Communication system using access control for mobile terminals with respect to local network

• US 20020036991A1
• Filed: 09/26/2001
• Published: 03/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Inoue, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 7,031,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1453 Methods or systems for payment or settlement of the charges for data transmission involving significant interaction with the data transmission network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

In a communication system, even when a mobile terminal device belonging to some mobile carrier does not have a right or a qualification for accessing the fixed communication network via the local network/gateway that is given in advance, this mobile terminal device is enabled to access the fixed communication network via the local network/gateway, by carrying out a procedure for paying the fee from the user of the mobile terminal device to the fixed communication network provider or a procedure for monitoring the mobile terminal device. Also, a device other than the mobile terminal device is enabled to access the resource in the mobile carrier network to which the mobile terminal device belongs, from the local network through the mobile terminal device.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a mobile terminal device capable of accessing both a mobile communication network and a local network simultaneously; and

a gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and the local network;

the mobile terminal device having;

an identification information notification unit configured to notify a device identification information of the mobile terminal device and a mobile carrier identification information of a mobile carrier to which the mobile terminal device belongs, to the gateway device, at a time of accessing the fixed communication network from the local network through the gateway device; and

a user response notification unit configured to notify a user response indicating user'"'"'s acceptance or refusal of an accounting condition notified from the gateway device, to the gateway device; and

the gateway device having;

an accounting condition notification unit configured to notify the accounting condition for the mobile terminal device to access the fixed communication network through the gateway device when the device identification information notified from the mobile terminal device is not registered at the gateway device in advance, to the mobile terminal device; and

a user message notification unit configured to notify a message indicating the device identification information and the mobile carrier identification information notified from the mobile terminal device, and a fact that a user of the mobile terminal device as identified by the device identification information and the mobile carrier identification information has accepted a payment of a fee according to the accounting condition to a fixed communication network provider through the mobile carrier identified by the mobile carrier identification information, to a fixed communication network side, when the user'"'"'s response indicating user'"'"'s acceptance of the accounting condition is notified from the mobile terminal device.

2. A communication system, comprising:

a mobile terminal device capable of accessing both a mobile communication network and a local network simultaneously; and

a gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and the local network;

the mobile terminal device having;

an identification information notification unit configured to notify a device identification information of the mobile terminal device and a mobile carrier identification information of a mobile carrier to which the mobile terminal device belongs, to the gateway device, at a time of accessing the fixed communication network from the local network through the gateway device; and

the gateway device having;

a checking unit configured to check whether the mobile terminal device is related to any illegal user or not according to the device identification information and the mobile carrier identification information notified from the mobile terminal device when the device identification information notified from the mobile terminal device is not registered at the gateway device in advance; and

an access control unit configured to permit an access to the fixed communication network by the mobile terminal device and start a processing for monitoring the access to the fixed communication network by the mobile terminal device through the gateway device, when the mobile terminal device is not related to any illegal user as a result of checking by the checking unit.

3. A communication system, comprising:

a mobile terminal device capable of accessing both a mobile communication network and a local network simultaneously; and

a gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and the local network;

the mobile terminal device having;

an authentication unit configured to carry out an authentication of a communication device which is either located on the local network or connected through the gateway device, when a request for access to a mobile communication network side via the mobile terminal device is received from the communication device through the local network; and

a relay unit configured to start a processing for relaying packets from the communication device to the mobile communication network side when the authentication by the authentication unit succeeds.

4. A communication system, comprising:

a mobile terminal device capable of accessing both a mobile communication network and a local network simultaneously; and

a gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and the local network;

the gateway device having;

a processing unit configured to judge whether a packet received from a fixed communication network side and destined to a mobile communication network side via the mobile terminal device is to be relayed to the mobile terminal device or not according to an attribute of the packet upon receiving the packet; and

a transfer unit configured to transfer the packet to the mobile terminal device through the local network when the packet is judged to be relayed by the processing unit; and

the mobile terminal device having;

an authentication unit configured to carry out an authentication of a communication device, when a request for access to the mobile communication network side via the mobile terminal device is received from a communication device located on the local network; and

a relay unit configured to start a processing for relaying packets from the communication device to the mobile communication network side when the authentication by the authentication unit succeeds.

5. A mobile terminal device capable of accessing both a mobile communication network and a local network simultaneously, the mobile terminal device comprising:

a first communication interface provided with respect to the mobile communication network;

a second communication interface provided with respect to the local network;

a packet communication unit configured to carry out first packet communications through the first communication interface and second packet communications through the second communication interface;

an identification information notification unit configured to notify a device identification information of the mobile terminal device and a mobile carrier identification information of a mobile carrier to which the mobile terminal device belongs, to a gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and the local network, at a time of accessing the fixed communication network via the gateway device, through the second communication interface; and

a user response notification unit configured to notify a user response indicating user'"'"'s acceptance or refusal of a condition for the mobile terminal device to access the fixed communication network through the gateway device that is presented from the gateway device after the device identification information and the mobile carrier identification information are notified to the gateway device by the identification information notification unit.

6. The mobile terminal device of claim 5, wherein the user response notification unit notifies the user response indicating user'"'"'s acceptance or refusal of the condition which indicates an accounting condition regarding a utilization fee to be paid by a user of the mobile terminal device to a fixed communication network provider through the mobile carrier identified by the mobile carrier identification information.

7. The mobile terminal device of claim 5, wherein the user response notification unit notifies the user response indicating user'"'"'s acceptance or refusal of the condition which indicates that a log information regarding accesses by the mobile terminal device will be recorded.

8. The mobile terminal device of claim 5, wherein the second communication interface supports Bluetooth as the local network.

9. The mobile terminal device of claim 5, further comprising a voice communication unit configured to carry out voice communications.

10. A mobile terminal device capable of accessing both a mobile communication network and a local network simultaneously, the mobile terminal device comprising:

a first communication interface provided with respect to the mobile communication network;

a second communication interface provided with respect to the local network;

a packet communication unit configured to carry out first packet communications through the first communication interface and second packet communications through the second communication interface;

an authentication unit configured to carry out an authentication of a communication device which is either located on the local network or connected through a gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and the local network, when a request for access to a mobile communication network side via the mobile terminal device is received from the communication device through the second communication interface; and

a relay unit configured to start a processing for relaying packets from the communication device to the mobile communication network side when the authentication by the authentication unit succeeds.

11. The mobile terminal device of claim 10, wherein the second communication interface supports Bluetooth as the local network.

12. The mobile terminal device of claim 10, further comprising a voice communication unit configured to carry out voice communications.

14. The gateway device of claim 13, wherein the second communication interface supports Bluetooth as the local network.

16. The gateway device of claim 15, wherein the second communication interface supports Bluetooth as the local network.

18. The gateway device of claim 17, wherein the second communication interface supports Bluetooth as the local network.

13. A gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and a local network, the gateway device comprising:

a first communication interface provided with respect to the fixed communication network;

a second communication interface provided with respect to the local network;

a packet communication unit configured to carry out first packet communications through the first communication interface and second packet communications through the second communication interface;

an accounting condition notification unit configured to notify an accounting condition for a mobile terminal device to access the fixed communication network through the gateway device when a procedure for accessing the fixed communication network from the mobile terminal device is received through the second communication interface and a device identification information notified from the mobile terminal device is not registered at the gateway device in advance, to the mobile terminal device; and

a user message notification unit configured to notify a message indicating the device identification information and a mobile carrier identification information notified from the mobile terminal device, and a fact that a user of the mobile terminal device as identified by the device identification information and the mobile carrier identification information has accepted a payment of a fee according to the accounting condition to a fixed communication network provider through the mobile carrier identified by the mobile carrier identification information, to a fixed communication network side, when a user response indicating user'"'"'s acceptance of the accounting condition is notified from the mobile terminal device through the second communication interface.

15. A gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and a local network, the gateway device comprising:

a first communication interface provided with respect to the fixed communication network;

a second communication interface provided with respect to the local network;

a packet communication unit configured to carry out first packet communications through the first communication interface and second packet communications through the second communication interface;

a checking unit configured to check whether a mobile terminal device is related to any illegal user or not according to a device identification information and a mobile carrier identification information notified from the mobile terminal device when a procedure for accessing the fixed communication network from the mobile terminal device is received through the second communication interface and the device identification information notified from the mobile terminal device is not registered at the gateway device in advance; and

an access control unit configured to permit an access to the fixed communication network by the mobile terminal device and start a processing for monitoring the access to the fixed communication network by the mobile terminal device through the gateway device, when the mobile terminal device is not related to any illegal user as a result of checking by the checking unit.

17. A gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and a local network, the gateway device comprising:

a first communication interface provided with respect to the fixed communication network;

a second communication interface provided with respect to the local network;

a packet communication unit configured to carry out first packet communications through the first communication interface and second packet communications through the second communication interface;

a processing unit configured to judge whether a packet received from a fixed communication network side and destined to a mobile communication network side via a mobile terminal device which is capable of accessing both a mobile communication network and the local network simultaneously, is to be relayed to the mobile terminal device through the second communication interface or not according to an attribute of the packet upon receiving the packet from the fixed communication network side through the first communication interface; and

a transfer unit configured to transfer the packet to the mobile terminal device through the second communication interface when the packet is judged to be relayed by the processing unit.

19. A method for controlling a mobile terminal device capable of accessing both a mobile communication network and a local network simultaneously, the method comprising:

notifying a device identification information of the mobile terminal device and a mobile carrier identification information of a mobile carrier to which the mobile terminal device belongs, to a gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and the local network, at a time of accessing the fixed communication network via the gateway device, through the local network; and

notifying a user response indicating user'"'"'s acceptance or refusal of a condition for the mobile terminal device to access the fixed communication network through the gateway device that is presented from the gateway device after the device identification information and the mobile carrier identification information are notified to the gateway device.

20. A method for controlling a mobile terminal device capable of accessing both a mobile communication network and a local network simultaneously, the method comprising:

carrying out an authentication of a communication device which is either located on the local network or connected through a gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and the local network, when a request for access to a mobile communication network side via the mobile terminal device is received from the communication device; and

starting a processing for relaying packets from the communication device to the mobile communication network side when the authentication succeeds.

21. A method for controlling a gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and a local network, the method comprising:

notifying an accounting condition for a mobile terminal device to access the fixed communication network through the gateway device when a procedure for accessing the fixed communication network from the mobile terminal device is received through the local network and a device identification information notified from the mobile terminal device is not registered at the gateway device in advance, to the mobile terminal device; and

notifying a message indicating the device identification information and a mobile carrier identification information notified from the mobile terminal device, and a fact that a user of the mobile terminal device as identified by the device identification information and the mobile carrier identification information has accepted a payment of a fee according to the accounting condition to a fixed communication network provider through the mobile carrier identified by the mobile carrier identification information, to a fixed communication network side, when a user response indicating user'"'"'s acceptance of the accounting condition is notified from the mobile terminal device through the local network.

22. A method for controlling a gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and a local network, the method comprising:

checking whether a mobile terminal device is related to any illegal user or not according to a device identification information and a mobile carrier identification information notified from the mobile terminal device when a procedure for accessing the fixed communication network from the mobile terminal device is received through the local network and the device identification information notified from the mobile terminal device is not registered at the gateway device in advance; and

permitting an access to the fixed communication network by the mobile terminal device and starting a processing for monitoring the access to the fixed communication network by the mobile terminal device through the gateway device, when the mobile terminal device is not related to any illegal user as a result of checking.

23. A method for controlling a gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and a local network, the method comprising:

judging whether a packet received from a fixed communication network side and destined to a mobile communication network side via a mobile terminal device which is capable of accessing both a mobile communication network and the local network simultaneously, is to be relayed to the mobile terminal device through the local network or not according to an attribute of the packet upon receiving the packet from the fixed communication network side; and

transferring the packet to the mobile terminal device through the local network when the packet is judged to be relayed.

24. A computer program product for causing a computer to control a mobile terminal device capable of accessing both a mobile communication network and a local network simultaneously, the computer program product comprising:

first computer program codes for causing the computer to notify a device identification information of the mobile terminal device and a mobile carrier identification information of a mobile carrier to which the mobile terminal device belongs, to a gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and the local network, at a time of accessing the fixed communication network via the gateway device, through the local network; and

second computer program codes for causing the computer to notify a user response indicating user'"'"'s acceptance or refusal of a condition for the mobile terminal device to access the fixed communication network through the gateway device that is presented from the gateway device after the device identification information and the mobile carrier identification information are notified to the gateway device.

25. A computer program product for causing a computer to control a mobile terminal device capable of accessing both a mobile communication network and a local network simultaneously, the computer program product comprising:

first computer program codes for causing the computer to carry out an authentication of a communication device which is either located on the local network or connected through a gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and the local network, when a request for access to a mobile communication network side via the mobile terminal device is received from the communication device; and

second computer program codes for causing the computer to start a processing for relaying packets from the communication device to the mobile communication network side when the authentication succeeds.

26. A computer program product for causing a computer to control a gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and a local network, the computer program product comprising:

first computer program codes for causing the computer to notify an accounting condition for a mobile terminal device to access the fixed communication network through the gateway device when a procedure for accessing the fixed communication network from the mobile terminal device is received through the local network and a device identification information notified from the mobile terminal device is not registered at the gateway device in advance, to the mobile terminal device; and

second computer program codes for causing the computer to notify a message indicating the device identification information and a mobile carrier identification information notified from the mobile terminal device, and a fact that a user of the mobile terminal device as identified by the device identification information and the mobile carrier identification information has accepted a payment of a fee according to the accounting condition to a fixed communication network provider through the mobile carrier identified by the mobile carrier identification information, to a fixed communication network side, when a user response indicating user'"'"'s acceptance of the accounting condition is notified from the mobile terminal device through the local network.

27. A computer program product for causing a computer to control a gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and a local network, the computer program product comprising:

first computer program codes for causing the computer to check whether a mobile terminal device is related to any illegal user or not according to a device identification information and a mobile carrier identification information notified from the mobile terminal device when a procedure for accessing the fixed communication network from the mobile terminal device is received through the local network and the device identification information notified from the mobile terminal device is not registered at the gateway device in advance; and

second computer program codes for causing the computer to permit an access to the fixed communication network by the mobile terminal device and start a processing for monitoring the access to the fixed communication network by the mobile terminal device through the gateway device, when the mobile terminal device is not related to any illegal user as a result of checking.

28. A computer program product for causing a computer to control a gateway device provided between a fixed communication network and a local network, the computer program product comprising:

first computer program codes for causing the computer to judge whether a packet received from a fixed communication network side and destined to a mobile communication network side via a mobile terminal device which is capable of accessing both a mobile communication network and the local network simultaneously, is to be relayed to the mobile terminal device through the local network or not according to an attribute of the packet upon receiving the packet from the fixed communication network side; and

second computer program codes for causing the computer to transfer the packet to the mobile terminal device through the local network when the packet is judged to be relayed.