SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTHORIZING ACCESS TO AN IP-BASED WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICE

• US 20110116442A1
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Linkola, Janne P., Caldwell, Christopher E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,681,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• 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 48/20 Selecting an access point
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices

Abstract

A system for providing an IP-based wireless telecommunications device with access to an IP-based wireless telecommunications service provided by a carrier network includes an access point that sets up a radio link with the IP-based wireless telecommunications device and couples the IP-based wireless telecommunications device to the network. The system also includes a network controller in communication with the carrier network and the access point. The network controller is configured to receive data packets corresponding to the IP-based wireless telecommunications device at the access point. The network controller is also configured to accept/reject the provision of the IP-based wireless telecommunications service to the IP-based wireless telecommunications device based on an IP address or other unique identifier associated with the access point.

Claims

1. A system for providing IP-based wireless telecommunications service to at least one IP-based wireless telecommunications device, the system comprising:

a carrier network; and

at least one network controller in communication with the carrier network and at least one access point, the network controller being configured to receive data packets corresponding to the IP-based wireless telecommunications device at the access point, and the network controller being further configured to accept/reject the provision of the IP-based wireless telecommunications service to the IP-based wireless telecommunications device based on an identifier corresponding to the access point and located within one or more of the data packets.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the identifier is an IP address of the access point.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the network controller is also in communication with a database, the database associating the identifier of the access point with at least one condition that identifies whether the network controller is to provide the IP-based wireless telecommunications service to the mobile device.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the provision of the IP-based wireless telecommunications service is rejected for reasons including a number of IP-based wireless telecommunications devices in communication with the access point, download or upload link quality of the access point, or fraudulent activity at the access point.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the IP-based wireless telecommunications service includes an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) service.

6. A computer implemented method, comprising:

receiving at least one data packet originating from an IP-based wireless telecommunications device and communicated along a communication path that includes an access point, wherein the mobile device is a dual-mode device that can provide voice communication over both a licensed network and an unlicensed IP-based network;

identifying at least one of a MAC address and an IP address associated with the access point; and

rejecting a provision of an IP-based wireless telecommunications service to the IP-based wireless telecommunications device based on the identified MAC address/IP address

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the IP-based wireless telecommunications service is an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) service.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the method is implemented at a network controller in communication with the access point via a computer network.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the method is implemented at a network controller associated with a wireless service provider.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising using the MAC address/IP address to perform a lookup operation in a database regarding one or more access points.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein rejecting the provision of the IP-based wireless telecommunications service is further based on quality of service.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein rejecting the provision of the IP-based wireless telecommunications service is further based on fraud at the access point.

13. A system for providing an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) service to at least one wireless mobile device, the system comprising:

means for identifying at least one of a MAC address and an IP address associated with an access point; and

means for rejecting a provision of an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) service to a mobile device in communication with the access point based on the identified MAC address/IP address.

14. A method for managing access to an IP-based wireless telecommunications service, the method comprising:

receiving data packets from an access point in communication with a computer network; and

(a) blacklisting the access point based on an identifier corresponding to the access point;

(b) communicating an indicator that the access point is about to be blacklisted, the indicator being communicated to an individual access point or to a mobile device at the individual access point;

or

(c) both (a) and (b).

15. The method of claim 14 wherein blacklisting the access point includes evaluating a performance metric corresponding to the individual access point or determining whether there is fraud or surreptitious activity at the access point.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising removing a blacklist status or restoring a whitelist status of the individual access point based on the identifier corresponding to the access point.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the identifier corresponding to the access point includes at least one of an IP address and a MAC address.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the IP-based telecommunications service includes an unlicensed mobile access (UMA) service.