System and method of controlling application level access of subscriber to a network

• US 20010049790A1
• Filed: 12/08/2000
• Published: 12/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Tuohino, Markku, Faccin, Stefano, Purnadi, Rene, Rajaniemi, Jaakko, Hulkkonen, Tony, Sivanandan, Mohan
• Granted Patent: US 8,862,751 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/185
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/00 Network data management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/08 Mobility data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

The invention is a system and method of controlling an access of a subscriber to a network. The method includes sending an identification of the subscriber and a level of access to be provided to the subscriber from a visited network of a plurality of networks (12, 14, 16) connected to a home network (10); in response to the identification of the subscriber and a level of access to be provided to the subscriber, storing a subscriber profile of the authorized of access to be provided to the subscriber; and controlling access of the subscriber to any network dependent upon a comparison of access to be provided to the subscriber and the stored subscriber profile.

Claims

1. A method of controlling access of a subscriber to a network comprising:

sending an identification of the subscriber and an access to be provided to the subscriber from a visited network of a plurality of networks connected to a home network;

in response to the identification of the subscriber and access to be provided to the subscriber, storing a subscriber profile of an authorized access to be provided to the subscriber; and

controlling access of the subscriber to any network dependent upon a comparison of the access to be provided to the subscriber and the stored subscriber profile.

2. A method in accordance with

claim 1

wherein:

the storing of the subscriber profile is in the home network.

3. A method in accordance with

claim 1

wherein:

the storing of the subscriber profile is in the visited network.

4. A method in accordance with

claim 1

wherein:

each different access provides a different degree of bandwidth in communications.

5. A method in accordance with

claim 1

wherein:

each access provides for a different degree of security in communications.

6. A method in accordance with

claim 1

wherein:

each access provides different connection supplementary services.

7. A method in accordance with

claim 2

wherein:

each access provides a different degree of bandwidth in communications.

8. A method in accordance with

claim 2

wherein:

each access provides for a different degree of security in communications.

9. A method in accordance with

claim 2

wherein:

each access provides different connection supplementary services.

10. A method in accordance with

claim 3

wherein:

each access provides a different degree of bandwidth in communications.

11. A method in accordance with

claim 3

wherein:

each access provides for a different degree of security in communications.

12. A method in accordance with

claim 3

wherein:

each access provides different connection supplementary services.

13. A method in accordance with

claim 1

wherein:

the home network is an internet protocol network and the visited network is a wireless public cellular bearer network.

14. A method in accordance with

claim 13

wherein:

the public cellular bearer network is a general packet radio system network.

15. A method in accordance with

claim 1

wherein:

the home network is an internet protocol network and the visited network is an internet service provider.

16. A method in accordance with

claim 1

wherein:

the home network is an internet protocol network and the one visited network is a wireless local area network.

17. A method in accordance with

claim 1

wherein:

the access is chosen from a plurality of authorized accesses which may be granted to the subscriber.

18. A method in accordance with

claim 2

wherein:

the access is chosen from a plurality of authorized accesses which may be granted to the subscriber.

19. A method in accordance with

claim 3

wherein:

the access is chosen from a plurality of authorized accesses which may be granted to the subscriber.

20. A method in accordance with

claim 4

wherein:

the access is chosen from a plurality of authorized accesses which may be granted to the subscriber.

21. A method in accordance with

claim 5

wherein:

the access is chosen from a plurality of authorized accesses which may be granted to the subscriber.

22. A method in accordance with

claim 6

wherein:

the access is chosen from a plurality of authorized accesses which may be granted to the subscriber.

23. A method in accordance with

claim 7

wherein:

the access is chosen from a plurality of authorized accesses which may be granted to the subscriber.

24. A method in accordance with

claim 8

wherein:

the access is chosen from a plurality of authorized accesses which may be granted to the subscriber.

25. A method in accordance with

claim 9

wherein:

the access is chosen from a plurality of authorized accesses which may be granted to the subscriber.

26. A method in accordance with

claim 10

wherein:

the access is chosen from a plurality of authorized accesses which may be granted to the subscriber.

27. A method in accordance with

claim 11

wherein:

the access is chosen from a plurality of authorized accesses which may be granted to the subscriber.

28. A method in accordance with

claim 12

wherein:

the access is chosen from a plurality of authorized accesses which may be granted to the subscriber.

29. A method in accordance with

claim 13

wherein:

the access is chosen from a plurality of authorized accesses which may be granted to the subscriber.

30. A method in accordance with

claim 15

wherein:

the access is chosen from a plurality of authorized accesses which may be granted to the subscriber.

31. A method in accordance with

claim 16

wherein:

the access is chosen from a plurality of authorized accesses which may be granted to the subscriber.

32. A method in accordance with

claim 1

wherein:

an application level registration message containing the identification of the subscriber and the access is generated in response to a request from subscriber equipment to a visited network entity;

in response to an entity in the visited network receiving the request, an address of an entity in the home network is obtained from a routing analysis in the visited network; and

the application level registration message is transmitted to the address in the home network.

33. A method in accordance with

claim 32

wherein:

an entity of the home network obtains the subscriber profile in response to receipt of the application level registration message.

84. A method in accordance with

claim 1

wherein:

the access is an application level access.

34. A system comprising:

a home network which stores a plurality of subscriber profiles each defining an access to be provided to a subscriber to a network;

a plurality of networks connected to the home network;

subscriber equipment connected to a visited one of the plurality of networks through which the subscriber obtains an access to any network; and

wherein

in response to connection of the subscriber equipment to the visited network, an identification of the subscriber and an access to be provided to the subscriber is sent to the home network, and a subscriber profile of an authorized access to be provided to the subscriber is stored in one of the networks and access of the subscriber to any network is controlled by one of the networks storing the subscriber network dependent upon a comparison of the access to be provided to the subscriber and the stored subscriber profile.

35. A system in accordance with

claim 34

further comprising:

a network entity within the home network which stores the subscriber profile.

36. A system in accordance with

claim 34

further comprising:

a network entity within the visited network which stores the subscriber profile.

37. A method of controlling access of a subscriber to register in networks comprising:

during or after the subscriber registers in a network, providing an identification of the subscriber and an access at a home network of the subscriber, the access comprising an identification of access to one of the networks in which the subscriber is registered.

38. A method in accordance with

claim 37

wherein:

in response to the providing of the identification of the subscriber and the access at the home network, storing a subscriber profile indicating an access to be provided to the subscriber to at least the networks; and

using the stored subscriber profile in controlling service provided to the subscriber.

39. A method in accordance with

claim 38

wherein:

the controlling of the service provided to the subscriber occurs while the subscriber is registered in a visited network and the networks are access networks from which the subscriber may obtain services while roaming in the visited network.

40. A method in accordance with

claim 39

wherein:

the controlling of the service provided to the subscriber occurs from a request of a call controlling entity.

41. A method in accordance with

claim 37

comprising:

storing the subscriber profile in the home network.

42. A method in accordance with

claim 39

comprising:

storing the subscriber profile in the home network.

43. A method in accordance with

claim 39

comprising:

storing the subscriber profile in the visited network.

44. A method in accordance with

claim 37

wherein:

the sending of the identification of the subscriber and an access occurs in response to the transmission of an access type indicator identifying a network in which the subscriber is registered through the visited network to the home network or in response to a request from a call serving entity.

45. A method in accordance with

claim 39

wherein:

the sending of the identification of the subscriber and an access occurs in response to the transmission of an access type indicator identifying a network in which the subscriber is registered through the visited network to the home network or in response to a request from a call serving entity.

46. A method in accordance with

claim 41

wherein:

the sending of the identification of the subscriber and an access occurs in response to the transmission of an access type indicator identifying a network in which the subscriber is registered through the visited network to the home network.

47. A method in accordance with

claim 42

wherein:

the sending of the identification of the subscriber and an access occurs in response to the transmission of an access type indicator identifying a network in which the subscriber is registered through the visited network to the home network.

48. A method in accordance with

claim 43

wherein:

the subscriber profile comprises general service data used in providing service to the subscriber and data regarding permitted access of the subscriber to the networks.

49. A method in accordance with

claim 44

wherein:

the subscriber profile comprises general service data used in providing service to the subscriber and data regarding permitted access of the subscriber to the access networks.

50. A method in accordance with

claim 45

wherein:

the subscriber profile comprises general service data used in providing service to the subscriber and data regarding permitted access of the subscriber to the access networks.

51. A method in accordance with

claim 46

wherein:

the subscriber profile comprises general service data used in providing service to the subscriber and data regarding permitted access of the subscriber to the networks.

52. A method in accordance with

claim 47

wherein:

the subscriber profile comprises general service data used in providing service to the subscriber and data regarding permitted access of the subscriber to the access networks.

53. A method in accordance with

claim 46

wherein:

the subscriber profile comprises general service data used in providing service to the subscriber and data regarding permitted access of the subscriber to the access networks.

54. A method in accordance with

claim 47

wherein:

the subscriber profile comprises general service data used in providing service to the subscriber and data regarding permitted access of the subscriber to the access networks.

55. A method in accordance with

claim 42

wherein:

the application level of access originates from equipment of the subscriber registered to one of the networks.

56. A method in accordance with

claim 43

wherein:

the access originates from an entity providing an interface between the visited network and one of the access networks to which the subscriber is registered.

57. A method in accordance with

claim 44

wherein:

the access is determined by a call control entity based upon information obtained by the control entity about the network to which the subscriber is registered.

58. A method in accordance with

claim 39

wherein:

in response to at least one subsequent identification of the subscriber and the access being provided at the home network, the home network sends to the visited network an acknowledgment of a change in registration of the subscriber to another access network.

59. A method in accordance with

claim 37

wherein:

the access is used by the home network to control connectivity of communications to the subscriber through the home network.

60. A method in accordance with

claim 39

wherein:

the access is used by the home network to control connectivity of communications to the subscriber through the home network.

61. A method in accordance with

claim 41

wherein:

the access is used by the home network to control connectivity of communications to the subscriber through the home network.

62. A method in accordance with

claim 44

wherein:

the access is used by the home network to control connectivity of communications to the subscriber through the home network.

63. A method in accordance with

claim 48

wherein:

the access is used by the home network to control connectivity of communications to the subscriber through the home network.

64. A method in accordance with

claim 55

wherein:

the access is used by the home network to control connectivity of communications to the subscriber through the home network.

65. A method in accordance with

claim 56

wherein:

the access is used by the home network to control connectivity of communications to the subscriber through the home network.

66. A method in accordance with

claim 57

wherein:

the access is used by the home network to control connectivity of communications to the subscriber through the home network.

67. A method in accordance with

claim 58

wherein:

the access is used by the home network to control connectivity of communications to the subscriber through the home network.

68. A method of controlling access of a subscriber to register in networks comprising:

providing an identification of the subscriber at a home network;

in response to the providing of the identification of the subscriber, storing a subscriber profile of an access to be provided to the subscriber to at least the networks; and

using the stored subscriber profile in controlling service provided to the subscriber.

69. A method in accordance with

claim 68

wherein:

the controlling of the service provided to the subscriber occurs while the subscriber is registered in a visited network and the networks are access networks from which the subscriber may obtain services while registered in the visited network.

70. A method in accordance with

claim 68

comprising:

storing the subscriber profile in the home network.

71. A method in accordance with

claim 69

comprising:

storing the subscriber profile in the home network.

72. A method in accordance with

claim 69

comprising:

storing the subscriber profile in the visited network.

73. A method in accordance with

claim 69

wherein:

the providing of the identification of the subscriber occurs in response to transmission of an access type indicator to the home network identifying an access network.

74. A method in accordance with

claim 70

wherein:

the providing of the identification of the subscriber occurs in response to transmission of an access type indicator to the home network identifying an access network.

75. A method in accordance with

claim 71

wherein:

the access originates from equipment of the subscriber registered to one of the networks.

76. A method in accordance with

claim 72

wherein:

the access originates from an interface between the visited network and one of the access networks.

77. A method in accordance with

claim 71

wherein:

the access is determined by a call control entity based upon information obtained by the control entity about the network.

78. A system comprising:

networks in which the subscriber may register;

a home network in which a plurality of subscriber profiles are stored, each of the profiles defining an access to be provided to a subscriber while registered in the networks;

subscriber equipment which is connected to the networks while the subscriber is registered therein; and

wherein

in response to connection of the subscriber equipment to one of the networks at least an identification of the subscriber is provided at the home network, a subscriber profile of an access to be provided to the subscriber to at least the networks is stored, and the stored subscriber profile is used in controlling service provided to the subscriber.

79. A system in accordance with

claim 78

wherein:

the controlling of the service provided to the subscriber occurs while the subscriber is registered in a visited network and the networks are access networks from which the subscriber may obtain services while registered in the visited network.

80. A system in accordance with

claim 78

comprising:

a storage in a visited network which stores the subscriber profile.

81. A system in accordance with

claim 79

comprising:

a storage in the visited network which stores the subscriber profile.

82. A system in accordance with

claim 79

wherein:

an access comprising an identification of access to one of the networks in which the subscriber is registered is transmitted from the visited network to the home network and the storing of the subscriber profile is in response to the identification of access at the home network.

83. A system in accordance with

claim 79

wherein:

the stored subscriber profile is used by the visited network in controlling service provided to the subscriber.