Automatic population of an access control list to manage femto cell coverage

• US 8,209,745 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huber, Kurt Donald, Flynn, Judson John, Mansfield, William Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): Pyzocha, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/275,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20090288152A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 726/6, 713/182
• US Class Current: 726/6
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 : based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 : Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/108 : when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/73 : Validating charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 : using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 : using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 : using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 : using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 : Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 : for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 : Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 : based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 : Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 : Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 : with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 : Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 : Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 : Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 : using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

System(s) and method(s) provide access management to femto cell service through access control list(s) (e.g., white list(s)). White list(s) includes a set of subscriber station(s) identifier numbers, codes, or tokens, and also can include additional fields for femto cell access management based on desired complexity. White list(s) can have associated white list profile(s) therewith to establish logic of femto coverage access based on the white list(s). Various example aspects such as white list(s) management, maintenance and dissemination; automatic population or pre-configuration; and inclusion of wireless device(s) or subscriber(s) are also provided. A component can implement automatic population of white list fields based at least in part on a set of received identifiers. In addition, autonomously determined identifiers can be employed to populate a white list. Identifier(s) available for automatic population are validated prior to inclusion in a white list, to ensure the identifier(s) are allowed for inclusion therein.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a system comprising at least one processor, data related to subscriber call activity associated with a femtocell;

determining, by the system, a set of respective identifiers for a set of mobile devices authorized to connect to the femtocell, based on analyzing the data, wherein the determining includes inferring the set of respective identifiers based at least in part on detecting a pattern within the subscriber call activity;

identifying, by the system, an out-of-network phone number based on the pattern;

requesting, by the system, a device associated with the out-of-network phone number to elect to be added within a white list of the femtocell via a text message; and

adding, by the system, a subset of the set of respective identifiers to the white list of the femtocell.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting, by the system, the subset of the set of respective identifiers based in part on a cut-off procedure; and

validating, by the system, the subset of the set of respective identifiers prior to the adding.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the validating includes verifying that a subset of the set of mobile devices corresponding to the subset of the set of respective identifiers has opted for inclusion within the white list.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the validating includes verifying a commercial standing of a subset of the set of mobile devices corresponding to the subset of the set of respective identifiers.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by the system, a white list profile for managing content within the white list based on a set of subscriber-defined coverage parameters.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the generating includes generating a default white list profile that allows a subset of the set of mobile devices corresponding to the subset of the set of respective identifiers full access to femto coverage.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, by the system, the white list to a provisioned access point associated with the femtocell.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving includes extracting the data from a set of databases.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

identifying, by the system, an in-network phone number based on the pattern.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the adding includes adding the out-of-network phone number to the white list of the femtocell in response to receiving an election from the device approving the adding the out-of-network phone number to the white list.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving includes collecting data from an address book associated with a user equipment of the subscriber.

12. A system, comprising:

at least one memory;

at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one memory that facilitates execution of at least one computer-executable component to at least;

collect data related to call activity of a user equipment associated with a subscriber of a femtocell;

determine a set of respective identifiers for a set of mobile devices based on an analysis of the data including infer the set of respective identifiers based at least in part on detection of a pattern within the call activity, wherein the set of respective identifiers includes an out-of-network phone number that is identified based on the pattern;

request a device associated with the out-of-network phone number to elect to be added within a white list of the femtocell via a text message; and

populate the white list of the femtocell with a subset of the set of respective identifiers.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor further facilitates the execution of the at least one computer-executable component to validate the subset of the set of respective identifiers based at least in part on a predefined criterion, prior to including the subset of the set of respective identifiers in the white list.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the criterion includes an election by a subset of the set of mobile devices corresponding to the subset of the set of respective identifiers to be included within the white list.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the criterion includes an operational capability associated with a mobile device related to one of the set of respective identifiers.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the criterion includes a commercial standing associated with a mobile device related to one of the set of respective identifiers.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor further facilitates the execution of the at least one computer-executable component to extract information from a subscriber database within a communication network and infer the set of respective identifiers based on the information.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the data includes data that is received from an address book of the user equipment.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor further facilitates the execution of the at least one computer-executable component to collect information associated with the set of mobile devices to generate a set of coverage parameters to be entered in a white list profile associated with the white list.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor further facilitates the execution of the at least one computer-executable component to receive a set of coverage parameters via a user interface.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one processor further facilitates the execution of the at least one computer-executable component to populate a white list profile associated with the white list, wherein the white list profile determines logic for the set of mobile devices to access femto coverage.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a system comprising at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving data related to call activity of a communication device related to a subscriber of a femtocell;

determining an identifier related to a mobile device authorized to connect to the femtocell based on the data, wherein the determining includes inferring an out-of-network phone number associated with the mobile device based at least in part on detecting a pattern within the call activity;

requesting the mobile device to elect to be added within a white list of the femtocell via a text message; and

including the identifier within the white list of the femtocell in response to the mobile device electing to be added within the white list.