Method for managing wireless devices using exception monitoring

• US 8,301,113 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2007
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Brink, Kenneth A. Jr., Johnson, Randy S., Malkowski, Raymond T., Martin, Jeffrey H., Northway, Tedrick N., Richards, Patrick J. Jr., Winkler, Duane L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Jinsong
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/734,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20080254763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,029 Days
• Field of Search: 455/405, 455/406, 455/408, 455/414.1
• US Class Current: 455/405
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls

Abstract

An improved solution for managing use of a plurality of wireless devices is provided. In an embodiment of the invention, a usage policy is obtained for the plurality of wireless devices. Usage data for one or more of the plurality of wireless devices is compared against the usage policy, wherefrom an exception report is derived and created. In another embodiment, the exception report is analyzed for non-compliance and a customer is notified.

Claims

1. A computerized method of managing use of a plurality of wireless devices owned by a customer, the method comprising:

using a computer system including at least one computer device to obtain at least one usage policy for the plurality of wireless devices, wherein the at least one usage policy is set by the customer and includes rules for voice and data use of the plurality of wireless devices, wherein the rules include at least one of the following;

restrictions as to third parties a user of a wireless device can contact, restrictions as to third parties a user of a wireless device can receive a communication from, and restrictions on use of a wireless device based on date, time or location of the wireless device during attempted use;

using the computer system to compare usage data for at least one of the plurality of wireless devices against the at least one usage policy to determine at least one violation of the usage policy by the usage data for at least one of the plurality of wireless devices;

using the computer system to create an exception report, derived from the comparing, wherein the exception report includes user identification information for the at least one of the plurality of wireless devices, wireless device and wireless device provider information for the at least one of the plurality of wireless devices, the usage data, the at least one usage policy and the at least one violation of the usage policy by the usage data; and

using the computer system to present the exception report to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the computer system to notify the customer of the non-compliance.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the computer system to obtain at least one fraud pattern defining an exception and using the computer system to compare the at least one fraud pattern to the usage data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the computer system to present the exception report in one of a graphical user interface (GUI) and a printed report.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the computer system to monitor wireless device usage to obtain the usage data.

6. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

using the computer system to obtain at least one usage policy for a credit card owned by the customer;

using the computer system to obtain credit card usage data for the credit card; and

using the computer system to compare the at least one usage policy for the credit card to the credit card usage data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one usage policy includes dissemination of data to an unauthorized recipient of data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one usage policy includes receipt of data from an unauthorized sender of data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of:

the plurality of wireless devices are supplied by a plurality of providers;

or the

usage data is obtained from a plurality of providers.

10. A system for managing use of a plurality of wireless devices owned by a customer, the system for managing comprising:

a system for obtaining at least one usage policy for the plurality of wireless devices, wherein the at least one usage policy is set by the customer and includes rules for voice and data use of the plurality of wireless devices, wherein the rules include at least one of the following;

restrictions as to third parties a user of a wireless device can contact, restrictions as to third parties a user of a wireless device can receive a communication from, and restrictions on use of a wireless device based on date, time or location of the wireless device during attempted use;

a system for comparing usage data for at least one of the plurality of wireless devices against the at least one usage policy to determine at least one violation of the usage policy by the usage data for at least one of the plurality of wireless devices

a system for creating an exception report, derived from the comparing, wherein the exception report includes user identification information for the at least one of the plurality of wireless devices, wireless device and wireless device provider information for the at least one of the plurality of wireless devices, the usage data, the at least one usage policy and the at least one violation of the usage policy by the usage data; and

a system for presenting the exception report to a user.

11. The system for managing of claim 10, further comprising a system for notifying the customer of the non-compliance.

12. The system for managing of claim 10, further comprising a system for obtaining at least one fraud pattern defining an exception and a system for comparing the at least one fraud pattern to the usage data.

13. The system for managing of claim 10, further comprising a system for monitoring wireless device usage, thereby obtaining the usage data.

14. The system for managing of claim 10, the system for managing further comprising:

a system for obtaining at least one usage policy for a credit card owned by the customer;

a system for obtaining credit card usage data for the credit card; and

a system for comparing the at least one usage policy for the credit card to the credit card usage data.

15. The system for managing of claim 10, wherein the at least one usage policy includes using the computer system to disseminate data to an unauthorized recipient of data.

16. The system for managing of claim 10, wherein the at least one usage policy includes receipt of data on the computer system from an unauthorized sender of data.

17. The system for managing of claim 10, wherein at least one of:

the plurality of wireless devices are supplied by a plurality of providers;

or

the usage data is obtained from a plurality of providers.

18. A computer program comprising program code stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which when executed, enables a computer system to implement a method of managing use of a plurality of wireless devices owned by a customer, the method comprising:

obtaining at least one usage policy for the plurality of wireless devices, wherein the at least one usage policy is set by the customer and includes rules for voice and data use of the plurality of wireless devices, wherein the rules include at least one of the following;

restrictions as to third parties a user of a wireless device can contact, restrictions as to third parties a user of a wireless device can receive a communication from, and restrictions on use of a wireless device based on date, time or location of the wireless device during attempted use;

comparing usage data for at least one of the plurality of wireless devices against the at least one usage policy to determine at least one violation of the usage policy by the usage data for at least one of the plurality of wireless devices;

creating an exception report, derived from the comparing, wherein the exception report includes user identification information for the at least one of the plurality of wireless devices, wireless device and wireless device provider information for the at least one of the plurality of wireless devices, the usage data, the at least one usage policy and the at least one violation of the usage policy by the usage data; and

presenting the exception report to a user.

19. A method of generating a system for managing use of a plurality of wireless devices owned by a customer, the method comprising:

providing a computer system operable to;

obtain at least one usage policy for the plurality of wireless devices, wherein the at least one usage policy is set by the customer and includes rules for voice and data use of the plurality of wireless devices, wherein the rules include at least one of the following;

restrictions as to third parties a user of a wireless device can contact, restrictions as to third parties a user of a wireless device can receive a communication from, and restrictions on use of a wireless device based on date, time or location of the wireless device during attempted use;

compare usage data for at least one of the plurality of wireless devices against the at least one usage policy to determine at least one violation of the usage policy by the usage data for at least one of the plurality of wireless devices;

create an exception report, derived from the comparing, wherein the exception report includes user identification information for the at least one of the plurality of wireless devices, wireless device and wireless device provider information for the at least one of the plurality of wireless devices, the usage data, the at least one usage policy and the at least one violation of the usage policy by the usage data; and

present the exception report to a user.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the computer system is further operable to:

obtain at least one fraud pattern defining an exception, and

compare the at least one fraud pattern to the usage data.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the computer system is further operable to:

obtain at least one usage policy for a credit card owned by the customer;

obtain credit card usage data for the credit card; and

compare the at least one usage policy for the credit card to the credit card usage data.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein at least one of:

the plurality of wireless devices are supplied by a plurality of providers;

or the

usage data is obtained from a plurality of providers.