System for authentication of network usage

• US 7,574,201 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2007
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: CVON
• Inventors: Kalliola, Janne, Aaltonen, Janne, Brummer, Markku
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Huy D
• Application Number:
  US11/888,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20080125081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/405, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/414.4
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/234 for tracking messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13109 Initializing, personal profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1313 Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13288 Closed user groups, CUG
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/54533 Configuration data, translation, passwords, databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/084 using delegated authorisation, e.g. open authorisation [OAuth] protocol

Abstract

Apparatus for collecting subscription data for subscribers in a telecommunications system for use in metering usage of network resources includes a data storage device operatively arranged to store subscriber records, and a data processor. The subscriber records include a plurality of fields including a group field for storing data indicative of group membership of a subscriber. The data processor is operatively arranged to request access to a remotely accessible information source on the basis of identification data. Responsive to receipt of a response from the remotely accessible information source, the data processor performs a first storage action in respect of a response of a first type and performs a second storage action in respect of a response of a second type. Responsive to receipt of group membership data from the subscriber, the data processor is operatively arranged to identify a remotely accessible information source corresponding to the group and to request access thereto on the basis of identification data associated with the received group membership data. Also, responsive to a response of the first type received from the remotely accessible information source, the data processor is operatively arranged to update the group field in the subscriber record so as to indicate authenticated membership of the group identified in the received group membership data.

Claims

1. A messaging system for transmitting messages between user terminals in a mobile telecommunications network, said system comprising:

data storage means arranged to hold subscriber records, said subscriber records including a plurality of fields including a group field for storing data indicative of group membership of a subscriber, wherein said messaging system is arranged to;

receive, over a data communications network, group membership data from a first subscriber;

identify, using the group membership data, a remotely accessible information source corresponding to the group;

request, over a data communications network, access to the identified remotely accessible information source on the basis of identification data associated with the group membership data, and, responsive to receipt of a response over the data communications network from the remotely accessible information source, to perform a first storage action in respect of a response of a first type and to perform a second storage action in respect of a response of a second type, the first storage action comprising updating the group field in the subscriber record so as to indicate authenticated membership of the group identified in the received group membership data;

receive a message being transmitted between user terminals in the mobile telecommunications network, the message including transmission data identifying messaging parties, the messaging parties comprising a sending party and a receiving party, wherein at least one of the messaging parties comprises said first subscriber;

identify said first subscriber as a messaging party;

determine group membership of the first subscriber on the basis of the updated subscriber record;

modify the message on the basis of the determined group membership; and

transmit the message to the receiving party on the basis of the transmission data.

2. The messaging system according to claim 1, wherein, responsive to a response of the second type received from the remotely accessible information source, the messaging system is arranged to update the group field in the subscriber record so as to indicate unauthenticated membership of the group identified in the received group membership data.

3. The messaging system according to claim 1, wherein the messaging system is arranged to process the response received from the remotely accessible information source so as to derive therefrom a packet of data for use in sending to the remotely accessible information source.

4. The messaging system according to claim 1, wherein the data storage means is arranged to hold group records, each group record being indicative of network usage relating to members of the group,

wherein the messaging system is arranged to analyze data indicating that a subscriber authenticated in respect of a group has sent a message, to determine whether said message falls within predetermined message transmission criteria, and to modify a group record corresponding to the group when said criteria are met.

5. The messaging system according to claim 4, wherein the group record includes data indicative of an allocation of usage associated with the group and the messaging system is arranged to reduce allocation associated with the group, whereby to modify the group record.

6. The messaging system according to claim 4, wherein the messaging system is arranged to store data indicative of a charge for transmission of the message in the group record, whereby to modify the group record.

7. The messaging system according to claim 1, further comprising an interface for use in receiving group membership data associated with the subscriber.

8. The messaging system according to claim 7, wherein said interface is arranged to receive identification data associated with the received group membership data.

9. The messaging system according to claim 7, wherein said interface is arranged to receive data indicative of the remotely accessible information source corresponding the group.

10. A messaging system for transmitting messages between user terminals in a mobile telecommunications network, said system comprising:

a data storage device arranged to hold subscriber records, said subscriber records including a plurality of fields including a group field for storing data indicative of group membership of a subscriber, wherein said messaging system is arranged to;

receive, over a data communications network, group membership data from a first subscriber;

identify, using the group membership data, a remotely accessible information source corresponding to the group;

request, over a data communications network, access to the identified remotely accessible information source on the basis of identification data associated with the group membership data, and, responsive to receipt of a response over the data communications network from the remotely accessible information source, to perform a first storage action in respect of a response of a first type and to perform a second storage action in respect of a response of a second type, the first storage action comprising updating the group field in the subscriber record so as to indicate authenticated membership of the group identified in the received group membership data;

receive a message being transmitted between user terminals in the mobile telecommunications network, the message including transmission data identifying messaging parties, the messaging parties comprising a sending party and a receiving party, wherein at least one of the messaging parties comprises said first subscriber;

identify said first subscriber as a messaging party;

determine group membership of the first subscriber on the basis of the updated subscriber record;

modify the message on the basis of the determined group membership; and

transmit the message to the receiving party on the basis of the transmission data.

11. The messaging system according to claim 10, wherein, responsive to a response of the second type received from the remotely accessible information source, the messaging system is arranged to update the group field in the subscriber record so as to indicate unauthenticated membership of the group identified in the received group membership data.

12. The messaging system according to claim 10, wherein the messaging system is arranged to process the response received from the remotely accessible information source so as to derive therefrom a packet of data for use in sending to the remotely accessible information source.

13. The messaging system according to claim 10, wherein the data storage device is arranged to hold group records, each group record being indicative of network usage relating to members of the group,

wherein the messaging system is arranged to analyze data indicating that a subscriber authenticated in respect of a group has sent a message, to determine whether said message falls within predetermined message transmission criteria, and to modify a group record corresponding to the group when said criteria are met.

14. The messaging system according to claim 13, wherein the group record includes data indicative of an allocation of usage associated with the group and the messaging system is arranged to reduce allocation associated with the group, whereby to modify the group record.

15. The messaging system according to claim 13, wherein the messaging system is arranged to store data indicative of a charge for transmission of the message in the group record, whereby to modify the group record.

16. The messaging system according to claim 10, further comprising an interface for use in receiving group membership data associated with the subscriber.

17. The messaging system according to claim 16, wherein said interface is arranged to receive identification data associated with the received group membership data.

18. The messaging system according to claim 16, wherein said interface is arranged to receive data indicative of the remotely accessible information source corresponding the group.

19. A method for transmitting messages between user terminals in a mobile telecommunications network, the mobile telecommunications network comprising a system holding subscriber records having a group field for storing data indicative of group membership of a subscriber, said method comprising:

receiving, over a data communications network, group membership from the subscriber;

identifying, using the group membership data, a remotely accessible information source corresponding to a group identifiable from the group membership data;

requesting, over a data communications network, access to the identified remotely accessible information source on the basis of identification data, and,

responsive to receipt of a response from the remotely accessible information source, arranging for a first storage action in respect of a response of a first type and arranging for a second storage action in respect of a response of a second type, the first storage action comprising updating the group field in the subscriber record so as to indicate authenticated membership of the identified group;

receiving a message transmitted between user terminals in the mobile telecommunications network, the message including transmission data identifying messaging parties, the messaging parties comprising a sending party and a receiving party, wherein at least one of the messaging parties comprises said first subscriber;

identifying said first subscriber as a messaging party;

determining group membership of the subscriber on the basis of the updated subscriber record;

modifying the message on the basis of the determined group membership; and

transmitting the message to the receiving party on the basis of the transmission data.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising updating the group field in the subscriber record so as to indicate unauthenticated membership of the group identified in the received group membership data in response to a response of the second type received from the remotely accessible information source.

21. The method according to claim 19, further comprising deriving a packet of data from the response received from the remotely accessible information source, said packet being for use in sending to the remotely accessible information source.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein the mobile telecommunications system holds group records, each group record being indicative of network usage relating to members of the group, the method further comprising:

analyzing data indicating that a subscriber authenticated in respect of a group has sent a message,

determining whether said message falls within predetermined message transmission criteria, and

modifying a group record corresponding to the group when said criteria are met.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the group record includes data indicative of an allocation of usage associated with the group, and the method further comprises reducing allocation associated with the group, whereby to modify the group record.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the group record holds data indicative of a charge for transmission of the message, whereby to modify the group record.

25. The method according to claim 19, further comprising receiving group membership data associated with the subscriber.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising receiving identification data associated with the received group membership data.

27. The method according to claim 25, further comprising receiving data indicative of the remotely accessible information source corresponding the group.