Interface for access management of femto cell coverage

• US 9,538,383 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2015
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• 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:
  US14/831,013
• Publication Number:
  US 20150373547A1
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 726/2
• 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 is managed through access control list(s), or “white list(s).” Such white list(s) can be configured via a networked interface which facilitates access management to a femto cell. White list(s) includes a set of subscriber station(s) identifier numbers, codes or tokens, and can also include additional fields for femto cell access management based on desired complexity. Various interfaces and user profiles are associated with granting different levels of access to requesting UEs.

Claims

1. A network device, comprising:

a processor; and

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

communicating with a first femto access point device associated with first account data indicative of a first subscriber to a network service, wherein the first femto access point device comprises first access control data comprising first user equipment identity data representing a first user equipment device that is allowed to access the network service via the first femto access point device;

determining that the first user equipment device is associated with second account data indicative of a second subscriber;

determining that the second account data is associated with a second femto access point device; and

transmitting, to a first receiving device associated with the first account data, first adding data comprising request data indicative of a request to authorize adding second user equipment identity data representing a second user equipment device associated with the first account data to second access control data associated with the second femto access point device.

2. The network device of claim 1, wherein the first receiving device is the second user equipment device and the first adding data is transmitted via a text message.

3. The network device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to the transmitting the first adding data, receiving response data that indicates an authorization to add the second user equipment data to the second access control data.

4. The network device of claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to the receiving the response data, transmitting, to a second receiving device associated with the second account data, request data comprising a request to add the second user equipment identity data to the second access control data.

5. The network device of claim 4, wherein the response data comprises an indication that the first femto access point device allows the first user equipment device to access the network service.

6. The network device of claim 4, wherein the second receiving device is the first user equipment device and the request data is transmitted via a text message.

7. The network device of claim 4, wherein the first access control data comprises third user equipment identity data representing a third user equipment device associated with third account data indicative of a third subscriber.

8. The network device of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise:

transmitting to the second receiving device, second adding data comprising another request to add the third user equipment identity data to the second access control data.

9. The network device of claim 1, wherein the determining that the first user equipment device is associated with the second account data is in response to a provisioning procedure related to configuring the first access control data.

10. The network device of claim 1, wherein the determining that the second account data is associated with the second femto access point device is in response to a provisioning procedure related to configuring the second femto access point device to access a second network service.

11. The network device of claim 1, wherein the determining that the second account data is associated with the second femto access point device is in response to a provisioning procedure related to configuring the second access control data.

12. A method, comprising:

in response to a communication with a first femto access point device associated with first account data indicative of a first subscriber to a network service, determining, by a system comprising a processor, a first user equipment device that is associated with second account data indicative of a second subscriber, wherein the first femto access point device stores first access control data comprising first user equipment identity data representing the first user equipment device that is authorized to utilize the network service via the first femto access point device;

determining, by the system, that the second account data is associated with a second femto access point device; and

communicating, by the system, a first request to a first receiving device associated with the first account data, wherein the first request comprises a request to authorize adding second user equipment identity data representing a second user equipment device associated with the first account data to second access control data associated with the second femto access point device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving, by the system, response data that indicates a consent to add the second user equipment data to the second access control data.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

in response to the receiving the response data, transmitting, by the system, information representing a second request to a second receiving device associated with the second account data, wherein the second request comprises a request to add the second user equipment identity data to the second access control data.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the determining that the second account data is associated with the second femto access point device comprises determining that the second account data is associated with the second femto access point device in response to a provisioning procedure related to configuring the second access control data.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the network service is a first network service and the determining that the second account data is associated with the second femto access point device comprises determining that the second account data is associated with the second femto access point device in response to a provisioning procedure related to configuring the second femto access point device to access a second network service.

17. 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 communication with a first femto access point device related to first account data indicative of a first subscriber to a network service, wherein the first femto access point device stores a first access control data structure comprising first user equipment identity data representing a first user equipment device that is authorized to utilize the network service via the first femto access point device, determining the first user equipment device is associated with second account data indicative of a second subscriber;

determining that the second account data is associated with a second femto access point device; and

sending, to a first receiving device associated with the first account data, a first request to authorize adding second user equipment identity data representing a second user equipment device associated with the first account data to a second access control data structure associated with the second femto access point device.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise receiving, in response to the sending, response data that indicates authorized consent to add the second user equipment data to the second access control data structure.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise, in response to the receiving the response data, sending to a second receiving device associated with the second account data, a second request to add the second user equipment identity data to the second access control data structure.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the determining that the second account data is associated with the second femto access point device is in response to a provisioning procedure related to configuring the second femto access point device to access a second network service.