Restricted frequency band remote device communication authorization by geographic location

• US 7,693,527 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Piece Future Pte., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Krstulich, Zlatko
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Huy
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEIBER, SHANTELL LAKETA
• Application Number:
  US11/495,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20080026767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,345 Days
• Field of Search: 455/452.1, 455/452.2, 455/456.1
• US Class Current: 455/452.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• 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: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks

Abstract

A system and method are provided for controlling access to a wireless network by a remote terminal in a restricted frequency band in accordance with authorization conditions defined by geographic location. The remote terminal has a geographic self locating capability from which a location specifier is generated. The location specifier is compared to a geographic zone map which has information pertaining to conditions for authorizing communications in the restricted frequency band for various different geographic zones. Depending upon which geographic zone the remote terminal is in or nearby, power level, and time period of communication vary.

Claims

1. A method of wireless remote terminal communication within a restricted frequency band, the method comprising:

geolocating, at the remote terminal, the remote terminal to generate a location specifier corresponding to a geographic location of the remote terminal;

comparing said location specifier with remote terminal authorization information to determine authorization communication conditions for said remote terminal at said geographic location to communicate in the restricted frequency band, wherein said remote terminal authorization information comprises a geographic communication zone map, said geographic communication zone map containing information defining at least one geographic zone, wherein said at least one geographic zone comprises at least one intermediate zone, the step of comparing comprising;

analyzing a position corresponding to said location specifier on said geographic communication zone map to determine in which geographic zone of said at least one geographic zone said geographic location corresponding to said location specifier is situated; and

authorizing communications of said remote terminal in the restricted frequency band in accordance with said authorization communication conditions, wherein said authorization communication conditions are defined for each geographic zone, said authorization communication conditions corresponding to said at least one intermediate zone specifying that said remote terminal is authorized to communicate within said restricted frequency band for a period of time less than a re-authorization timeout period.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said at least one geographic zone further comprises at least one protected zone, the authorization communication conditions corresponding to said at least one protected zone specifying that said remote terminal is authorized to communicate within said restricted frequency band at a first power level below a protected zone power threshold.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said period of time less than a re-authorization timeout period is determined from a distance between said geographic location defined by said location specifier and said at least one protected zone.

4. A remote terminal for wireless communication with a base station within a restricted frequency band, the remote terminal comprising:

a geographic auto-location module for generating a location specifier corresponding to a geographic location of the remote terminal;

a memory store for storing said location specifier, and for storing remote terminal authorization information, wherein said remote terminal authorization information comprises a geographic communication zone map, said geographic communication zone map containing information defining at least one geographic zone;

a geographic comparator for comparing said location specifier with said remote terminal authorization information and to determine authorization communication conditions for said remote terminal at said geographic location to communicate in the restricted frequency band, wherein said authorization communication conditions are defined for each geographic zone, and said geographic comparator in performing said comparing, analyzes a position corresponding to said location specifier on said geographic communication zone map to determine in which geographic zone of said at least one geographic zone said geographic location corresponding to said location specifier is situated;

an authorization control module for authorizing communications of said remote terminal in the restricted frequency band in accordance with said authorization communication conditions; and

a transmitter controller for controlling communications with said base station in said restricted frequency band according to said authorization communication conditions,

wherein said at least one geographic zone comprises at least one intermediate zone, the authorization communication conditions corresponding to said at least one intermediate zone specifying that said remote terminal is authorized to communicate within said restricted frequency band for a period of time less than a re-authorization timeout period.

5. A remote terminal according to claim 4 wherein the geographic auto-location module is adapted to perform geographic auto-location using one of GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and triangulation in cooperation with a plurality of participating triangulation base stations.

6. A remote terminal according to claim 4 wherein said at least one geographic zone further comprises at least one protected zone, the authorization communication conditions corresponding to said at least one protected zone specifying that said remote terminal is authorized to communicate within said restricted frequency band at a first power level below a protected zone power threshold.

7. A remote terminal according to claim 6 wherein said remote terminal is fixed to a vehicle having a known direction of movement, said remote terminal having a known relative orientation to said movement of said vehicle, and having a directional antenna, wherein the authorization communication conditions corresponding to each geographic zone specify directions for transmitting at a low power level within the restricted frequency band and other directions for transmitting at a normal power level.

8. A remote terminal according to claim 6 wherein said period of time less than a re-authorization timeout period is determined from a distance between said geographic location defined by said location specifier, and said at least one protected zone.

9. A remote terminal according to claim 8 wherein the authorization communication conditions corresponding to said at least one intermediate zone specify that said remote terminal is authorized to communicate in said at least one intermediate zone within said restricted frequency band at a second power level below an intermediate zone power threshold determined with use of said distance.

10. A remote terminal according to claim 8 wherein said re-authorization timeout period is determined from dividing a smallest distance between said geographic location and said at least one protected zone by a maximum expected speed of said remote terminal.

11. A remote terminal according to claim 10 wherein said maximum expected speed is a maximum speed expected to be attained by a vehicle said remote terminal is traveling with.

12. A remote terminal according to claim 4 wherein a master zone map is stored in the memory store of said base station, wherein said remote terminal is adapted to transmit said location specifier and an authorization version specifier to said base station, wherein the authorization version specifier specifies a version of said geographic communication zone map;

and wherein said remote terminal synchronizes its geographic communication zone map with said master zone map with use of said authorization version specifier.

13. A base station for wireless communication with a remote terminal within a restricted frequency band, the base station comprising:

a receiver for receiving a location specifier from said remote terminal, said location specifier corresponding to a geographic location of said remote terminal;

a memory store for storing authorization information used in determining authorization communication conditions for said remote terminal at said geographic location to communicate in the restricted frequency band, wherein;

said authorization information comprises a master zone map, said master zone map containing information defining at least one geographic zone,

said corresponding authorization communication conditions are defined for each geographic zone, and

said at least one geographic zone comprises at least one intermediate zone, the authorization communication conditions corresponding to said at least one intermediate zone specifying that said remote terminal is authorized to communicate with said base station within said restricted frequency band for a period of time less than a re-authorization timeout period;

a geographic comparator for comparing said location specifier with said authorization information, wherein said geographic comparator is adapted to, while comparing said location specifier with said authorization information, analyze a position corresponding to said location specifier on said master zone map to determine in which geographic zone of said at least one geographic zone said geographic location corresponding to said location specifier is situated; and

a transmitter for transmitting to said remote terminal an authorization message.

14. A base station according to claim 13 wherein said at least one geographic zone further comprises at least one protected zone, the authorization communication conditions corresponding to said at least one protected zone specifying that said remote terminal is authorized to communicate with said base station within said restricted frequency band at a first power level below a protected zone power threshold.

15. A base station according to claim 14 wherein said period of time less than said re-authorization timeout period is determined by analyzing a distance between said geographic location defined by said location specifier, and said at least one protected zone.

16. A base station according to claim 15 wherein the authorization communication conditions corresponding to said at least one intermediate zone specifies that said remote terminal is authorized to communicate in said at least one intermediate zone with said base station within said restricted frequency band at a second power level below an intermediate zone power threshold determined with use of said distance.

17. A base station according to claim 15 wherein said re-authorization timeout period is determined by finding a smallest distance between said geographic location and said at least one protected zone and by dividing said smallest distance by a maximum expected speed of said remote terminal.

18. A base station according to claim 14 wherein said base station is located outside of said at least one protected zone, and wherein said base station initiates communications with said remote terminal.

19. A base station according to claim 13, said base station further comprising:

an authorization module for populating said authorization message with authorization communication conditions determined from a determination by said geographic comparator of which geographic zone of said at least one geographic zone, said geographic location corresponding to said location specifier is situated in, said authorization message being cryptographically encrypted.

20. A base station according to claim 13 wherein said authorization message is generated with use of information pertaining to one of an emergency situation and an exceptional circumstance.

21. A base station according to claim 13 wherein said geographic comparator compares said location specifier with said authorization information to generate a geographic communication zone map from said master zone map, and wherein said base station populates said authorization message with said geographic communication zone map.

22. A base station according to claim 13 wherein:

a geographic communication zone map is stored in a memory store of said remote terminal,

an authorization version specifier is received by the base station from said remote terminal, said authorization version specifier specifying a version of said geographic communication zone map, and

said geographic communication zone map is synchronized with said master zone map with use of said authorization version specifier.

23. A method of wireless communication with a remote terminal within a restricted frequency band, the method comprising:

receiving a location specifier from said remote terminal, said location specifier corresponding to a geographic location of said remote terminal;

maintaining authorization information used in determining authorization communication conditions for said remote terminal at said geographic location to communicate in the restricted frequency band, wherein;

said authorization information comprises a master zone map, said master zone map containing information defining at least one geographic zone,

said authorization communication conditions are defined for each geographic zone, and

said at least one geographic zone comprises at least one intermediate zone, the authorization communication conditions corresponding to said at least one intermediate zone specifying that said remote terminal is authorized to communicate within said restricted frequency band for a period of time less than a re-authorization timeout period;

comparing said location specifier with said authorization information, wherein said comparing said location specifier with said authorization information comprises analyzing a position corresponding to said location specifier on said master zone map to determine in which geographic zone of said at least one geographic zone said geographic location corresponding to said location specifier is situated; and

transmitting to said remote terminal an authorization message.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein said at least one geographic zone comprises at least one protected zone, the authorization communication conditions corresponding to said at least one protected zone specifying that said remote terminal is authorized to communicate within said restricted frequency hand at a first power level below a protected zone power threshold.

25. A method according to claim 24 wherein said period of time less than a re-authorization timeout period is determined by analyzing a distance between said geographic location defined by said location specifier, and said at least one protected zone.

26. A method according to claim 25 wherein the authorization communication conditions corresponding to said at least one intermediate zone specifies that said remote terminal is authorized to communicate in said at least one intermediate zone within said restricted frequency band at a second power level below an intermediate zone power threshold determined with use of said distance.

27. A method according to claim 24 wherein said re-authorization timeout period is determined by finding a smallest distance between said geographic location and said at least one protected zone and by dividing said smallest distance by a maximum expected speed of said remote terminal.

28. A method according to claim 24 further comprises before the step of receiving, initiating communications to said remote terminal from a location outside of said at least one protected zone.

29. A method according to claim 23 further comprising populating said authorization message with authorization communication conditions determined from said comparing of said location specifier with said authorization information, said authorization message being cryptographically encrypted.

30. A method according to claim 23 wherein said authorization message is generated with use of information pertaining to one of an emergency situation and an exceptional circumstance.

31. A method according to claim 23 further comprising:

generating a geographic communication zone map from said master zone map with use of a comparison generated by said comparing of said location specifier with said authorization information; and

populating said authorization message with said geographic communication zone map.

32. A method according to claim 23 further comprising:

receiving an authorization version specifier from said remote terminal, said authorization version specifier specifying a version of a geographic communication zone map in a memory store of said remote terminal; and

synchronizing said geographic communication zone map with said master zone map with use of said authorization version specifier.