DETECTION OF A DELINQUENT MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20180013898A1
• Filed: 09/22/2017
• Published: 01/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Velusamy, Senthil Kumar Mulluppadi, Lau, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 10,225,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• 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 15/04 Recording calls , or communications in printed, perforated or other permanent form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/39 Arrangements for preventing metering, charging or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/835 Time or frequency of notifications, e.g. Advice of Charge [AoC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8355 after the end of the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/844 Message, e.g. SMS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/846 optical, e.g. icon
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/85 characterised by the type of condition triggering a notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/857 Cumulative charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/885 limit per application
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/103 using SIMs (USIMs) or calling cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/20 with provision for recharging the prepaid account or card, or for credit establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/202 selecting interactively a payment method
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/204 on-line recharging, e.g. cashless
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/208 using WAP or Internet, i.e. including electronic payment, e.g. e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 : Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 : Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 : Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 : Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/205 : Transfer to or from user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 : Transfer of terminal data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices

Abstract

A method and system of detecting a delinquent mobile user device. An international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) of a subscriber identity module (SIM) card of the user device is determined by the user device. The IMSI is sent to a Remote Recovery Server (RRS). A message is received from the RRS as to whether the IMSI is authorized for the user device. Upon determining that the IMSI is not authorized for the user device, a notification is displayed on a display of the user device.

Claims

1. A user device comprising:

a processor;

a network interface coupled to the processor configured to enable communications via a communication network;

a storage device for content and programming;

a program stored in the storage device, wherein execution of the program by the processor configures the user device to perform acts comprising;

determining an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) of a subscriber identity module (SIM) card of the user device;

sending the IMSI to a Remote Recovery Server (RRS);

receiving a message from the RRS as to whether the IMSI is authorized for the user device; and

upon determining that the IMSI is not authorized for the user device, displaying a notification on a display of the user device.

2. The user device of claim 1, wherein the determination of the IMSI of the SIM card is performed at every startup of the user device.

3. The user device of claim 1, wherein execution of the program by the processor configures the user device to further perform an act comprising:

upon determining that the IMSI is not authorized for the user device, limiting a functionality of the user device.

4. The user device of claim 3, wherein the functionality of the user device is limited to at least one of (i) an emergency call, (ii) an access to an Internet page to make an account payment for the user device, and (iii) a digital communication access to speak with a customer service representative.

5. The user device of claim 3, wherein the act of limiting the functionality of the user device is performed upon a next startup of the user device.

6. The user device of claim 1, wherein at least one of (i) sending the IMSI of the SIM card of the user device to the RRS, and (ii) receiving the message from the RRS, is over Google Cloud Messaging (GCM).

7. The user device of claim 1, wherein execution of the program by the processor configures the user device to perform acts further comprising:

determining a most frequently used feature on the user device over a predetermined time period; and

upon determining that the IMSI is not authorized for the user device, disabling the most frequently used feature.

8. The user device of claim 1, wherein the notification displays a remaining first time period for a payment and limiting a functionality of the user device if the payment is not made within the displayed first remaining time period.

9. The user device of claim 8, wherein execution of the program by the processor configures the user device to perform acts further comprising:

upon determining that a payment has not been made to replenish an account of the user device during the first time period and a second time period that is after the first time period, limiting an additional functionality of the user device.

10. The user device of claim 1, wherein execution of the program by the processor configures the user device to perform acts further comprising:

upon determining that the IMSI is not authorized for the user device, redirecting at least one of (i) an attempt to place a non-emergency voice call, and (ii) an attempt to access Internet on the user device, to a customer service representative or a web page of a telecommunication carrier still under an original equipment installment plan (EIP) with the user device.

11. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

determining, at a user device, an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) of a subscriber identity module (SIM) card of the user device;

sending the IMSI from the user device to a Remote Recovery Server (RRS);

receiving, at the user device, a message from the RRS as to whether the IMSI is authorized for the user device; and

upon determining that the IMSI is not authorized for the user device, displaying a notification on a display of the user device.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the determination of the IMSI of the SIM card is performed at every startup of the user device.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising upon determining that the IMSI is not authorized for the user device, limiting a functionality of the user device.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the functionality of the user device is limited to at least one of (i) an emergency call, (ii) an access to an Internet page to make an account payment for the user device, and (iii) a digital communication access to speak with a customer service representative.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the limiting the functionality of the user device is performed upon a next startup of the user device.

16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media of a user device storing computer-executable instructions that upon execution cause one or more processors to perform acts comprising:

determining an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) of a subscriber identity module (SIM) card of the user device;

sending the IMSI to a Remote Recovery Server (RRS);

receiving a message from the RRS as to whether the IMSI is authorized for the user device; and

upon determining that the IMSI is not authorized for the user device, displaying a notification on a display of the user device.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the acts further comprise:

determining a most frequently used feature on the user device over a predetermined time period; and

upon determining that the IMSI is not authorized for the user device, disabling the most frequently used feature.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the notification displays a remaining first time period for a payment and limiting a functionality of the user device if the payment is not made within the displayed first remaining time period.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein the acts further comprise:

upon determining that a payment has not been made to replenish an account of the user device during the first time period and a second time period that is after the first time period, limiting an additional functionality of the user device.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the acts further comprise:

upon determining that the IMSI is not authorized for the user device, redirecting at least one of (i) an attempt to place a non-emergency voice call, and (ii) an attempt to access Internet on the user device, to a customer service representative or a web page of a telecommunication carrier still under an original equipment installment plan (EIP) with the user device.