System and method for detecting cloning fraud in cellular/PCS communications
First Claim
1. A method for proactively detecting cloning fraud in a mobile cellular telephone environment, comprising the steps of:
- (1) collecting a plurality of registration notifications each represented by a registration notification (REGNOT) record comprising a mobile identification number (MIN), a time stamp of said registration notification, and originating indicia identifying a cell where said registration notification originated;
(2) detecting a first REGNOT record and a second REGNOT record having a common MIN;
(3) computing a time difference between time stamps of said first and second REGNOT records; and
(4) determining whether cloning fraud involving said common MIN has occurred based on said time difference.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for proactively detecting cloning fraud in a cellular mobile telephone environment are discussed. Information is collected which corresponds to registration notifications of the cellular telephones as they operate within the cellular mobile telephone environment. The registration information is used to detect time-space peculiarities. Specifically, registrations having the same mobile identification number and occurring in different mobile switching centers within a predetermined time interval are identified. This time interval, based on a reasonable travel time between cells covered by the different mobile switching centers where the registrations originated, is used as a threshold for detecting cloning fraud.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for proactively detecting cloning fraud in a mobile cellular telephone environment, comprising the steps of:
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(1) collecting a plurality of registration notifications each represented by a registration notification (REGNOT) record comprising a mobile identification number (MIN), a time stamp of said registration notification, and originating indicia identifying a cell where said registration notification originated;
(2) detecting a first REGNOT record and a second REGNOT record having a common MIN;
(3) computing a time difference between time stamps of said first and second REGNOT records; and
(4) determining whether cloning fraud involving said common MIN has occurred based on said time difference. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for proactively detecting cloning fraud in a mobile cellular telephone environment, comprising the steps of:
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(1) storing a plurality of registration notifications each represented by a registration notification (REGNOT) records, each REGNOT record comprising a mobile identification number (MIN), a time stamp of said registration notification, and originating indicia identifying a cell where said registration notification originated;
(2) forming a clone data window comprising a plurality of said REGNOT records occurring within a predetermined time frame;
(3) detecting in said clone data window a first REGNOT record and a second REGNOT record having a common MIN;
(4) computing a time difference between time stamps of said first and second REGNOT records;
(5) determining whether cloning fraud involving said common MIN has occurred based on said time difference; and
(6) recording said occurrence of cloning fraud involving said common MIN. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer-based system for proactively detecting cloning fraud in a mobile cellular telephone environment, comprising:
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storing means for storing a plurality of registration notifications each represented by a registration notification (REGNOT) record, each REGNOT record comprising a mobile identification number (MIN), a time stamp of said registration notification, and originating indicia identifying a cell where said registration notification originated;
detecting means for detecting a first REGNOT record and a second REGNOT record having a common MIN;
computing means for computing a time difference between time stamps of said first and second REGNOT records;
means for determining whether cloning fraud involving said common MIN has occurred based on said time difference; and
reporting means for reporting said occurrence of cloning fraud involving said common MIN. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for proactively detecting cloning fraud in a mobile cellular telephone environment, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a plurality of registration notifications each having a mobile identification number for identifying a mobile user in the mobile cellular telephone environment;
obtaining a time stamp and an originating indicia for each of said plurality of registration notifications, wherein said time stamp indicates when and said originating indicia indicates where each of said plurality of mobile identification numbers was received; and
determining whether an instance of cloning fraud has occurred based on said time stamps and said originating indicias of two of said plurality of registration notifications having a same mobile identification number. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
computing a time difference between time stamps of said two of said plurality of registration notifications having the same mobile identification number; and
comparing said time difference to a time needed to travel between said cells indicated by said originating indicias.
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16. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of REGNOT records are received from a plurality of RVCDs.
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17. A method for detecting cloning fraud in a mobile telephone environment, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a plurality of registration notification each identifying a same particular mobile user; and
determining, as a function of a time of creation of each of said plurality of registration notifications and a location identified as the location of a mobile telephone that caused the creation of each of said plurality of registration notifications, whether an instance of cloning fraud has occurred. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method for detecting cloning fraud in a mobile telephone environment, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a plurality of registration notifications identifying a same particular mobile user;
obtaining a creation time and an originating location for each of said plurality of registration notifications; and
determining whether cloning fraud has occurred based on said creation times and said originating locations. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification