Method and apparatus for fraud control in cellular telephone systems
US6185416A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 30, 1996 |
| Grant date | Feb 6, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 30, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04M2215/32
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for fraud control in cellular telephone systems. Call records from a switch are scanned to identify a fraudulent cellular phone based on its behavior. An identifier, e.g., a radio frequency (RF) signature, representative of the fraudulent phone is stored in a control channel editor at a cell site. A database of identifiers may comprise a positive validation database storing the identifiers for all valid phones used in the cellular telephone system, or it may be a negative validation database storing the identifiers for known fraudulent phones. A control channel editor intercepts a call origination request transmitted by a phone, and a control processor compares one or more characteristics of the phone transmitting the call origination request to the database of identifiers. The control processor then prevents the call origination request from completing when the comparison indicates that the phone is fraudulent. The call origination request can be prevented from completing by (1) re-routing the call to a customer service or "fraud hot line" number, (2) interrupting the call origination request, (3) transmitting a "hang-up" message to the phone, (4) transmitti…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.