System and method for password protecting a distribution list

• US 7,793,334 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2002
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lewis, John Ervin
• Primary Examiner(s): Homayounmehr, Farid
• Application Number:
  US10/299,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20030097597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,850 Days
• Field of Search: 726 10- 36, 726/1, 726/2
• US Class Current: 726/2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 Messaging devices, e.g. message centre
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/06 between gateways and public network devices

Abstract

A method for password protecting a subscriber-created distribution list in a wireless network includes receiving in a wireless network a subscriber-created password and a distribution list of a plurality of destination addresses, storing the distribution list and the subscriber-created password in a data structure within the wireless network, associating the subscriber-created password with the distribution list, and limiting access to the distribution list based on the subscriber-created password.

Claims

1. A method for password protecting a subscriber-created distribution list that is identified by a string of characters and in a wireless network, the method comprising:

providing a web interface for a subscriber of the wireless network, the web interface allowing the subscriber to manage and configure a plurality of network services;

receiving, in the wireless network via a network transport bus and from the web interface, a subscriber-created password, the string of characters, and the subscriber-created distribution list comprising a plurality of destination addresses, wherein the network transport bus communicatively connects a plurality of network elements and utilizes a common messaging format for communication of wireless messages among and between the network elements and wherein the network elements comprise an adaptive routing concentrator, a routing and validation entity, and a plurality of network databases all communicatively connected to the network transport bus;

associating the subscriber-created password and the string of characters with the subscriber-created distribution list;

translating the subscriber created password, the string of characters, and the subscriber-created distribution list into the common messaging format with the adaptive routing concentrator;

storing the subscriber-created distribution list, the string of characters, and the associated subscriber-created password in the common messaging format in at least one network database other than a storage device on a user'"'"'s telecommunications device; and

limiting access to the subscriber-created distribution list based on the subscriber-created password,

wherein the subscriber-created distribution list links the plurality of destination addresses together such that, after the subscriber accesses accessing the subscriber-created distribution list with the subscriber created password, the wireless network sends a message to the plurality of destination addresses when the subscriber denotes denoting the string of characters associated with the subscriber-created distribution list as a destination for the message sends the message to the plurality of destination addresses, and wherein a second adaptive routing concentrator receives the message, and after determining that the message is addressed to a destination device associated with the second adaptive routing concentrator, the second adaptive routing concentrator converts the message to a format of the destination device and sends the message to the destination device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

requesting the subscriber-created password from a subscriber.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

setting a flag in the at least one network database to indicate that the subscriber-created distribution list is password protected.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein limiting access to the subscriber-created distribution list based on the subscriber-created password further comprises:

requesting the subscriber-created password from a subscriber;

comparing a password entered by the subscriber to a password stored in the at least one network database; and

displaying the subscriber-created distribution list if the password entered by the subscriber matches the password stored in the at least one network database.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step further comprises receiving an encrypted password.

5. A system for password protecting a subscriber-created distribution list identified by a string of characters and in a wireless network, the system comprising:

a plurality of network elements comprising an adaptive routing concentrator, a routing and validation entity, and a plurality of network databases;

a web interface for a subscriber of the wireless network, the web interface allowing the subscriber to manage and configure a plurality of network services; and

a network transport bus, wherein the network transport bus communicatively connects the plurality of network elements and utilizes a common messaging format for communication of wireless messages among and between the network elements,

wherein at least one of the adaptive routing concentrator and routing and validation entity receives via the network transport bus a subscriber-created password, the string of characters, and the subscriber-created distribution list comprising a plurality of destination addresses and limits access to the subscriber-created distribution list based on the subscriber-created password, wherein the adaptive routing concentrator translates the subscriber created password, the string of characters, and the subscriber-created distribution list into the common messaging format;

wherein at least one database other than a storage device on a user'"'"'s telecommunications device stores the subscriber-created distribution list, the string of characters, and the subscriber-created password in the common messaging format and wherein the subscriber-created password is associated with the subscriber-created distribution list,

wherein the subscriber-created distribution list links the plurality of destination addresses together such that, after the subscriber accesses accessing the subscriber-created distribution list with the subscriber created password, the wireless network sends a message to the plurality of destination addresses when the subscriber denotes denoting the string of characters associated with the subscriber-created distribution list as a destination for the message sends the message to the plurality of destination addresses, and wherein a second adaptive routing concentrator receives the message, and after determining that the message is addressed to a destination device associated with the second adaptive routing concentrator, the second adaptive routing concentrator converts the message to a format of the destination device and sends the message to the destination device.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the at least one database comprises a flag to indicate that the subscriber-created distribution list is password protected.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein at least one of the adaptive routing concentrator and routing and validation entity is further operable to:

request the subscriber-created password from a subscriber;

compare a password entered by the subscriber to a password stored in the at least one database; and

allow access to the subscriber-created distribution list if the password entered by the subscriber matches the password stored in the at least one database.

12. The system of claim 5, wherein the computer device further comprises a computer device for receiving an encrypted password.

13. The system of claim 5 wherein at least one of the adaptive routing concentrator and routing and validation entity is further configured to request the subscriber-created password from a subscriber.

8. A computer-readable non-transitory medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

providing a web interface for a subscriber of the wireless network, the web interface allowing the subscriber to manage and configure a plurality of network services;

receiving, in the wireless network via a network transport bus and from the web interface, a subscriber-created password and a subscriber-created distribution list identified by a string of characters and comprising a plurality of destination addresses, wherein the network transport bus communicatively connects a plurality of network elements and utilizes a common messaging format for communication of wireless messages among and between the network elements and wherein the network elements comprise an adaptive routing concentrator, a routing and validation entity, and a plurality of network databases all communicatively connected to the network transport bus;

associating the subscriber-created password and the string of characters with the subscriber-created distribution list;

translating the subscriber-created password, the string of characters, and the subscriber-created distribution list into the common messaging format with the adaptive routing concentrator;

storing the subscriber-created distribution list, the string of characters, and the associated subscriber-created password in the common messaging format in at least one network database other than a storage device on a user'"'"'s telecommunications device; and

limiting access to the subscriber-created distribution list based on the subscriber-created password,

wherein the subscriber-created distribution list links the plurality of destination addresses together such that, after the subscriber accesses accessing the subscriber-created distribution list with the subscriber created password, the wireless network sends a message to the plurality of destination addresses when the subscriber denotes denoting the string of characters associated with the subscriber-created distribution list as a destination for the message sends the message to the plurality of destination addresses, and wherein a second adaptive routing concentrator receives the message, and after determining that the message is addressed to a destination device associated with the second adaptive routing concentrator, the second adaptive routing concentrator converts the message to a format of the destination device and sends the message to the destination device.

9. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 8 further having computer-executable instructions for performing:

setting a flag in the at least one network database to indicate that the subscriber-created distribution list is password protected.

10. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 8 wherein limiting access to the subscriber-created distribution list based on the subscriber-created password further comprises:

requesting the subscriber-created password from a subscriber;

comparing a password entered by the subscriber to a password stored in the at least one network database; and

displaying the subscriber-created distribution list if the password entered by the subscriber matches the password stored in the at least one network database.

14. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 8 further having computer-executable instructions for performing:

requesting the subscriber-created password from a subscriber.

15. The computer-readable non-transitory medium of claim 8, wherein the receiving step further comprises receiving an encrypted password.