SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVISIONING TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES BETWEEN AN ACCESS POINT AND A TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK AND PROVIDING A MISSING INFORMATION NOTIFICATION

• US 20100220700A1
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Published: 09/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Hodroj, Samir, Hassan, Omar
• Granted Patent: US 8,320,344 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method and system for selectively provisioning connections between an access point, which supports telecommunications services over an IP network, and a carrier network includes a network connection and a telephone connector suitable for connecting to a landline telephone, a cordless telephone, or a mobile device. The access point sends a provisioning request, which includes identifying information such as a subscriber identifier and a MAC address, to a network controller. The network controller attempts to find a geographic, street, or other address associated with the connection to be provisioned. If an address is not found, the network controller rejects the connection and sends a missing information notification to the access point. After receiving the missing information notification, the access point controls a user indicator to provide error information.

Claims

1. A wireless local area network (WLAN) access point configured for facilitating IP-based communications over a telecommunications network controlled by a telecommunications service provider, wherein the telecommunications network includes a network server, the WLAN access point comprising:

an antenna;

a WLAN radio connected to the antenna and configured to provide WLAN connectivity;

a network connection component configured to communicate with an IP-based network and connected to transmit and receive data received from the WLAN radio;

a telephone connector component configured to accept a wired connection with a landline telephone;

a visual indicator device;

an identification module socket configured to accept an identification module, wherein the identification module includes a tamper-resistant memory and wherein the tamper-resistant memory has stored therein a subscriber identifier, and wherein the subscriber identity is neither a Medium Access Control (MAC) address nor an electronic serial number (ESN);

a processor, coupled to the WLAN radio, the network connection component, the telephone connector component, the visual indicator device, and the identification module socket, wherein the processor is configured to;

facilitate provisioning telecommunications services between the telephone connector component and the IP-based network, wherein the telecommunications services include voice communications services over the IP-based network;

receive a missing information notification; and

,

control the visual indicator device based on receiving the missing information notification,

wherein the missing information notification is received from the network server; and

,

a housing at least partially enclosing the WLAN radio, the network connection component, the telephone connector component, the visual indicator device, the identification module socket, and the processor.

2. The WLAN access point of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications services are Universal Mobile Access (UMA) or Generic Access Network (GAN) services, wherein the subscriber identifier is, or is based in part on, an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), and wherein the network server is configured to find a geographic address associated with the subscriber identifier and to generate the missing information notification if no address is found.

3. The WLAN access point of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator device is an indicator light and controlling the visual indicator device comprises enabling the indicator light in response to receiving the missing information notification.

4. The WLAN access point of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator device is a display screen and controlling the visual indicator device comprises displaying an error message on the display screen, and wherein the housing at least partially encloses the display screen.

5. In a telecommunications network that employs both a licensed wireless cellular network and an IP-based network, a method for provisioning telecommunications services for a user of a telecommunications device, wherein the telecommunications services are provisioned in part between an access point and the IP-based network, the method comprising:

receiving a registration signal from the access point, wherein the registration signal includes a subscriber identifier, and wherein the access point is configured to provide telecommunications services over the IP-based network for the mobile device;

determining if a street address is associated with the subscriber identifier;

selectively provisioning telecommunications services between the access point and the telecommunications network, based at least in part on whether the street address was found;

but,

if the street address was not found, sending a missing information notification to the access point.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the telecommunications services are Universal Mobile Access (UMA) or Generic Access Network (GAN) services.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a geographic location of the access point;

comparing the geographic location to the street address; and

providing the missing information notification based on the comparison.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

monitoring a logical address of the access point; and

providing the missing information notification in response to a change in the logical address.

9. A system for provisioning telecommunications services between an access point and an IP-based network in a converged telecommunications network that employs both a cellular network and the IP-based network, the system comprising:

a communication component configured to receive a request from the access point for telecommunications services, wherein the request includes an identifier;

an address verification component configured to find an address associated with the identifier;

a provisioning component configured to selectively provision telecommunications services between the access point and the telecommunications network, based at least in part on the comparison; and

a missing information component configured to send a missing information notification to the access point.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the access point is a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point having a landline telephone connector for connecting to a landline telephone, wherein the access point provides voice services under a Universal Mobile Access (UMA) or Generic Access Network (GAN) protocol, wherein the identifier is received or derived from a user-provided memory device that stores the identifier in a tamper-resistant memory, and wherein the access point is configured to provide a user-perceptible indication in response to receiving the missing information notification.

11. The system of claim 9, further comprising a location comparison component configured to receive a geographic location of the access point, wherein the missing information component is further configured to send the missing information notification based on a comparison of the geographic location and the address.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising a network monitoring component configured to monitor a network address of the access point, wherein the missing information component is further configured to send the missing information notification in response to a change in the network address.

13. A system for managing use of an access point configured for facilitating IP-based communications in a telecommunications network, the system comprising:

a network connection component configured to communicate with an IP-based network;

an indicator module configured to provide a human-perceptible indication to a user;

an identifier component configured to provide an identifier;

a connection manager configured to facilitate provisioning of telecommunications services between a telephone connector component and the IP-based network, wherein the provisioning comprises providing user-specific information to a telecommunications network, wherein the user-specific information includes or is derived from the identifier; and

an address notification component configured to receive a missing information notification and to control the indicator device based on receiving the missing information notification.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a telephone connection component configured to accept a connection with a user'"'"'s telephone device, wherein the telephone connection component is configured to accept a connection using an unlicensed wireless band, and wherein the user'"'"'s telephone device is a cordless phone or cellular phone.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising a telephone connection component configured to accept a wired or wireless connection with a user'"'"'s telephone device, and wherein the missing information notification is received from a server configured to find an address associated with the identifier and to generate the missing information notification if no address is found.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein a telephone connection component is configured to accept a connection using a licensed wireless band, and wherein a user'"'"'s telephone device is a cordless phone or cellular phone.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the indicator device is an indicator light and controlling the indicator device comprises enabling the indicator light in response to receiving the missing information notification.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the indicator device is a display screen and controlling the indicator device comprises displaying an error message on the display screen.

19. A system of provisioning telecommunications services through an access point, the access point being suitable for use as an access point to an IP-based wireless telecommunications network to interface with a phone, the system comprising:

a processor configured to;

automatically provision telecommunications services between the phone and the IP-based network, wherein provisioning comprises providing user-specific information to a telecommunications network; and

receive a missing information notification from a server configured to find an address associated with the user-specific information and to generate the missing information notification if no address is found; and

a means for providing a user-perceptible indication, associated with the access point, wherein the means provides the user-perceptible indication in response to receiving the missing information notification.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for providing comprises a means for enabling an indicator light in response to receiving the missing information notification.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for providing comprises a means for displaying an error message on a display screen.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising a means for determining a geographic location of the access point, wherein the server is further configured to compare the geographic location to the address and to generate the missing information notification based on the comparison.

23. In a telecommunications system employing an IP-based network, a method for provisioning telecommunications services for a user of a customer-premises telecommunications equipment, wherein the telecommunications services are provisioned via the IP-based network, the method comprising:

receiving a registration signal from the customer-premises telecommunications equipment, wherein the registration signal includes an identifier;

searching for a street address associated with the identifier;

determining whether to require the street address to be updated; and

,

if the street address is not found or if the street address requires updating, sending a missing information notification to the customer-premises telecommunications equipment.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein determining whether the street address requires updating comprises:

receiving a geographic location of the customer-premises telecommunications equipment;

comparing the geographic location to the street address; and

providing the missing information notification based on the comparison.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein determining whether the street address requires updating comprises:

monitoring a logical address of the customer-premises telecommunications equipment; and

providing the missing information notification in response to a change in the logical address.