, then providing a notification to at least one of the communications network and the device that the interface device is denied access to the data; and

an output for transmitting the translated data to the device if the interface device is authorized to access the data.

2. The interface device of claim 1, wherein determining whether the interface device is authorized to access the data comprises determining whether a service provider associated with the communications network is a service provider associated with the interface device.

3. The interface device of claim 2, wherein determining whether a service provider associated with the communications network is a service provider associated with the interface device comprises determining whether the service provider associated with the communications network is on a list of service providers associated with the interface device.

4. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the location information is obtained using a Global Positioning System (GPS).

5. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the logic is further configured for instructing the interface device not to access the data from the communications network if the interface device is not authorized to access the data, wherein instructing the interface device not to access the data comprises providing a notification to the device that requested the data that the interface device has been denied access to the data.

6. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the interface device is operative to provide remote access to the data.

7. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the interface device is located in a home or a business.

8. The interface device of claim 1, wherein the data received from the communications network is packetized and the translated data transmitted to the device is analog.

9. An interface device for providing communications between a first communications network and a device associated with a second communications network, comprising:

an input for receiving data in a first format from the first communications network;

logic configured for

determining location information associated with the interface device,

determining whether the interface device is authorized to access the data from the first communications network based on the location information,

if the interface device is authorized to access the data, then

receiving the data in the first format from the first communications network via the input,

identifying the device associated with the second communications network for receiving the data,

identifying a second format compatible with the device, and

translating the data to the second format; and

an output for transmitting the translated data to the device if the interface device is authorized to access the data.

10. The interface device of claim 9, wherein the location information is obtained using a global positioning system (GPS).

11. The interface device of claim 9, wherein the location information is obtained through signal triangulation.

12. The interface device of claim 9, wherein determining whether the interface device is authorized to access the data based on the location information associated with the interface device comprises determining whether the location information associated with the interface device matches location information stored on the interface device.

13. The interface device of claim 9, wherein the logic is further configured for instructing the interface device not to access the data if the interface device is not authorized to access the data, wherein instructing the interface device not to access the data comprises providing a notification to the device that the interface device has been denied access to the data.

14. A method for providing communications between a first device and a second device via an interface device, comprising:

determining location information associated with the interface device;

determining whether the interface device is authorized to access data from the first device based on the location information associated with the interface device; and

if the interface device is authorized to receive data from the first device, then

receiving data in a first format from the first device,

identifying the second device for receiving the data,

identifying a second format compatible with the second device, and

translating the data from the first format to the second format.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining whether the first device is associated with a service provider that is a service provider associated with the interface device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining whether determining whether the first device is associated with a service provider that is a service provider associated with the interface device comprises determining whether the service provider associated with the first device is on a list of service providers associated with the interface device.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the location information is obtained using a GPS.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting the translated data to the second device.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein determining whether the interface device is authorized to access the data based on the location information associated with the interface device comprises determining whether the location information associated with the interface device matches location information stored on the interface device.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising instructing the interface device not to access the data if the interface device is not authorized to receive data from the first device, wherein instructing the interface device not to access the data comprises providing a notification to the second device that the interface device has been denied access to the data.

21. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 14.