Control method for information network system, information network system and mobile communication terminal

• US 7,079,851 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2003
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Makuta, Yoshihisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramos-Feliciano, Eliseo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phuong, Dai
• Application Number:
  US10/613,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20040009778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,112 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.3, 455/414.2, 455/411, 455/404.2, 455/440, 4554561-457, 342/450, 342/357.06, 701/213, 340/359.13
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• 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 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/64 using geofenced areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/04 based on user or terminal location or mobility data, e.g. moving direction, speed

Abstract

The present invention is directed to the prevention of invalid access and inappropriate information transfer by limiting the accessible range to the information resource on a radio network. In one embodiment, a method of providing access to an information unit by a wireless unit comprises providing a first position information containing an access enabled area for the wireless unit, wherein the access enabled area falls within a range of communicable area of a wireless access point; and obtaining a second position information containing a current position of the wireless unit. If the current position of the wireless unit is within the access enabled area for the wireless unit, access if permitting to the information unit by the wireless unit. If the current position of the wireless unit is outside the access enabled area for the wireless unit, access to the information unit is denied by the wireless unit even if the current position of the wireless unit is within the range of communicable area of the access point.

Claims

1. A method of providing access to an information unit by a wireless unit, the method comprising:

providing a first position information containing an access enabled area for the wireless unit, the access enabled area falling within a range of communicable area of a wireless access point;

obtaining a second position information containing a current position of the wireless unit;

if the current position of the wireless unit is within the access enabled area for the wireless unit according to the first and second position information, then permitting access to the information unit by the wireless unit; and

if the current position of the wireless unit is outside the access enabled area for the wireless unit according to the first and second position information, then denying access to the information unit by the wireless unit even if the current position of the wireless unit is within the range of communicable area of the access point;

wherein the first position information contains a plurality of access enabled areas which fall within the range of communicable area of one or more wireless access points, and wherein if the current position of the wireless unit is within one of the access enabled areas, then permitting access to the information unit by the wireless unit; and

wherein the first position information contains a first access enabled area which falls within the range of communicable area of a first wireless access point, the first position information including a GPS position of the first access enabled area and a height of the first wireless access point;

wherein the second position information includes as the current position of the wireless unit a GPS position information of the wireless unit and a height of the wireless access point through which the wireless unit is evaluated for access to an information unit; and

wherein the current position of the wireless unit is within the first access enabled area of the wireless unit if the current position is within the first access enabled area in both the GPS position information and the height.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein if the current position of the wireless unit is within one of the access enabled areas, a same scope of access to the information unit by the wireless unit is permitted without regard to which of the access enabled areas within which the current position of the wireless unit is.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second position information is obtained from the wireless unit.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless access point is a radio LAN access point.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein permitting access comprises adding the wireless unit to an access origination unit list.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising periodically obtaining the second position information and, if the current position of the wireless unit is outside the access enabled area for the wireless unit, then removing the wireless unit from the access origination unit list.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring the second position information of the wireless unit and, if the current position of the wireless unit is outside the access enabled area for the wireless unit, then denying access the information unit by the wireless unit.

8. A system for providing access to an information unit by a wireless unit, the system comprising:

a memory including a first position information containing an access enabled area for the wireless unit, the access enabled area falling within a range of communicable area of a wireless access point;

a position module configured to obtain a second position information containing a current position of the wireless unit; and

an access module configured, if the current position of the wireless unit is within the access enabled area for the wireless unit according to the first and second position information, to permit access to the information unit by the wireless unit, and, if the current position of the wireless unit is outside the access enabled area for the wireless unit according to the first and second position information, to deny access to the information unit by the wireless unit even if the current position of the wireless unit is within the range of communicable area of the access point;

wherein the first position information contains a plurality of access enabled areas which fall within the range of communicable area of one or more wireless access points, and wherein if the current position of the wireless unit is within one of the access enabled areas, then permitting access to the information unit by the wireless unit; and

wherein the first position information contains a first access enabled area which falls within the range of communicable area of a first wireless access point, the first position information including a GPS position of the first access enabled area and a height of the first wireless access point;

wherein the second position information includes as the current position of the wireless unit a GPS position information of the wireless unit and a height of the wireless access point through which the wireless unit is evaluated for access to an information unit; and

wherein the current position of the wireless unit is within the first access enabled area of the wireless unit if the current position is within the first access enabled area in both the GPS position information and the height.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the access module is configured, if the current position of the wireless unit is within one of the access enabled areas, to permit a same scope of access to the information unit by the wireless unit without regard to which of the access enabled areas within which the current position of the wireless unit is.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the wireless access point is a radio LAN access point.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the access module is configured, if the current position of the wireless unit is within one of the access enabled areas, to permit access to the information unit by the wireless unit by adding the wireless unit to an access origination unit list in the memory.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the access module is configured to periodically obtain the second position information and, if the current position of the wireless unit is outside the access enabled area for the wireless unit, to remove the wireless unit from the access origination unit list.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the access module is configured to monitor the second position information of the wireless unit and, if the current position of the wireless unit is outside the access enabled area for the wireless unit, to deny access the information unit by the wireless unit.

14. A computer readable medium storing a program used for providing access to an information unit by a wireless unit, the program comprising:

code for providing a first position information containing an access enabled area for the wireless unit, the access enabled area falling within a range of communicable area of a wireless access point;

code for obtaining a second position information containing a current position of the wireless unit;

code for, if the current position of the wireless unit is within the access enabled area for the wireless unit according to the first and second position information, permitting access to the information unit by the wireless unit; and

code for, if the current position of the wireless unit is outside the access enabled area for the wireless unit according to the first and second position information, denying access to the information unit by the wireless unit even if the current position of the wireless unit is within the range of communicable area of the access point;

wherein the first position information contains a plurality of access enabled areas which fall within the range of communicable area of one or more wireless access points, and wherein if the current position of the wireless unit is within one of the access enabled areas, then permitting access to the information unit by the wireless unit; and

wherein the first position information contains a first access enabled area which falls within the range of communicable area of a first wireless access point, the first position information including a GPS position of the first access enabled area and a height of the first wireless access point;

wherein the second position information includes as the current position of the wireless unit a GPS position information of the wireless unit and a height of the wireless access point through which the wireless unit is evaluated for access to an information unit; and

wherein the current position of the wireless unit is within the first access enabled area of the wireless unit if the current position is within the first access enabled area in both the GPS position information and the height.

15. The medium of claim 14 wherein the code for permitting access comprises code for, if the current position of the wireless unit is within one of the access enabled areas, permitting a same scope of access to the information unit by the wireless unit is permitted without regard to which of the access enabled areas within which the current position of the wireless unit is.

16. The medium of claim 14 wherein the code for permitting access comprises code for adding the wireless unit to an access origination unit list.

17. The medium of claim 16 further comprising code for periodically obtaining the second position information and, if the current position of the wireless unit is outside the access enabled area for the wireless unit, then removing the wireless unit from the access origination unit list.

18. The medium of claim 14 further comprising code for monitoring the second position information of the wireless unit and, if the current position of the wireless unit is outside the access enabled area for the wireless unit, then denying access the information unit by the wireless unit.

19. A method of providing access to an information unit by a wireless unit, the method comprising:

providing a first position information containing an access enabled area for the wireless unit;

obtaining a second position information containing a current position of the wireless unit;

if the current position of the wireless unit is within the access enabled area for the wireless unit according to the first and second position information, then permitting access to the information unit by the wireless unit; and

if the current position of the wireless unit is outside the access enabled area for the wireless unit according to the first and second position information, then denying access to the information unit by the wireless unit even if the current position of the wireless unit is within the range of communicable area of the access point;

wherein the first position information contains a plurality of access enabled areas which fall within the range of communicable area of one or more wireless access points, and wherein if the current position of the wireless unit is within one of the access enabled areas, then permitting access to the information unit by the wireless unit; and

wherein the first position information contains a first access enabled area which falls within the range of communicable area of a first wireless access point, the first position information including a GPS position of the first access enabled area and a height of the first wireless access point;

wherein the second position information includes as the current position of the wireless unit a GPS position information of the wireless unit and a height of the wireless access point through which the wireless unit is evaluated for access to an information unit; and

wherein the current position of the wireless unit is within the first access enabled area of the wireless unit if the current position is within the first access enabled area in both the GPS position information and the height.