Telecommunications – Radiotelephone system – Security or fraud prevention
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-05
2003-04-01
Vuong, Quochien (Department: 2681)
Telecommunications
Radiotelephone system
Security or fraud prevention
C455S411000, C455S419000, C455S420000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06542730
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of mobile and wireless communication systems. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved system and method for disabling a wireless device over cellular control channels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cellular Networks
A typical cellular network is illustrated in FIG.
1
. Some of the primary components include a group of mobile switching centers
110
,
115
(hereinafter “MSCs”); a series of base stations
140
-
142
and
150
-
151
; and one or more a mobile units
130
. Each mobile unit
130
includes an RF module (not shown) for transmitting and receiving cellular signals. The MSCs
110
,
115
communicate across an interface
150
to one or more additional networks
120
(e.g., the public switched telephone network).
The mobile station
130
contains a radio frequency (“RF”) module (not shown) which allows the mobile station
130
to tune to a particular frequency as designated by the cellular network. The “cell” site is defined by the area (e.g., line
170
in
FIG. 1
) surrounding each individual base station
140
. In operation, each base station
140
-
142
;
150
-
151
acts as an interface between the MSCs
110
,
115
and the mobile stations
130
; transmitting and receiving control and voice signals to and from each, respectively.
The MSCs
110
,
115
perform the primary control functions for the cellular network, routing calls between the base stations 140-142; 150-151 and other networks
120
and performing a variety of call management operations (e.g., performing testing and diagnostics; monitoring network traffic . . . etc). Two databases are maintained at the MSCs
110
,
115
for tracking cellular subscribers: the home location register (hereinafter “HLR”) and the visitor location register (hereinafter “VLR ”).
Every cellular customer belongs to one HLR, which is associated with a particular network provider. Information relating to the customer's account (e.g., subscribed services, account payments) is stored in the HLR along with customer tracking information which identifies the customer's location within the overall cellular network (i.e., either within or outside of the subscribed cellular provider's network).
The VLR keeps track of customers who are operating outside of their cellular provider's network. For example, if MSC
110
and MSC
115
were operated by different service providers and mobile station
130
moved outside of a MSC
110
's range (where he was a subscribed) and into MSC
115
's range, then MSC
115
would open a VLR entry for the mobile station
130
and would notify MSC
110
(which would then update the HLR for the mobile station
130
).
The communication interface between a mobile station
130
and a base station
140
can be broken down into two pairs of channels as illustrated in FIG.
2
: a pair of voice channels and a pair of control channels. The two voice channels, the reverse voice channel (RVC”)
210
and the forward voice channel (“FVC”)
220
carry digital or analog voice signals to and from the mobile station, respectively. The two control channels, the reverse control channel (“RECC”)
230
and the forward control channel (“FOCC”)
240
carry control signals (e.g., the number to dial, the paging signal indicating an incoming call . . . etc) to and from the mobile station
130
, respectively. When the voice channels are not in operation, the mobile station
130
must continually monitor it's designated control channels for event triggers.
Each cellular service provider broadcasts a unique System Identification Number (hereinafter “SID”) on its FOCC within the cellular provider's allocated frequency range. Accordingly, a properly equipped cellular telephone can determine which service company is providing service on a given channel by identifying the SID. Usually the SID contains three digits.
At least two identification numbers may be associated with each mobile cellular device: an electronic serial number (“ESN”) and a mobile identification number (“MIN”). The ESN is a 32-bit binary number which is set up by the manufacturer at the time of production. It is comprised of a manufacturer code and a serial number. The ESN is typically burned into memory (e.g., ROM) so that circuitry providing the number is secure.
The MIN is a 34-bit number that is derived from 10-digit telephone number of the mobile station. The MIN is comprised of MIN
1
, 24-bits which correspond to is the station's 7-digit directory number, and MIN
2
, 10 bits that correspond to the station's 3-digit area code.
Control Channel Packet Transmissions
The assignee of the present application has developed proprietary, two-way, wireless data communications technologies in which data packets known as Remote Access Application Messages (“RAAM”™) or Control Channel Application Data (“CCAD”™) are transmitted over cellular control channels to and from cellular RF modules. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,203 which is assigned to the assignee of the present application. These data packets enable a variety of new applications beyond traditional cellular voice communications, including monitoring and control of remote devices. These new systems operate completely within, and are transparent to, current established cellular networks, without usurping or compromising the voice-based infrastructure and revenue generation.
Occasionally, a mobile device employing elements of the foregoing technology must be disabled for one reason or another. Under certain conditions, the cellular device should be completely disabled such that it needs to be taken back to the factory before it will function properly again (e.g., car theft applications). In other instances, however, it would be more useful to temporarily disable the device such that it may be enabled locally and/or remotely (or otherwise disabled in a less-severe manner).
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for disabling a cellular device using different disabling techniques. What is also needed is a system and method for disabling a cellular device in which the manner in which the device is disabled is based on the application for which the device is employed and/or the underlying facts associated with the act of disabling (e.g., why the device was disabled).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method is described for disabling a cellular control module comprising: disabling the cellular control module responsive to either a temporary disable command or a factory disable command received over a cellular control channel; and enabling the cellular control module responsive to an enable command received over the cellular control channel if the cellular control module was disabled by a temporary disable command but not if the cellular control module was disabled by a factory disable command.
Also described is a cellular control module for receiving commands over a cellular control channel comprising: temporary disable logic which disables the cellular control module responsive to a temporary disable command received over the cellular control channel; factory disable logic which disables the cellular control module responsive to a factory disable command received over the cellular control channel; and enable logic which enables the cellular control module responsive to an enable command received over the cellular control channel if the cellular control module was disabled by the temporary disable logic but not if the cellular control module was disabled by the factory disable logic.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5274368 (1993-12-01), Breeden et al.
patent: 5509075 (1996-04-01), Grube et al.
patent: 5600708 (1997-02-01), Meche et al.
patent: 5625671 (1997-04-01), Salin
patent: 5659595 (1997-08-01), Chanu et al.
patent: 5734978 (1998-03-01), Hayatake et al.
patent: 5898783 (1999-04-01), Rohrbach
patent: 5907804 (1999-05-01), Schroderus et al.
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Vuong Quochien
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