Verifying an association between an application and a mobile device through a telecommunication network

• US 9,584,512 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2015
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vokee Applications Limited
• Original Assignee: Vokee Applications Limited
• Inventors: Barkan, Elad Pinhas
• Primary Examiner(s): Navar, Erica
• Application Number:
  US14/693,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20150230088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 4554141-417, 4554321-433, 370/252, 370352-356, 37920101-21802
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/654 International mobile subscriber identity [IMSI] numbers
• 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 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724631 by limiting the access to the user interface, e.g. locking a touch-screen or a keypad
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6045 Identity confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/127 where the session control protocols comprise SIP and SS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

A system for verifying an association between an application and a mobile computing device. The mobile computing device transmits a request to a service to verify the application, which has an application instance identifier. A mobile device identifier, used to establish a communication channel with the mobile computing device, is also conveyed to the service. The mobile computing device receives one or more telephone call setup messages directed to the mobile device identifier, each of which signal a voice call request, and provides an indication to the service of the receipt of the telephone call setup messages. In response to receiving the indication, the service establishes an association between the application instance identifier and the mobile device identifier.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for verifying an association between a mobile computing device and an application, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a mobile computing device, a request to a service to verify an application on the mobile computing device, wherein the application has an associated application instance identifier;

conveying to the service a mobile device identifier that is used to establish a communication channel with the mobile computing device;

disabling, at the mobile computing device, prior to receiving the one or more telephone call setup requests, a user notification feature of the mobile computing device;

receiving, by the mobile computing device, one or more telephone call setup requests directed to the mobile computing device using the mobile device identifier and signaling to the mobile computing device a voice call, the one or more telephone call setup requests associated with a voice channel, wherein the one or more telephone call setup requests are initiated by the service for use in verifying an association of the application instance identifier with the mobile device identifier; and

providing an indication to the service of the receipt of the one or more telephone call setup requests, the service establishing an association between the application instance identifier and the mobile device identifier in response to receiving the indication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device identifier is conveyed by a telephone call setup request from the mobile computing device to the service, the telephone call setup request including signalling to cause a destination to ring but not to establish a voice connection.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein conveying a mobile device identifier further comprises disabling a caller ID blocking feature.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein conveying a mobile device identifier further comprises canceling the telephone call setup request after the destination rings or after a predetermined time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device identifier comprises an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) number or a mobile subscriber integrated services digital network (MSISDN) number.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting a notification to the service that the mobile computing device is ready to receive the one or more telephone call setup requests.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the mobile computing device, an indication that the user notification feature of the mobile computing device can be re-enabled.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the received telephone call setup requests includes a selected identifier determined by the service, the method further comprising transmitting a transmitted identifier based on the selected identifier, the service using the transmitted identifier to verify the association between the application instance identifier and the mobile device identifier.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the selected identifier is included in at least one received telephone call setup request as a caller ID header.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a data processing apparatus, cause the data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

transmitting a request to a service to verify an application on a mobile computing device, wherein the application has an associated application instance identifier;

conveying to the service a mobile device identifier that is used to establish a communication channel with the mobile computing device;

disabling, at the mobile computing device, prior to receiving the one or more telephone call setup requests, a user notification feature of the mobile computing device;

receiving one or more telephone call setup requests directed to the mobile computing device using the mobile device identifier and signaling to the mobile computing device a voice call, the one or more telephone call setup requests associated with a voice channel, wherein the one or more telephone call setup requests are initiated by the service for use in verifying an association of the application instance identifier with the mobile device identifier; and

providing an indication to the service of the receipt of the one or more telephone call setup requests, the service establishing an association between the application instance identifier and the mobile device identifier in response to receiving the indication.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the mobile device identifier is conveyed by a telephone call setup request from the mobile computing device to the service, the telephone call setup request including signalling to cause a destination to ring but not to establish a voice connection.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein conveying a mobile device identifier further comprises disabling a caller ID blocking feature.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein conveying a mobile device identifier further comprises canceling the telephone call setup request after the destination rings or after a predetermined time.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the mobile device identifier comprises an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) number or a mobile subscriber integrated services digitial network (MSISDN) number.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, the operations further comprising:

transmitting a notification to the service that the mobile computing device is ready to receive the one or more telephone call setup requests.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, the operations further comprising receiving an indication that the user notification feature of the mobile computing device can be re-enabled.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein at least one of the received telephone call setup requests includes a selected identifier determined by the service, the operations further comprising transmitting a transmitted identifier based on the selected identifier, the service using the transmitted identifier to verify the association between the application instance identifier and the mobile device identifier.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the selected identifier is included in at least one received telephone call setup request as a caller ID header.