System and method for performing security functions of a mobile station

• US 20040110488A1
• Filed: 12/10/2002
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pineapple34, LLC
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Komsi, Asko
• Granted Patent: US 7,181,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/66 with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling verifying user identity or authority in secret or secure digital communications H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning

Abstract

A system and method are provided for performing security functions of a mobile station adapted to communicate via a communications network. The mobile station comprises a receiver, a controller, and can also include a ringer and/or a user identifying device. The ringer is capable of generating a ringing tone. The user identifying device can generate data identifying a user of the mobile station. The receiver is capable of receiving at least one security message, where the at least one security message comprises at least one security function. For example, the security function can comprise actuating the ringer to continuously generate the ringing tone, and/or actuating the user identifying device to generate user-identifying data, and thereafter transmitting a status message including the user-identifying data. The controller is therefore capable of interpreting the at least one security message, and thereafter performing the at least one security function.

Claims

1. A communications system comprising:

a mobile station adapted to communicate via a communications network, wherein the mobile station comprises;

a ringer capable of generating a ringing tone;

a receiver capable of receiving at least one security message, wherein the at least one security message comprises at least one security function, and wherein at least one security function comprises actuating the ringer to continuously generate the ringing tone; and

a controller coupled to the ringer and the receiver, wherein the controller is capable of interpreting the at least one security message and thereafter performing the at least one security function.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile station further comprises a user identifying device capable of generating data identifying a user of the mobile station, and wherein at least one security function comprises actuating the user identifying device to generate user-identifying data, and thereafter transmitting a status message including the user-identifying data.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the user identifying device comprises a microphone and the data identifying the user comprises a sound recording of the user.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein the user identifying device comprises an imaging device and the data identifying the user comprises an image of at least one of the user and an area surrounding the mobile station.

5. A system according to claim 1 further comprising a security service center capable of transmitting at least one security message to the mobile station.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the mobile station further comprises a user-specific module that is capable of storing a telephone number and capable of being removed and replaced with an unauthorized user-specific module, wherein the security service center is capable of identifying an unauthorized telephone number of an unauthorized user-specific module when the user-specific module has been replaced with the unauthorized user-specific module, and wherein the security service center is capable of transmitting at least one security message to the mobile station based upon the unauthorized telephone number.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein the mobile station is capable of transmitting an identifier and the telephone number stored in the user-specific module, and wherein the security service center is capable of identifying an unauthorized telephone number of the unauthorized user-specific module based upon the identifier.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein the security service center is capable of monitoring the communications network when the user-specific module has been replaced with an unauthorized user-specific module.

9. A system according to claim 7, wherein the mobile station is capable of transmitting an identifier and the telephone number stored in the user-specific module when the mobile station attempts to communicate via the communications network.

10. A communications system comprising:

a mobile station adapted to communicate via a communications network, wherein the mobile station comprises;

a user identifying device capable of generating data identifying a user of the mobile station;

a receiver capable of receiving at least one security message, wherein the at least one security message comprises at least one security function, and wherein at least one security function comprises actuating the user identifying device to generate user-identifying data, and thereafter transmitting a status message including the user-identifying data; and

a controller coupled to the user identifying device and the receiver, wherein the controller is capable of interpreting the at least one security message and thereafter performing the at least one security function.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the user identifying device comprises a microphone and the data identifying the user comprises a sound recording of the user.

12. A system according to claim 10, wherein the user identifying device comprises an imaging device and the data identifying the user comprises an image of at least one of the user and an area surrounding the mobile station.

13. A system according to claim 10, wherein the mobile station further comprises a ringer capable of generating a ringing tone, and wherein the receiver is capable of receiving at least one security message that comprises a security function including actuating the ringer to continuously generate the ringing tone.

14. A system according to claim 10 further comprising a security service center capable of transmitting at least one security message to the mobile station.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the mobile station further comprises a user-specific module that is capable of storing a telephone number and capable of being removed and replaced with an unauthorized user-specific module, wherein the security service center is capable of identifying an unauthorized telephone number of an unauthorized user-specific module when the user-specific module has been replaced with the unauthorized user-specific module, and wherein the security service center is capable of transmitting at least one security message to the mobile station based upon the unauthorized telephone number.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the mobile station is capable of transmitting an identifier and the telephone number stored in the user-specific module, and wherein the security service center is capable of identifying an unauthorized telephone number of the unauthorized user-specific module based upon the identifier.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the security service center is capable of monitoring the communications network when the user-specific module has been replaced with an unauthorized user-specific module.

18. A system according to claim 16, wherein the mobile station is capable of transmitting an identifier and the telephone number stored in the user-specific module when the mobile station attempts to communicate via the communications network.

19. A communications system comprising:

mobile station adapted to communicate via a communications network, the mobile station comprising;

a user-specific module capable of storing a telephone number, wherein the user-specific module is capable of being removed and replaced with an unauthorized user-specific module;

a controller capable of receiving at least one security message including at least one security function, and thereafter performing the at least one security function; and

a security service center capable of identifying an unauthorized telephone number of an unauthorized user-specific module when the user-specific module has been replaced with the unauthorized user-specific module, and wherein the security service center is capable of transmitting at least one security message to the mobile station based upon the unauthorized telephone number.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein the mobile station is capable of transmitting an identifier and the telephone number stored in the user-specific module, and wherein the security service center is capable of identifying an unauthorized telephone number of the unauthorized user-specific module based upon the identifier.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein the security service center is capable of monitoring the communications network when the user-specific module has been replaced with an unauthorized user-specific module.

22. A system according to claim 20, wherein the mobile station is capable of transmitting an identifier and the telephone number stored in the user-specific module when the mobile station attempts to communicate via the communications network.

23. A system according to claim 19, wherein the mobile station further comprises a ringer capable of generating a ringing tone, wherein the controller is capable of receiving at least one security message comprising at least one security function including actuating the ringer to continuously generate the ringing tone.

24. A system according to claim 19, wherein the mobile station further comprises a user identifying device capable of generating data identifying a user of the mobile station, and wherein the controller is capable of receiving at least one security message comprising at least one security function including actuating the user identifying device to generate user-identifying data, and thereafter transmitting a status message including the user-identifying data.

25. A system according to claim 24, wherein the user identifying device comprises a microphone and the data identifying the user comprises a sound recording of the user.

26. A system according to claim 24, wherein the user identifying device comprises an imaging device and the data identifying the user comprises an image of at least one of the user and an area surrounding the mobile station.

27. A method of performing security functions of a mobile station adapted to communicate via a communications network, wherein the method comprises:

receiving at least one security message at the mobile station, wherein the at least one security message comprises at least one security function, and wherein at least one security function comprises continuously generating a ringing tone;

interpreting the at least one security message based upon the at least one security function; and

performing the at least one security function, wherein performing the at least one security function includes continuously generating the ringing tone.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein at least one security function comprises generating data identifying a user of the mobile station and thereafter transmitting a status message including the user-identifying data, and wherein performing the at least one security function includes generating the user-identifying data and thereafter transmitting the status message.

29. A method according to claim 27 further comprising transmitting at least one security message to the mobile station before receiving the at least one security message at the mobile station.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the mobile station includes a user-specific module that is capable of storing a telephone number and capable of being removed and replaced with an unauthorized user-specific module, the method further comprising:

identifying an unauthorized telephone number of an unauthorized user-specific module when the user-specific module has been replaced with the unauthorized user-specific module, wherein transmitting at least one security message comprises transmitting at least one security message to the mobile station based upon the unauthorized telephone number.

31. A method according to claim 30 further comprising attempting to communicate via the communications network, wherein attempting to communicate includes transmitting an identifier and a telephone number that is stored in the user-specific module before identifying the unauthorized telephone number, and wherein identifying an unauthorized telephone number comprises identifying an unauthorized telephone number of an unauthorized user-specific module based upon the identifier.

32. A method according to claim 31 further comprising monitoring the communications network before attempting to communicate via the communications network.

33. A method of performing security functions of a mobile station adapted to communicate via a communications network, wherein the method comprises:

receiving at least one security message at the mobile station, wherein the at least one security message comprises at least one security function, and wherein at least one security function comprises generating data identifying a user of the mobile station and thereafter transmitting a status message including the user-identifying data;

interpreting the at least one security message based upon the at least one security function; and

performing the at least one security function, wherein performing the at least one security function includes generating the user-identifying data and thereafter transmitting the status message including the user-identifying data.

34. A method according to claim 33, wherein at least one security message comprises a security function including continuously generating a ringing tone, and wherein performing the at least one security function includes continuously generating the ringing tone.

35. A method according to claim 33 further comprising transmitting at least one security message to the mobile station before receiving the at least one security message at the mobile station.

36. A method according to claim 33, wherein the mobile station includes a user-specific module that is capable of storing a telephone number and capable of being removed and replaced with an unauthorized user-specific module, the method further comprising:

identifying an unauthorized telephone number of an unauthorized user-specific module when the user-specific module has been replaced with the unauthorized user-specific module, wherein transmitting at least one security message comprises transmitting at least one security message to the mobile station based upon the unauthorized telephone number.

37. A method according to claim 36 further comprising attempting to communicate via the communications network, wherein attempting to communicate includes transmitting an identifier and a telephone number that is stored in the user-specific module before identifying the unauthorized telephone number, and wherein identifying an unauthorized telephone number comprises identifying an unauthorized telephone number of an unauthorized user-specific module based upon the identifier.

38. A method according to claim 37 further comprising monitoring the communications network before attempting to communicate via the communications network.

39. A method of performing security functions of a mobile station adapted to communicate via a communications network, wherein the mobile station includes a user-specific module that is capable of storing a telephone number and capable of being removed and replaced with an unauthorized user-specific module, and wherein the method comprises:

identifying an unauthorized telephone number of an unauthorized user-specific module when the user-specific module has been replaced with the unauthorized user-specific module;

transmitting at least one security message to the mobile station based upon the unauthorized telephone number, wherein the at least one security message includes at least one security function;

receiving at least one security message, and thereafter interpreting the at least one security message based upon the at least one security function; and

performing the at least one security function.

40. A method according to claim 39 further comprising attempting to communicate via the communications network, wherein attempting to communicate includes transmitting an identifier and a telephone number that is stored in the user-specific module before identifying the unauthorized telephone number, and wherein identifying an unauthorized telephone number comprises identifying an unauthorized telephone number of an unauthorized user-specific module based upon the identifier.

41. A method according to claim 40 further comprising monitoring the communications network before attempting to communicate via the communications network.

42. A method according to claim 39, wherein at least one security function comprises continuously generating a ringing tone, and wherein performing the at least one security function includes continuously generating the ringing tone.

43. A method according to claim 39, wherein at least one security function comprises generating data identifying a user of the mobile station and thereafter transmitting a status message including the user-identifying data, and wherein performing the at least one security function includes generating the user-identifying data and thereafter transmitting the status message.