System and method for limiting a wireless communication device to a specified geographic zone

• US 7,826,856 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2005
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Novatel Wireless, Inc. (Inseego Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Novatel Wireless, Inc. (Inseego Corp.)
• Inventors: Chana, Tejender, DiRienzo, Giuseppe Joe
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Michael T
• Application Number:
  US11/250,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20060121884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,845 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/410, 455/456, 455/41.2, 455/422.1, 455/422, 455/444, 455/446, 4554561-4566, 370/310, 342/457
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• 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: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• 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 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• 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

A method, computer code product for limiting a wireless communication device to a specified geographic zone. The device is configured to connect to a subscriber device in a subscriber network and determine if the subscriber device is on a list of preapproved subscriber devices in the specified geographic zone. The device can also be configured to determine if it is connected to a subscriber device on at least one neighbor list of approved subscriber devices. If the device is connected to a subscriber device on the preapproved list or a neighbor list, the device is permission as if it is in the geographic zone. Additional subscriber devices can be added to the neighbor list(s) when the device is handed off from an approved subscriber device based on the previous subscriber device to which the device was connected.

Claims

1. A method for limiting a wireless communication-device to a specified geographic zone, the method comprising:

determining whether the wireless communication device is connected to a subscriber device on a list of preapproved subscriber devices associated with a specified geographic zone and if so, allowing the wireless communication device to communicate with the subscriber device based on permissions associated with the specified geographic zone;

if not, determining whether the wireless communication device is connected to a subscriber device on at least one neighbor list of approved subscriber associated with the specified geographic zone, the at least one neighbor list being based on a previous subscriber device to which the wireless communication device was connected and if so, allowing the wireless communication device to communicate with the subscriber device based on permissions associated with the specified geographic zone; and

if not, permissioning the wireless communication device to communicate with the subscriber device based on permissions associated with a geographic zone other than the specified geographic zone.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising permissioning the wireless communication device to communicate with a limited number of subscriber devices not on the list of preapproved subscriber devices and not on the at least one neighbor list based on the permissions associated with the specified geographic zone.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the at least one neighbor list based on the subscriber device the wireless communication device was previously connected with.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the permissions associated with a geographic zone other than the specified geographic zone further comprise disabling data service to the wireless communication device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one neighbor list further comprises a neighbor 1 list, the neighbor 1 list comprising subscriber devices to which the wireless communication device is handed off from a subscriber device on the list of preapproved subscriber devices.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one neighbor list further comprises a neighbor 2 list, the neighbor 2 list comprising subscriber devices to which the wireless communication device is handed off from a subscriber device on the neighbor 1 list.

7. An electronic device configured for connecting to a wireless subscriber network comprising subscriber devices, the electronic device being limited to a specified geographic zone, the electronic device comprising:

a processor;

a communications interface configured for connecting the electronic device to the subscriber devices in the wireless subscriber network; and

a memory unit operatively connected to the processor, the memory unit including;

computer code for determining whether the electronic device is connected to a subscriber device on a list of preapproved subscriber devices associated with a specified geographic zone and if so, allowing the electronic device to communicate with the subscriber device based on permissions associated with the specified geographic zone;

if not, determining whether the electronic device is connected to a subscriber device on at least one neighbor list of approved subscriber associated with the specified geographic zone, the at least one neighbor list being based on a previous subscriber device to which the electronic device was connected and if so, allowing the electronic device to communicate with the subscriber device based on permissions associated with the specified geographic zone; and

if not, permissioning the electronic device to communicate with the subscriber device based on permissions associated with a geographic zone other than the specified geographic zone.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the computer code is further configured for permissioning the electronic device to communicate with a limited number of subscriber devices not on the list of preapproved subscriber devices and not on the at least one neighbor list based on the permissions associated with the specified geographic zone.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, further comprising updating the at least one neighbor list based on the subscriber device the electronic device was previously connected with.

10. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the permissions associated with a geographic zone other than the specified geographic zone further comprise disabling data service to the electronic device.

11. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the at least one neighbor list further comprises a neighbor 1 list, the neighbor 1 list comprising subscriber devices to which the electronic device is handed off from a subscriber device on the list of preapproved subscriber devices.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the at least one neighbor list further comprises a neighbor 2 list, the neighbor 2 list comprising subscriber devices to which the electronic device is handed off from a subscriber device on the neighbor 1 list.

13. A computer code product for limiting a wireless communication device to a specified geographic zone, the computer code product being embodied on a memory unit and comprising:

computer code for determining whether the wireless communication device is connected to a subscriber device on a list of preapproved subscriber devices associated with a specified geographic zone and if so, computer code for allowing the wireless communication device to communicate with the subscriber device based on permissions associated with the specified geographic zone;

if not, computer code for determining whether the wireless communication device is connected to a subscriber device on at least one neighbor list of approved subscriber associated with the specified geographic zone, the at least one neighbor list being based on a previous subscriber device to which the wireless communication device was connected and if so, computer code for allowing the wireless communication device to communicate with the subscriber device based on permissions associated with the specified geographic zone; and

if not, computer code for permissioning the wireless communication device to communicate with the subscriber device based on permissions associated with a geographic zone other than the specified geographic zone.

14. The computer code product of claim 13, further comprising computer code for permissioning the wireless communication device to communicate with a limited number of subscriber devices not on the list of preapproved subscriber devices and not on the at least one neighbor list based on the permissions associated with the specified geographic zone.

15. The computer code product of claim 13, further comprising computer code for updating the at least one neighbor list based on the subscriber device the wireless communication device was previously connected with.

16. The computer code product of claim 13, wherein the permissions associated with a geographic zone other than the specified geographic zone further comprise disabling data service to the wireless communication device.

17. The computer code product of claim 13, wherein the at least one neighbor list further comprises a neighbor 1 list, the neighbor 1 list comprising subscriber devices to which the wireless communication device is handed off from a subscriber device on the list of preapproved subscriber devices.

18. The computer code product of claim 17, wherein the at least one neighbor list further comprises a neighbor 2 list, the neighbor 2 list comprising subscriber devices to which the wireless communication device is handed off from a subscriber device on the neighbor 1 list.

19. A method for limiting a communication service type to a wireless communication device to a specified geographic zone, the method comprising:

determining whether the wireless communication device is connected to a subscriber device on a list of preapproved subscriber devices associated with a specified geographic zone and if so, allowing the wireless communication device to use the communication service type when communicating with the subscriber device;

if not, determining whether the wireless communication device is connected to a subscriber device on at least one neighbor list of approved subscriber associated with the specified geographic zone, the at least one neighbor list being based on a previous subscriber device to which the wireless communication device was connected and if so, allowing the wireless communication device to use the communication service type when communicating with the subscriber device; and

if not, preventing the wireless communication device from using the communication service type when communication with the subscriber device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the communication service type further comprises data service.