Intelligent network access controller and method

• US 8,437,741 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tecore Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tecore Incorporated
• Inventors: Salkini, Jay, Joseph, Thomas V. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming, William D
• Application Number:
  US12/318,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20100159877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,600 Days
• Field of Search: 455/411, 455/404.1, 455/456.3, 455/522, 370/352
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• 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 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/02 by periodical registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/12 Access point controller devices

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 for use with a wireless network that provides communications services to subscribers having wireless communications devices, the controller tangibly embodying a program of instructions readable by the controller to perform steps of a process that creates a local wireless network that is an overlay to a part of an existing wireless network and that dynamically controls wireless communications access to the existing wireless network, the steps, comprising:

receiving and sending, at a multi-protocol interface, digital messaging by the wireless communications devices;

determining, at an identification module, an identity of a wireless communications device;

receiving, at an access module, the identity and determining an access level for the wireless communications device; and

preventing wireless communications access by wireless communications devices to the existing wireless network by locking, at a locking module, wireless communications devices to the controller based on the determined access level.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the access levels comprise unlimited wireless access, wherein the wireless communications device is redirected to register with one or more existing wireless networks, and blocked wireless access, wherein wireless communications access is prevented.

3. The controller of claim 2, wherein the wireless communications devices comprise one of allowed, restricted, and unknown wireless communications devices.

4. The controller of claim 3, wherein the restricted and unknown wireless communications devices are blocked from wireless network access.

5. The controller of claim 3, wherein the restricted wireless communications devices only are blocked from wireless network access.

6. The controller of claim 2, wherein the identity of the wireless communications device is stored in an equipment identification module of the controller, the equipment identification module including a subscriber profile including one or more of call features, wireless device protocols, wireless device identification, and personal identification number.

7. The controller of claim 1, the steps further comprising limiting, at a timing module, wireless communication access based on calendar-specific information including time of day and date information.

8. The controller of claim 1, the steps further comprising limiting, at a location module, wireless communication access based on a location of the controller.

9. The controller of claim 1, the steps further comprising limiting, at a location module, wireless communication access based on a location of the wireless communication device.

10. The controller of claim 7, the steps further comprising allowing, at an emergency access module, emergency access during otherwise blocked wireless communications access periods.

11. The controller of claim 9, the steps further comprising allowing, at an emergency access module, emergency access at otherwise blocked wireless communications access locations.

12. The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is permanently mounted at a facility.

13. The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is portable, and wherein when the location of the controller is changed, a wireless access limitation area associated with the controller may change.

14. The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller is portable, and wherein when the location of the controller is changed, a wireless access limitation area associated with the wireless device may change.

15. The controller of claim 1, the steps further comprising interfacing, at a power control module, with one or more directional antennae, RF distribution equipment, amplifiers, and repeaters, and wherein an extent of a wireless communications limited area is variable.

16. The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller controls wireless communications access at multiple sites.

17. The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller controls wireless communications access via a single wireless access technology.

18. The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller controls wireless communications access via multiple wireless access technologies.

19. The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller controls wireless communications access via a single frequency band.

20. The controller of claim 1, wherein the controller controls wireless communications access via multiple frequency bands.

21. The controller of claim 1, the steps further comprising providing an interface to a private network, wherein within a wireless communications limited access area, wireless voice communications are enabled among selected wireless communications devices.

22. The controller of claim 1, the steps further comprising providing a call intercept device, wherein incoming and outgoing communications among the wireless communications devices are monitored and recorded.

23. The controller of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications devices include a fixed wireless telephone, a mobile device, and a computer having a wireless modem.

24. The controller of claim 1, the steps further comprising establishing, at a private network communications module, a private network for voice communications among wireless devices, including wireless devices locked to the controller.

25. The controller of claim 1, the steps further comprising establishing, at a private network communications module, a private network for voice communications among wireless devices, excluding wireless devices locked to the controller.

26. The controller of claim 25, the steps further comprising providing an interface to:

a public switched telephone network (PSTN); and

a private branch exchange (PBX).

27. The controller of claim 1, the steps further comprising providing, at a user interface, operator access to operate the controller and to configure the controller to establish access restrictions.

41. 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.

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

43. The INAC of claim 42, wherein locking locks the devices to the local wireless network based on an operational profile of the airplane, ship, or train.

44. The INAC of claim 43, wherein an operational profile of the airplane includes one of flying, defined as access doors shut, and not flying.

28. A method, implemented on a programmed processor, for restricting access to wireless communications to and from an existing wireless network, comprising:

generating a local wireless network that overlays a part of the existing wireless network;

provoking access from a wireless communications device to register with an intelligent network access controller of the local wireless network;

determining a category of the wireless communications device;

locking the wireless communications device to the controller;

when the determined category is a first category, preventing access to wireless communications to the existing wireless network; and

when the determined category is a second category, providing wireless communications access to the existing wireless network using the controller.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the first category comprises restricted devices and unknown devices, and wherein the second category consists of allowed devices.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the first category comprises restricted devices, and wherein the second category consists of allowed devices and unknown devices.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the first category comprises restricted devices, allowed devices and unknown devices and the second category consists of no devices.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

receiving an emergency access request from a first category device;

determining if the first category device is an unknown device or a restricted device; and

if the first category device is an unknown device, initiating emergency access connection through the local wireless network.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

receiving an emergency access request from a first category device; and

initiating emergency access connection through the local wireless network.

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

receiving an emergency access request from a first category device; and

not initiating emergency access connection through the local wireless network.

35. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

receiving an access request from a first category device; and

allowing the access on the local wireless network.

36. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

receiving an access request from a first category device;

allowing the access on the local wireless network; and

monitoring wireless device activity during the access.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising accessing the wireless device activity overtly from the controller.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising accessing the wireless device activity covertly from the controller.

39. An intelligent network access controller (INAC), tangibly embodying a program of instructions readable by the INAC to performs steps of a process that creates a local wireless network as an overlay to a part of an existing wireless network and that dynamically controls access by wireless devices to the overlaid part of the existing 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 existing wireless network based on the dynamically determined characteristics of the devices; and

dynamically denying access by the devices to the existing wireless network by locking the devices to the local wireless network based on the dynamically determined characteristics of the devices.

40. The INAC of claim 39, wherein registering comprises identifying the devices based on one or more of phone number and equipment identification number.

45. The INAC of claim 39, the steps further comprising establishing a private network within a RF coverage area the local wireless network.

46. A computer-implemented method for controlling access by wireless devices to an existing wireless network, comprising the steps of:

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

locking the devices to the local wireless network; and

based on the dynamically determined characteristics, either;

preventing wireless communications in the existing wireless network using the local wireless network, or

allowing wireless communications in the existing wireless network using the local wireless network.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising registering the devices with the local wireless network based on one or more of phone number and equipment identification number.

48. The method of claim 46, 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.

49. The method of claim 46, further comprising establishing a private network within a RF coverage area of the local wireless network.

50. A system for controlling access to an existing wireless network, comprising:

radio frequency (RF) generating, receiving, and control equipment that creates a local wireless network overlaying a part of the existing wireless network and generates a RF signal receivable by wireless devices; and

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

an identity module that identifies wireless devices within a coverage area of the local wireless network,

an access module that determines a level of access to the existing wireless network, wherein 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 and prevents access to the existing wireless network.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the local wireless network is established in a building.

52. The system of claim 50, wherein the local wireless network is established in a facility.