System and method for providing product or service with cellular telephone

• US 8,489,140 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2009
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Accells Technologies Ltd. (Ping Identity Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Accells Technologies Ltd. (Ping Identity Corporation)
• Inventors: Weiner, Avish Jacob, Fixler, Dror
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Fayyaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rachedine, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US12/922,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20110021181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,590 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455451-454
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3224 Transactions dependent on location of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists

Abstract

The present disclosure provides for a mobile communication device identifier, constituted of: a shielding defining a coverage area, the shielding arranged to attenuate radio signals originating externally of the coverage area to be less than a pre-determined signal strength; an antenna associated within the defined coverage area; a transceiver coupled to the antenna, the transceiver operative to communicate with a mobile station inserted within the defined coverage area utilizing a signal strength greater than the pre-determined signal strength; and a service control unit responsive to the transceiver, the service control unit operative responsive to the communication to output a signal indicative of an authorization to provide a product or service.

Claims

1. A system for providing a product or service using a mobile station, the system comprising:

a shielding defining a coverage area, said shielding arranged to attenuate radio signals originating externally of said coverage area to be less than a pre-determined signal strength;

an antenna associated with said defined coverage area;

a transceiver coupled to said antenna and in communication with a cellular network, said transceiver arranged to communicate, via said antenna, with a mobile station inserted within said defined coverage area utilizing a signal strength greater than said pre-determined signal strength, the mobile station arranged to generate a location update request responsive to an antenna portion of the mobile station being inserted within said defined coverage area, said transceiver arranged to transmit the location update request to the cellular network and receive from the cellular network, responsive to the transmitted location update request, a transmitted network authorization symbol arranged to authorize the mobile station to access the cellular network;

a service control unit; and

a service station arranged to provide the product or service responsive to said service control unit,

said service control unit arranged to;

snoop the communication between the cellular network and the mobile station;

detect the transmission of the network authorization symbol from the cellular network to the mobile station inserted within said defined coverage area; and

enable said service station to provide said product or service responsive to said snooped detected transmission of the network authorization symbol.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said service control unit is further arranged to prevent said service station from providing the product or service in the event that a plurality of mobile stations are contemporaneously present within said defined coverage area.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said transceiver is associated with a location area identifier different than a location area identifier experienced by the mobile station immediately outside said defined coverage area.

4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising an application server in communication with said cellular network, said application server arranged to receive an identification of the mobile station from said cellular network, and alternately provide an authorization of said service, or deny an authorization of said service, responsive to said received identification of the mobile station, said cellular network arranged to provide said network authorization symbol responsive to said provided authorization.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein said application server is further arranged to debit a user associated with said mobile station for said provision of said product or service.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a radio access network emulator coupled to said transceiver, said radio access network emulator arranged to receive identification information from the mobile station.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein said radio access network emulator is arranged to:

broadcast a signal with said signal strength greater than said pre-determined signal strength;

receive the location update request responsive to said broadcast signal; and

transmit, responsive to said received location update request, an identity request to the mobile station,

wherein said received identification information is responsive to said transmitted identity request.

8. A system according to claim 6, further comprising a database of authorized identification information in communication with said service control unit, said service control unit arranged to further enable said service provision responsive to said received device identification information consonant with authorized identification information on said database.

9. A mobile station identifier device, comprising:

a shielding defining a coverage area, said shielding arranged to attenuate radio signals originating externally of said coverage area to be less than a pre-determined signal strength;

an antenna associated with said defined coverage area;

a transceiver coupled to said antenna and in communication with a cellular network, said transceiver arranged to communicate, via said antenna, with a mobile station inserted within said defined coverage area utilizing a signal strength greater than said pre-determined signal strength, the mobile station arranged to generate a location update request responsive to an antenna portion of the mobile device being inserted within said defined coverage area, said transceiver arranged to transmit said location update request to the cellular network and receive from the cellular network, responsive to the transmitted location update request, a transmitted network authorization symbol arranged to authorize the mobile station to access the cellular network; and

a service control unit arranged to;

snoop the communication between the cellular network and the mobile station;

detect the transmission of the network authorization symbol from the cellular network to the mobile station inserted within said defined coverage area; and

output a signal indicative of an authorization to provide a product or service responsive to said snooped detected transmission of the network authorization symbol.

10. A mobile station identifier device according to claim 9, wherein said service control unit is further arranged to prevent said service station from providing the product or service in the event that a plurality of mobile stations are contemporaneously present within said defined coverage area.

11. A mobile station identifier device according to claim 9, further comprising a radio access network emulator coupled to said transceiver, said radio access network emulator arranged to receive identification information from the mobile station.

12. A mobile station identifier device according to claim 11, wherein said radio access network emulator is arranged to:

broadcast a signal with said signal strength greater than said pre-determined signal strength;

receive the update request responsive to said broadcast signal; and

transmit, responsive to said received update request, an identity request to the mobile station,

wherein said received device identification information is responsive to said transmitted identity request.

13. A method of providing a product or service using a mobile station, the method comprising:

providing a shielding to define a coverage area, said shielding arranged to attenuate radio signals originating externally of said coverage area to be less than a pre-determined signal strength;

providing a transceiver arranged to communicate with a mobile station whose antenna portion is inserted within said defined coverage area utilizing a signal strength greater than said pre-determined signal strength;

performing a mobile station positioning management procedure with the mobile station whose antenna portion is inserted within said defined coverage area, the mobile station generating a location update request responsive to the insertion of the mobile station antenna portion within said defined coverage area, the mobile station positioning management procedure performed in cooperation with a cellular network, the cellular network transmitting a network authorization symbol to the mobile station whose antenna portion is inserted within said defined coverage area via the provided transceiver, the network authorization symbol arranged to authorize the mobile station to access the cellular network;

snooping on the communication between the mobile station and the cellular network to detect the transmission of the network authorization symbol; and

enabling provision of the product or service responsive to said detected snooped transmission of the network authorization symbol.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said communication between the mobile station and the cellular network is in accordance with an established cellular network protocol.

15. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

preventing, in the event that a plurality of mobile stations are within said defined coverage area, said provision of the product or service to any of the plurality of mobile stations.

16. A method according to claim 13, further comprising associating a location area identifier with said provided coverage area different than a location area identifier experienced by the mobile station immediately outside said defined coverage area.

17. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

obtaining an identification of said mobile station; and

providing an authorization of said product or service responsive to said obtained identification of said mobile station,

said network authorization symbol sent responsive to said provided authorization of said product or service.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

debiting a user associated with the mobile station for said provision of said product or service.

19. A method according to claim 13, further comprising:

retrieving identification information from the mobile station,

said enabling further responsive to said retrieved identification.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said retrieving identification information comprises:

broadcasting a signal with said signal strength greater than said pre-determined signal strength;

receiving the location update request from the mobile station responsive to said broadcast signal; and

transmitting, responsive to said received update request, an identity request to the mobile station,

wherein said retrieved identification information is responsive to said transmitted identity request.