Method for reprogramming a communication unit's access to a wireless communication system

• US 5,678,197 A
• Filed: 11/02/1995
• Issued: 10/14/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Markison, Timothy W., Grube, Gary W., Weston, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Application Number:
  US08/551,979
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 455/33.1, 455/38.1, 455/54.1, 455/54.2, 455/56.1, 455/186.1, 340/825.44, 340/311.1, 379/62, 379/63, 379/59
• US Class Current: 455/517
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning

Abstract

A monitoring computer (115) monitors a communication resource within a wireless communication system for transmissions by a communication unit. Upon detecting the transmission, which contains a service request, the monitoring computer compares the service request with stored service access information for the communication unit. When the service request made by the communication unit does not substantially match the stored service access information, the monitoring computer reprograms at least a portion of the service access information of the communication unit. In this manner, discrepancies in communication unit programming may be corrected. In another embodiment, service access information is transmitted to the monitoring computer for comparison.

Claims

1. A method for reprogramming a communication unit'"'"'s access privileges to a wireless communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

a) monitoring, by a monitoring computer, a communication resource of the wireless communication system to detect a transmission by a communication unit, wherein the transmission includes a service request;

b) upon detecting the transmission, comparing, by the monitoring computer, the service request to stored service access information for the communication unit;

c) when the service request is requesting a service not contained in the stored service access information, transmitting, by the monitoring computer, a request for the communication unit'"'"'s access privileges;

d) upon receipt of the request, transmitting, by the communication unit, the communication unit'"'"'s access privileges to the monitoring computer;

e) upon receipt of the communication unit'"'"'s access privileges, comparing, by the monitoring computer, the communication unit'"'"'s access privileges with the stored service access information; and

f) when the communication unit'"'"'s access privileges do not substantially match the stored service access information, reprogramming, by the monitoring computer, at least a portion of the communication unit'"'"'s access privileges such that the communication unit'"'"'s access privileges substantially match the stored service access information.

2. A method for a communication unit to have access privileges to a wireless communication system be reprogrammed, the method comprising the steps of:

a) transmitting a service request over a communication resource of the wireless communication system;

b) receiving a request for an indication of service access privileges over another communication resource of the wireless communication system;

c) transmitting the service access privileges;

d) receiving reprogramming information; and

e) overwriting the service access privileges with the reprogramming information, wherein the communication unit is prohibited from future transmissions of the service request.