System and method for determining a subscriber's zone information

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10419875-B2
Application number	US-201715623325-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2017
Priority date	Jun 2, 2006
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

Systems and methods for delivering customized content to wireless service subscribers are disclosed. According to the disclosed embodiments, wireless access points can be grouped into various zones. Some of all of these zones can be further associated with predefined service types or other customized attributes. When a wireless subscriber connects to an access point in a given zone, the subscriber can be provided with content and/or services based on the zone to which he is connected.

First claim

We claim:

1. At least one non-transitory computer readable medium, carrying instructions, which when executed by at least one data processor, perform a method of:
mapping at least one access point of an IP-based wireless access network (WLAN) to a service zone,
wherein the WLAN connects to a cellular telephone network via a Generic Access Network (GAN), Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) protocol;

storing the mapping of the access point to the service zone in a database;
mapping the service zone to at least one service type,
wherein the service type is associated with content or services provided to mobile device users who access the cellular telephone network via the access point;

storing the mapping of the service zone to the service type in the database;
mapping specific subscribers of the cellular telephone network with the at least one service type, wherein the specific subscribers are authorized to receive the at least one type of service when accessing the access point in the service zone; and
storing the mapping of the specific subscribers of the cellular telephone network to the service type in the database.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the database stores for each mapping of the access point to the service zone:
a Zone Number Field that includes a unique zone number integer and reflects different service zones, or
a Zone Field that reflects one or more addresses associated with a single Zone Number.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2 , wherein the database further stores for each mapping of the access point to the service zone:
a Cellsite Global Indicator (CGI) Field that reflects a value sent to a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) to include in call detail records to indicate a rating in the service zone, or
a UMA Service Zone Field that reflects UMA service zone information applicable to a location of the access point.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2 , wherein each Zone Field is identified using at least one IP address, at least one MAC address, at least one proximate CGI, or at least one Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN).

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2 , wherein at least one Zone Field comprises a wild card value.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2 , wherein at least one Zone Field comprises a subnet mask to indicate multiple IP addresses.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the database stores for each mapping of the service zone to the service type:
a Service Type Field that includes a unique service zone integer and reflects different service types, or
a Zone Number Field as a foreign key that reflects either single or multiple service zones associated with a single Service Type.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the database stores, for each mapping of the specific subscribers of the cellular telephone network to the service type, at least two of:
an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) Field that includes a unique subscriber identity integer and reflects different subscriber profiles,
a Service Type Field as a foreign key that reflects a service type associated with the specific subscriber,
a UMA Barring Field as a Boolean value that indicates whether the specific subscriber is allowed UMA service, or
a UMA Roaming Field as a Boolean value that indicates whether the specific subscriber is allowed UMA roaming.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the database further stores, for each mapping of the specific subscribers of the cellular telephone network to the service type, at least two of the following:
a Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number (MSISDN) Field that includes a unique subscriber identity integer and reflects a MSISDN associated with the IMSI Field,
a Serving UMA Network Controller (UNC) Field that reflects a UNC preferred for the specific subscriber,
a MAC/CGI Pairs Field that reflects a MAC address/CGI pair and a UMA Service Zone text to send to the specific subscriber,
a Default Location Field that includes a location identity integer and reflects a time zone of a call, or
a Maximum Number of Access Points Field that reflects a maximum number of MAC/CGI entries allowed in the database.

10. In a system having multiple wireless handheld devices capable of communicating over an IP-based wireless local area network (WLAN) that includes at least one access point for communicating with the handheld devices, an apparatus comprising:
a database; and
a server, coupled to the database, and configured to:
map the at least one access point of the WLAN to a service zone,
wherein the WLAN connects to a cellular telephone network via a Generic Access Network (GAN), Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) protocol;

store the mapping of the access point to the service zone in a database;
map the service zone to at least one service type,
wherein the service type is associated with content or services provided to mobile device users who access the cellular telephone network via the access point;

store the mapping of the service zone to the service type in the database;
map specific subscribers of the cellular telephone network with the at least one service type,
wherein the specific subscribers are authorized to receive the at least one type of service when accessing the access point in the service zone; and

store the mapping of the specific subscribers of the cellular telephone network to the service type in the database.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the database stores for each mapping of the access point to the service zone:
a Zone Number Field that includes a unique zone number integer and reflects different service zones, or
a Zone Field that reflects one or more addresses associated with a single Zone Number.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the database further stores for each mapping of the access point to the service zone:
a CGI Field that reflects a value sent to a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) to include in call detail records to indicate a rating in the service zone, or
a UMA Service Zone Field that reflects UMA service zone information applicable to a location of the access point.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein each Zone Field is identified using at least one IP address, at least one MAC address, at least one proximate CGI, or at least one FQDN.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein at least one Zone Field comprises a wild card value.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein at least one Zone Field comprises a subnet mask to indicate multiple IP addresses.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the database stores for each mapping of the service zone to the service type:
a Service Type Field that includes a unique service zone integer and reflects different service types, or
a Zone Number Field as a foreign key that reflects either single or multiple service zones associated with a single Service Type.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the database stores, for each mapping of the specific subscribers of the cellular telephone network to the service type, and least two of:
an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) Field that includes a unique subscriber identity integer and reflects different subscriber profiles,
a Service Type Field as a foreign key that reflects a service type associated with the specific subscriber,
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Assignees

• T Mobile Usa Inc

Inventors

• Caldwell Christopher E
• Linkola Janne P

Classifications

• H04W12/08

  Access security · CPC title

• H04W84/12

  WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] · CPC title

• H04W80/04

  Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol] · CPC title

• H04W64/003

  locating network equipment · CPC title

• H04W88/08

  Access point devices · CPC title