Access control lists and profiles to manage femto cell coverage

• US 9,775,036 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2016
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, ANTHONY D
• Application Number:
  US15/179,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20160285881A1
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 726 3
• 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 can be managed through access control list(s) (e.g., white list(s), or black list(s)). White list(s) includes a set of subscriber station(s) identifier numbers, codes, or tokens, and also can include additional fields for femto cell access management based on desired complexity. White list(s) can have associated white list profile(s) therewith to establish logic of femto coverage access based on the white list(s). Values of attribute fields that determine white list(s), black list(s), or white list profile(s) can be generated through various sources. An access list management component facilitates generation and maintenance of white list(s), black list(s), or white list profile(s). Values for identifier attribute field(s) available for inclusion in a white list are validated prior to inclusion therein. Various example aspects such as white list(s) management, maintenance and dissemination; automatic population or pre-configuration; and inclusion of wireless device(s) or subscriber(s) are also provided.

Claims

1. A network device, comprising:

a processor; and

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

determining identifier data indicative of a user equipment that has been authorized to access a femto access point device; and

based on the identifier data and in response to verifying that status data indicative of a status associated with the user equipment satisfies a defined status criterion, facilitating an update of an access control data structure that is stored within a data store of the network device and that is employable to control access to the femto access point device, wherein the status data differs from the identifier data.

2. The network device of claim 1, wherein the verifying comprises verifying that the status data received from the user equipment is indicative of an authorization for providing a femtocell service to the user equipment.

3. The network device of claim 2, wherein the status data comprises a flag indicative of the authorization.

4. The network device of claim 1, wherein the verifying comprises verifying that the status data indicates that a commercial standing of the user equipment is determined to satisfy a commercial standing criterion.

5. The network device of claim 4, wherein the commercial standing is indicative of a payment history associated with the user equipment.

6. The network device of claim 4, wherein the verifying comprises verifying that a service account associated with the user equipment has an outstanding service charge.

7. The network device of claim 4, wherein the verifying comprises verifying that the user equipment is associated with a criminal activity.

8. The network device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

subsequent to the facilitating, directing the access control data structure to the femto access point device.

9. The network device of claim 1, wherein the verifying comprises verifying that the status data indicates that an operational capability of the user equipment is determined to satisfy an operational capability criterion.

10. The network device of claim 1, wherein the status data is received from a network data store.

11. A method, comprising:

determining, by a network device comprising a processor, identifier data indicative of a user equipment that is to be authorized to access a femto access point device; and

in response to determining that status data indicative of a status associated with the user equipment satisfies a defined status criterion and based on the identifier data, modifying, by the network device, an access control data structure that is stored within a data store of the network device and that is employable to control access to the femto access point device, wherein the status data is different from the identifier data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining the status data comprises determining that an authorization for providing a femtocell service to the user equipment has been received from the user equipment.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining the status data comprises determining that a commercial standing of the user equipment is determined to satisfy a commercial standing criterion.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the identifier data is first identifier data and the method further comprises:

based on the status data, determining, by the network device, second identifier data indicative of the user equipment, and wherein the modifying is based on the second identifier data.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the modifying results in a modified access control data structure and the method further comprises:

facilitating, by the network device, a transmission of the modified access control data structure to the femto access point device.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

in response to determining that the status data does not satisfy the defined status criterion, prohibiting, by the network device, an addition of the identifier data to the access control data structure.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, by the network device, the status data from a network data store.

18. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a network device, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:

determining identifier data indicative of a user equipment that is to be authorized access to a femto access point device; and

in response to determining that status data indicative of a status associated with the user equipment satisfies a defined status criterion and based on the identifier data, modifying an access control data structure that is stored within a data store of the network device and is used to control access to the femto access point device, wherein the status data is different from the identifier data.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the status data is indicative of a validity of the identifier data and the defined status criterion comprises a defined validity criterion.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the modifying results in a modified access control data structure and the operations further comprise:

facilitating a transmission of the modified access control data structure to the femto access point device.