Secure communication of access information

• US 5,905,944 A
• Filed: 11/13/1996
• Issued: 05/18/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Goldman, Shelly B., Weber, Roy Philip, Silverman, David Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): WOLFE JR, WILLIS RAY
• Application Number:
  US08/748,312
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: 455/403, 455/410, 455/411, 455/414, 455/31.2, 455/31.3
• US Class Current: 340/5.74
• 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 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/025 with acknowledge back capability

Abstract

A system and method for secure communication of access information codes to access a telecommunications network and use network services, such as a personal reach service. In that regard, the present invention communicates the access information with the network over a secure paging channel. When call for the user is received at a personal reach service node, a paging message is transmitted to the user through a paging system, the paging message indicating that the call has been received. The user then places a call to the personal reach service node. Upon receiving the call from the user, a request for access information is transmitted to the user. The user then transmits a paging signal from a two-way pager, the paging signal including an indicator of the access information. The personal reach service node receives the indicator of the access information from the user through the paging system and validates the indicated access information. If the indicated access information is valid access is granted to the personal reach service and the two calls are connected to each other.

Claims

1. A method of secure communication of access information at a personal reach service node coupled to a paging system, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first call from a user;

transmitting a request for access information to the user;

receiving an indicator of the access information from the user through the paging system;

validating the indicated access information; and

granting access to the personal reach service, if the indicated access information is valid.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a second call, for the user, at the personal reach service node; and

transmitting a paging message to the user through the paging system, the paging message indicating that the second call has been received at the personal reach service node.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of granting access to the personal reach service comprises the step of connecting the first call to the second call.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the personal reach service node includes a database having a plurality of entries, each entry comprising an indicator of a user and access information, the received indicator of the access information includes an indicator of the user and the validating step comprises the steps of:

accessing the database; and

validating the access information in the database entry corresponding to the user indicated by the received indicator of the user.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of receiving an indicator of the access information comprises the steps of:

receiving a paging signal including an indicator of the access information at the paging system;

transmitting the received indicator of the access information from the paging system to the personal reach service node; and

receiving the indicator of the access information at the personal reach service node.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the paging system is coupled to a plurality of personal reach service nodes and the step of receiving an indicator of the access information comprises the steps of:

receiving a paging signal including an indicator of the access information at the paging system;

selecting a personal reach service node based on the received paging signal,

transmitting the received indicator of the access information from the paging system to the selected personal reach service node; and

receiving the indicator of the access information at the personal reach service node.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the paging system includes a first database having a plurality of entries, each entry comprising an indicator of a user and an indicator of a personal reach service node, the received indicator of the access information includes an indicator of the user and the selecting step comprises the steps of:

accessing the first database;

selecting the personal reach service node indicated in the entry in the first database corresponding to the user indicated by the received indicator of the user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the personal reach service node includes a second database having a plurality of entries, each entry comprising an indicator of a user and access information and the validating step comprises the steps of:

accessing the second database; and

validating the access information in the entry in the second database corresponding to the user indicated by the received indicator of the user.

9. A method of secure communication of access information at a personal reach service node including a paging system, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first call from a user;

transmitting a request for access information to the user;

receiving an indicator of the access information from the user through the paging system;

validating the indicated access information; and

granting access to the personal reach service to the user, if the indicated access information is valid.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a second call, for the user, at the personal reach service node; and

transmitting a paging signal to the user indicating that the second call has been received at the personal reach service node.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of granting access to the personal reach service comprises the step of connecting the first call to the second call.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the personal reach service node includes a database having a plurality of entries, each entry comprising an indicator of a user and access information, the received indicator of the access information includes an indicator of the user and the validating step comprises the steps of:

accessing the database; and

validating the access information in the database entry corresponding to the user indicated by the received indicator of the user.

13. A personal reach service node coupled to a paging system, comprising:

a first receiver receiving a first call from a user;

a first transmitter transmitting a request for access information to the user;

a second receiver receiving an indicator of the access information from the user through the paging system;

a validation device validating the indicated access information; and

an access device granting access to the personal reach service, if the indicated access information is valid.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a third receiver receiving a second call, for the user; and

a second transmitter transmitting an indication to the user, through the paging system, that the second call has been received at the personal reach service node.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the access device further connects the first call to the second call.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the received indicator of the access information includes an indicator of a user and the validation device comprises:

a database comprising a plurality of entries, each entry comprising an indicator of a user and access information; and

a validation unit validating the access information in the entry corresponding to the user indicated by the received indicator of the user.

17. A paging system for transmitting access information from a user to a personal reach service node, comprising:

a first receiver receiving a paging signal including an indicator of the access information; and

a first transmitter transmitting the received indicator to the personal reach service node.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising:

a second receiver receiving a message for the user indicating that a call for the user has been received at the personal reach service node; and

a second transmitter transmitting a paging signal including the received message.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the paging system is coupled to a plurality of personal reach service nodes, further comprising:

a selection device selecting a personal reach service node based on the received paging signal; and

wherein the first transmitter transmits the received indicator from the paging system to the selected personal reach service node.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the received indicator of the access information includes an indicator of the user and the selection device comprises:

a first database comprising a plurality of entries, each entry comprising indicator of a user and an indicator of a personal reach service node;

a selector selecting the personal reach service node indicated in the entry corresponding to the user indicated by the received indicator of the user.

21. A personal reach service node with secure communication of access information comprising:

a first receiver receiving a first call from a user;

a first transmitter transmitting a request for access information to the user;

a second receiver receiving a paging signal including an indicator of the access information from the user;

a validation device validating the indicated access information; and

an access device granting access to the personal reach service, if the indicated access information is valid.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

a third receiver receiving a second call, for the user; and

a second transmitter transmitting a paging signal including a message for the user indicating that a call for the user has been received at the personal reach service node.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the access device further connects the first call to the second call.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the received indicator of the access information comprises an indicator of a user and the validation device comprises:

a database comprising a plurality of entries, each entry comprising an indicator of a user and access information; and

a validation unit validating the access information in the entry corresponding to the user indicated by the received indicator of the user.