Systems and methods for restricting the use of stolen devices on a wireless network

• US 8,050,655 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2009
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Champion, Laurenn L., Daniel, John Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar; Kamran
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROD, YOUSEF R
• Application Number:
  US12/479,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20090247131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 455410-411, 455/403, 455/414.1, 455/422.1, 455/428, 455/432.2, 455/432.3, 455/433, 455/435.1, 455/445, 455/558, 455/560, 4555501-5531, 455/415, 455418-420, 235/385, 705/26, 379/114.14, 379/127.02, 379/145, 379/185, 379/189, 379/191
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• 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: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling wireless network access for wireless devices are disclosed. A system can create an electronic record for a device intended for sale in a retail store. The record associated with the device can include an indication that the device has not been sold, and the device can be shipped to the retail store. When the device is purchased, the retail store can communicate to the wireless service provider that the device has been sold, and the system can update the electronic record to reflect that the device has been sold. The sold device can be allowed to access a network. An attempt to use a device marked as unsold can result in the call being routed to a fraud management center for verification of proper device purchase.

Claims

1. A system for restricting the use of a wireless device on a wireless network, the system comprising:

a wireless network device management system comprising a computer readable memory and a processor, the wireless device management system being configured to;

receive, from a warehouse management system, a device identifier associated with the wireless device;

store the device identifier in the computer readable memory with a purchase indicator, wherein the purchase indicator initially is set to indicate that the wireless device has not been sold;

receive a calling device identifier from the wireless network, the calling device identifier corresponding to a calling wireless device that is attempting to make a call using the wireless network; and

instruct the wireless network to route voice calls from the calling device to a fraud management center if the purchase indicator shows that the device has not been sold, wherein the calling device identifier is captured by the network and transferred to the device management system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the device management system is further configured to:

receive an updated purchase indicator from a retail inventory system for the device identifier, the updated purchase indicator comprising data that indicates that the wireless device has been sold; and

store the updated purchase indicator in the computer readable memory with the device identifier.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the warehouse management system further comprises:

an electronic reader, the electronic reader being configured to electronically read a unique device identifier of a wireless device; and

a warehouse management processor configured to receive the device identifier from the electronic reader and transmit the device identifier to the device management system.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the warehouse management system is configured to transmit the device identifier to the device management system if the device identifier corresponds to a device that:

has no record of shipment in the warehouse management system; and

has not appeared in at least one inventory scan of a corresponding warehouse.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a retail inventory system, the retail inventory system comprising:

an electronic reader, the electronic reader being configured to electronically read a device identifier of a wireless device; and

a retail inventory processor, the retail inventory processor being programmed to receive the device identifier from the electronic reader and transmit the device identifier to the device management system with an updated purchase indicator that shows the device as being sold.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the device identifier comprises data indicating an IMEI of the wireless device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the device identifier comprises data indicating a MAC address of the wireless device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the device identifier comprises data indicating a device characteristic selected from a group consisting of an ESN, an MEID, and a UMID.

9. A method for routing calls in a wireless network, the method comprising:

capturing a device identifier transmitted by a wireless device attempting to place a call using the wireless network;

comparing the captured device identifier to a device identifier stored in a computer readable memory to determine if the stored device identifier matches the captured device identifier; and

if the captured device identifier matches the stored device identifier;

retrieving, from the computer readable memory, a purchase indicator stored with the stored device identifier; and

routing a call to a fraud management center if the purchase indicator comprises data indicating that a device has not been sold.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the device identifier comprises data indicating an IMEI of the wireless device.

11. A package scanner for electronically marking a wireless device as not sold, the packaging scanner comprising an electronic reader and a computer readable memory, wherein the package scanner is configured to:

obtain, using the electronic reader, a device identifier associated with a wireless device;

store, at the computer readable memory, the device identifier and a purchase indicator, the purchase indicator comprising data that indicates that the device has not been sold; and

store, at the computer readable memory, a participation type indicator, the participation type indicator comprising data that indicates whether an intended shipping recipient of the wireless device participates in a stolen device restriction program.

12. The package scanner of claim 11, wherein the package scanner is further configured to store, at the computer readable memory, a shipping destination code, the shipping destination code comprising data that indicates a destination to which the wireless device is to be shipped.

13. A method for connecting a wireless device with a fraud management center, the method comprising:

determining, at the wireless communications network, that the wireless device is stolen, wherein determining that the wireless device is stolen comprises;

comparing a received device identifier with a device identifier stored in a computer readable memory to determine if the stored device identifier matches the received device identifier; and

if the received device identifier matches the stored device identifier, retrieving, from the computer readable memory, a purchase indicator stored with the stored device identifier; and

in response to determining that the purchase indicator comprises data indicating that a device associated with the received identifier has not been sold, routing a call to the fraud management center.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving the device identifier comprises receiving, at the wireless communications network, an IMEI of the wireless device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein routing a call to the fraud management center includes routing the call originating at the wireless device to the fraud management center.