System and method for selectively provisioning telecommunications services between an access point and a telecommunications network using a subscriber identifier

• US 9,363,740 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2014
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc. (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Linkola, Janne P., Caldwell, Christopher E., Hassan, Omar
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, HOANG-CHUONG Q
• Application Number:
  US14/538,724
• Publication Number:
  US 20150065086A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395.2, 370/252, 370/352, 370/401, 455/558, 455/556.1, 455/557
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A method and system for reducing network load by selectively provisioning services between an access point and a carrier network is disclosed. The access point supports telecommunications services over an IP network. The access point includes a network connection and a telephone connector capable of connecting to a standard landline telephone. The access point also includes at least one detection component that detects whether a landline telephone is plugged in to the telephone connector. The access point is configured to provision a telecommunications services through the IP network when it detects that an identification module is present.

Claims

1. A method for provisioning voice communications between an access point and a telecommunications network, the method comprising:

receiving a registration signal from the access point, wherein the registration signal includes a subscriber identifier received from a user-provided memory device that stores the subscriber identifier in tamper-resistant memory;

comparing the subscriber identifier to a range of values,

wherein the range of values designates a set of subscriber identifiers authorized to receive selected telecommunications services,

wherein the selected telecommunications services are only available to access points and are not available to subscriber identifiers associated with mobile devices, and

wherein the selected telecommunications services are not available to subscribers outside the range of values;

determining a street address associated with the access point by finding the street address associated with the subscriber identifier; and

selectively provisioning telecommunications services between the access point and the telecommunications network, based at least in part on the comparison and on whether the associated street address was determined for the access point.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein provisioning telecommunications services comprises provisioning the telecommunications services if the value of the subscriber identifier is within the range of values and rejecting the telecommunications services if the value of the subscriber identifier is not within the range of values.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein provisioning telecommunications services comprises provisioning the telecommunications services if the street address is determined and rejecting the telecommunications services if the street address is not determined.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining call billing information based at least in part on the subscriber identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving connection type data from the access point, the connection type data including information to indicate service, equipment, or radio capabilities of the access device; and

determining call billing information based on the subscriber identifier and the connection type data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the range of values is associated with multiple access points and wherein the access point is one of the multiple access points.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a level of services associated with the subscriber identifier, wherein the level of services is based on the range of values in which the subscriber identifier coincides.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the level of services is further defined by connection type data associated with a mobile device and the access point.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications services are provisioned over an Internet Protocol (IP)-based network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the street address is stored in a data store accessible on an IP-based network.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the street address is associated with a geographical location, and wherein corresponding to a coverage area serviced by the telecommunications network.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, perform an operation for provisioning voice communications between an access point and a telecommunications network, the operation comprising:

receiving a registration signal from the access point, wherein the registration signal includes a subscriber identifier received from a user-provided memory device that stores the subscriber identifier in tamper-resistant memory;

comparing the subscriber identifier to a range of values,

wherein the range of values designates a set of subscriber identifiers authorized to receive selected telecommunications services,

wherein the selected telecommunications services are only available to access points and are not available to subscriber identifiers associated with mobile devices, and

wherein the selected telecommunications services are not available to subscribers outside the range of values;

determining a street address associated with the access point by finding the street address associated with the subscriber identifier; and

selectively provisioning telecommunications services between the access point and the telecommunications network, based at least in part on the comparison and on whether the associated street address was determined for the access point.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein provisioning a telecommunications services comprises provisioning telecommunications services if the value of the subscriber identifier is within the range of values and rejecting the telecommunications services if the value of the subscriber identifier is not within the range of values.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising determining call billing information based at least in part on the subscriber identifier.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving connection type data from the access point, the connection type data including information to indicate service, equipment, or radio capabilities of the access device; and

determining call billing information based on the subscriber identifier and the connection type data.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the range of values is associated with multiple access points and wherein the access point is one of the multiple access points.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising:

determining a level of services associated with the subscriber identifier, wherein the level of services is based on the range of values in which the subscriber identifier coincides.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the street address is stored in a data store accessible on an IP-based network.

19. A system for provisioning voice communications between an access point and a telecommunications network, the system comprising:

an interface for receiving a registration signal from the access point, wherein the registration signal includes a subscriber identifier received from a user-provided memory device that stores the subscriber identifier in tamper-resistant memory;

a data store coupled to the interface, the data store storing a range of values designating a set of subscriber identifiers authorized to receive selected telecommunications services,

wherein the selected telecommunications services are not available to subscribers outside the range of values; and

a processor for executing a instructions stored in a memory, the instructions including the steps of;

querying the data store to determine comparing the subscriber identifier to a range of values, wherein the selected telecommunications services are only available to access points and are not available to subscriber identifiers associated with mobile devices,

determining a street address associated with the access point, wherein the street address is stored in the data store in association with the subscriber identifier; and

selectively provisioning telecommunications services between the access point and the telecommunications network, based at least in part on the comparison and on whether the associated street address was determined for the access point.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions stored in the memory further comprises the steps of:

receiving connection type data from the access point, the connection type data including information to indicate service, equipment, or radio capabilities of the access device; and

determining call billing information based on the subscriber identifier and the connection type data.