System and method for providing access to a wireless communication service to a group of subscribers who share a set of modems

• US 6,487,402 B1
• Filed: 01/26/1999
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Ackermann, Janet, Mueller, Philip T. Jr., Faus, Juan
• Primary Examiner(s): MAUNG, NAY AUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/237,392
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: 455/422, 455/425, 455/452, 455/556, 455/557, 455/560, 455/561, 455/411, 455/410, 455/518, 379/93.28, 379/93.31, 375/222, 380/247, 380/248, 380/271
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys

Abstract

A system and method for transparently providing access to a wireless communication service to a group of subscribers who share a set of modems, where each subscriber in the group is provided with a subscriber unit and each subscriber in the group is associated with static and dynamic authentication information. According to one embodiment, the system includes a transceiver system for transmitting radio wave frequency signals to and receiving radio wave frequency signals from a base station; a set of modems, wherein each modem in the set is coupled to the transceiver system; a set of subscriber units, wherein each subscriber unit is associated with authentication information; a switch coupled to each of the modems and coupled to each of the subscriber units; a control system in communication with the switch and each of the modems; and a database for storing the authentication information, wherein the database is accessible to the control system. The control system determines an available modem from the set of modems when one of the subscriber units is activated. Further, the control system directs the switch to connect the activated subscriber unit with the available modem, retrieves from the database authentication information associated with the activated subscriber unit, and provides the available modem with the retrieved authentication information. In this manner, the authentication information associated with the activated subscriber unit is provided to the modem that is handling the call. Consequently, the modem handling the call can transparently authenticate the subscriber unit in the same manner as in a conventional wireless communication service.

Claims

1. In a concentrated subscriber system, a method for providing a group of subscribers with access to a wireless communication service, wherein each subscriber in the group of subscribers is provided with a subscriber unit, each subscriber in the group of subscribers is associated with static and dynamic authentication information, and the group of subscribers share a plurality of modems, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting the activation of one of the subscriber units;

(b) selecting a modem from the plurality of modems;

(c) coupling said activated subscriber unit with said selected modem, thereby enabling traffic to flow between said activated subscriber unit and the selected modem; and

(d) providing dynamic authentication information to said selected modem, wherein said dynamic authentication information provided to said selected modem is the dynamic authentication information associated with the subscriber to which said activated subscriber unit is provided.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing in a database the dynamic authentication information associated with each subscriber in the group.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of retrieving dynamic authentication information from said database, wherein the dynamic authentication information retrieved from said database is the dynamic authentication information associated with the subscriber to which said activated subscriber unit is provided.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the dynamic authentication information provided to said selected modem is said dynamic authentication information retrieved from said database.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of storing in said selected modem said dynamic authentication information provided to said selected modem.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

modifying said dynamic authentication information stored in said selected modem in response to said selected modem receiving an update message from a base station; and

storing said modified dynamic authentication information in said selected modem.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of storing said modified dynamic authentication information in said database.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing in each of the plurality of modems the static authentication information associated with each subscriber in the group.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining whether one of the plurality of modems is available to process a call.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of transmitting a busy signal to said activated subscriber unit if none of the plurality of modems are available to process a call.

11. In a concentrated subscriber system, a method for providing a group of subscribers with access to a wireless communication service, wherein each subscriber in the group of subscribers is provided with a subscriber unit, each subscriber in the group of subscribers is provided with static and dynamic authentication information, and the group of subscribers share a plurality of modems, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting an incoming call addressed to one of the subscribers in the group;

(b) determining a called subscriber, wherein said called subscriber is the subscriber in the group to which said incoming call is addressed;

(c) selecting an available modem from the plurality of modems;

(d) coupling the subscriber unit provided to said called subscriber with siad selected modem, thereby enabling traffic to flow between the subscriber unit provided to said called subscriber and the selected modem; and

(e) providing dynamic authentication information to said selected modem, wherein said dynamic authentication information provided to said selected modem is the dynamic authentication information associated with said called subscriber.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of storing in a database the dynamic authentication information associated with each subscriber in the group.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of retrieving dynamic authentication information from said database, wherein the dynamic authentication information retrieved from said database is the dynamic authentication information associated with said called subscriber.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the dynamic authentication information provided to said selected modem is said dynamic authentication information retrieved from said database.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of storing in said selected modem said dynamic authentication information provided to said selected modem.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

modifying said dynamic authentication information stored in said selected modem in response to said selected modem receiving an update message from a base station; and

storing said modified dynamic authentication information in said selected modem.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of storing said modified dynamic authentication information in said database.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of storing in each of the plurality of modems the static authentication information associated with each subscriber in the group.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

determining if the subscriber unit provided to said called subscriber is in use; and

transmitting a busy signal to a base station if the subscriber unit provided to said called subscriber is in use.

20. A concentrated subscriber system, comprising:

a transceiver system for transmitting radio wave frequency signals to and receiving radio wave frequency signals from a base station;

a plurality of modems, each of said plurality of modems being coupled to said transceiver system;

a plurality of subscriber units, each of said plurality of subscriber units having associated unique static and dynamic authentication information;

a switch coupled to each of said plurality of modems and coupled to each of said plurality of subscriber units;

a control system in communication with said switch and each of said plurality of modems; and

a database for storing at least the dynamic authentication information, said database being accessible to said control system, wherein

said control system determines an available modem from said plurality of modems when one of said plurality of subscriber units is activated, directs said switch to connect said one of said plurality of subscriber units with said available modem, retrieves from said database the stored dynamic authentication information associated with said one of said plurality of subscriber units, and provides said available modem with said retrieved stored dynamic authentication information.

21. The concentrated subscriber system of claim 20, wherein when the concentrated subscriber system is initialized, said control system provides each of said plurality of modems with the static authentication information corresponding to each of said plurality of subscriber units.

22. The concentrated subscriber system of claim 20, wherein said available modem modifies the dynamic authentication information provided to it from said control system, in response to receiving a message from said base station, said available modem communicates said modified dynamic authentication information to said control system.

23. The concentrated subscriber system of claim 22, wherein said control system stores said modified dynamic authentication information in said database.

24. A method for providing a group of subscribers with access to a wireless communication service, wherein each subscriber in the group of subscribers is provided with a subscriber unit, each subscriber in the group of subscribers is provided with static and dynamic authentication information, and the group of subscribers share a plurality of modems, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing each of the plurality of modems with each subscriber'"'"'s static and dynamic authentication information;

(b) detecting an incoming call addressed to one of the subscribers in the group;

(c) determining a called subscriber, wherein said called subscriber is the subscriber in the group to which said incoming call is addressed;

(d) selecting an available modem from the plurality of modems;

(e) coupling the subscriber unit provided to said called subscriber with said selected modem, thereby enabling traffic to flow between the subscriber unit provided to said called subscriber and the selected modem;

(f) receiving updated dynamic authentication information from said selected modem; and

(g) providing said updated dynamic authentication information to each of the plurality of modems except said selected modem.