IP Library Granted Patent US 8,583,078
Granted Patent B2
US 8,583,078 · App. 12/471,682 · Granted Nov 12, 2013

Femto cell service delivery platform usage compliance

Inventors: Jeffrey Sweeney (Olathe, KS); Kelsyn D. S. Rooks (Overland Park, KS); Jeff Stafford (Overland Park, KS)
Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,583,078
App. No.
12/471,682
Granted
Nov 12, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosed invention include an apparatus, method, and computer program product for managing cellular usage in controlled areas. For example, in one embodiment, a cellular monitoring system communicates with one or more femto cells located within a controlled area for detecting the presence of unauthorized cellular devices or for monitoring the usage of cellular devices within the controlled area.

Claims (44)

1. A method executed by a cellular monitoring system for managing cellular usage in a controlled area, the method comprising:

identify a cellular device within signal range of one or more femto cells placed in a controlled area, wherein a size of the controlled area is configurable by varying the signal strengths associated with the one or more femto cells, and wherein identify the cellular device within signal range of one or more femto cells placed in the controlled area is performed using a control channel;

determining whether the cellular device is an authorized device within the controlled area;

communicating with a cellular service provider subscriber database to determine a subscriber name associated with the cellular device in response to a determination that the cellular device is an unauthorized device;

alerting security personnel in response to determination that the cellular device is not an authorized device within the controlled area;

receiving an incoming or outgoing call associated with the cellular device;

determining whether the incoming or outgoing call occurs during an authorized time;

blocking the incoming or outgoing call in response to a determination that the incoming or outgoing call occurs during an unauthorized time;

monitoring a duration of an incoming or outgoing call associated with the cellular device;

subtracting an amount of time associated with the duration of the incoming or outgoing call from a calling account associated with a user of the cellular device;

restricting calls associated with the cellular device to only authorized calling numbers; and

receiving user configurations for alerting the security personnel from a user via a Web portal associated with the cellular monitoring system, wherein an alert message includes information about an unauthorized cellular device including a mobile identification number associated with the unauthorized cellular device and an approximate location of the unauthorized cellular device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising updating a location status of the cellular device to provide an approximate location of the cellular device in response to a determination that the cellular device is an authorized device within the controlled area.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

recording an incoming or outgoing call associated with the cellular device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising disconnecting a call associated with the cellular device in response to a determination that the call has exceeded a predetermined amount of time.

5. A cellular monitoring system for managing cellular usage in a controlled area, the cellular monitoring system comprising:

a network interface for communicating with one or more femto cells placed in a controlled area for identifying cellular devices in the controlled area, and wherein identifying the cellular devices in the controlled area is performed using a control channel;

a data storage unit for storing identification data associated with authorized cellular devices within the controlled area; memory for storing computer executable instructions;

a processor configured to execute the computer executable instructions to:

configure a size of the control area based on signal strengths associated with the one or more femto cells;

determine whether a cellular device within the controlled area is an authorized device using the identification data;

communicate with a cellular service provider subscriber database to determine a subscriber name associated with the cellular device in response to a determination that the cellular device is an unauthorized device;

block cellular communications associated with the cellular device in response to determination that the cellular device is not an authorized device within the controlled area;

transmit a message to a plurality of specified cellular devices within the controlled area;

monitor a duration of an incoming or outgoing call associated with the cellular device;

subtract an amount of time associated with the duration of the incoming or outgoing call from a calling account associated with a user of the cellular device;

enable cellular communications associated with the cellular device only to prespecified calling numbers; and

receive user configurations for alerting security personnel from a user via a Web portal associated with the cellular monitoring system, wherein an alert message includes information about an unauthorized cellular device including a mobile identification number associated with the unauthorized cellular device and an approximate location of the unauthorized cellular device.

6. The cellular monitoring system of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer executable instructions to block cellular communications associated with the cellular device during specified times.

7. The cellular monitoring system of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer executable instructions to record cellular communications associated with the cellular device.

8. The cellular monitoring system of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer executable instructions to monitor a duration of a call associated with the cellular device and terminate the call in response the call exceeding a prespecified duration.

9. The cellular monitoring system of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer executable instructions to block all cellular communications within the controlled area.

10. A non-transitory computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code comprising instructions to:

configure a size of a control area based on signal strengths associated with one or more femto cells;

identify, using a control channel, a cellular device within signal range of the one or more femto cells placed in the controlled area;

determine whether the cellular device is an authorized device within the controlled area;

communicate with a cellular service provider subscriber database to determine a subscriber name associated with the cellular device in response to a determination that the cellular device is an unauthorized device;

block cellular communications associated with the cellular device in response to a determination that the cellular device is not an authorized device within the controlled area;

transmit a message to a plurality of specified cellular devices within the controlled area;

monitor a duration of an incoming or outgoing call associated with the cellular device;

subtract an amount of time associated with the duration of the incoming or outgoing call from a calling account associated with a user of the cellular device;

restrict calls associated with the cellular device to only authorized calling numbers; and

receive user configurations for alerting security personnel from a user via a Web portal, wherein an alert message includes information about an unauthorized cellular device including a mobile identification number associated with the unauthorized cellular device and an approximate location of the unauthorized cellular device.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 9, 2013
From: EMBARQ HOLDINGS COMPANY, LLC
To: CENTURYLINK INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LLC
Reel/Frame 031394/0092 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 26, 2009
From: SWEENEY, JEFFREY; ROOKS, KELSYN D.S.; STAFFORD, JEFF
To: EMBARQ HOLDINGS COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 022731/0723 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100304712A1 · Dec 2, 2010