Method and system for enhanced conference call security

• US 9,374,470 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2014
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Andrewin, Kevin Wilfred, Alfano, Nicholas Patrick, Gisby, Douglas Michael, McColgan, Brian Edward Anthony, Labrador, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khai N
• Application Number:
  US14/506,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20150023487A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 379/90.01, 379/93.01, 379/93.21, 379/157, 379/158, 379/188, 379/201.01, 379/202.01, 379/207.01, 379/26, 379/5.03, 370/259, 370/260, 370/261, 370/262, 455/414.1, 455/416, 455/566, 348/14.01, 348/14.02, 348/14.03, 348/14.04, 348/14.05, 348/14.06, 348/14.07, 348/14.08, 348/14.09, 348/14.1, 348/14.11, 348/14.12, 348/14.13, 348/14.14, 348/15.15, 348/14.16, 704/270
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1053 IP private branch exchange [PBX] functionality entities or arrangements circuit switched PBXs H04M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2094 Proximity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/60 related to security aspects in telephonic communication systems network architectures or network communication protocols for network security H04L63/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4234 Remote access to features of PBX or home telephone systems-teleworking in a PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1235 where one of the core networks is a wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management

Abstract

A method for controlling access by of communication devices to a conference call, the method comprising associating proximity settings with a conference call, the proximity settings indicating a acceptable proximity of other communication devices relative to a selected communication device; sensing by the selected communication device proximity of the other devices within its proximity of the communication device to obtain proximity information; and determining, by a processor, from the obtained proximity information and the proximity settings an action to be performed with reference to the conference call.

Claims

1. A method for controlling access to a conference call managed by a server device, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a communication device for access to the conference call;

obtaining one or more contextual attributes associated with the communication device, the contextual attributes indicating at least one or more peripheral devices communicatively coupled to the communication devices;

determining whether the contextual attributes of the communication device satisfy a predefined policy; and

if the contextual attributes of the communication device fail to satisfy the predefined policy, updating operations of the server device to restrict the communication device'"'"'s access to the conference call.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the determining whether the contextual attributes of the communication device satisfy the predefined policy comprises at least one of:

determining whether a location of the communication device is within allowed locations predefined in the policy;

determining whether a type of the communication device is within allowed types of devices predefined in the policy;

or

determining whether the one or more peripheral devices are within allowed peripherals predefined in the policy.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, the updated operations including refusing to connect the communication device to the conference call.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, the updated operations including restricting use of a speakerphone on the communication device.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, the updated operations including restricting use of a wireless headset on the communication device.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

if the one or more contextual attributes of the communication device satisfy the predefined policy,

allowing the communication device to access the conference call; and

re-determining whether the contextual attributes of the communication device satisfy the predefined policy during the conference call.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the controlling access is performed by a conference call platform.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the location of the communication device is provided by a location server.

9. A server device for controlling access of a communication device to a conference call, the server device comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a request from the communication device for access to the conference call;

obtain one or more contextual attributes associated with the communication device, the contextual attributes indicating at least or more peripheral devices communicatively coupled to the communication devices;

determine whether the contextual attributes of the communication device satisfy a predefined policy; and

if the contextual attributes of the communication device fail to satisfy the predefined policy, determine an action restricting the communication device'"'"'s access to the conference call.

10. The server device as defined in claim 9, wherein the processor is configured determine whether the contextual attributes of the communication device satisfy the predefined policy comprises at least one of:

determine whether a location of the communication device is within allowed locations predefined in the policy;

determine whether a type of the communication device is within allowed types of devices predefined in the policy;

or

determine whether the one or more peripheral devices are within allowed peripherals predefined in the policy.

11. The server device as defined in claim 9, the action including the refusal to connect the communication device to the conference call.

12. The server device as defined in claim 9, the action including the restricting of use of a speakerphone on the communication device.

13. The server device as defined in claim 9, the action including the restricting of use of a wireless headset on the communication device.

14. The server device as defined in claim 9, if the one or more contextual attributes of the communication device satisfy the predefined policy, the processor is further configured to:

allow the communication device to access the conference call; and

re-determine whether the contextual attributes of the communication device satisfy the predefined policy during the conference call.

15. The server device as defined in claim 9, wherein the controlling of access is performed by a conference call platform.

16. The server device as defined in claim 9, wherein the location of the communication device is provided by a location server.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that are executable by one or more processors of a server device to cause the server device to perform a method for controlling access of a communication device to a conference call, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a communication device for access to the conference call;

obtaining one or more contextual attributes associated with the communication device, the contextual attributes indicating at least one or more peripheral devices communicatively coupled to the communication devices;

determining whether the contextual attributes of the communication device satisfy a predefined policy; and

if the contextual attributes of the communication device fail to satisfy the predefined policy, determining an action restricting the communication device'"'"'s access to the conference call.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the determining whether the contextual attributes of the communication device satisfy the predefined policy comprises at least one of:

determining whether a location of the communication device is within allowed locations predefined in the policy;

determining whether a type of the communication device is within allowed types of devices predefined in the policy;

or

determining whether the one or more peripheral devices are within allowed peripherals predefined in the policy.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, the action including refusing to connect the communication device to the conference call.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, the action including restricting use of a speakerphone on the communication device.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, the action including restricting use of a wireless headset on the communication device.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising:

if the one or more contextual attributes of the communication device satisfy the predefined policy,

allowing the communication device to access the conference call; and

re-determining whether the contextual attributes of the communication device satisfy the predefined policy during the conference call.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the controlling access is performed by a conference call platform.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the location of the communication device is provided by a location server.