Method and process for validating roaming cellular users

• US 7,031,705 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2004
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Grootwassink, David B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Application Number:
  US10/762,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20040152463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 455/432.1, 455/432.3, 455/435.1, 455410-411, 455/440, 455/433, 455/422.1, 379/220.01, 379/219, 379/221.02, 379/221.09
• US Class Current: 455/432.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server

Abstract

A process for validating a roaming user who seeks access to a communications network operated by a first service provider is provided. The process includes determining that the user is associated with a second service provider, requesting registration data for the user to the second service provider, and validating or invalidating the user based on the registration data from the second service provider, the registration data identifying a status of the user and whether authentication of the user is required to validate the user.

Claims

1. A method for validating a roaming user who seeks access to a communications network operated by a first service provider, the process comprising:

determining that the user is associated with a second service provider;

requesting registration data for the user to the second service provider; and

validating or invalidating the user based on the registration data from the second service provider, the registration data identifying a status of the user and whether authentication of the user is required to validate the user;

wherein requesting registration data comprises requesting the registration data for the user within a predetermined period;

wherein validating or invalidating the user comprises invalidating the user regardless of the result of the registration data from the second service provider when the registration data is not received from the second service provider within the predetermined period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said authentication is performed by the user entering a PIN.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising instructing the network of the first service provider to cancel the user'"'"'s registration when the user is invalidated.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the registration data includes an authorization period of the user in the first service provider.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting a Personal Identification Number to the user before providing a service to the user, when the user is validated.

6. A method for validating a customer of an International or other selected service provider, where the customer is attempting to use a communications network comprising at least a Mobile Switching Center (“

MSC”

) and Visitor Location Register (“

VLR”

), the process comprising;

receiving registration notification data from a particular customer;

determining whether the customer is associated with a selected service provider;

formulating at a Service Control Point (“

SCP”

) a request for registration notification to a Home Location Register (“

HLR”

) of the customer;

receiving at the SCP information pertaining to the customer'"'"'s validation, including a status of the user and whether authentication of the user is required to validate the user; and

forwarding from the SCP to the VLR either customer validation data or a request to cancel the customer'"'"'s registration within the VLR;

wherein receiving at the SCP information pertaining to the customer'"'"'s validation comprises receiving at the SCP information pertaining to the customer'"'"'s validation within a predetermined time period;

wherein forwarding from the SCP to the VLR either customer validation data or a request to cancel the customer'"'"'s registration within the VLR comprises forwarding the request to cancel the customer'"'"'s registration with the VLR when the SCP does not receive the information within the predetermined time period.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said authentication is performed by the user entering a PIN.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising requesting a Personal identification Number to the customer before providing a service to the customer, when the SCP forwards to the VLR the customer validation data.