Apparatus and method of securing private content stored in a memory

• US 8,892,166 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2013
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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:
  US14/067,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20140051397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 384 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, 713/152, 713/155, 713/161, 713/164, 713/166, 713/168, 713/182
• 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. The apparatus includes a processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations. The operations include accessing a private content identifier associated with private content. The private content identifier is based on international mobile subscriber identity information associated with a memory and a mobile station integrated services digital network number. The operations also include determining whether to grant or deny access to the private content based on the private content identifier and a memory device identifier associated with the memory.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

accessing a private content identifier associated with private content, wherein the private content identifier is based on international mobile subscriber identity information associated with a memory device and a mobile station integrated services digital network number; and

determining whether to grant or deny access to the private content based on the private content identifier and a memory device identifier associated with the memory.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise performing a comparison of the private content identifier to the memory device identifier, wherein the determination of whether to grant or deny access to the private content is based on a result of the comparison.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein determining whether to grant or deny access to the private content comprises denying access to the private content when the result of the comparison is negative.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein determining whether to grant or deny access to the private content comprises granting access to the private content when the result of the comparison is positive.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise reading, at a memory device reader, the memory device identifier of the memory.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a mobile phone, wherein the mobile phone includes the processor and the memory.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mobile station integrated services digital network number is associated with an authorized user.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory device identifier includes the mobile station integrated services digital network number associated with the memory.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory comprises a subscriber identity module.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a combination of the mobile station integrated services digital network number and the international mobile subscriber identity information is used to identify a subscriber associated with the subscriber identity module.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the private content is downloaded from a content provider.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the private content comprises factory installed settings.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory device identifier is associated with secure and non-user editable information associated with the memory.

14. A method comprising:

accessing, at a mobile terminal, a private content identifier associated with private content, wherein the private content identifier is based on international mobile subscriber identity information associated with a memory device and a mobile station integrated services digital network number; and

determining whether to grant or deny access to the private content based on the private content identifier and a memory device identifier associated with the memory device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising reading the memory device identifier of the memory device.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein access to the private content is denied when a result of a comparison of the private content identifier to the memory device identifier is negative.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein access to the private content is granted when a result of a comparison of the private content identifier to the memory device identifier is positive.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the memory device is a subscriber identity module.

19. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

accessing a private content identifier associated with private content, wherein the private content identifier is based on international mobile subscriber identity information associated with a memory device and a mobile station integrated services digital network number; and

determining whether to grant or deny access to the private content based on the private content identifier and a memory device identifier associated with the memory device.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise performing a comparison of the private content identifier to the memory device identifier, wherein access to the private content is denied when a result of the comparison is negative and access to the private content is granted when the result of the comparison is positive.