MULTI-TIER AND SECURE SERVICE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS

• US 20100279653A1
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Privilege Wireless LLC (General Patent Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alexander Poltorak
• Inventors: Poltorak, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 8,224,289 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/42 Dynamic individual rates per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8011 using class of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8016 based on quality of service [QoS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/74 Rating aspects, e.g. rating parameters or tariff determination apects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7407 class of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7414 QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/00 Security arrangements; Authentication; Protecting privacy or anonymity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/20 Negotiating bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/265 taking into account the quality of service QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/267 : taking into account the information rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 : based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 : using measured or perceived quality

Abstract

The present invention pertains to improved communication quality and security of transmission in cellular communication networks. A customer has the option to pay different fees for different tiers of service relating to voice quality, bandwidth access, and different tiers of service relating to communications security. Higher tiers may guarantee a specific vocoder or bit rate is used, or guarantee a specific encryption protocol is use to ensure secure communications. Different tiers may be associated with customers'"'"' records for billing purposes. The network may afford high end devices higher voice quality and/or security via a lookup table indicating what level of service is associated with a given device. Calling or receiving devices may negotiate with each other to change to a more robust vocoder or bit rate to ensure a higher quality and/or security. Furthermore, the user may opt to change the quality and/or security level before or during a call.

Claims

1-51. -51. (canceled)

52. A wireless communication system, comprising:

at least one base station;

at least one network server operatively connected to the at least one base station;

a data storage device operatively connected to the at least one network server;

a customer record database stored on the storage device for maintaining records of a plurality of customers of the wireless communication system and for identifying at least one wireless mobile station associated with each of the plurality of customers;

a plurality of quality service levels, each of the plurality of quality service levels corresponding to a different quality level of communication and to a different price in an overall pricing structure; and

a plurality of security levels, each of the plurality of security levels corresponding to a different security level of communication and to a different service fee in the overall pricing structure;

wherein the customer record database is updatable to reflect a selected one of the quality of service levels and a selected one of the security levels for a given customer.

53. A wireless communication system, comprising:

at least one base station;

at least one network server operatively connected to the at least one base station;

a data storage device operatively connected to the at least one network server;

a customer record database stored on the storage device for maintaining records of a plurality of customers of the wireless communication system and for identifying at least one wireless mobile station associated with each of the plurality of customers;

a plurality of quality service levels, each of the plurality of quality service levels corresponding to a different quality level of communication and to a different price in an overall pricing structure; and

a plurality of security levels, each of the plurality of security levels corresponding to a different security level of communication and to a different service fee in the overall pricing structure;

wherein each quality level of communication is a quality level of an audio signal to be sent or received by a mobile station of a given customer.

54. A wireless communication system, comprising:

at least one base station;

at least one network server operatively connected to the at least one base station;

a data storage device operatively connected to the at least one network server;

a customer record database stored on the storage device for maintaining records of a plurality of customers of the wireless communication system and for identifying at least one wireless mobile station associated with each of the plurality of customers;

a plurality of quality service levels, each of the plurality of quality service levels corresponding to a different quality level of communication and to a different price in an overall pricing structure; and

a plurality of security levels, each of the plurality of security levels corresponding to a different security level of communication and to a different service fee in the overall pricing structure;

wherein the audio signal quality level corresponds to a vocoder bit rate.

55. A wireless communication system, comprising:

at least one base station;

at least one network server operatively connected to the at least one base station;

a data storage device operatively connected to the at least one network server;

a customer record database stored on the storage device for maintaining records of a plurality of customers of the wireless communication system and for identifying at least one wireless mobile station associated with each of the plurality of customers;

a plurality of quality service levels, each of the plurality of quality service levels corresponding to a different quality level of communication and to a different price in an overall pricing structure; and

a plurality of security levels, each of the plurality of security levels corresponding to a different security level of communication and to a different service fee in the overall pricing structure;

wherein the audio signal quality level corresponds to a selection of a vocoder of a user'"'"'s mobile station.

56. A wireless communication system, comprising:

at least one base station;

at least one network server operatively connected to the at least one base station;

a data storage device operatively connected to the at least one network server;

a customer record database stored on the storage device for maintaining records of a plurality of customers of the wireless communication system and for identifying at least one wireless mobile station associated with each of the plurality of customers;

a plurality of quality service levels, each of the plurality of quality service levels corresponding to a different quality level of communication and to a different price in an overall pricing structure; and

a plurality of security levels, each of the plurality of security levels corresponding to a different security level of communication and to a different service fee in the overall pricing structure;

wherein the audio signal quality level corresponds to a minimum guaranteed bandwidth of a user'"'"'s mobile station.

57. A wireless communication system, comprising:

at least one base station;

at least one network server operatively connected to the at least one base station;

a data storage device operatively connected to the at least one network server;

a customer record database stored on the storage device for maintaining records of a plurality of customers of the wireless communication system and for identifying at least one wireless mobile station associated with each of the plurality of customers;

a plurality of quality service levels, each of the plurality of quality service levels corresponding to a different quality level of communication and to a different price in an overall pricing structure; and

a plurality of security levels, each of the plurality of security levels corresponding to a different security level of communication and to a different service fee in the overall pricing structure;

wherein the audio signal quality level corresponds to a particular communication channel availability according to a contract with a service provider.

58. A method of setting a security level in a cellular communication network comprising a plurality of base stations, a plurality of mobile stations and a network server, the network server having a customer record database associated therewith, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming call indication by a first one of the plurality of mobile stations, the first mobile station being registered with the cellular communication network;

determining a security level associated with the first mobile station; and

selecting a security protocol for use by the first mobile station, the selection being determined by the first mobile station'"'"'s security level;

wherein determining the security level includes;

determining a model number of the mobile station; and

accessing a lookup table using the model number to identify the security level associated with the first mobile station'"'"'s model number.

59. A method of setting a security level in a cellular communication network comprising a plurality of base stations, a plurality of mobile stations and a network server, the network server having a customer record database associated therewith, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming call indication by a first one of the plurality of mobile stations, the first mobile station being registered with the cellular communication network;

determining a security level associated with the first mobile station;

selecting a security protocol for use by the first mobile station, the selection being determined by the first mobile station'"'"'s security level;

receiving a service level identifier from the first mobile station by a first one of the plurality of base stations of the cellular communication network;

validating the service level identifier;

selecting a security protocol for use by the first base station, the selection being determined by the validated service level identifier; and

transmitting a service level confirmation to the first mobile station.

60. A method of setting a security level in a cellular communication network comprising a plurality of base stations, a plurality of mobile stations and a network server, the network server having a customer record database associated therewith, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming call indication by a first one of the plurality of mobile stations, the first mobile station being registered with the cellular communication network;

determining a security level associated with the first mobile station; and

selecting a security protocol for use by the first mobile station, the selection being determined by the first mobile station'"'"'s security level;

wherein;

the plurality of mobile stations further includes a second mobile station;

determining further comprises determining a security level of the second mobile station; and

selecting further comprises;

identifying a higher tier security service level from among the first and second mobile station security levels; and

selecting a security protocol for use by the first and second mobile stations, the selection being determined by the higher tier security service level.

61. A method of setting a security level in a cellular communication network comprising a plurality of base stations, a plurality of mobile stations and a network server, the network server having a customer record database associated therewith, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming call indication by a first one of the plurality of mobile stations, the first mobile station being registered with the cellular communication network;

determining a security level associated with the first mobile station; and

selecting a security protocol for use by the first mobile station, the selection being determined by the first mobile station'"'"'s security level;

wherein;

the plurality of mobile stations further includes a second mobile station;

determining further comprises determining a security level of the second mobile station; and

selecting further comprises;

identifying a lower tier service level from among the first and second mobile station security levels; and

selecting a security protocol for use by the first and second mobile stations, the selection being determined by the lower tier security service level.

62. A method of setting a security level in a cellular communication network comprising a plurality of base stations, a plurality of mobile stations and a network server, the network server having a customer record database associated therewith, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming call indication by a first one of the plurality of mobile stations, the first mobile station being registered with the cellular communication network;

determining a security level associated with the first mobile station; and

selecting a security protocol for use by the first mobile station, the selection being determined by the first mobile station'"'"'s security level;

wherein the plurality of mobile stations further includes a second mobile station, the determining includes determining a service level of the second mobile station and the selecting further comprises;

identifying a higher tier service level from among the first and second mobile station service levels;

selecting at least one of a vocoder and a vocoder bit rate for use by the first and second mobile stations based upon the higher tier service level;

adaptively adjusting a given service level for a higher tier subscriber device among the first and second mobile stations so that the higher tier subscriber device is configured communicate at a lowest tier service level;

adaptively measuring a quality of transmission between the first and second mobile stations;

adaptively adjusting a quality of signal level to a next higher signal level if a transcoder reports signal degradation; and

repeating the identifying, selecting, adaptively adjusting the given service level, adaptively measuring and adaptively adjusting the quality of signal level operations until a higher service level of a subscriber'"'"'s mobile station is satisfied or no the further adjustment of the service level of the subscriber'"'"'s mobile station is possible.

63. A method of communicating in a cellular communication network comprising a plurality of base stations, a plurality of mobile stations and a network server, the network server having customer record database associated therewith, the method comprising:

initiating a call scenario for a first one of the plurality of mobile stations, the first mobile station being registered on the cellular communication network;

identifying a service level associated with the first mobile station, including retrieving a predetermined security level stored in a memory of the first mobile station;

selecting at least one of a vocoder and a vocoder bit rate for use by the first mobile station, the selection being determined by the identified service level; and

communicating with the cellular communication network using the selected vocoder or the selected vocoder bit rate;

wherein identifying the service level includes retrieving a predetermined quality of service level stored in a memory of the first mobile station.

64. A method of communicating in a cellular communication network comprising a plurality of base stations, a plurality of mobile stations and a network server, the network server having customer record database associated therewith, the method comprising:

initiating a call scenario for a first one of the plurality of mobile stations, the first mobile station being registered on the cellular communication network;

identifying a service level associated with the first mobile station, including retrieving a predetermined security level stored in a memory of the first mobile station;

selecting at least one of a vocoder and a vocoder bit rate for use by the first mobile station, the selection being determined by the identified service level; and

communicating with the cellular communication network using the selected vocoder or the selected vocoder bit rate;

wherein the memory is a nonvolatile memory of the first mobile station.

65. A method of communicating in a cellular communication network comprising a plurality of base stations, a plurality of mobile stations and a network server, the network server having customer record database associated therewith, the method comprising:

initiating a call scenario for a first one of the plurality of mobile stations, the first mobile station being registered on the cellular communication network;

identifying a service level associated with the first mobile station, including retrieving a predetermined security level stored in a memory of the first mobile station;

selecting at least one of a vocoder and a vocoder bit rate for use by the first mobile station, the selection being determined by the identified service level; and

communicating with the cellular communication network using the selected vocoder or the selected vocoder bit rate;

wherein the memory is a subscriber identity module of the first mobile station.

66. A method of communicating in a cellular communication network comprising a plurality of base stations, a plurality of mobile stations and a network server, the network server having customer record database associated therewith, the method comprising:

initiating a call scenario for a first one of the plurality of mobile stations, the first mobile station being registered on the cellular communication network;

identifying a service level associated with the first mobile station, including retrieving a predetermined security level stored in a memory of the first mobile station;

selecting at least one of a vocoder and a vocoder bit rate for use by the first mobile station, the selection being determined by the identified service level; and

communicating with the cellular communication network using the selected vocoder or the selected vocoder bit rate;

wherein the call scenario is initiated by a user of the first mobile station making an outgoing call.

67. A method of communicating in a cellular communication network comprising a plurality of base stations, a plurality of mobile stations and a network server, the network server having customer record database associated therewith, the method comprising:

initiating a call scenario for a first one of the plurality of mobile stations, the first mobile station being registered on the cellular communication network;

identifying a service level associated with the first mobile station, including retrieving a predetermined security level stored in a memory of the first mobile station;

selecting at least one of a vocoder and a vocoder bit rate for use by the first mobile station, the selection being determined by the identified service level; and

communicating with the cellular communication network using the selected vocoder or the selected vocoder bit rate;

wherein the call scenario is an incoming call received by the first mobile station.

68. A method of communicating in a cellular communication network comprising a plurality of base stations and a network server having customer record database, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming call from a first one of a plurality of mobile stations, the first mobile station being registered on the cellular communication network;

determining a service level associated with the first mobile station;

selecting a predetermined minimum bandwidth for use by the first mobile station, the selection being determined by the service level of the first mobile station;

allocating the selected predetermined minimum bandwidth for use by the first mobile station; and

communicating with the first mobile station using the selected bandwidth;

wherein the service level of the first mobile station is stored in a customer record of the customer record database.

69. A method of communicating in a cellular communication network comprising a plurality of base stations and a network server having customer record database, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming call from a first one of a plurality of mobile stations, the first mobile station being registered on the cellular communication network;

determining a service level associated with the first mobile station;

selecting a predetermined minimum bandwidth for use by the first mobile station, the selection being determined by the service level of the first mobile station;

allocating the selected predetermined minimum bandwidth for use by the first mobile station; and

communicating with the first mobile station using the selected bandwidth;

wherein the selected predetermined bandwidth is allocated for the duration of the incoming call.

70. A method of communicating in a cellular communication network comprising a plurality of base stations and a network server having customer record database, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming call from a first one of a plurality of mobile stations, the first mobile station being registered on the cellular communication network;

determining a service level associated with the first mobile station;

selecting a predetermined minimum bandwidth for use by the first mobile station, the selection being determined by the service level of the first mobile station;

allocating the selected predetermined minimum bandwidth for use by the first mobile station; and

communicating with the first mobile station using the selected bandwidth;

wherein the incoming call includes a bandwidth indicator that is received by a first one of the plurality of base stations.

71. The method of claim 70, further comprising:

passing the bandwidth indicator from the first base station to the network server;

validating the bandwidth indicator at the network server by comparing the bandwidth indicator to a bandwidth value associated with the first mobile station that is stored in the customer record database; and

if the bandwidth indicator is validated, enabling the allocation of the selected predetermined minimum bandwidth for use by the first mobile station.

72. A mobile station for operation on a multi-tier wireless communication network providing a plurality of service tiers corresponding to different levels of secured wireless communications, said mobile station comprising:

a housing;

a microphone positioned within the housing;

an analog-to-digital converter disposed within the housing and operatively connected to the microphone;

a digital signal processor disposed within the housing and operatively connected to the analog-to-digital converter;

a receiver disposed within the housing and operatively connected to the digital signal processor;

a transmitter disposed within the housing and operatively connected to the digital signal processor;

an antenna at least partially received within the housing and operatively connected to the transmitter and the receiver; and

at least one vocoder operable to code and decode signals corresponding to the plurality of service tiers on the wireless communication network;

wherein the plurality of service tiers includes a premium service tier, the at least one vocoder is operable to code and decode signals corresponding to the premium service tier, and wherein the premium service tier is associated with a higher security level of wireless communications;

said mobile station comprising further comprising memory for storing a security indicator, the memory being operatively coupled to the transmitter, wherein upon communication to a base station of the wireless communication network, the security indicator is retrieved from the memory and passed to the base station, whereby the security indicator instructs the base station to select an appropriate vocoder for a predetermined security level of communication corresponding to the security indicator.