Management of access to service in an access point

• US 9,509,701 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2014
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wohlert, Randolph, Majmundar, Milap
• Primary Examiner(s): Okeke, Izunna
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zarrineh, Shahriar
• Application Number:
  US14/472,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20140370852A1
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

System(s) and method(s) are provided to configure access rights to wireless resources and telecommunication service(s) supplied through a set of access points (APs). Access to wireless resources is authorized by access attributes in access control list(s) (ACL(s)) while a profile of service attributes linked to the ACL(s) regulate provision of telecommunication service(s). Access and service attributes can be automatically or dynamically configured, at least in part, in response to changes in data that directly or indirectly affects an operation environment in which the set of APs is deployed. Automatic or dynamic configuration of access or service attributes enable control or coordination of wireless service provided through the set of APs; degree of control or coordination is determined at least in part by enablement or disablement of disparate services for disparate devices at disparate access points at disparate times and with disparate service priority.

Claims

1. An access point device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving first access data from a first storage device of the access point device, wherein the first access data defines first mobile devices authorized to access network devices of a telecommunication network via the access point device;

receiving a signal indicative of a request from a mobile device to access the network devices of the telecommunication network via the access point device;

decoding the signal associated with the mobile device to determine credential data indicative of a credential of the mobile device;

determining that the mobile device is not authorized to access the network devices of the telecommunication network via the access point device based on the credential data determined from the signal and the first access data stored in the first storage device of the access point device;

forwarding the credential data of the mobile device to an access point management server device via a network device of the network devices of the telecommunication network in response to the determining that the mobile device is not authorized based on the credential data and the first access data;

receiving second access data from a second storage device of the access point management server device in response to a determination, based on the credential data, that the mobile device is authorized to access the network devices of the telecommunication network via the access point device, wherein the second access data defines second mobile devices authorized to access the network devices of the telecommunication network via the access point device, wherein the second storage device is in communication with the access point management server device via an interface, wherein the second access data comprises service attribute data indicative of service attributes that regulate access to wireless resources for the second mobile devices via the access point device, wherein the service attribute data comprises priority data, indicative of a priority ranking for the mobile device to access the wireless resources via the access point device, and access quality data, indicative of a quality of service profile for the mobile device with respect to the wireless resources, wherein a portion of the service attribute data is generated based on data provided by a source device in communication with the access point management server device and the second storage device, and wherein the mobile device is included in the second mobile devices;

replacing the first access data stored in the first storage device with the second access data received from the second storage device of the access point management server device; and

controlling access to the network devices of the telecommunication network based on the second access data as opposed to the first access data, comprising providing the mobile device the access to the network devices of the telecommunication network based on the service attribute data and an interval of time defined by the second access data received from the second storage device of the access point management server device.

2. The access point device of claim 1, wherein the second access data defines network service parameters for respective mobile devices of the second mobile devices.

3. The access point device of claim 2, wherein at least two of the respective mobile devices are associated with different levels of service.

12. The access point device of claim 1, wherein the second access data defines network service parameters for respective mobile devices of the second mobile devices, including types of telecommunication services to provide the respective mobile devices.

13. The access point device of claim 1, wherein the second access data defines network service parameters for respective mobile devices of the second mobile devices.

14. The access point device of claim 1, wherein the second access data defines network service parameters for respective mobile devices of the second mobile devices, including respective times and durations of access to the network devices of the telecommunication network by the respective mobile devices.

4. A method, comprising:

controlling, by an access point device comprising a processor, access to a network device of network devices of a telecommunication network via the access point device based on first access data stored in a first storage device of the access point device, wherein the first access data defines first mobile devices authorized to access the network device via the access point device;

receiving, by the access point device, a signal indicative of a request from a mobile device to access the network device via the access point device;

decoding, by the access point device, the signal associated with the mobile device to determine credential data indicative of a credential of the mobile device;

determining, by the access point device, that the mobile device is not authorized to access the network device via the access point device based on the credential data determined from the signal and the first access data stored in the first storage device of the access point device;

forwarding, by the access point device, the credential data of the mobile device to an access management server device via the network device in response to the determining that the mobile device is not authorized based on the credential data and the first access data;

receiving, by the access point device, second access data from a second storage device of the access management server device via the network devices, wherein the second access data defines second mobile devices authorized to access the network device via the access point device, wherein the second storage device is in communication with the access point management server device via an interface, wherein the second access data comprises service attribute data indicative of service attributes that regulate access to wireless resources for the second mobile devices via the access point device, wherein the service attribute data comprises priority data, indicative of a priority ranking for the second mobile devices to access the wireless resources via the access point device, access quality data, indicative of quality of service profiles for the second mobile devices with respect to the wireless resources, and timing data, indicative of interval of times for the second mobile devices to access the wireless resources via the access point device, and wherein a portion of the service attribute data is generated based on data provided by a source device in communication with the access point management server device and the second storage device;

replacing, by the access point device, the first access data stored in the first storage device with the second access data in response to the receiving the second access data from the second storage device of the access management server device; and

controlling, by the access point device, access to the network device based on the second access data as opposed to the first access data, comprising providing the mobile device the access to the network device of the telecommunication network based on the service attribute data and an interval of time defined by the second access data received from the second storage device of the access management server device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the controlling comprises:

denying, by the access point device, the mobile device access to the network device in response to a determination that the mobile device is included in the first mobile devices and not included in the second mobile devices.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the controlling comprises:

authorizing, by the access point device, the mobile device access to the network device in response to a determination that the mobile device is included in the second mobile devices.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving, by the access point device from the access point management server device, validation data representative of an indication of a successful validation of the credential of the mobile device based on third access control data;

updating, by the access point device, the second access data based on the third access control data to generate updated second access data in response to receiving the third access control data from the access point management server device; and

controlling, by the access point device, access to the network device based on the updated second access data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the third access control data defines third mobile devices authorized to access the network device via the access point device.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the second access data defines network service parameters for respective mobile devices of the second mobile devices.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least two of the respective mobile devices are associated with different network service parameters.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing, by the access point device, a first level of service to a first mobile device of the second mobile devices based on the network service parameters; and

providing, by the access point device, a second level of service to a second mobile device of the second mobile devices based on the network service parameters.

15. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

receiving first access data from a first storage device of an access point device, wherein the first access data defines first mobile devices authorized to access network devices of a telecommunication network via the access point device;

receiving a signal indicative of a request from a mobile device to access the network devices of the telecommunication network via the access point device;

decoding the signal associated with the mobile device to determine credential data indicative of a credential of the mobile device;

determining that the mobile device is not authorized to access the network devices of the telecommunication network via the access point device based on the credential data determined from the signal and the first access data stored in the first storage device of the access point device;

forwarding the credential data of the mobile device to an access point management server device via a network device of the network devices of the telecommunication network in response to the determining that the mobile device is not authorized based on the credential data and the first access data;

receiving second access data from a second storage device of the access point management server device in response to a determination, based on the credential data, that the mobile device is authorized to access the network devices of the telecommunication network via the access point device, wherein the second access data defines second mobile devices authorized to access the network devices of the telecommunication network via the access point device, wherein the second storage device is in communication with the access point management server device via an interface, wherein the second access data comprises service attribute data indicative of service attributes that regulate access to wireless resources for the second mobile devices via the access point device, wherein the service attribute data comprises priority data, indicative of a priority ranking for the mobile device to access the wireless resources via the access point device, and access quality data, indicative of a quality of service profile for the mobile device with respect to the wireless resources, wherein a portion of the service attribute data is generated based on data provided by a source device in communication with the access point management server device and the second storage device, and wherein the mobile device is included in the second mobile devices;

replacing the first access data stored in the first storage device with the second access data received from the second storage device of the access point management server device; and

controlling access to the network devices of the telecommunication network based on the second access data as opposed to the first access data, comprising providing the mobile device the access to the network devices of the telecommunication network based on the service attribute data and an interval of time defined by the second access data received from the second storage device of the access point management server device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second access data defines network service parameters for respective mobile devices of the second mobile devices.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein at least two of the respective mobile devices are associated with different levels of service.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the second access data defines network service parameters for respective mobile devices of the second mobile devices, including types of telecommunication services to provide the respective mobile devices.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the second access data defines network service parameters for respective mobile devices of the second mobile devices.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the second access data defines network service parameters for respective mobile devices of the second mobile devices, including respective times and durations of access to the network devices of the telecommunication network by the respective mobile devices.