INTERFACE FOR ACCESS MANAGEMENT OF FEMTO CELL COVERAGE

• US 20170078885A1
• Filed: 11/29/2016
• Published: 03/16/2017
• 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 9,930,526 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 to femto cell service is managed through access control list(s), or “white list(s).” 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, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising;

determining a first user equipment that has been authorized to access a first femto access point device associated with a first user identity;

in response to determining that the first user equipment is associated with a second user identity, determining a second femto access point device associated with the second user identity; and

facilitating authorization of a second user equipment associated with the first user identity to access the second femto access point device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the facilitating comprises facilitating storage of identifier data indicative of the second user equipment in an access control data structure that is employable to control access to the second femto access point device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the facilitating the authorization comprises facilitating the authorization via transmission of a text message comprising the identifier data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the determining the first user equipment comprises determining that identifier data indicative of the first user equipment has been stored within an access control data structure that is employable to control access to the first femto access point device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving the identifier data via a graphical user interface.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise:

presenting, via the graphical user interface, access information stored within the access control data structure, and wherein the access information is indicative of devices, comprising the first user equipment, that have been authorized to access the first femto access point device.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a type of access granted to the first user equipment based on a characteristic of the graphical user interface.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the type of access granted is selected from types of access comprising a permanent type of access and a temporary type of access.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the determining that the first user equipment is associated with the second user identity comprises determining that the first user equipment is associated with the second user identity based on configuration data associated with the first femto access point device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the determining the second femto access point device comprises determining the second femto access point device is associated with the second user identity based on configuration data associated with the second femto access point device.

11. A method, comprising:

determining, by a system comprising a processor, that a first user equipment has been authorized to access a first femto access point device associated with a first account identity;

determining, by the system, a second femto access point device associated with a second account identity linked to the first user equipment; and

instructing, by the system, the second femto access point device to grant access to a second user equipment associated with the first account identity.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the instructing comprises instructing the second femto access point device to store identifier data indicative of the second user equipment in an access control data structure that is employable to control access to the second femto access point device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the instructing comprises directing, to the second femto access point device, a text message comprising the identifier data.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining that the first user equipment has been authorized to access the first femto access point device comprises verifying that identifier data indicative of the first user equipment has been stored within an access control data structure that is employable to control access to the first femto access point device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining, by the system, a type of access granted to the first user equipment based on characteristic data indicative of a characteristic of a user interface employed to receive the identifier data.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the determining the type of access comprises determining information related to a time period during which access to the first femto access point device has been granted.

17. A machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

determining that a first user equipment has been authorized to access a first femto access point device associated with a first account identity;

determining that a second femto access point device associated with a second account identity is linked to the first user equipment; and

directing, to the second femto access point device, request data indicative of a request to grant access to a second user equipment associated with the first account identity.

18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the determining that the first user equipment has been authorized to access the first femto access point device comprises verifying that identifier data indicative of the first user equipment has been stored within an access control data structure that is employable to control access to the first femto access point device.

19. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to the directing, facilitating storage of identifier data indicative of the second user equipment within an access control data structure that is employable to control access to the second femto access point device.

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the directing comprises directing a text message comprising the request data.