Flexible access authorization feature to enable mobile users to access services in 3G wireless networks

• US 6,754,482 B1
• Filed: 02/02/2000
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Torabi, Mohammad
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US09/496,558
• Time in Patent Office: 1,602 Days
• Field of Search: 455/406, 455/410, 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 455/432.3, 455/433, 455/435.1, 455/456.3
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

The flexible access authorization feature for wireless telecommunication systems enables network operators and/or service providers to dynamically authorize a user to receive services for which the subscriber has not previously subscribed or which are not supported in the user'"'"'s home network. This is accomplished by enabling a user to expand and contract their portfolio of available communication services on an as needed basis to enable wireless users to use their user mobile terminals and obtain the services which they need, regardless of the user'"'"'s location in the wireless communication network and regardless of the present set of services for which the user is authorized. The flexible access authorization feature is accomplished by real time interaction among the relevant functional entities of the wireless telecommunications system to obtain new or additional user information to execute the flexible access authorization logic to decide on access authorization to a selected service. The flexible access authorization logic can reside in any of a number of network entities and can examine a number of conditions to determine access authorization for a user with respect to a selected service, including: time-dependency, location-dependency, account billing limitations, and other factors.

Claims

1. A flexible access authorization function for providing a selected communication service to a user whose mobile user terminal is operational in a wireless telecommunication network, where the user'"'"'s home network cannot provide said communication service requested by said user or said subscriber is not subscribed to the said communication service requested by said user, comprising:

means, responsive to a user at said mobile terminal requesting a communication service where the user'"'"'s home network cannot provide said communication service requested by said user or said subscriber is not subscribed to the said communication service requested by said user, for transmitting a message from said wireless telecommunication network, designating said requested service, to a home network of said user;

means, in said home network of said user responsive to receipt of said message, for retrieving a service profile for said subscriber from a home location register of said user; and

means for determining authorization to execute said communication service, based on said service profile for said user and said communication service, comprising;

means for receiving said service profile for said user,

means for executing flexible access authorization logic to determine said user'"'"'s authorization to receive said communication service based on said service profile for said user,

means for retrieving conditional authorization data from said service profile for said subscriber, and

means for comparing said conditional authorization data for said user with present conditions, including;

temporal, location, financial to determine said user'"'"'s authorization to receive said communication service based on said service profile for said subscriber.

2. The flexible access authorization function of claim 1 wherein said telecommunication network provides said requested service to user terminals comprising:

at least one of;

fixed, mobile, and cordless terminals.

3. The flexible access authorization function of claim 1 further comprising:

means, responsive to said means for determining, for authorizing said user to receive said requested service on a one of;

a per call basis, a predetermined time period basis, a predetermined location basis.

4. A method of providing flexible access authorization to a selected communication service to a user whose mobile terminal is operational in a wireless telecommunication network, where the user'"'"'s home network cannot provide said communication service requested by said user or said subscriber is not subscribed to the said communication service requested by said user, comprising the steps of:

transmitting, in response to a user at said mobile terminal requesting a communication service where the user'"'"'s home network cannot provide said communication service requested by said user or said subscriber is not subscribed to the said communication service requested by said user, a message from said wireless telecommunication network, designating said requested service, to a home network of said user;

retrieving, in said home network of said user in response to receipt of said message, an service profile for said subscriber from a home location register of said user; and

determining authorization to execute said communication service, based on said service profile for said subscriber and said communication service, comprising;

receiving said service profile for said user,

executing flexible access authorization logic to determine said user'"'"'s authorization to receive said communication service based on said service profile for said user,

retrieving conditional authorization data from said service profile for said subscriber, and

comparing said conditional authorization data for said user with present conditions, including;

temporal, location, financial to determine said user'"'"'s authorization to receive said communication service based on said service profile for said subscriber.

5. The method of providing flexible access authorization to a selected communication service of claim 4 further comprising the step of:

providing said requested service to user terminals comprising at least one of;

fixed, mobile, and cordless terminals.

6. The method of providing flexible access authorization to a selected set of communications services of claim 5 further comprising of steps of:

providing set said requested services to users whose fixed terminal is operational in fixed telecommunication systems comprising of fixed networks only.

7. The method of providing flexible access authorization to a selected communication service of claim 4 further comprising the step of:

authorizing, in response to said step of determining, said user to receive said requested service on a one of;

a per call basis, a predetermined time period basis, a predetermined location basis.