Access controlled terminal and method for rendering communication services

• US 5,940,773 A
• Filed: 09/15/1995
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Barvesten, Mats Olof
• Primary Examiner(s): CUMMING, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US08/529,154
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 455/558, 455/38.2, 379/91.01, 379/153, 235/380
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

An arrangement for rendering services such as for example telephone communication, data communication and so on comprising a terminal unit and an access unit, the terminal unit comprising a terminal-unit-identification code (PIN_t) which is stored in the terminal unit and the access unit comprising a first access identification code (IMSI), terminal unit as well as an access unit being lockable. In the terminal unit are furthermore first access identification codes for a given number of access units (SIM) stored wherein upon starting up of the device involving contact between terminal unit and actual access unit (SIM) with a certain access unit identification code (IMSI_c), identification code (IMSI_c) of the access unit is compared to in the terminal unit stored first access identification code(s) (IMSI_s) in the terminal unit, correspondence between stored access identification code (IMSI_s) and actual access unit identification code (IMSI_c) leading to locking up of the terminal unit whereas non-correspondence between stored and actual access unit identification codes (IMSI_s ≠IMSI_c) respectively at least the terminal unit identification code (PIN_t) must be given.

Claims

1. An arrangement for rendering services comprising:

an access unit having a first access-unit-identification means, said access unit being lockable;

a terminal unit having storage means for storing a terminal-unit-identification means and for storing a plurality of first access-unit-identification means, said terminal unit being lockable, said terminal unit having comparison means wherein upon start-up of said arrangement and contact between said access unit and said terminal unit, said first access-unit-identification means of said access unit is compared to said first access-unit-identification means of said access unit is compared to said first access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means, and correspondence between said first access-unit-identification means of said access unit and at least one of said first access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means provides locking up of said terminal unit, and non-correspondence between said first access-unit-identification means of said access unit and said first access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means allows a code corresponding to said terminal-unit-identification means to be given,

wherein said access unit further comprises a second access-unit-identification means and said terminal unit storage means further stores a second access-unit-identification means wherein upon correspondence between said first access-unit-identification means of said access unit and at least one of said first access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means, a code corresponding to said second access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means is automatically transferred to said second access-unit-identification means of said access unit and use of the arrangement is allowed without requiring a user to manually provide said code.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein upon non-correspondence between said first access-unit-identification means of said access unit and said first access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means, said access unit and said terminal unit are locked up upon a user providing a code corresponding to said terminal-unit-identification means.

6. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein upon non-correspondence between said first access-unit-identification means of said access unit and said first access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means, said access unit and said terminal unit are locked up upon a user providing both a code corresponding to said terminal-unit-identification means and a code corresponding to a second access-unit-identification means of said access unit.

7. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said terminal unit comprise a mobile telephone.

8. The arrangement of claim 7 wherein said access unit comprises a Subscriber Identity Module card defining a subscription of said mobile telephone.

9. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said first access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means is stored in a ciphered format.

10. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein said second access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means is stored in a ciphered format.

11. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein said first access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means is stored automatically.

2. An arrangement for rendering services comprising:

an access unit having a first access-unit-identification means, said access unit being lockable;

a terminal unit having storage means for storing a terminal-unit-identification means and for storing a plurality of first access-unit-identification means, said terminal unit being lockable, said terminal unit having comparison means wherein upon start-up of said arrangement and contact between said access unit and said terminal unit, said first access-unit-identification means of said access unit is compared to said first access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means, and correspondence between said first access-unit-identification means of said access unit and at least one of said first access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means provides locking up of said terminal unit, and non-correspondence between said first access-unit-identification means of said access unit and said first access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means allows a code corresponding to said terminal-unit-identification means to be given,

wherein said access unit further comprises an activatable second access-unit-identification means, wherein said second access-unit-identification means is not stored in said terminal unit storage means and upon correspondence between said first access-unit-identification means of said access unit and at least one of said first access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means, the access unit is locked up by entering a code corresponding to said second access-unit-identification means of said access unit.

3. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein if said first access-unit-identification means of said access unit does not correspond to at least one of said first access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means, said second access-unit-identification means is activated and a code corresponding to said second access-unit-identification means must be provided to lock up said terminal unit.

4. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein said code corresponding to said second access-unit-identification means is provided manually by a user.

12. A method for securing the use of an arrangement for rendering services having a terminal unit and at least one access unit, comprising the steps of:

storing a terminal-unit-identification means and a plurality of first access-unit-identification means and second access-unit identification means in said terminal unit;

storing at least one first access-unit-identification means and second access-unit-identification means in each said access unit;

contacting said terminal unit to said access unit;

comparing said first access-unit identification means of said access unit to said first access-unit-identification means of said terminal unit and locking up said terminal unit when said first access-unit identification means of said access unit corresponds to at least one of said first access-unit-identification means of said terminal unit;

wherein upon correspondence between said first access-unit-identification means of said access unit and at least one of said first access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit, a code corresponding to said second access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit is automatically transferred to said second access-unit-identification means of said access unit and use of the arrangement is allowed without requiring a user to manually provide said code.

13. An arrangement for rendering services comprising:

an access unit having a first access-unit-identification means and a second access-unit-identification means, said access unit being lockable;

a terminal unit having storage means for storing a terminal-unit-identification means and for storing a plurality of first access-unit-identification means, said terminal unit being lockable, said terminal unit having comparison means wherein upon start-up of said arrangement and contact between said access unit and said terminal unit, said first access-unit-identification means of said access unit is compared to said first access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means, and correspondence between said first access-unit-identification means of said access unit and at least one of said first access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means provides locking up of said terminal unit,

wherein upon non-correspondence between said first access-unit-identification means of said access unit and said first access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means, said access unit and said terminal unit are locked up upon a user providing both a code corresponding to said terminal-unit-identification means and a code corresponding to said second access-unit-identification means of said access unit, and

wherein upon correspondence between said first access-unit-identification means of said access unit and said first access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means, a code corresponding to said second access-unit-identification means stored in said terminal unit storage means is automatically transferred to said second access-unit-identification means of said access unit and use of the arrangement is allowed without requiring a user to manually provide said code.