Emergency services for wireless data access networks

• US 7,158,803 B1
• Filed: 09/16/2003
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BBN Technologies GORP, Verizon Corporate Services Group Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Elliott, Brig Barnum
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah; Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peaches; Randy
• Application Number:
  US10/663,400
• Time in Patent Office: 1,204 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/451, 455/3, 455/404.2, 455/433, 455/445, 455/412, 455/509, 455/515, 455/561, 455/512, 455/446, 455/404.3, 455/456.4, 455/456, 370/338, 370/356, 370/401, 370/444, 379/37
• US Class Current: 455/512
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

A system [100] for facilitating wireless data communication may include an operations center [110] configured to implement access control rules [305] within an emergency zone [200] and an access device [130/310] configured to provide data access to a network [320] for user devices [140] and emergency devices [210]. The access device [130/310] may include a memory [340] configured to store the access control rules [305] that provide preferential access to the network for the emergency devices [210] within the emergency zone [200].

Claims

1. A system for facilitating wireless data communication, comprising:

a non-wireless operations center configured to implement access control rules within an emergency zone;

a wireless access device different from, and connected by wireline to, the operations center, the wireless access device configured to provide preferential access to a network to emergency devices over non-emergency devices within the emergency zone based on the access control rules;

wherein the emergency zone has access points within and outside of the zone where certain access points outside of the zone have coverage area partially overlapping the zone; and

wherein one of the access control rules is a default rule to either always include the certain access points, never include the certain access points or include the certain access points based on extent of the overlapping.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations center is configured to transit the access control rules to the access device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the access control rules reside in a memory of the access device, and

wherein the operations center is configured to send an emergency message that activates the access control rules.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the access device includes a wireless access point configured to wirelessly communicate with the non-emergency devices and the emergency devices.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the wireless access point includes:

a processor configured to filter wireless data based on the access control rules, and

a wireless transceiver connected to the processor and configured to send and receive wireless data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless access device includes:

at least one wireless access point configured to wirelessly communicate with the non-emergency devices and the emergency devices, and

a gateway connected between the at least one wireless access point and the network and configured to control access to the network by data from the at least one wireless access point.

7. A method, comprising:

determining a need for an emergency zone in which wireless data access is to be restricted to emergency devices wherein the emergency zone has access points within and outside of the zone where certain access points outside of the zone have coverage area partially overlapping the zone;

applying a default rule to either always include the certain access points, never include the certain access points or include the certain access points based on extent of the overlapping;

associating one or more access devices with the emergency zone;

sending an emergency message to the one or more access devices for wireless data access within the emergency zone to be restricted to the emergency devices, and

altering the emergency message responsive to the development stage of the emergency.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the associating includes:

designating, by a network operator, a set of access devices as corresponding to the emergency zone.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the emergency message includes access control rules for storage in and implementation by the one or more access devices.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the emergency message includes one or more commands to activate access control rules that reside in the one or more access devices.

11. The method of claim 7, sending an emergency message includes:

sending the emergency message to one or more wireless access points that wirelessly communicate with the emergency devices.

12. The method of claim 7, sending an emergency message includes:

sending the emergency message to one or more gateway devices that control data traffic from one or more wireless access points.

13. A method, comprising:

validating an emergency message;

implementing access control rules based on the emergency message;

establishing an emergency zone having access points within and outside of the zone where certain access points outside of the zone have coverage area partially overlapping the zone;

establishing one of the access control rules as a default rule to either always include the certain access points, never include the certain access points or include the certain access points based on extent of the overlapping;

controlling access by wireless data devices to give preference to emergency devices based on the access control rules, and

altering the emergency message responsive to the development stage of the emergency.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the validating includes:

cryptographically validating the emergency message using an emergency cryptographic key.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the implementing includes:

extracting the access control rules from the emergency message, and

installing the access control rules.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the implementing includes:

providing parameters from the emergency message to installed access control rules.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling access includes:

limiting wireless data access to emergency devices based on a set of addresses.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the set of addresses includes media access control (MAC) addresses.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the set of addresses includes Internet protocol (IP) addresses.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the limiting wireless data access includes selectively refusing to complete a communication protocol handshake.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling access includes:

limiting wireless data access to emergency devices based on authentication information provided by the emergency devices.

22. A computer-readable medium that stores instructions executable by one or more processors to perform a method for controlling data access in a wireless network, comprising:

instructions for establishing an emergency zone having access points within and outside of the zone where certain access points outside of the zone have coverage area partially overlapping the zone;

instructions for establishing a default rule to either always include the certain access points, never include the certain access points or include the certain access points based on extent of the overlapping; and

instructions for utilizing both the access points within the zone and, responsive to operation of the default rule, the certain access points, for;

(1) differentiating between emergency devices and non-emergency devices in the emergency zone;

(2) allowing wireless data access to the emergency devices in the emergency zone; and

(3) limiting wireless data access to the non-emergency devices in the emergency zone.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the instructions for differentiating include:

instructions for classifying data from a wireless device based on media access control (MAC) addresses, Internet protocol (IP) addresses, or authentication information.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the instructions for limiting wireless data access include:

instructions for denying wireless data access to the non-emergency devices in the emergency zone.

25. A system for providing emergency wireless data access within an emergency zone in a network, comprising:

wireless access point means for receiving at access points communication requests that were initiated by wireless devices wherein the emergency zone has the access points within and outside of the zone where certain of the access points outside of the zone have coverage area partially overlapping the zone;

non-wireless operations center means, different from, and connected by wireline to, the wireless access point means, for storing access control rules for controlling wireless data access during an emergency wherein one of the access control rules is a default rule to either always include the certain access points, never include the certain access points or include the certain access points based on extent of the overlapping; and

means for selectively processing the communication requests in accordance with the access control rules during the emergency.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the means for receiving includes:

means for receiving wireless data from the wireless devices.

27. A method for controlling data access in a wireless network, comprising:

establishing an emergency zone having access points within and outside of the zone where certain access points outside of the zone have coverage area partially overlapping the zone;

establishing a default rule to either always include the certain access points, never include the certain access points or include the certain access points based on extent of the overlapping; and

utilizing both the access points within the zone and, responsive to operation of the default rule, the certain access points, for;

differentiating between emergency devices and non-emergency devices in the emergency zone during an emergency;

allowing wireless data access to the emergency devices in the emergency zone during the emergency; and

limiting wireless data access to the non-emergency devices in the emergency zone during the emergency.