Systems and methods for deactivating stolen user equipment and a session for the stolen user equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12557003-B2
Application number	US-202318460972-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2023
Priority date	Sep 5, 2023
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

A network device may receive, from an equipment identity register, a status of a user equipment and a notification indicating that the user equipment is lost or stolen, and may provide, to a unified data management component, a subscription request that includes the status of the user equipment. The network device may receive, from the unified data management component, a subscription for the user equipment based on the subscription request and based on the status of the user equipment, and may provide, to the user equipment, a command to cause the user equipment to update a configuration of the user equipment based on the subscription.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
receiving, by a network device of a network and from an equipment identity register, a status of a user equipment and a notification indicating that the user equipment is lost or stolen; providing, by the network device and to a unified data management component, a subscription request that includes the status of the user equipment; receiving, by the network device and from the unified data management component, a subscription for the user equipment based on the subscription request and based on the status of the user equipment; and providing, by the network device and to the user equipment, a command to cause the user equipment to update a configuration of the user equipment based on the subscription.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subscription causes the user equipment to move to a quarantine network slice.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the unified data management component is configured to retrieve the subscription for the user equipment from a unified data repository based on the subscription request.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a unified data repository, associated with the unified data management component, is configured to update the subscription for the user equipment based on the status of the user equipment.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the unified data management component, subscription update notifications for the user equipment based on the subscription request.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the network device is an access and mobility management function.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subscription of the user equipment is one of:
a first subscription that causes the user equipment to be deregistered from the network with no service, a second subscription that enables the user equipment to attach to the network with limited service, or a third subscription that causes the user equipment to be identified as lost or stolen.

8 . A network device of a network, the network device comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
receive, from an equipment identity register, a status of a user equipment and a notification indicating that the user equipment is lost or stolen,
wherein the network device is an access and mobility management function;

provide, to a unified data management component, a subscription request that includes the status of the user equipment;
receive, from the unified data management component, a subscription for the user equipment based on the subscription request and based on the status of the user equipment; and
provide, to the user equipment, a command to cause the user equipment to update a configuration of the user equipment based on the subscription.

9 . The network device of claim 8 , wherein the subscription prevents the user equipment from accessing a short message service.

10 . The network device of claim 8 , wherein the subscription causes the user equipment to move to a quarantine network slice.

11 . The network device of claim 8 , wherein the subscription prevents one or more services for the user equipment or modifies a connection capability of the user equipment.

12 . The network device of claim 8 , wherein the equipment identity register is configured to provide information indicating a loss or a theft of the user equipment to third parties.

13 . The network device of claim 8 , wherein the equipment identity register is configured to provide an audit trail to track third-party deactivation or quarantine requests.

14 . The network device of claim 13 , wherein the audit trail is a blockchain-based audit trail.

15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising:
one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a network device of a network, cause the network device to:
receive, from an equipment identity register, a status of a user equipment and a notification indicating that the user equipment is lost or stolen;
provide, to a unified data management component, a subscription request that includes the status of the user equipment;
receive, from the unified data management component, a subscription for the user equipment based on the subscription request and based on the status of the user equipment;
receive, from the unified data management component, subscription update notifications for the user equipment based on the subscription request; and
provide, to the user equipment, a command to cause the user equipment to update a configuration of the user equipment based on the subscription.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the unified data management component is configured to retrieve the subscription for the user equipment from a unified data repository based on the subscription request.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein a unified data repository, associated with the unified data management component, is configured to update the subscription for the user equipment based on the status of the user equipment.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the subscription of the user equipment is one of:
a first subscription that causes the user equipment to be deregistered from the network with no service, a second subscription that enables the user equipment to attach to the network with limited service, or a third subscription that causes the user equipment to be identified as lost or stolen.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the subscription prevents the user equipment from accessing a short message service, causes the user equipment to move to a quarantine network slice, prevents one or more services for the user equipment, or modifies a connection capability of the user equipment.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the equipment identity register is configured to provide information indicating a loss or a theft of the user equipment to third parties.

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Kuravangi-Thammaiah Shanthala
• Bogineni Kalyani
• Pacella Dante J
• Halton Chris
• Sardesai Ashish

Classifications

• H04W60/04

  using triggered events · CPC title

• H04L41/0823 Primary

  characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability (for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02) · CPC title

• H04W8/18

  Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data · CPC title

• G06F21/88

  Detecting or preventing theft or loss · CPC title

• H04W48/02 Primary

  Access restriction performed under specific conditions · CPC title