Method and apparatus in a telecommunications system

• US 20020056002A1
• Filed: 01/15/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Charas, Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 6,880,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/383 Anonymous user system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 Policy and charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/7655 shared by technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/77 involving multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/772 per service, e.g. prepay or post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8235 Access based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2046 : Hybrid network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 : Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 : Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/725 : Shared by technologies, e.g. one account for different access technologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7254 : Multiple accounts per user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7263 : per service, e.g. prepay and post-pay
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 : Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/784 : Access based
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 : Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 : Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 : Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/085 : involving hierarchical organized mobility servers, e.g. hierarchical mobile IP [HMIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 : Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• 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 92/02 : Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods for providing access independent global roaming between heterogeneous networks. The invention solves this problem and provides policy enforcement and service transparency when terminals roam between different heterogeneous networks, By providing a policy enforcement point associated with the terminal, and by concerning the transport mechanism between terminals and servers as a packet pipe, adding no extra value except transport and Quality of Service classification thereof. The payment for access and services can be separated and access may be paid in real-time by an anonymous payment method. In accordance with the invention, the terminal becomes more like a personal profile manager, managing rights to services and access. The ability to purchase access opens the possibility for the terminal to act as an e-commerce platform, and the subscriber can access any network any time since access is paid for in real time.

Claims

1. A communications system comprising at least one communications server associated with at least one communications network, and at least one communications terminal, wherein a server and a terminal form a client-server relationship, characterised by at least one policy definition point associated with a server, and at least one policy enforcement point associated with a terminal, wherein said policy enforcement point is arranged for enforcing policies defined in said policy definition point.

2. A communications system according to claim 1, wherein said policy definition point includes means for defining policies pertaining to services, authentication, authorization and accounting.

3. A communications system according to claim, 1, wherein said policy enforcement point includes means for enforcing policies pertaining to services, authentication, authorization and accounting.

4. A communications system according to claim 1, wherein said policy enforcement point recites in said terminal as a local policy enforcement point.

5. A communications system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one terminal is arranged for supporting several simultaneously ongoing independent client-server relationships.

6. A communications system according to claim 1, comprising at least two communication networks being mutually heterogeneous, wherein said terminal is arranged for exchanging information with at least two communication networks being mutually heterogeneous.

7. A communications system according to claim 1, wherein said policy definition point is associated with a cluster of servers.

8. A communications system according to claim 6, wherein said policy definition point includes means for enacting policies in a plurality of service clusters.

9. A communications system according to claim 1, wherein said policy enforcement point includes means for enforcing a plurality of policies emanating from a plurality of networks and service providers.

10. A communications system according to claim 1, wherein said policy definition point is implemented by software code means.

11. A communications system according to claim 1, wherein that said policy enforcement point is implemented by software code means.

12. A communications system according to claim 1, wherein said policy definition point includes a global location register indicating in what access network said at least one terminal is residing in.

13. A communications system according to claim 1, wherein said policy definition point further includes a subscriber database including means for storing subscriber IP addresses and encryption keys for each of said subscribers.

14. A communications system according to claim 1, wherein said communications system, includes a credential verifier providing means for anonymous payment of access for at least one of said communication networks.

15. A communications system according to claim 1, wherein is said client-server relationship is provided by a transparent packet pipe transporting and classifying packets according to Quality of Service.

17. The method of claim 16, defining policies in said policy definition point pertaining to services, authentication, authorization and accounting.

18. The method of claim 16, enforcing policies in said policy enforcement point definition said policy definition point pertaining to services, authentication. authorization and accounting.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said policy definition point is defining policies in a plurality of server clusters.

20. The method of claim 16. storing in said policy definition point in a global location register in what access network said at least one terminal is residing in.

21. The method of claim 16, storing in said policy definition point subscriber IP addresses and encryption keys for each of said subscribers.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein said client-server relationship is provided by transporting and classifying packets according to Quality of Service.

23. The method of claim 16, providing separate charging mechanisms for access and services, for client-server based transactions.

24. The method of claim 16, defining a policy domain having multiple policy blocks, each containing a specific relationship between a client and server.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein said policies are entered in said policy enforcement point by a service provider, and updating of said policies.

16. A method for global roaming in a communications system including at least one communications server associated with at least one communications network, and at least one communications terminal, wherein a server and a terminal form a client-server relationship, characterised by at least one policy definition point, associated with a server, and at least one policy enforcement point, associated with a terminal, wherein said policy enforcement point is arranged for enforcing policies defined in said policy definition point.