Access control lists and profiles to manage femto cell coverage

• US 9,392,461 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2013
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huber, Kurt Donald, Flynn, Judson John, Mansfield, William Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US13/949,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20130303119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 726 26- 30
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• 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 63/101 : Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/108 : when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/73 : Validating charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 : using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 : using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 : using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 : using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• 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 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 : for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 : Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 : based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 : Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 : Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 : with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 : Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 : Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 : Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 : using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

Access to femto cell service can be managed through access control list(s) (e.g., white list(s), or black list(s)). White list(s) includes a set of subscriber station(s) identifier numbers, codes, or tokens, and also can include additional fields for femto cell access management based on desired complexity. White list(s) can have associated white list profile(s) therewith to establish logic of femto coverage access based on the white list(s). Values of attribute fields that determine white list(s), black list(s), or white list profile(s) can be generated through various sources. An access list management component facilitates generation and maintenance of white list(s), black list(s), or white list profile(s). Values for identifier attribute field(s) available for inclusion in a white list are validated prior to inclusion therein. Various example aspects such as white list(s) management, maintenance and dissemination; automatic population or pre-configuration; and inclusion of wireless device(s) or subscriber(s) are also provided.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

implementing, by a femtocell device comprising a processor, a procedure that configures access to the femtocell device, the procedure comprising;

receiving, by the femtocell device, identifier data indicative of a mobile device for inclusion in an access control data structure of the femtocell device that controls access to the femtocell device by mobile devices;

verifying, by the femtocell device, that status data related to the mobile device satisfies a defined status criterion; and

in response to the verifying, updating, by the femtocell device, the access control data structure with the identifier data, wherein the status data differs from the identifier data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the verifying comprises verifying that the identifier data is indicative of an active identifier that indicates the identifier data does not require an update.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the verifying comprises verifying that the status data comprises information that indicates that the identifier data has been approved to be included within the access control data structure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the verifying comprises verifying that commercial standing data indicative of a commercial standing of the mobile device is determined to satisfy a commercial standing criterion.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier data comprises first identifier data and the method further comprises:

in response to determining that the status data comprises information that is flagged for an update, receiving, by the system, second identifier data from a subscriber data store of a macro network; and

in response to the receiving the second identifier data, updating, by the system, the access control data structure with the second identifier data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises receiving a text message.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the system, profile data associated with the mobile device; and

in response to the verifying, updating, by the system, the access control data structure with the profile data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving the profile data comprises receiving information indicative of a category of service that is employed to determine a set of applications which the mobile device is authorized to access.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving the profile data comprises receiving configuration data associated with a quality of service that is to be provided to the mobile device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving the profile data comprises receiving timing data that specifies a time period during which the mobile device is authorized to access the femtocell device.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving the profile data comprises receiving technology data that specifies a communication technology which the mobile device is authorized to utilize to facilitate a communication with the femtocell device.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving the profile data comprises receiving billing data associated with the mobile device.

13. A femtocell device, comprising:

a memory to store instructions; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, that facilitates execution of the instructions to perform operations, comprising;

determining that a mobile device has been granted access to the femtocell device based on an access control data structure employed by the femtocell device to control access, by the mobile device, to the femtocell device;

subsequent to the determining, verifying that status data related to the mobile device satisfies a defined status criterion; and

in response to the verifying, updating the access control data structure with identifier data indicative of the mobile device, wherein the identifier data differs from the status data.

14. The femtocell device of claim 13, wherein the verifying comprises verifying that the status data specifies that the identifier data comprises an active identifier that indicates the identifier data does not require an update.

15. The femtocell device of claim 13, wherein the verifying comprises verifying that the status data specifies that the mobile device has authorized inclusion of the identifier data in the access control data structure.

16. The femtocell device of claim 13, wherein the verifying comprises verifying that commercial standing data indicative of a commercial standing of account data associated with the mobile device is determined to satisfy a commercial standing criterion.

17. The femtocell device of claim 13, wherein the determining comprises receiving access data via a text message.

18. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

in response to a determination that an access control data structure employed by a femtocell device to manage access, by a mobile device, to the femtocell device satisfies an access criterion, determining status data associated with the mobile device that is to be granted access to the femtocell device; and

in response to verifying that the status data satisfies a defined status criterion, updating the access control data structure associated with the femtocell device with identifier data indicative of the mobile device, wherein the status data differs from the identifier data.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the determining the status data comprises determining the status data in response to receiving, via a text message, authorization data that indicates that the mobile device is to be granted access to the femtocell device.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the verifying comprises verifying that the mobile device has authorized inclusion of the identifier data in the access control data structure.