INTERFACE FOR ACCESS MANAGEMENT OF FEMTO CELL COVERAGE

• US 20090288139A1
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Published: 11/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huber, Kurt Donald, Flynn, Judson John, Mansfield, William Gordon
• Granted Patent: US 8,490,156 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/2
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0222 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• 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 63/101 : Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/108 : when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/73 : Validating charges
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 : using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 : using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 : using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 : using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 : Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 : for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 : Access restriction performed under specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 : based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed
• 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 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 : Selecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 : with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 : Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 : Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 : Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 : using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices

Abstract

Access management of femto cell service through access control list(s), or “white list(s)” is disclosed. Such white list(s) can be configured via a networked interface which facilitates access management to a femto cell. White list(s) includes a set of subscriber station(s) identifier numbers, codes or tokens, and can also include additional fields for femto cell access management based on desired complexity. Various interfaces and user profiles are associated with granting different levels of access to requesting UEs.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates management of access to femto cell coverage, the system comprising:

an interface component that configures an access control list for femto cell coverage; and

an access management component that grants access to femto cell coverage based on the contents of the access control list.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface component further comprises a user profile component that provides an interface to a user to grant a requesting UE access rights to the femto cell resources based at least on a profile associated with the user.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the user is a primary administrator and a detailed interface is provided to the primary administrator.

4. The system of claim 2, the user is a secondary user and an abbreviated interface is presented to the secondary user, wherein the abbreviated interface grants temporary access to a requesting UE.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a timer associated with the temporary access granted to the UE such that upon expiration of a time period associated with the timer, a request to extend access rights of the UE is forwarded to the user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface component further comprises an intelligent component that presents an appropriate interface based on one or more of the user profile or device parameters.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the access management component provides access to one or more requesting UEs based at least on a type of interface presented to the user by the interface component.

8. The system of claim 1, the interface component further comprises a display component that displays one or more of IDs or access details of one or more UEs associated with the access control list.

9. A method of providing access to femto resources comprising:

configuring an access control list for femto cell service; and

granting access to femto cell service according to the configured access control list.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the access control list is configured using a web based GUI (graphical user interface).

11. The method of claim 10, further facilitating one or more of addition, deletion or editing of IDs associated with UEs accessing the femto resources via the web based GUI.

12. The method of claim 10, further providing a component to display access details of one of more UEs included in the access control list.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the web based GUI is provided to a primary administrator of the femto cell such that the administrator can provide a desired access level to a requesting UE for the femto resources.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing an abbreviated interface to edit the access control list.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the abbreviated interface is provided to a secondary user via one or more alternate devices supplied for receiving femto cell management notifications.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the secondary user grants temporary access to the femto resources to a requesting UE.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a timer is associated with the temporary access granted to the requesting UE.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein an extension notification is provided to the user upon expiration of a time period associated with the temporary access.

19. A system for providing access to femto cell resources, comprising:

means for configuring an access control list for femto cell service; and

means for granting access to femto cell service according to the configured access control list.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for interfacing with the access control list that facilitates one or more of addition, deletion or editing of IDs associated with UEs accessing the femto resources.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein a type of access to the femto resources is based at least on one or more of a profile of a user granting the access or an interface granting the access.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for providing notifications associated with the access to the femto cell service.

23. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause a computer to perform the following acts:

configuring an access control list for femto cell service; and

granting access to femto cell service according to the configured access control list.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, further comprising instructions for facilitating one or more of addition, deletion or editing of IDs associated with UEs accessing the femto resources.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, further comprising instructions for providing access to the femto resources for a requesting UE based at least on one or more of a user granting the access or an interface employed for granting the access.