The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 17, 1999
Filed:
Mar. 21, 1996
MCI Corporation, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for validating a terminal for access to a network that includes a central office having a memory for storing an equipment identity record and a local office having a memory for storing a subscriber record and an access count. The equipment identity record and the subscriber record each store an access authorization status of the terminal. Network access for the terminal is requested at the local office and a value of the access count at the local office is incremented when the value of the access count is less than a predetermined number. The access status of the terminal stored in the equipment identity record at the central office is requested by the local office when the terminal requests access for the first time or the value of the access count equals the predetermined number. The access authorization status of the terminal stored in the equipment identity record is sent to the local office in response to the request. The requested access status of the terminal is received at the local office and stored in the subscriber record. The value of the access count is reset in response to receiving the requested access status and access to the network is provided based on the access status stored in the subscriber record.