System for and a method of controlling access to a service available via a telecommunications terminal connected to a telecommunications network

• US 6,658,246 B1
• Filed: 06/23/2000
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Helaine, Hubert
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Nguyen T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRINH, TAN H
• Application Number:
  US09/599,856
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 455/405-408, 455/440, 455/411, 455/434, 455/558, 379/89, 379/144, 379/58
• US Class Current: 455/408
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords

Abstract

The invention provides a system for monitoring access to a service available via a telecommunications terminal connected to a telecommunications network, access to the service being subject to paying a subscription. The system includes: a unit configured to detect refusal of access to a service because there is no subscription to that service, a unit configured to prepare an electronic message following said access refusal, the message identifying the service to which access has been refused and the subscription enabling said terminal to use the telecommunications network to which the terminal is connected, and a unit configured to send the prepared message to a unit for monitoring attempts to access services to which there is no subscription.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring access to a service available via a telecommunications terminal connected to a telecommunications network, access to the service being subject to paying a subscription, the system including:

means for detecting refusal of access to a service because there is no subscription to that service;

means for preparing an electronic message following said access refusal, the message identifying the service to which access has been refused and the subscription enabling said terminal to use the service of the telecommunications network to which the terminal is connected; and

means for sending the prepared message to a unit for monitoring attempts to access services to which there is no subscription.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the means for detecting refusal of access include a memory containing information on authorization and refusal of access to said services and means for comparing said access authorization and refusal information and the identification of a service which the user of a terminal wishes to access, the comparator means supplying an access refusal signal to said electronic message preparation means in the event of an attempt to access a service to which there is no subscription.

3. A system according to claim 1, further including means for accumulating a predefined number of prepared messages and commanding sending of said messages when the predefined number of messages that can be accumulated is reached.

4. A system according to claim 1, including means for temporarily storing a prepared message and commanding sending of said messages after a predefined time interval.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic messages have a format corresponding to a predefined data transmission format of the telecommunications network.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the predefined data transmission format of the telecommunications network is a SMS format or a USSD format.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the service is a network service of the telecommunications network.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the service is a remote application running on a remote application server.

9. A telecommunications terminal for monitoring access to a service available via the telecommunications network connected to said terminal, access to the service being subject to paying a subscription, the terminal

a detection unit configured to detect refusal of access to a service because there is no subscription to that service

a message unit for preparing an electronic message following said access refusal, the message identifying the service to which access has been refused and the subscription enabling said terminal to use the service of the telecommunications network to which the terminal is connected;

and

a transmitting unit configure to send the prepared message to a unit for monitoring attempts to access services to which there is no subscription.

10. A terminal according to claim 9, the terminal being a computer equipped with a modem connected to a telecommunications network such as a telephone network or a data communication network.

11. A terminal according to claim 9, the terminal being a telephone, in particular a mobile telephone, use of which is conditional on the provision of an information medium containing telecommunications network subscriber identification information and wherein the information medium includes a memory containing addresses or commands which are used to access pre-stored services, information identifying the services, and information on authorization or refusal of access to the services.

12. A terminal according to claim 11, wherein the means for detecting refusal of access are included in the information medium.

13. A terminal according to claim 12, wherein the information medium is a smart card having the functions of the GSM standard 11.14 relating to the “

SIM TOOLKIT”

and wherein said means for detecting refusal of access use the call monitoring procedure defined in that standard.

14. A method of monitoring access to a service available via a telecommunications terminal connected to a telecommunications network, access to the service being subject to paying a subscription, the method including the steps of:

detecting refusal of access to a service because there is no subscription to that service, preparing an electronic message following said refusal of access, the message identifying the service to which access has been refused and the subscription enabling said terminal to use the service of the telecommunications network to which the terminal is connected, and

sending the prepared message to a unit for monitoring attempts to access services to which there is no subscription.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein, during the step of detecting refusal of access, the access authorization and refusal information is compared with the identification of a service the user of a terminal wishes to access and a refusal of access signal is supplied in the event of an attempt to access a service to which there is no subscription.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein a predefined number of prepared messages is accumulated and wherein sending of said messages is commanded when the predefined number of accumulated messages is reached.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein a prepared message is stored temporarily and wherein sending of said messages is commanded after a predefined time interval.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein the electronic messages have a format corresponding to a predefined data transmission format of the telecommunications network.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the predefined data transmission format of the telecommunications network is a SMS format or a USSD format.

20. A method according to claim 14, wherein the service is a network service of the telecommunications network.

21. A method according to claim 14, wherein the service is a remote application running on a remote application server.

22. A system for monitoring access to a service available via a telecommunications terminal connected to a telecommunications network, access to the service being subject to paying a subscription, the system including:

a detection unit configured to detect refusal of access to a service because there is no subscription to that service,

a message unit configured to prepare an electronic message following said access refusal, the message identifying the service to which access has been refused and the subscription enabling said terminal to use the telecommunications network to which the terminal is connected, and

a transmission unit configured to send the prepared message to a unit for monitoring attempts to access services to which there is no subscription.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein the detection unit includes a memory containing information on authorization and refusal of access to said services and a comparator unit for comparing said access authorization and refusal information and the identification of a service which the user of a terminal wishes to access, the comparator unit supplying an access refusal signal to said message unit in the event of an attempt to access a service to which there is no subscription.

24. A system according to claim 22, wherein the electronic messages have a format corresponding to a predefined data transmission format of the telecommunications network.

25. A system according to claim 24, wherein the predefined data transmission format of the telecommunications network is a SMS format or a USSD format.

26. A system according to claim 22, further including an accumulator configured to accumulate a predefined number of prepared messages and commanding sending of said messages when the predefined number of messages that can be accumulated is reached.

27. A system according to claim 22, including storage unit for temporarily storing a prepared message and commanding sending of said messages after a predefined time interval.

28. A system according to claim 22, wherein the service is a network service of the telecommunications network.

29. A system according to claim 22, wherein the service is a remote application running on a remote application server.