System and method of modifying policy settings in an electronic device

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method of modifying policy settings in an electronic device. An embodiment includes a plurality of access stations, each capable of wirelessly transmitting across a geographic region. A mobile electronic device, capable of roaming between regions is operable to establish a wireless link with the access stations. The device is owned by an office which sets communication policies determining through which access stations mobile device can place voice calls. This policy is stored on an office server as a database and periodically transmitted to the device as the device makes contact with the office server over the internet. Hence, the device maintains a copy of this policy database. When placing a voice call, the device first determines which access station is serving the region it is located in and then determines whether it is allowed to place a call through that access station using its policy database.

1 . A subscriber device comprising: 
 an interface operable to conduct communications over a link with at least one base station in each of a plurality of geographic regions; and,    a microcomputer connected to said interface and operable to maintain a policy associated with each said region; said policy defining whether communications between said interface and said at least one base station are permitted for each said region; said microcomputer permitting said interface to communicate in accordance with said policy.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said communications include a plurality of different services.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein said services include at least one of voice, emails, internet browsing and text messaging.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 2  wherein said policy permits one of said services in a specific region and disallows another one of said services in said specific region.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said policy is disallows said communications in at least one of said regions if said communications within said region are insecure.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said policy is disallows said communications in at least one of said regions if a cost for conducting said communications exceeds a predefined threshold.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said links include wireless links that can be based on one or more of CDMA, OFDM, AMPS, GSM, GPRS, bluetooth, infra-red and 802.11.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said links includes wired links that can be based on Ethernet; USB; Firewire and RS-232.  
     
     
         9 . A method of conducting communications from a subscriber device comprising: 
 establishing a link with a base station from said subscriber device;    receiving an identifier from said base station at said subscriber device;    determining whether communications with said base station are permitted based on said identifier; and,    conducting said communications from said subscriber device only if communications are permitted.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said communications include a plurality of different services.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said services include at least one of voice, emails, internet browsing and text messaging.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said determining step includes determining whether one of said services in a specific region associated with said base station is allowed.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said determining step policy disallows said communications with at least one of said base stations if communications within said base station are insecure.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said determining step is disallows said communications in at least one of said regions if a cost for conducting said communications exceeds a predefined threshold.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said link is a wireless link based on one or more of CDMA, OFDM, AMPS, GSM, GPRS, bluetooth, infra-red and 802.11.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9  wherein said link is a wired link based on Ethernet; USB; Firewire and RS-232.  
     
     
         17 . A server for communicating with a plurality of subscriber devices comprising: 
 a microcomputer operable to maintain a policy defining whether communications between at least one subscriber station and at least one base station is permitted; and,    an interface for delivering said policy to each of said at least one subscriber station.    
     
     
         18 . A computer readable media operable to store a set of programming instructions; said programming instructions for operating a server that is for communicating with a plurality of subscriber devices; said programming instructions executable on a microcomputer associated with said server; said programming instructions for rendering said microprocessor operable to maintain a policy defining whether communications between at least one subscriber station and at least one base station is permitted.  
     
     
         19 . A computer readable media operable to store a policy for storage in a subscriber station; said policy defining whether communications between a subscriber station and said at least one base station are permitted.