Mobile subscriber device network access

• US 9,060,278 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2009
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Haughn, Erick, Flynn, Judson John, Lewis, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANOHARAN, MUTHUSWAMY GANAPATHY
• Application Number:
  US12/613,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20110105080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,049 Days
• Field of Search: 370/332, 455/411, 455/435.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/335 for accessing specific resources, e.g. using Kerberos tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2119 Authenticating web pages, e.g. with suspicious links
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel

Abstract

In one or more embodiments, one or more methods and/or systems described can perform receiving, from a first access point coupled to a first network and operated by a first network provider, an access code from a subscriber mobile device (MSD), associated with a second network provider, that accesses a uniform resource locator (URL) that includes the access code. The access code can be usable by the first network provider to determine whether or not to permit the MSD access of a second network coupled to the first network. In one or more embodiments, the URL is received by the MSD in a text message and/or from a short message service (SMS). In one or more embodiments, the MSD is operable to use telecommunications services of and provided by the second network provider. In one or more embodiments, the first network provider is the second network provider.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a first server coupled to a first network and operated by a first network provider, first identification information of a mobile subscriber device;

sending the first identification information to equipment of a second network provider;

in response to receiving a message indicating that the mobile subscriber device is permitted network access to a second network, generating, at the first server, an access code that permits network access to the second network via the first network;

sending a uniform resource locator that includes the access code to the mobile subscriber device, wherein the access code is different from the first identification information;

receiving the access code from the mobile subscriber device;

determining, at the first server via a first determination, whether the access code is valid after receiving the access code from the mobile subscriber device;

determining, at the first server via a second determination, a fraud indicator associated with the mobile subscriber device;

conditionally permitting the mobile subscriber device access to the second network in response to the first determination indicating that the access code is valid and based on the fraud indicator; and

after permitting the mobile subscriber device access to the second network, sending an accounting start message to the second network, wherein the accounting start message causes the second network to start an accounting service, and wherein the accounting service measures resources used by the mobile subscriber device while accessing the second network via the first network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile subscriber device is permitted access to the second network conditioned upon the fraud indicator indicating that there is no fraud associated with the mobile subscriber device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the uniform resource locator to the mobile subscriber device includes using a short message service to send the uniform resource locator to the subscriber device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first server and the mobile subscriber device communicate using wireless Ethernet.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the uniform resource locator to the mobile subscriber device includes addressing a text message to the mobile subscriber device using the first identification information, wherein the text message includes the uniform resource locator.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein conditionally permitting the mobile subscriber device access to the second network includes modifying an access control list to increase a number of network addresses associated with the second network that can be accessed by the mobile subscriber device via the first network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile subscriber device is operable to use communications services provided by the second network provider.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first identification information includes at least a portion of a mobile identification number, at least a portion of a mobile subscriber integrated services digital network number, at least a portion of an international mobile subscriber identity number, or a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the fraud indicator indicates that a number of media access control addresses associated with an account associated with the mobile subscriber device exceeds a threshold, that there is simultaneous usage of the account to access the second network by the mobile subscriber device and a second subscriber device, a lack of orientation information from the mobile subscriber device, or a combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the first server, a request to access the second network from the mobile subscriber device; and

determining, at the first server, whether the mobile subscriber device is permitted to access the second network based on an access control list.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting a request for the first identification information in response to a third determination that the mobile subscriber device is not permitted to access the second network based on the access control list.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the access code is valid is based on a location of the mobile subscriber device.

13. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor; and

a network interface coupled to the processor, wherein the network interface is coupled to a first network, and wherein the memory includes processor executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations including;

receiving, via the network interface, first identification information of a mobile subscriber device from a first access point coupled to the first network and operated by a first network provider;

in response to receiving a message indicating that the mobile subscriber device is permitted access by a second network provider to a second network coupled to the first network, generating an access code that permits network access to the second network via the first network;

transmitting a uniform resource locator that includes the access code to the mobile subscriber device, wherein the access code is different from the first identification information;

receiving via the network interface the access code from the mobile subscriber device;

determining, via a first determination, whether the access code is valid after receiving the access code from the mobile subscriber device;

determining, via a second determination, a fraud indicator associated with the mobile subscriber device;

conditionally permitting the mobile subscriber device access to the second network in response to the first determination indicating that the access code is valid and based on the fraud indicator; and

after permitting the mobile subscriber device access to the second network, sending an accounting start message to the second network, wherein the accounting start message causes the second network to start an accounting service, and wherein the accounting service measures resources used by the mobile subscriber device while accessing the second network via the first network.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the uniform resource locator is received by the mobile subscriber device in a text message.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the uniform resource locator is received by the mobile subscriber device from a short message service.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the first access point and the mobile subscriber device communicate using wireless Ethernet.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the mobile subscriber device is operable to use telecommunications services provided by the second network provider.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the first identification information includes at least a portion of a mobile identification number, at least a portion of a mobile subscriber integrated services digital network number, at least a portion of an international mobile subscriber identity number, or a combination thereof.

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

receiving, via a network interface of a first server coupled to a first network and operated by a first network provider, first identification information of a mobile subscriber device;

in response to receiving a message indicating that the mobile subscriber device is permitted access by a second network provider to a second network coupled to the first network, generating an access code that permits network access to the second network via the first network;

transmitting a uniform resource locator that includes the access code to the mobile subscriber device, wherein the access code is different from the first identification information;

receiving the access code from the mobile subscriber device;

determining, via a first determination, whether the access code is valid after receiving the access code from the mobile subscriber device;

determining, via a second determination, a fraud indicator associated with the mobile subscriber device;

conditionally providing the mobile subscriber device access to the second network in response to the first determination indicating that the access code is valid and based on the fraud indicator; and

after permitting the mobile subscriber device access to the second network, sending an accounting start message to the second network, wherein the accounting start message causes the second network to start an accounting service, and wherein the accounting service measures resources used by the mobile subscriber device while accessing the second network via the first network.

20. The computer readable storage device of claim 19, wherein the uniform resource locator is received by the mobile subscriber device in a text message.