KR20090095697A - Mobile communication terminal for limiting use, server for opening service of subscriber, system and method using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A mobile communication terminal in which the use can be limited, a subscriber service opening server and a use restricting system and method using the same are provided to forbid the use of a smart card by setting up a locking function when a user moves to another mobile communication provider within a stipulated time. A memory unit(123) stores subscriber stipulated time information. An authentication controller(122) checks the validity by comparing the stipulated time information with service stipulated time information stored in the outside. A subscriber DB(111) stores and manages a stipulated time information list. An information extractor(112) extracts the subscriber stipulated time information of a mobile communication terminal from the subscriber DB. An information provider(113) provides the subscriber stipulated time information to the mobile communication terminal.

Description

Mobile communication terminal, subscriber opening server, usage restriction system and method using the same {MOBILE COMMUNICATION TERMINAL FOR LIMITING USE, SERVER FOR OPENING SERVICE OF SUBSCRIBER, SYSTEM AND METHOD USING THE SAME}

The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal capable of restricting use, a system and method for limiting use thereof, and in particular, a mobile communication terminal receiving a subsidy may restrict the provision of services by arbitrarily transferring a smart card to another terminal during a contract period. The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal, and a usage restriction system and method using the same.

Smart cards such as Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), User Identity Module (UIM), and Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) are personal information (mobile carriers, user passwords, and roaming information) of users who use the terminal for user identification purposes. , A user's personal phone number, etc.).

In particular, the USIM card is used in third generation service terminals such as Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), and is a card capable of storing and arithmetic data and information. The USIM card is also called the UICC (Universal Integrated Circuit Card), and it has a microprocessor, memory, card operating system, and security algorithms. to be.

The user can remove the smart card from the main body of the mobile communication terminal and insert the smart card into another mobile communication terminal, thereby providing a conventional service using a new mobile communication terminal without a separate subscription procedure.

Meanwhile, mobile operators have adopted and implemented a terminal subsidy policy so that long-term users can purchase terminals at low prices. However, in the third generation service in which the smart card and the mobile communication terminal are combined as described above, the user can use the smart card after moving the smart card to another mobile communication terminal, so that the mobile operator can use the terminal subsidy policy. There is a difficult side.

Accordingly, in the related art, a mobile communication provider continuously enforces a terminal subsidy policy and sets a lock by one-to-one matching a smart card with a terminal for the purpose of preventing a user from changing the terminal.

However, when the lock is set on the smart card, since the device number of the terminal and the user identification number of the smart card are mapped one-to-one (1: 1), it is impossible to move and use one smart card to another terminal. There is this.

In addition, when the smart card is unlocked, the user can plug the smart card into another mobile terminal at any time, so that even if the contract period set by the mobile service provider while subsidy has not passed, There is a problem that it cannot be prohibited to move to another mobile communication provider.

Accordingly, the technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to determine whether the service is available using the information when the contract period is determined when the terminal is opened, so that the smart card cannot be used when the smart card is moved to the terminal of another mobile communication provider within the contract period. The present invention provides a mobile communication terminal for setting a lock, and a system and method for limiting use thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile communication terminal, a usage restriction system and method using the same, which can prevent a terminal user from randomly moving to another mobile communication provider during a contract period.

Another technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a mobile communication terminal, a usage restriction system and a method using the same, after the contract period has elapsed, allowing a terminal user to transfer and use a smart card to another mobile communication terminal. .

Technical problems to be achieved by the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned technical problems, and other technical problems not mentioned above may be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. There will be.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mobile communication terminal comprising: a memory unit configured to store subscriber agreement period information corresponding to a subsidy payment amount; And an authentication control unit for checking validity by comparing the subscriber agreement period information stored therein with the stored service agreement period information externally stored at predetermined time points.

Subscriber opening server according to the present invention, the subscriber database for storing and managing a list of contract period information for each terminal according to the subsidy payment amount; An information extraction unit for extracting subscriber agreement period information of the mobile communication terminal from the subscriber database in response to a request of the mobile communication terminal; And an information provider for downloading the subscriber agreement period information to the mobile communication terminal.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for limiting use of a mobile communication terminal, comprising: a subscriber opening server configured to manage a list of term information of contract terms for each terminal according to a subsidy amount; A smart card storing service contract term information in a memory area; And after receiving the subscriber agreement period information from the subscriber opening server and storing the subscriber agreement period information by itself, transmitting the information to the smart card so as to be stored as the service agreement period information, and storing the subscriber agreement period information on the subscriber agreement period information and the smart card at predetermined time points. And a mobile communication terminal for checking validity by comparing the stored service agreement period information.

On the other hand, the method of limiting the use of a mobile communication terminal according to the present invention comprises the steps of, upon purchase of a mobile communication terminal, the subscriber agreement period information set according to the subsidy payment amount is stored in the subscriber opening server; Receiving, by the mobile terminal, the subscriber agreement period information from the subscriber opening server and storing the subscriber agreement period information; Receiving, by the smart card, the subscriber agreement period information from the mobile communication terminal and storing it as service agreement period information in a memory area; And checking, by the mobile communication terminal, validity by comparing the subscriber agreement period information stored therein at a predetermined time point with the service agreement period information stored in the smart card.

The mobile communication terminal according to the present invention made as described above, a usage restriction system and method using the same, if the contract period is determined when the terminal is opened, using the information to determine whether the service is available, the terminal of the other mobile communication provider within the contract period You can lock your smart card so that it cannot be used if you move it.

In addition, the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention, a usage restriction system and method using the same, can prevent the terminal user from randomly moving to another mobile communication provider during the contract period.

In addition, the mobile communication terminal and the usage restriction system and method using the same according to the present invention allow the terminal user to transfer the smart card to another mobile communication terminal after the contract period has elapsed.

Hereinafter, a mobile communication terminal and a usage restriction system using the same according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a usage restriction system of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a reference diagram for explaining an operation of each component shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, a usage restriction system of a mobile communication terminal according to the present invention includes a subscriber opening server 110, a mobile communication terminal 120, and a smart card 130 mounted on the mobile communication terminal 120.

The subscriber opening server 110 manages the database of the term of the contract period information for each terminal according to the subsidy payment amount. Thereafter, the subscriber opening server 110 wirelessly downloads the contract period information to the smart card 130 through OTA (Over The Air) technology.

The subscriber opening server 110 includes a subscriber database 111, an information extracting unit 112, and an information providing unit 113.

When a customer purchases a mobile communication terminal 120 through a distributor or a branch of a mobile carrier, a discount rate according to a subsidiary payment amount of the mobile carrier is applied, and the subscriber opening server 110 receives a customer (subscriber) according to the subsidy. The contract term information of the terminal is stored in the subscriber database 111. The subscriber database 111 stores and manages a list of contract period information for each terminal according to the subsidy payment amount.

The information extracting unit 112 extracts subscriber agreement period information of the mobile communication terminal 120 from the subscriber database 111 in response to a request of the mobile communication terminal 120 during the opening operation.

The information providing unit 113 downloads the subscriber agreement period information extracted from the subscriber database 111 to the mobile communication terminal 120 so that the information is stored in the memory unit 123 of the terminal body. The contract period information agreed between the subscriber and the mobile carrier is transmitted to the memory unit 123 of the mobile communication terminal 120 through the data transceiver 121. The information providing unit 113 supports an OTA function for installing or managing an applet through a wireless environment, thereby wirelessly downloading the subscriber agreement period information to the mobile communication terminal 120.

The mobile communication terminal 120 receives the subscriber agreement period information from the subscriber opening server 110 through the data transmission / reception unit 121, stores the information on the subscriber commitment period in the memory unit 123, and transmits it to the smart card 130. The information transmitted from the subscriber opening server 110 is stored as service contract period information in the memory area 131 of the smart card 130.

Thereafter, the mobile communication terminal 120 checks the validity by comparing the subscriber agreement period information stored therein with the service agreement period information stored in the smart card 130 at a specific time point. The time point for checking the validity is a time point when the mobile communication terminal 120 is rebooted or initialized.

The mobile communication terminal 120 includes a memory unit 123 for storing subscriber agreement period information, an authentication control unit 122 for checking user validity at a predetermined time point, and performing user authentication, a subscriber opening server 110, and a smart card ( 130 includes a data transmission and reception unit 121 for the interface between.

The memory unit 123 receives and stores subscriber contract period information corresponding to the subsidy payment amount from the subscriber opening server 110 through the data transmission / reception unit 121 and the authentication control unit 122.

Whenever the mobile communication terminal 120 is rebooted or initialized, the authentication controller 122 compares the subscriber agreement period information stored in the memory unit 123 with the service agreement period information stored in the smart card 130. By comparison, the contract period is checked to see if it has passed, and the service period is determined according to the contract period.

Smart card 130 is a module for user authentication, such as SIM, UIM, USIM card is configured to be detachable to the main body of the mobile communication terminal 120, can be issued, managed, and operated separately from the mobile communication terminal 120 have.

In particular, the USIM card is a smart card for application to the Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), a third generation service that enables terminal users to transmit broadband packet-based text, digitized voice or video, and multimedia data at a high speed of 2Mbps or more. .

The service agreement period information for the mobile communication terminal 120 is stored in the memory area 131 of the smart card 130.

In the initial state, when the smart card 130 is unlocked, the user can freely move one smart card 130 to another terminal, so that the user can arbitrarily serve the terminal of another mobile carrier regardless of the contract period. You can move it.

Therefore, in order to prevent the user from transferring the smart card 130 to the terminal of another mobile communication operator within the contract period receiving subsidies, whether or not the mobile communication terminal 120 can service the contract period, that is, the validity. Check the license and allow the terminal to be used only when the contract period has passed.

As a result of the validity check, if the validity is confirmed and the terminal use authentication succeeds, the mobile communication terminal 120 permits the use of the terminal. However, if the terminal use authentication fails because the validity is not confirmed, the mobile communication terminal 120 locks the smart card 130 to block the use of the terminal.

Referring to FIG. 2 together, the operation of each component shown in FIG. 1 will be described in more detail as follows. In FIG. 2, the first terminal 124 is a mobile communication terminal 120 opened by a specific mobile communication provider, and the second terminal 125 is a mobile communication terminal 120 provided by another mobile communication service provider. .

When a user purchases and opens the first terminal 124 through a distributor or a branch of a mobile carrier, the user may purchase the first terminal 124 at a discount according to the subsidies of the mobile carrier. The mobile communication service provider stores and manages subscriber agreement period information corresponding to the amount of subsidy of the first terminal 124 in the database 111 of the subscriber opening server (U.Key) 110.

The subscriber opening server 110 stores the contract period information agreed between the user and the mobile operator in the database 111 and then transmits the information to the data transmission / reception unit 121 of the first terminal 124.

The data transmission / reception unit 121 of the first terminal 124 receives the contract period information of the user transmitted from the subscriber opening server 110 and transmits it to the authentication control unit 122.

The authentication control unit 122 checks the subscriber agreement period information and stores it in the memory unit 123. The contract term information is stored as service contract term information in the memory area 131 in the smart card 130. When the authentication controller 122 stores the contract period information in the smart card 130, a file system structure as shown in FIG. 3 may be used. The contract period information is managed by an access control method so that only the mobile communication service provider who has opened the terminal can access the data, and other mobile communication service providers can not arbitrarily modify / update the information.

When the service contract period information is stored in the smart card 130, whenever the first terminal 124 is rebooted or initialized, the service is stored in the smart card 130 through the data transmission / reception unit 121 by the authentication controller 122. Read the term information. Thereafter, the authentication control unit 122 checks the validity of the value by comparing the read service agreement period information and the subscriber agreement period information stored in the memory unit 123.

If the user moves the smart card 130 to another second terminal 125 within the contract period, the two contract term information does not match, and thus the validity is not confirmed.

In this case, the authentication control unit 122 issues a command to set the locking of the smart card 130 through the data transmission / reception unit 121 to force the smart card 130 to not operate.

When the contract period has elapsed, the authentication controller 122 unlocks the smart card 130 so that the user can freely move the smart card 130 to another terminal such as the second terminal 125 to use the service. Make sure

Since the mobile communication provider provides a certain amount of subsidies when the mobile communication terminal 120 is opened, it requires a means for preventing the user from moving to another mobile communication service provider arbitrarily.

Therefore, the usage restriction system such as FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 stores the information as a smart card 130 mounted on the user's mobile communication terminal 120 through the OTA technology when the contract period is determined when the initial terminal is opened. When the mobile communication terminal 120 reboots or initializes, the memory area 131 of the smart card 130 is checked to determine whether service is possible.

Through the above-described process, it is possible to block the user from moving to another mobile carrier arbitrarily within the contract period. The mobile operator can prevent the user from moving to another mobile carrier without agreement within the contract period agreed with the user in accordance with the subsidy payment.

3 is a diagram illustrating a file system structure stored in the smart card of FIG. 1.

The mobile communication terminal 120 creates a random 'EF Subsidy' file in the file system of the smart card 130 to store service agreement period information, and checks the corresponding area when the mobile communication terminal 120 is rebooted or initialized. Check the expiration date.

'EF Subsidy' file needs to be strengthened so that arbitrary access is not possible, and in this aspect, it is recommended to designate the access right as 'Read Only' to increase security.

The overall file system structure of the smart card 130 may vary depending on the services provided. The smart card 130 stores information in a file system structure as shown in FIG. 3, and the smart card 130 responds to a request for the stored information through a command from the main body of the mobile communication terminal 120. Response and provide the requested information.

In the example of FIG. 3, each part represents a 'MF (Master File)', 'DF (Dedicate File)', 'EF (Element File)', 'ADF (Application Dedicate File)' file, and stores contract period information. The 'EF Subsidy' file is located in a subdirectory of the 'ADF' file and controlled by access control.

Hereinafter, a method of limiting use of a mobile communication terminal in a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 4.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a usage restriction method of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, in step S110, the user purchases and opens the mobile communication terminal 120 at an agency, a branch of a mobile communication service provider, and the like. At this time, the subscriber agreement period information set according to the subsidies payment amount of the mobile communication provider is stored in the database 111 of the subscriber opening server 110.

Next, in steps S120 and S130, the subscriber opening server 110 transmits subscriber agreement period information to the mobile communication terminal 120, and the mobile communication terminal 120 receives and stores it.

Next, in steps S140 and S150, when the mobile communication terminal 120 transmits subscriber agreement period information to the smart card 130, the smart card 130 receives the service agreement period from the mobile communication terminal 120. The information is stored in the memory area 131 as information.

As such, when the user and the mobile operator contract the contract term for a certain period according to the payment amount of the subsidy, the subscriber opening server 110 registers the contract term and transmits the information through the over the air (OTA). Download to the smart card 130 of the terminal 120.

Next, in steps S210 and S220, the mobile communication terminal 120 requests data from the smart card 130 at each reboot or initialization time point, and reads service contract period information stored in the smart card 130 in response thereto. It is.

Next, in step S230, the mobile communication terminal 120 compares the subscriber agreement period information stored in itself with the service agreement period information read from the smart card 130 to check whether the agreement period has elapsed, and according to the validity Check for service availability.

While the user normally uses the service through the mobile communication terminal 120, the mobile communication terminal 120 periodically checks valid service contract period information in the smart card 130 to determine whether the service is available.

As a result of checking the validity of step S230, when the subscriber agreement period information in the terminal and the service agreement period information read from the smart card 130 are matched with each other, or the validity of the set agreement period elapses at the time of opening, the mobile communication terminal 120 is confirmed. Proceed to step S240 to allow the user to use the terminal.

As a result of checking the validity of step S230, when the two contract terms do not match and the set contract period does not pass when the validity is not confirmed, the mobile communication terminal 120 sets the lock of the smart card 130. To prevent the use of the terminal.

As such, when the user using the smart card 130 wants to use a terminal different from the one opened in a situation in which the contract period has not passed, the above-described embodiment of the present invention does not operate in another terminal by confirming the contract period. The smart card 130 may be controlled so as not to.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may implement the present invention in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features thereof. I can understand that.

Therefore, the embodiments described above are provided to fully inform the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art, and should be understood as illustrative and not limiting in all aspects. The invention is only defined by the scope of the claims.

The present invention can be usefully applied to a mobile communication service applying a subsidy policy.

The mobile communication terminal and the usage restriction system and method using the same according to the present invention can prevent the terminal user from randomly moving to another mobile communication provider during the contract period.

In addition, the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention, a usage restriction system and method using the same, allows the terminal user to transfer the smart card to another mobile communication terminal after the contract period has elapsed.

1 is a block diagram showing a usage restriction system of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a reference diagram for describing an operation of each component shown in FIG. 1.

3 is a diagram illustrating a file system structure stored in the smart card of FIG.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a usage restriction method of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

*** Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawing ***

110: subscriber opening server 120: mobile communication terminal

121: data transmission and reception unit 122: authentication control unit

123: memory 130: smart card

Claims (12)

A memory unit for storing subscriber agreement period information corresponding to the subsidy payment amount; And Authentication control unit for checking the validity by comparing the information stored in the subscriber agreement period and the externally stored service agreement period information at predetermined time points A mobile communication terminal capable of using a restriction including a. The method of claim 1, And a smart card for storing the service contract period information in a memory area. A subscriber database for storing and managing a list of contract period information for each terminal according to the subsidy amount; An information extraction unit for extracting subscriber agreement period information of the mobile communication terminal from the subscriber database in response to a request of the mobile communication terminal; And Information providing unit for downloading the subscriber agreement period information to the mobile communication terminal Subscriber opening server comprising a. The method of claim 3, wherein the information providing unit, Subscriber opening server characterized in that it supports the Over The Air (OTA) function for wireless download. A subscriber opening server that manages a list of contract term information for each terminal according to the subsidy payment amount by database; A smart card storing service contract term information in a memory area; And Receives the subscriber agreement period information from the subscriber opening server and stores it in itself, transmits it to the smart card to be stored as the service agreement period information, and stores the subscriber agreement period information and the self-stored information stored in the smart card at predetermined time points. Mobile communication terminal for checking the validity by comparing the service agreement period information Use restriction system of the mobile communication terminal comprising a. The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined time point for checking validity is System for limiting use of a mobile communication terminal, characterized in that the time of the reboot or initialization of the mobile communication terminal. The method of claim 5, wherein the smart card, System for limiting use of a mobile communication terminal, characterized in that the lock is released in the initial state. The method of claim 5, wherein the mobile communication terminal, As a result of the validity check, if the validity is confirmed and the terminal use authentication succeeds, the terminal permits use of the terminal, and if the terminal use authentication fails because the validity is not verified, the lock of the smart card is set. . At the time of purchase of the mobile communication terminal, storing the subscriber agreement period information set according to the subsidy payment amount in the subscriber opening server; Receiving, by the mobile terminal, the subscriber agreement period information from the subscriber opening server and storing the subscriber agreement period information; Receiving, by the smart card, the subscriber agreement period information from the mobile communication terminal and storing it as service agreement period information in a memory area; And Checking, by the mobile terminal, validity by comparing the subscriber agreement period information stored in the mobile communication terminal with the service agreement period information stored in the smart card at predetermined time points; Method of limiting the use of the mobile communication terminal comprising a. The method of claim 9, wherein in the validity checking step, The mobile communication terminal checks the validity by comparing the subscriber agreement period information and the service agreement period information at each reboot or initialization time point. The method of claim 9, And if the validity is confirmed, validating the terminal, allowing the mobile terminal to use the terminal. The method of claim 9, If the validity is not confirmed, the mobile communication terminal further comprises setting a lock of the smart card.

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