Integrating GSM and WiFi service in mobile communication devices

• US 8,331,907 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2004
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobileum, Incorporated fka Roamware
• Original Assignee: Mobileum, Incorporated fka Roamware
• Inventors: Jiang, Yue Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Brandt, Christopher M
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANOHARAN, MUTHUSWAMY GANAPATHY
• Application Number:
  US10/778,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20040235455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,224 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/414, 455/432.3, 455/434, 370/352, 370/338
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/093 using multilayer structures, e.g. giant magnetoresistance sensors thin magnetic films H01F10/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/087 the earth magnetic field being modified by the objects or geological structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A system that integrates Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) wireless local area network (WLAN) services is provided. The system couples among components of a communications service provider and a provider of WiFi services to provide integrated cellular communications and wireless fidelity network services to users of mobile devices. The system monitors communications between the service provider and the mobile devices and automatically gathers identification information of the mobile devices. Upon authentication of the mobile devices via an exchange of information among the service provider infrastructures and the mobile devices, the system controls access of the mobile communication devices to WiFi services via the service provider infrastructure using the identification information.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a first system associated with a mobile network and coupled to monitor wireless channels between a mobile service provider and at least one mobile device and receive mobile device identification information in one or more signals monitored over the wireless channels, wherein the first system comprises a probe server;

a second system coupled among the first system and a Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) application under a WiFi service provider that is different from the mobile service provider, wherein the second system advertises WiFi services to the at least one mobile device based at least in part on the mobile device identification information, activates the WiFi application in response to a request from the at least one mobile device, generates WiFi application identification information, and transmits the WiFi application identification information to the requesting mobile device, wherein the second system comprises a central server; and

a third system coupled among the first and second systems that receives an authentication request to the WiFi application from the at least one mobile device, determines via monitoring using the probe server whether the at least one mobile device is registered with the mobile service provider, and continually controls access of the at least one mobile device to the WiFi application based on determining whether the at least one mobile device is registered with the mobile service provider according to one or more additional messages monitored over the wireless channels, wherein the third system comprises an authentication server.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the request from the at least one mobile device is an electronic request for WiFi service access generated by the at least one mobile device based at least in part on the second system advertising the WiFi services.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the second system transmits the WiFi application identification information to the at least one mobile device via a second wireless message, wherein the WiFi application identification information includes a personal identification number (PIN).

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one database for storage of mobile device identification information that includes at least one of a device telephone number, at least one identification number associated with the mobile device and components of the mobile device, an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), and the WiFi application identification information.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one mobile device includes at least one of cellular telephones, personal computers, portable computing devices, portable telephones, portable communication devices, subscriber devices or units, and personal digital assistants.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first communication link includes a cellular communication channel.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the mobile service providers includes at least one Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) service provider and the WiFi service provider includes at least one wireless local area network (WLAN) service provider.

8. A system that couples among components of two or more communications service providers and a mobile communication device, comprising:

a probe server that automatically gathers identification information of the mobile communication device from one or more messages monitored over a wireless channel between a mobile service provider and the mobile communication device;

a central server that launches a service application under a WiFi service provider in response to a request for WiFi access from the mobile communication device; and

a short message service (SMS) center that transmits a SMS to the mobile communication device advertising WiFi services based at least in part on the identification information; and

an authentication server that continually controls access of the mobile communication device to the WiFi services based on determining whether the mobile communication device is registered with the mobile service provider according to one or more additional messages monitored by the probe server over the wireless channel.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the mobile service provider is a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) service provider.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising an authentication server that continually determines based at least in part on the one or more messages monitored over the wireless channels whether the mobile communication device is registered with the mobile service provider and controls access of the mobile communication device to the service application based on whether the mobile communication device is registered with the mobile service provider.

11. A method for providing integrated communication services and wireless local area network (WLAN) services to at least one mobile device, comprising:

monitoring wireless channels between a mobile service provider and the at least one mobile device;

receiving device identification information via one or more messages monitored over the wireless channels;

automatically transmitting a first wireless message advertising WLAN services to the at least one mobile device in response to receipt of the device identification information;

receiving a request for WLAN access from the at least one mobile device;

activating at least one WLAN application under a WiFi service provider that is different from the mobile service provider;

automatically transmitting application identification information to the at least one mobile device;

receiving an authentication request to the WLAN application from the at least one mobile device;

determining via the one or more messages monitored over the wireless channels whether the at least one mobile device is registered with the mobile service provider; and

continually controlling access of the at least one mobile device to the WLAN application based on determining from one or more additional messages monitored over the wireless channel whether the at least one mobile device is registered with the mobile service provider and in response to the authentication request.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the request for WLAN access is generated using information of the first wireless message.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first wireless message includes a Short Message Service (SMS) message.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating application identification information associated with the WLAN application.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the application identification information is transmitted to the at least one mobile device using a second wireless message.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second wireless message includes a Short Message Service (SMS) message.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the mobile service provider includes a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) service provider.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising storing the device identification information in at least one database, wherein the device identification information includes at least one of a device telephone number, at least one identification number associated with the at least one mobile device and components of the at least one mobile device, an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI), a Mobile Country Code (MCC), a Mobile Network Code (MNC), a Mobile Station Identification Number (MSIN), a Mobile Station International Integrated Service Digital Network (ISDN) Number (MSISDN), a Number Assignment Module (NAM), information of a subscriber, and the WiFi application identification information.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one mobile device includes at least one of cellular telephones, personal computers, portable computing devices, portable telephones, portable communication devices, subscriber devices or units, and personal digital assistants.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one mobile device includes cellular telephones having a single Subscriber Identity Module (SIM)/User Identity Module (UIM) card.

21. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating a call detail record during at least one time period during which the at least one mobile device is accessing the WLAN application.

22. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing billing information to at least one billing system via a coupling to the billing system, wherein the billing information comprises information of at least one session during which the at least one mobile device is accessing the WLAN application.

23. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a de-registration event in a message monitored over the wireless channels;

determining whether the at least one mobile device is accessing the WLAN application based at least in part on the receiving the de-registration event; and

automatically transmitting a message to the at least one mobile device requesting the at least one mobile device user to re-register with the mobile service provider where the determining includes determining that the at least one mobile device is accessing the WLAN application.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

initiating a timer where the determining includes determining that the at least one mobile device is accessing the WLAN application; and

terminating the WLAN application where the at least one mobile device does not re-register before expiration of the timer.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

initiating a timer where the determining includes determining that the at least one mobile device is accessing the WLAN application; and

receiving a registration event via the monitoring before expiration of the timer.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising terminating the timer in response to receiving the registration event.

27. A system that couples among components of two or more communications service providers and at least one mobile communication device, comprising:

means for monitoring communications between a mobile service provider and the at least one mobile device;

means for automatically gathering identification information of the at least one mobile device based at least in part on one or more messages received by the means for monitoring communications;

means for launching a service application under a WiFi service provider and providing service application identification information to the at least one mobile device, wherein the WiFi service provider is different from the mobile service provider;

means for determining, from the one or more messages received by the means for monitoring, whether the at least one mobile device is registered with the mobile service provider; and

means for continually controlling access of the at least one mobile device to the service application based on the means for determining continually determining whether the at least one mobile device is registered with the mobile service provider based on the one or more messages and in response to a request from the at least one mobile device.

28. A device that integrates access to communication services and wireless local area network (WLAN) services by at least one mobile device, comprising:

means for monitoring wireless channels between a mobile service provider and the at least one mobile device;

means for receiving device identification information of the at least one mobile device based at least in part on one or more messages received by the means for monitoring over the wireless channels;

means for automatically transmitting a first wireless message to the at least one mobile device advertising WiFi services in response to receipt of the device identification information;

means for receiving a request for WLAN access from the at least one mobile device;

means for activating at least one WLAN application under a WiFi service provider that is different from the mobile service provider;

means for automatically transmitting application identification information to the at least one mobile device;

means for receiving an authentication request to the at least one WLAN application from the at least one mobile device;

means for determining based at least in part on the one or more messages received by the means for monitoring whether the at least one mobile device is registered with the mobile service provider; and

means for continually controlling access of the at least one mobile device to the at least one WLAN application based on the means for determining continually determining whether the at least one mobile device is registered with the mobile service provider and in response to the authentication request.

29. A computer readable non-transitory medium including executable instructions which, when executed by a processing system, provides integrated communication services and wireless local area network (WLAN) services to at least one mobile device, by:

monitoring wireless channels between a mobile service provider and the at least one mobile device;

receiving device identification information from one or more messages monitored over the wireless channels automatically transmitting a first wireless message to the at least one mobile device advertising WiFi services in response to receipt of the device identification information;

receiving a request for WLAN access from the at least one mobile device;

activating at least one WLAN application under a WiFi service provider that is different from the mobile service provider;

automatically transmitting application identification information to the at least one mobile device;

receiving an authentication request to the at least one WLAN application from the at least one mobile device;

determining from the one or more messages monitored over the wireless channels whether the at least one mobile device is registered with the mobile service provider; and

continually controlling access of the at least one mobile device to the at least one WLAN application based on whether the at least one mobile device is registered with the mobile service provider and in response to the authentication request.

30. A method for providing integrated communication services and wireless local are network (WLAN) services to mobile devices, comprising:

monitoring wireless channels between a mobile service provider and a mobile device;

receiving device identification information from one or more messages monitored over the wireless channels;

automatically transmitting a first wireless message to the mobile device advertising WiFi services in response to receipt of the device identification information;

receiving a request for WLAN access from the mobile device;

activating at least one WLAN application under a WiFi service provider that is different from the mobile service provider;

determining from the one or more messages monitored over the wireless channels whether the mobile device is registered with the mobile service provider; and

continually controlling access of the mobile device to the at least one WLAN application based on whether the mobile device is registered with the mobile service provider.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein determining whether the mobile device is registered with the mobile service provider comprises:

receiving a de-registration event in a message monitored over the wireless channels;

determining whether the mobile device is accessing the WLAN application based at least in part on the receiving the de-registration event; and

automatically transmitting a message to the mobile device requesting the mobile device user to re-register with the mobile service provider where the determining includes determining that the at least one mobile device is accessing the WLAN application.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

initiating a timer where the determining includes determining that the at least one mobile device is accessing the WLAN application; and

terminating the WLAN application where the at least one mobile device does not re-register before expiration of the timer.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

initiating a timer where the determining includes determining that the at least one mobile device is accessing the WLAN application; and

receiving a registration event via the monitoring before expiration of the timer.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising terminating the timer in response to receiving the registration event.

35. A method for providing integrated communication services and wireless local area network (WLAN) services to mobile devices, comprising:

monitoring wireless channels between a mobile service provider and a mobile device;

receiving device identification information from one or more messages monitored over the wireless channels;

automatically transmitting a first wireless message to the mobile device in response to receipt of the device identification information;

receiving a request for WLAN access from the mobile device;

activating at least one WLAN application under a WiFi service provider that is different from the mobile service provider;

continually determining from the one or more messages monitored over the wireless channels whether the mobile device is registered with the mobile service provider; and

controlling access to the second WiFi provider based on the continually determining whether the mobile device is registered with the mobile service provider.