Wireless traffic channel release prevention before update process completion

• US 9,820,216 B1
• Filed: 05/12/2014
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Reeves, Raymond Emilio, Koller, Gary Duane, Rai, Deveshkumar Narendrapratap
• Primary Examiner(s): Prez-Gutirrez, Rafael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pannell, Mark G.
• Application Number:
  US14/275,054
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 455410, 455411, 4554141
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• 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 72/02 Selection of wireless resources by user or terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release

Abstract

Embodiments described herein provide systems and methods for preventing release of a wireless traffic channel before update process completion. In a particular embodiment, a method provides establishing a wireless traffic channel between the wireless communication device and a wireless access point of a wireless communication network. The method further provides identifying an event that triggers release of the wireless traffic channel by the wireless communication device and, upon identifying the event, preventing the release of the wireless traffic channel until a background update process that uses the wireless traffic channel is completed. Upon completion of the background update process, the method provides allowing the release of the wireless traffic channel.

Claims

1. A method of operating a wireless communication device, comprising:

establishing a voice call using a wireless voice traffic channel between the wireless communication device and a wireless access point of a wireless communication network;

upon establishing the voice call using the wireless voice traffic channel, receiving an indication of the occurrence of the background update process;

in response to the indication of the occurrence, setting a flag in the wireless communication device to prevent the release of the wireless voice traffic channel;

initiating a background update process on the wireless communication device that uses the wireless voice traffic channel before completion of the voice call;

determining that the voice call is completed and preventing the release of the wireless voice traffic channel until the background update process that uses the wireless voice traffic channel is completed; and

upon completion of the background update process, allowing the release of the wireless voice traffic channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the background update process comprises an operation to update authentication information that is used by the wireless communication device when requesting access to the wireless communication network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the authentication information comprises shared secret data (SSD) and the operation to update access information comprises an operation to update the SSD using Cellular Authentication and Voice Encryption (CAVE).

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the completion of the background update process based on a predetermined amount of time elapsing since establishment of the wireless voice traffic channel.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the completion of the background update process based on a notification that the background update process has completed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying the completion of the background update process based on removal of the flag.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving an indication of the completion of the background update process; and

in response to the indication of the completion, removing the flag.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon completion of the voice call, indicating to a user that the wireless voice traffic channel has been released.

9. A wireless communication device, comprising:

a communication interface configured to establish a voice call using a wireless voice traffic channel between the wireless communication device and a wireless access point of a wireless communication network, upon establishing the voice call using the wireless voice traffic channel, receive an indication of the occurrence of the background update process; and

a processing system configured to in response to the indication of the occurrence, set a flag in the wireless communication device to prevent the release of the wireless voice traffic channel, initiate a background process on the wireless communication device that uses the wireless voice traffic channel before completion of the voice call, determine that the voice call is complete, prevent the release of the wireless voice traffic channel until the background update process that uses the wireless voice traffic channel is completed, and, upon completion of the background update process, allow the release of the wireless voice traffic channel.

10. The wireless communication device of claim 9, wherein the background update process comprises an operation to update authentication information that is used by the wireless communication device when requesting access to the wireless communication network.

11. The wireless communication device of claim 10, wherein the authentication information comprises shared secret data (SSD) and the operation to update access information comprises an operation to update the SSD using Cellular Authentication and Voice Encryption (CAVE).

12. The wireless communication device of claim 9, further comprising:

the processing system configured to identify the completion of the background update process based on a predetermined amount of time elapsing since establishment of the wireless voice traffic channel.

13. The wireless communication device of claim 9, further comprising:

the processing system configured to identify the completion of the background update process based on a notification that the background update process has completed.

14. The wireless communication device of claim 9, further comprising:

the processing system configured to identify the completion of the background update process based on removal of the flag.

15. The wireless communication device of claim 14, further comprising:

the communication interface configured to receive an indication of the completion of the background update process; and

the processing system configured to, in response to the indication of the completion, remove the flag.

16. The wireless communication device of claim 9, further comprising:

the processing system configured to, upon completion of the voice call, indicate to a user that the wireless voice traffic channel has been released.