Security arrangement
OwnerJohn Aram Safainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mobile communication network 12 provides communication between devices 10 and is controlled at 14. When a user wishes to gain access to the network 12, a device 10 is required to send a request signal to the control 14. This request signal identifies the user device, not the user. The control makes security checks to ensure that the device is authorised, before returning an authorising signal 20. The user device is configured to prevent communication by the user until an authorising signal has been received. Security is improved by requiring the user device to be identified. Details of devices 10 which have been stolen can be recorded by the control 14 so that those devices will not, in future, be authorised for use of the network 12. The value of a stolen device 10 to a thief is therefore reduced or removed.
Claims51
A security arrangement for a communications network of the type which includes a plurality of user devices operable to communicate with each other by means of signals propagated over the network, and network control means operable to authorise user devices, wherein at least one of the devices has device control means operable to send a request message over the network to the network control means to identify the user device and to request authorisation for operation of the identified user device, the network control means being operable in response to a request message to determine if the identified user device is authorised to use the network, and to send an authorising message to the identified user device in the event that it is so authorised, the device control means being arranged to disable the corresponding operation of the user device unless an authorising message has been received.
A method of providing control in a communications network of the type which includes a plurality of user devices operable to communicate with each other by means of signals propagated over the network, and network control means operable to authorise the user devices, wherein user devices send a request message over the network to the network control means to identify the user device and to request authorisation for operation of the identified user device, the network control means determines if the identified user device is authorised to use the network, and sends an authorising message to the identified user device in the event that it is so authorised, the devices having control means arranged to disable the corresponding operation of the user device unless and authorising message has been received.
A security arrangement for a communications network of the type which includes a plurality of user devices operable to communicate with each other by means of signals propagated over the network, and network control means operable to authorise operation of the user devices, wherein the network control means is operable to receive request messages over the network, the request messages serving to identify the user device sending the message and to request authorisation for operation of the identified user device, the network control means being operable in response to a request message to determine if the identified user device is authorised, and to send an authorising message to the identified user device in the event that it is so authorised.
A security arrangement for a communications network of the type which includes a plurality of user devices operable to communicate with each other by means of signals propagated over the network, and network control means operable to authorise the use of the network, wherein at least one of the devices has device control means operable to send a request message over the network to the network control means to identify the user device and to request authorisation for operation of the identified user device, the device control means being arranged to disable the corresponding operation of the user device unless an authorising message has been received.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.