Method for detecting access to controlled areas and related system

• US 7,046,990 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2000
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telecom Italia Lab SpA (Telecom Italia S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: Telecom Italia Lab SpA (Telecom Italia S.p.A.)
• Inventors: Grego, Giorgio, Lupano, Michele
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rampuria, Sharad
• Application Number:
  US10/149,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20030083043A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,974 Days
• Field of Search: 455410-411, 455419-420, 455/414.1, 455/414.3
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/108 when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A controlled area (A) is configured as a telecommunications cellular system location area, connection of cellular system mobile terminals (T) to such location area (A) is checked. A detected connection indicates that the bearer of the terminal (T) accessed the controlled area, which information can thus be used both to prevent unauthorized access and to certify and document authorized access also by interrogation through the system. The fact that terminal (T) has been kept switched on inside the controlled area despite this being interdicted can also be detected and such behavior can be debited to the terminal (T) involved and/or the terminal can be inhibited by means of temporary deactivation of the terminal (T).

Claims

1. A method of detecting and limiting access of a person to a controlled area, comprising the steps of:

assigning to said person a mobile terminal having an identification code associated with said person and providing said person with said mobile terminal;

configuring said controlled area as a location area of a cellular telecommunications system;

and characterised by the steps of;

detecting connections of said mobile terminals of other individuals to said location area by identifying the identification code of each mobile terminal; and

comparing with said cellular telecommunications system the identification code associated with said person with a list of identification codes authorized to access the controlled area; and

conditioned to a first result of said comparing, activating an alarm procedure so as to prevent access of said person to said controlled area.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said list of authorised identification codes is locally accessible at a level of the location area.

3. The method according to claim 1 which includes the steps of:

issuing to each mobile terminal of said cellular telecommunications system accessing to said location area a request to issue its identification code, and

recording the identification code received in consequence of said request.

4. The method according to claim 3 which includes the step of recording at least one piece of auxiliary information identifying the connection, together with said identification code.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the at least one piece of auxiliary information can comprises the time of connection.

6. The method according to claim 3 wherein said identification code is recorded at the level of the cellular system manager.

7. The method according to claim 6 which includes the step of setting up a box for collecting recorded identification codes at the cellular system manager level, the box being able to be selectively questioned throughout the cellular telecommunications system.

8. The method according to claim 1 which includes the step of:

identifying said location area as an area within which the use of mobile terminals of said cellular system is prohibited, and

issuing, in the presence of a detected connection, a message inviting the person to switch off the terminal.

9. The method according to claim 8 which includes the steps of:

detecting that the terminal has been kept switched on despite a message inviting the switching off of the terminal has been sent, and

imposing sanctions to that said terminal.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein sanctions are imposed to that said terminal which was kept switched on, by debiting a fine to said terminal.

11. The method according to claim 9 wherein sanctions are imposed to said terminal which was kept switched on by inhibiting at least momentarily the faculty of said terminal to receive calls from the cellular telecommunications system and/or to forward calls to said cellular telecommunications system.

12. The method defined in claim 1 wherein, conditioned to a second result of said comparing, said person is allowed access to said controlled area.

13. The method defined in claim 12 wherein said alarm procedure includes blocking of an opening in a barrier.

14. The method defined in claim 13 wherein the blocking of an opening in a barrier includes closing a door or gate.