Apparatus and method of securing private content stored in a memory

• US 8,391,923 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Liu, Huitao
• Primary Examiner(s): Rego, Dominic E
• Application Number:
  US13/416,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20120172000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/414.1, 455/557, 455/558, 455/410, 455/420, 455/425, 379/211.05, 379/357.01, 379/357.02, 379/433.09, 710/13, 361/737
• US Class Current: 455/558
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/675 the user being required to insert a coded card, e.g. a smart card carrying an integrated circuit chip
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/14 including a card reading device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier

Abstract

An apparatus and a method of securing private content stored in a memory are presented. A terminal includes a memory configured to store a private content identifier associated with private content. The private content identifier includes international mobile subscriber identity information of a smart card associated with a user that is authorized to access the private content. A particular smart card includes a smart card identifier associated with the particular smart card. The terminal also includes a security function configured to perform a comparison of the private content identifier to the smart card identifier and to grant access to the private content when a result of the comparison is positive.

Claims

1. A terminal comprising:

a memory configured to store a private content identifier associated with private content, wherein the private content identifier includes international mobile subscriber identity information of a smart card associated with a user that is authorized to access the private content, wherein a particular smart card includes a smart card identifier associated with the particular smart card; and

a security function configured to perform a comparison of the private content identifier to the smart card identifier and to grant access to the private content when a result of the comparison is positive.

2. The terminal of claim 1, further comprising a smart card reader configured to read the smart card identifier of the particular smart card when the particular smart card is in communication with the smart card reader.

3. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the terminal comprises a mobile telephone.

4. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the private content identifier further includes a mobile station integrated services digital network number.

5. The terminal of claim 4, wherein the smart card identifier further includes the mobile station integrated services digital network number.

6. The terminal of claim 5, wherein the security function is further configured to deny access to the private content when the result of the comparison is negative.

7. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the smart card identifier further includes a mobile station integrated services digital network number.

8. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the particular smart card comprises a subscriber identity module.

9. The terminal of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the private content is downloaded from a content provider.

10. The terminal of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the private content comprises factory installed settings.

11. The terminal of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the private content is stored in the memory.

12. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the smart card identifier is associated with international mobile subscriber identity information associated with the particular smart card.

13. A method comprising:

accessing a private content identifier associated with private content from a memory of a terminal, wherein the private content identifier includes international mobile subscriber identity information of a smart card associated with a user that is authorized to access the private content, wherein a particular smart card includes a smart card identifier associated with the particular smart card;

comparing the private content identifier to the smart card identifier in the terminal to produce a comparison result; and

granting access to the private content when the comparison result is positive.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising reading the smart card identifier of the particular smart card when the particular smart card is in communication with a smart card reader.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising denying access to the private content when the comparison result is negative.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the private content identifier is associated with a mobile station integrated services digital network number, wherein the particular smart card is a subscriber identity module, and wherein a subscriber identity is established on the subscriber identity module at least in part via the mobile station integrated services digital network number.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the smart card identifier is associated with international mobile subscriber identity information associated with the particular smart card.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed, cause a processor to:

access a private content identifier associated with private content from a memory of a terminal, wherein the private content identifier includes international mobile subscriber identity information of a smart card associated with a user that is authorized to access the private content;

perform a comparison of the private content identifier to a smart card identifier of a particular smart card in the terminal; and

grant access to the private content when a result of the comparison is positive.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions that when executed, cause the processor to receive the smart card identifier of the particular smart card from a smart card reader.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions that when executed, cause the processor to deny access to the private content when the result of the comparison is negative.