Method and process for validating roaming cellular users

• US 20040152463A1
• Filed: 01/21/2004
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David B. Grootwassink
• Original Assignee: David B. Grootwassink
• Inventors: Grootwassink, David B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,031,705 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/432.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/06 Registration at serving network Location Register, VLR or user mobility server

Abstract

A process for validating a roaming user who seeks access to a communications network operated by a first service provider is provided. The process includes determining that the user is associated with a second service provider, requesting registration data for the user to the second service provider, and validating or invalidating the user based on the registration data from the second service provider, the registration data identifying a status of the user and whether authentication of the user is required to validate the user.

Claims

1. A process for validating a roaming user who seeks access to a communications network operated by a first service provider, the process comprising:

determining that the user is associated with a second service provider; and

temporarily deferring or denying service to the user while awaiting validation data from the second service provider.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising forwarding registration data to the second service provider before the deferring or denying step.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising instructing the network of the first service provider to cancel the user'"'"'s registration.

4. A process for validating a customer of an international or other selected service provider, where the customer is attempting to use a communications network comprising at least a Mobile Switching Center (“

MSC”

) and Visitor Location Register (“

VLR”

), the process comprising;

determining whether a particular customer is associated with a selected service provider;

receiving registration notification data from the customer;

identifying the selected service provider;

formulating at a Service Control Point (“

SCP”

) a request for registration notification to the Home Location Register (“

HLR”

);

receiving at the SCP information pertaining to the customer'"'"'s validation; and

forwarding from the SCP to the VLR either customer validation data or a request to cancel the customer'"'"'s registration within the VLR.