INTELLIGENT NETWORK ACCESS CONTROLLER AND METHOD

• US 20170094525A1
• Filed: 12/14/2016
• Published: 03/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tecore Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tecore Incorporated
• Inventors: Salkini, Jay, Joseph, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 10,057,774 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/02 by periodical registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices

Abstract

An intelligent network access controller coupled to wireless communication hardware controls wireless communications in a designated area of a local wireless network overlaying an existing wireless network. The controller controls the hardware to provoke wireless devices within the designated area of the local wireless network to attempt to register with the intelligent network access controller; receives, through the hardware, registration signals and identification information from the wireless devices; locks the wireless devices to the intelligent network access controller; determines an access category for each of the wireless devices based on the received registration signals and identification information; maintains first access category wireless devices locked to the controller while the first access category wireless devices remain in the designated area of the local wireless network; and unlocks second category wireless devices by controlling the hardware to signal the second access category wireless devices to attempt access to the existing wireless network.

Is

Claims

1. An intelligent network access controller, coupled to wireless communication hardware of an existing wireless communications network, that controls wireless signaling in a designated area, the designated area overlaying the existing wireless communications network, wherein the intelligent network access controller operates to:

cause the wireless communications hardware to;

attract wireless devices within the designated area, and

receive a first signal from a first wireless device, the first signal including a first identification number of the first wireless device;

lock the first wireless device to the intelligent network access controller;

identify the first wireless device based on the first identification number; and

unlock the first wireless device and redirect the first wireless device to attempt registration on the existing wireless network.

2. The intelligent network access controller of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication hardware comprises a switching center and one or more base stations coupled to the switching center.

3. The intelligent network access controller of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication hardware receives a second signal from a second wireless device, the second signal comprising a second identification number of the second wireless device, wherein the intelligent network access controller:

locks the second wireless device to the intelligent network access controller;

identifies the second wireless device based on the second identification number and

maintains the second wireless device locked to the intelligent network access controller, thereby preventing access to the existing wireless communication network by the second wireless device.

4. The intelligent network access controller of claim 3, wherein the designated area comprises a local wireless network, wherein the intelligent network access controller operates to provide a virtual private network in the designated area, wherein the first wireless device is allowed access to the virtual private network.

5. The intelligent network access controller of claim 4, wherein the second wireless device is allowed access to the virtual private network.

6. The intelligent network access controller of claim 4, wherein the virtual private network allows limited voice communications.

7. The intelligent network access controller of claim 3, wherein the intelligent network access controller generates the designated area using the wireless communication hardware of the existing wireless network, the wireless communication hardware including directional antennae and repeaters.

8. The intelligent network access controller of claim 7, wherein the intelligent network access controller operates to change the designated area using one or more of calendar-based criteria, including day and time of day;

event-based criteria, including specific events;

threat level-based criteria, including homeland security threat conditions; and

operational profile and location-based criteria, including movement of an aircraft, ship, or train.

9. The intelligent network access controller of claim 8, wherein the change to the designated area comprises one of disestablishing and establishing the designated area, and wherein the change to the designated area occurs automatically.

10. A method, executed by a programmed processor, for controlling wireless communications in a designated area, comprising the processor:

establishing a designated area as an overlay to an existing wireless network using directional antennae and repeaters of the existing wireless network;

causing a base station of the existing wireless network to;

broadcast a signal that attracts a first wireless device located within the designated area, and

receive a first registration signal from the first wireless device, the first registration signal including a first identification number of the first wireless device;

locking the first wireless device to the intelligent network access controller;

classifying the first wireless device using the first identification number; and

based on the classifying, unlocking the first wireless device and causing the base station to provide a redirect signal redirecting the unlocked wireless device to attempt registration with the existing wireless network.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising:

receiving a second registration signal from a second wireless device located within the designated area, the second registration signal including a second identification number of the second wireless device;

locking the second wireless device to the intelligent network access controller;

classifying the second wireless device using the second identification number; and

based on the classifying, maintaining the second wireless device locked to the intelligent network access controller.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising maintaining an allowed list of wireless devices, the allowed list comprising identification numbers of allowed wireless devices, wherein:

classifying comprises comparing received identification numbers of wireless devices to the allowed list of wireless devices; and

after classifying, the allowed wireless devices are unlocked and redirected to the existing wireless network.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising:

establishing a virtual private network in the designated area;

allowing the first wireless device access to the virtual private network; and

denying the second wireless device access to the virtual private network.

14. The method of claim 10, comprising, in response to predetermined criteria, changing a characteristic of the designated area,

wherein the predetermined criteria comprise one or more of calendar-based criteria, including day and time of day, event-based criteria, including specific events, threat level-based criteria, including homeland security threat conditions, and operational profile and location-based criteria, including movement of an aircraft, ship, or train;

and

wherein the characteristic comprises one or more of a boundary of the designated area;

allowed types of communication in the designated area including voice, SMS and data communication; and

emergency access.

15. A managed access system for wireless communications, comprising:

an intelligent network access controller comprising program instructions, maintained on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, that when executed, cause a processor to;

establish a designated area as an overlay to an existing wireless communications network using components of the existing wireless communications network;

control a base station to;

broadcast a signal to attract wireless devices, and

receive a first registration signal from a first wireless device in the designated area and a second registration signal from a second wireless device in the designated area;

lock the first wireless device and the second wireless device to the intelligent network access controller;

identify the first wireless device as an allowed wireless device based on information contained in the received first registration signal;

identify the second wireless device as an unknown or restricted wireless device based on information contained in the received second registration signal;

control the base station to redirect the first wireless device to attempt registration with the existing wireless network; and

maintain the second wireless device locked to the intelligent network access controller.

16. The managed access system of claim 15, wherein the components of the existing wireless communications network comprise the base station, a switching center, a plurality of directional antennae, and a plurality of repeaters.

17. The managed access system of claim 15, wherein the intelligent network access controller causes the processor to dynamically and automatically reconfigures characteristics of the designated area based on predetermined criteria,

wherein the predetermined criteria comprise one or more of calendar-based criteria, including day and time of day, event-based criteria, including specific events, threat level-based criteria, including homeland security threat conditions, and operational profile and location-based criteria, including movement of an aircraft, ship, or train;

and

wherein the characteristics comprise one or more of a boundary of the designated area;

allowed types of communication in the designated area including voice, SMS, and data communication; and

emergency access.

18. The managed access system of claim 15, wherein the intelligent network access controller causes the processor to maintain a list of allowed wireless devices, the list comprising identification numbers of the allowed wireless devices, and wherein the intelligent network access controller causes the processor to use the identification numbers to determine a wireless device is allowed.

19. The managed access system of claim 15, wherein the intelligent network access controller causes the processor log all attempts of wireless devices in the designated area to access the existing wireless network and resulting status, and all communication activities of the wireless devices including call duration, time of a call, and frequency of use.

20. The managed access system of claim 15, wherein the intelligent network access controller causes the processor to enable wireless communication monitoring and recording for wireless communications originating or terminating in the designated area.