Systems and methods for automated wireless authorization for entry into a geographic area

• US 20080084272A1
• Filed: 09/24/2007
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eureka S.A.
• Original Assignee: Andrea Modiano
• Inventors: Modiano, Andrea
• Granted Patent: US 8,456,274 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.2
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• 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 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

A method for automatic electronic authorization for entry into a geographic area based on detection of a mobile station operable on a Global System for Mobile communications network, comprises: transmitting, by a transmitter associated with a toll base station, a signal indicating the presence of the toll base station; detecting, by a receiver associated with the toll base station, a request by a mobile station to connect to the toll base station; transmitting, by the transmitter, an identity request signal to the mobile station; detecting an identity response signal that identifies the mobile station; determining the identity of a subscriber associated with the mobile station based on the detected identity response signal and authorizing the subscriber to enter the geographic area based on the determined subscriber identity.

Claims

1. A method for automatic electronic authorization for entry into a geographic area based on detection of a mobile station operable on a Global System for Mobile communications network, comprising:

transmitting, by a transmitter associated with a toll base station, a signal indicating the presence of the toll base station;

detecting, by a receiver associated with the toll base station, a request by a mobile station to connect to the toll base station;

transmitting, by the transmitter, an identity request signal to the mobile station;

detecting an identity response signal that identifies the mobile station;

determining the identity of a subscriber associated with the mobile station based on the detected identity response signal and authorizing the subscriber to enter the geographic area based on the determined subscriber identity.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

extracting billing parameters associated with the subscriber; and

processing the identity response signal to invoice the subscriber a monetary amount of a toll due for entry into the geographic area, based on the identity response signal associated with the mobile subscriber.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising connecting the mobile station to the toll base station.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising releasing the connection between the mobile station and the toll base station, the mobile station then connecting to a base station associated with a Global System for Mobile communications network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the signal indicating the presence of the toll base station comprises transmitting a Location Area Identity signal including a first location area code that is different from a location area code of the geographically nearest base station associated with the Global System for Mobile communications network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the request to connect to the toll base station comprises receiving a Radio Resource connection including a Radio Resource Channel request signal in an access burst on a Random Access Channel associated with the toll base station.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the request to connect to the toll base station comprises receiving a Location Update Request signal on a Stand-alone Dedicated Control Channel.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting an identity request signal to the mobile station comprises transmitting an International Mobile Equipment Identity request signal.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the identity response signal comprises detecting an International Mobile Equipment Identity signal associated with the mobile subscriber.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the identity of the subscriber comprises:

comparing the extracted characteristics of the subscriber with a database containing data associated with a plurality of subscribers of an automatic toll payment service; and

verifying that a detected identity response signal is associated with one of the plurality of subscribers.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein extracting the billing parameters comprises extracting at least one of a subscriber name, a subscriber address, and a subscriber account.

12. A system for automatic electronic authorization for entry into a geographic area based on detection of a mobile station operable on a Global System for Mobile communications network, comprising:

a transmitter associated with a toll base station, the transmitter transmitting a signal indicating the presence of the toll base station;

a receiver associated with the toll base station, the receiver detecting a request by a mobile station to connect to the toll base station;

the transmitter transmitting an identity request signal to the mobile station;

the receiver detecting an identity response signal that identifies the mobile station;

a processor determining the identity of a subscriber associated with the mobile station based on the detected identity response signal; and

the processor authorizing the subscriber to enter the geographic area based on the determined subscriber identity.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

the processor extracting billing parameters associated with the subscriber; and

the processor processing the identity response signal to invoice the subscriber a monetary amount of a toll due for passage along a road, based on the identity response signal associated with the mobile subscriber.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein, after the receiver detects the identity response signal, the mobile station connects to the toll base station.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the connection between the mobile station and the toll base station is released and the mobile station then connects to a base station associated with a Global System for Mobile communications network.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the signal indicating the presence of the toll base station comprises a Location Area Identity signal including a first location area code that is different from a location area code of the geographically nearest base station associated with the Global System for Mobile communications network.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the request to connect to the toll base station comprises a Radio Resource connection including a Radio Resource Channel request signal in an access burst on a Random Access Channel associated with the toll base station.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the request to connect to the toll base station comprises a Location Update Request signal on a Stand-alone Dedicated Control Channel.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the identity request signal to the mobile station comprises an International Mobile Equipment Identity request signal.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the identity response signal comprises an International Mobile Equipment Identity signal associated with the mobile station.

21. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

the processor comparing the extracted billing parameters of the subscriber with a database containing data associated with a plurality of subscribers of an automatic toll payment service; and

the processor verifying that a detected identity response signal is associated with one of the plurality of subscribers.

22. A system for automatic electronic authorization for entry into a geographic area based on detection of a mobile station operable on a Global System for Mobile communications network, comprising:

means for transmitting a signal from a toll base station indicating the presence of the toll base station;

means for detecting a request by a mobile station to connect to the toll base station;

means for transmitting an identity request signal to the mobile station;

means for detecting an identity response signal that identifies the mobile station;

means for determining the identity of a subscriber associated with the mobile station based on the detected identity response signal; and

means for authorizing the subscriber to enter the geographic area based on the determined subscriber identity.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

means for extracting billing parameters associated with the subscriber; and

means for processing the identity response signal to invoice the subscriber a monetary amount of a toll due for passage along a road, based on the identity response signal associated with the mobile subscriber.

24. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for automatic electronic toll payment based on detection of a mobile station operable on a Global System for Mobile communications network, the computer readable program code in the article of manufacture comprising:

computer readable code for causing a computer to transmit a signal from a toll base station indicating the presence of the toll base station;

computer readable code for causing a computer to detect a request by a mobile station to connect to the toll base station;

computer readable code for causing a computer to transmit an identity request signal to the mobile station;

computer readable code for causing a computer to detect an identity response signal that identifies the mobile station;

computer readable code for causing a computer to determine the identity of a subscriber associated with the mobile station based on the detected identity response signal; and

computer readable code for causing a computer to authorizing the subscriber to enter the geographic area based on the determined subscriber identity.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 24, further comprising:

computer readable code for causing a computer to extract billing parameters associated with the subscriber; and

computer readable code for causing a computer to process the identity response signal to invoice the subscriber a monetary amount of a toll due for passage along a road, based on the identity response signal associated with the mobile subscriber.