Wireless services gateway

• US 10,028,327 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2017
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ruckus Wireless, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ruckus Wireless, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bhatnagar, Hemant, Chuu, Wayne, Hebbalae, Chetan, Huang, Wei-Lun, Kaliaperumal, Rajesh, Kish, William, Li, Yi-Nan, Mok, Ronald, Nagaraja, Vijikumar, Palli, Venkatarao, Ranade, Yogesh, Sheu, Ming-Jye, Tzeng, Henry, Yan, You-Lin, Yu, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): CHO, HONG SOL
• Application Number:
  US15/590,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20180098374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2592 using tunnelling or encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A system for integrating wireless service providers'"'"' core networks with Wi-Fi radios using a Wireless Services Gateway (WSG). The WSG can allow wireless device users to seamlessly connect to a network such as the internet using both cellular phone antennae as well as Wi-Fi radio antennae while still utilizing their preferred wireless service provider'"'"'s core network system of billing, authenticating and policy decision making. This system can allow for data transmission of wireless devices through Wi-Fi instead of through cellular antennae, thus increasing bandwidth and data transmission rates.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions thereon for a method of authenticating a wireless user equipment, the method comprising:

by a wireless services gateway with a processor and a memory, the wireless services gateway,

communicating with at least one access point, the access point configured to communicate with at least one wireless user equipment;

receiving a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) request from the wireless user equipment;

assigning an Internet Protocol (IP) address to the wireless user equipment;

sending the assigned IP address to the wireless user equipment by a DHCP offer/acknowledge message;

allowing the wireless user equipment to authenticate with an authentication server in the wireless services provider network by a redirected communication link to a web portal server in the wireless services provider network.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein,

if authentication occurs, by the wireless services gateway,

establishing a tunnel with a data service gateway by informing the data service gateway of the assigned IP;

receiving a packet from the wireless user equipment;

encapsulating the packet and send the packet to the Data Service Gateway without changing the wireless user equipment IP address receive a packet from the data service gateway; and

decapsulating the packet and send the packet to the wireless user equipment without changing the wireless user equipment IP address.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 2 wherein, if authentication does not occur, by the wireless services gateway,

revoking the wireless user equipment DHCP offer/acknowledge message.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the DHCP offer/acknowledge message is a DHCP lease.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the wireless services gateway includes a data log interface, for,

communicating with a data log interface at the at least one access point;

communicating with a local log; and

communicating with an event handler.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 further, by the wireless services gateway,

translating the assigned IP address for the user equipment with an IP address assigned to the user equipment by a Gateway General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (GGSN).

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 further, by the wireless services gateway,

routing data traffic, received from the wireless user equipment by the access point to the at least one wide area network by a breakout.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 wherein the breakout is at least one of,

a breakout between the access point and the wireless services gateway,

a breakout at the wireless services gateway,

a breakout between the wireless services gateway and the at least one wireless service provider network, and

a breakout after the wireless service provider network.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the wireless services gateway is further configured to,

utilize a policy to determine whether to route the data traffic by a breakout.

10. A method of authenticating a wireless user equipment, the method comprising:

by a wireless services gateway with a processor and a memory, the wireless services gateway,

communicating with at least one access point, the access point configured to communicate with at least one wireless user equipment;

receiving a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) request from the wireless user equipment;

assigning an Internet Protocol (IP) address to the wireless user equipment;

sending the assigned IP address to the wireless user equipment by a DHCP offer/acknowledge message;

allowing the wireless user equipment to authenticate with an authentication server in the wireless services provider network by a redirected communication link to a web portal server in the wireless services provider network.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein,

if authentication occurs, by the wireless services gateway,

establishing a tunnel with a data service gateway by informing the data service gateway of the assigned IP;

receiving a packet from the wireless user equipment;

encapsulating the packet and send the packet to the Data Service Gateway without changing the wireless user equipment IP address receive a packet from the data service gateway; and

decapsulating the packet and send the packet to the wireless user equipment without changing the wireless user equipment IP address.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein, if authentication does not occur, by the wireless services gateway,

revoking the wireless user equipment DHCP offer/acknowledge message.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the DHCP offer/acknowledge message is a DHCP lease.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the wireless services gateway includes a data log interface, for,

communicating with a data log interface at the at least one access point;

communicating with a local log; and

communicating with an event handler.

15. The method of claim 10 further, by the wireless services gateway,

translating the assigned IP address for the user equipment with an IP address assigned to the user equipment by a Gateway General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (GGSN).

16. The method of claim 10 further, by the wireless services gateway,

routing data traffic, received from the wireless user equipment by the access point to the at least one wide area network by a breakout.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the breakout is at least one of,

a breakout between the access point and the wireless services gateway,

a breakout at the wireless services gateway,

a breakout between the wireless services gateway and the at least one wireless service provider network, and

a breakout after the wireless service provider network.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireless services gateway is further configured to,

utilize a policy to determine whether to route the data traffic by a breakout.

19. A wireless services gateway for authenticating a wireless user equipment, comprising:

communication means for,

receiving a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) request from a wireless user equipment via an access point;

assigning an Internet Protocol (IP) address to the wireless user equipment;

sending the assigned IP address to the wireless user equipment via the access point by a DHCP offer/acknowledge message;

receiving a wireless user equipment authentication request;

sending the wireless user equipment a communication link to a web portal server in the wireless services provider network; and

translating the assigned IP address for the user equipment with an IP address assigned to the user equipment by a Gateway General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (GGSN).

20. The wireless services gateway of claim 19 wherein the communication means is further for routing data traffic, received from the wireless user equipment by the access point to the at least one wide area network by a breakout.

21. A wireless access gateway for authenticating a wireless user equipment with a wireless service provider network, comprising:

the wireless services gateway having a processor and a memory, the wireless services gateway configured to,

communicate with at least one access point, the access point configured to communicate with at least one wireless user equipment;

receive a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) request from the wireless user equipment;

assign an Internet Protocol (IP) address to the wireless user equipment;

send the assigned IP address to the wireless user equipment by a DHCP offer/acknowledge message;

allow the wireless user equipment to authenticate with an authentication server in the wireless services provider network by a redirected communication link to a web portal server in the wireless services provider network.

22. The wireless access gateway of claim 21 wherein,

if authentication occurs;

establish a tunnel with a data service gateway by informing the data service gateway of the assigned IP;

receive a packet from the wireless user equipment;

encapsulate the packet and send the packet to the data service gateway without changing the wireless user equipment IP address receive a packet from the data service gateway; and

decapsulate the packet and send the packet to the wireless user equipment without changing the wireless user equipment IP address.

23. The wireless access gateway of claim 22 wherein, if authentication does not occur,

revoke the wireless user equipment DHCP offer/acknowledge message.

24. The wireless access gateway of claim 23 wherein the DHCP offer/acknowledge message is a DHCP lease.

25. The wireless access gateway of claim 21 wherein the wireless services gateway includes a data log interface, configured to,

communicate with a data log interface at the at least one access point;

communicate with a local log; and

communicate with an event handler.