System and method for authorizing and validating user agents based on user agent location

Abstract

An embodiment of a method includes receiving a request from a user agent to use a communication network, determining that the user agent is not recognized on the communication network, and requiring submission of location information prior to allowing the user agent to use the network. An embodiment of a system includes a recognition module configured to determine whether the communication device is recognized in response to a request to use a communication network from the communication device, a notification module configured to notify the communication device that the communication device is not recognized, wherein notification that the communication device is not recognized indicates that location information must be submitted prior to the communication device using the communication network; and a location update module configured to receive submitted location information and update the location of the communication device based on the location information.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a request from a user agent to use a communication network;   determining that the user agent is not recognized on the communication network; and   requiring submission of location information prior to allowing the user agent to use the network.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the request identifies the user agent. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising receiving the location information from an authorization server. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the location information is submitted to the authorization server from the user agent. 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein determining that the user agent is not recognized comprises determining whether valid authorization credentials exist that correspond to the user agent. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising receiving authorization credentials from the authorization server. 
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising:
 receiving another request to use the network from the user agent; and   determining that the user agent is recognized based at least in part on the authorization credentials.   
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 6 , wherein receiving the authorization credentials comprises receiving authorization credentials that were generated in response to the user agent submitting the location information. 
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the location information is entered manually by a user of the user agent. 
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the location information is automatically determined and submitted by the user agent. 
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 6  further comprising invalidating the authorization credentials after a timeout time expires if the user agent does not register again within the timeout time. 
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising setting the timeout time by a registrar. 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 notifying the user agent of the timeout time by the registrar; and   storing the timeout time by the user agent.   
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising notifying the user agent that the user agent is not recognized by sending an authentication failure message to the user agent. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the request to use the communication network comprises a request to register on the communication network. 
     
     
         16 . A system for determining a location of a communication device, the system comprising:
 a validation module configured to determine whether the communication device is recognized in response to a request to use a communication network from the communication device;   a notification module configured to notify the communication device that the communication device is not recognized, wherein notification that the communication device is not recognized indicates that location information must be submitted prior to the communication device using the communication network; and   a location update module configured to receive submitted location information and update the location of the communication device based on the location information.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a timer module configured to determine whether the communication device has registered within a designated period of time. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising an authorization credentials update module configured to validate authorization credentials received from an authorization module. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the update module is further configured to invalidate the authorization credentials based on a timeout indication from the timer module. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising an authorization server configured to receive location information from the communication device and issue updated authorization credentials to the communication device. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the authorization server is further configured to send the location information to a location maintenance service. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the recognition, notification, and location update modules are part of a registration server. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the communication device is configured to determine location in response to an unauthorized message from the notification module and submit the location to the authorization server.