Intelligent network access controller and method

• US 8,254,886 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2009
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tecore Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tecore Incorporated
• Inventors: Salkini, Jay, Joseph, Thomas V. III, Dergham, Youssef J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming, William D
• Application Number:
  US12/585,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20100159879A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

An intelligent network access controller for use with a wireless network that provides communications services to subscribers having wireless communications devices includes a multi-protocol interface for receiving and sending digital messaging by the wireless communications devices; an identification module that determines an identity of a wireless communications device; an access module that receives the identity and determines an access level for the wireless communications device; and a locking module that locks selected wireless communications devices to the controller based on the determined access level.

Claims

1. An intelligent network access controller (INAC), tangibly embodying a program of instructions readable by the INAC to perform steps of a process that creates a local wireless network and that dynamically controls access by wireless devices to a macro wireless network overlaying or underlying the local wireless network, the steps, comprising:

registering the wireless devices, wherein the devices are identified and classified, and wherein the devices comprise one of allowed, restricted, and unknown;

dynamically determining characteristic values of the devices;

dynamically granting access by the devices to the macro network based on the dynamically determined characteristics of the devices; and

locking devices to the local wireless network based on the dynamically determined characteristics.

2. The INAC of claim 1, wherein registering comprises identifying the devices based on one or more of phone number, subscription information, and equipment identification number.

3. The INAC of claim 1, wherein dynamically determining characteristic values, comprises:

determining locations of the devices;

determining call features of the devices; and

determining restriction times in the local wireless network.

4. The INAC of claim 3, wherein determining locations of the devices comprises:

determining location by GPS;

determining location by triangulation of signal strength; and

querying the underlying or overlaying macro wireless network to provide the locations.

5. The INAC of claim 4, wherein determining locations of the devices further comprises correlating data from one or more databases, the one or more databases including unsorted data indicative of the locations of the devices.

6. The INAC of claim 1, the steps further comprising intercepting, monitoring, and recording communications over the local wireless network.

7. The INAC of claim 6, wherein the intercepting, monitoring, and recording are performed at the local wireless network.

8. The INAC of claim 6, wherein the intercepting, monitoring, and recording comprises:

intercepting performed at the local wireless network; and

monitoring and recording performed at the macro wireless network.

9. The INAC of claim 1, wherein the local wireless network is established on one of an airplane, a ship, and a train.

10. The INAC of claim 9, wherein locking locks the devices to the local wireless network based on an operational profile of the airplane, ship, or train.

11. The INAC of claim 10, wherein an operational profile of the airplane includes one of flying, defined as access doors shut, and not flying.

12. The INAC of claim 11, wherein flying is further defined as altitude less than a pre-determined value above ground.

13. The INAC of claim 1, the steps further comprising establishing a private network within a RF coverage area the local wireless network.

14. The INAC of claim 1, the steps further comprising creating a VIP service within a RF coverage area of the local wireless network, wherein allowed devices are directed to the VIP service and wherein restricted and unknown devices are re-directed to the macro wireless network.

15. A computer-implemented method for controlling access by wireless devices to a macro wireless network, comprising the steps of:

establishing a local wireless network having a determined RF coverage area as an overlay to the macro wireless network;

detecting when the devices enter the RF coverage area of the local wireless network;

dynamically determining one or more characteristics of the devices and one or more characteristics of the RF coverage area; and

based on the dynamically determined characteristics, either;

locking the devices to the local wireless network, or

passing the devices to the macro wireless network.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising registering the devices with the local wireless network based on one or more of phone number and equipment identification number.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein dynamically determining characteristic values comprises:

determining locations of the devices;

determining call features of the devices; and

determining restriction times in the local wireless network.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein determining locations of the devices comprises one or more of:

determining location by GPS;

determining location by voice recognition;

determining location by activation of a device camera;

determining location by activation of a device microphone;

determining location by triangulation of signal strength; and

querying the macro wireless network to provide the locations.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein determining locations of the devices further comprises correlating data from one or more databases, the one or more databases including unsorted data indicative of the locations of the devices.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising intercepting, monitoring, and recording communications over the local wireless network.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the steps of intercepting, monitoring, and recording are performed at the local wireless network.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of intercepting, monitoring, and recording comprises:

intercepting the communications at the local wireless network; and

monitoring and recording the communications at the macro wireless network.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising establishing a private network within a RF coverage area the local wireless network.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising creating a VIP service within a RF coverage area of the local wireless network, wherein allowed devices are directed to the VIP service and wherein restricted and unknown devices are re-directed to the macro wireless network.

25. A system for controlling access to existing wireless networks, comprising:

RF signal generation equipment that creates a local RF signal receivable by wireless devices, whereby a local wireless network is created; and

a controller, implemented on a suitably programmed processor coupled to the RF signal generation equipment, comprising;

a location module that creates a limited coverage volume of the local wireless network, wherein the limited coverage volume is a volume less than the effective coverage volume of the local wireless network,

an identity module that identifies wireless devices within the limited coverage volume of the local wireless network,

an access module that determines a level of access to the existing wireless network, wherein the levels of access comprise one of allowed and blocked, and

a locking module that locks wireless devices with a blocked level of access to the local wireless network when the devices with the blocked level of access are within the limited coverage volume of the local wireless network.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the limited coverage area defines a targeted environment.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the targeted environment is one of a prison, a jail, a detention center, and a correctional facility.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the targeted environment includes government buildings and Embassies.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the targeted environment includes temporary and permanent military installations.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the targeted environment includes nuclear facilities, power plants, and oil refineries.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein the targeted environment includes mobile platforms.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the location module receives desired boundary information for the limited wireless network, the boundary information including x, y, and z coordinates, whereby the limited coverage volume is defined.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the received boundary information comprises one or more of GPS information, boundary information from a database, and dead reckoning information.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the boundary information changes with time.

35. The system of claim 25, wherein the location module comprises a wireless device location sub-module, wherein wireless devices are located relative to the limited coverage volume by one or more of GPS, dead reckoning, triangulation of signal strength, querying an existing wireless network to provide locations, and correlating data from one or more databases, the one or more databases including unsorted data indicative of wireless device locations.