Inter-working method of wireless internet networks (gateways)

• US 20030090998A1
• Filed: 11/12/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Lee, Byung Gil, Kim, Hyun Gon, Park, Chee Hang
• Granted Patent: US 7,257,636 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

In the inter-working method of wireless Internet (gateways) according to the present invention described above, DIAMETER which is the first version of the IETF-RFC standard of mobile IP application is applied to the application scenario based on wireless Internet gateway of a home network, not on FA or HA of Mobile IP. After all mobile communication providers connect to wireless Internet, subscribers are not bounded to the network of their mobile communication provider and have the freedom to select any external wireless Internet portal site and use the service of it. Such a wireless Internet connection method will make wireless Internet contents popular in the open wireless network epoch and provide wireless Internet contents providers with an excellent chance. The authentication of the wireless Internet gateways of other networks, authorization, accounting management, structures and techniques proposed by the present invention can give solutions to security problems of wireless internet gateway (ex WAP G/W) that have not overcome, and provide reliability to wireless Internet electronic commercial trade service.

Claims

1. An inter-working method of wireless Internet (gateways) comprising the steps of:

(a) requesting wireless channel for a wireless network and setting packet network so that data service is provided with;

(b) when a subscriber connects to wireless network, authenticating the wireless Internet, connecting to wireless internet gateway(ex WAP gateway) thereof, receiving a connection menu, and requesting connection to a wireless internet gateway(ex WAP gateway) of external wireless Internet by means of Internet from its wireless internet gateway(ex WAP gateway) to an AAA authentication server of a home network;

(c) performing a registration authentication including negotiation process and a subscriber'"'"' registration authentication at the AAA authentication server of the home network;

(d) if authentication is completed, requesting a service to a wireless internet gateway(ex WAP gateway) of an external network through an AAA authentication server of the external network at the AAA authentication server of the home network;

(e) performing authentication process at a authentication client of an authentication server of the home network which is requested the service by the wireless internet gateway(ex WAP gateway) of the external network; and

(f) if the authentication process is completed, negotiating a way of accounting between the home network and the external network, granting access to the network to receive a service portal menu and to provide service.

2. The inter-working method of wireless Internet (gateways) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step (c) comprises the step (c-1) of negotiating registration authentication with a corresponding mobile communications provider network of a subscriber at the WAP gateway of the external network before the subscriber connects to the mobile communications provider network according to a policy.

3. The inter-working method of wireless Internet (gateways) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step (c) further comprises the step (c-2) of transmitting subscriber registration request and accounting information message to connected subscribers in case registration authentication is already completed between the wireless internet gateway(ex WAP gateway) of the external network and the mobile communications provider network, so that communication is performed between networks.

4. The inter-working method of wireless Internet (gateways) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step (d) comprises encrypting, based on public key of electronic signature, messages transmitted in a message digest process when secure message transmission and reliability are required, the whole messages transmitted between the AAA authentication server of the home network and an AAA authentication server of the external network being AVP.

5. The inter-working method of wireless Internet (gateways) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step (c-1) comprises the step (c-1-1) of transmitting and receiving information on principal connection protocol, identifying an object ID, and reporting supportable functions thereof to each other thereby defining concrete service specification when connecting transmission layer to each other.

6. The inter-working method of wireless Internet (gateways) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step (c-1) further comprises the step (c-1-2) of negotiating with the WAP gateway of the mobile communications provider network of the subscriber at the WAP gateway of a visiting network through an AAA authentication server of the visiting network and the AAA authentication server of the home network.

7. The inter-working method of wireless Internet (gateways) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the step (c-1-2) comprises the steps of:

(c-1-2-1) connecting a lower level of the mobile communications provider network at the WAP gateway of the visiting network through AAA authentication server of the visiting network;

(c-1-2-2) transmitting a mutual function negotiation message through a protocol of a low level of connected Internet, and

(c-1-2-3) receiving responses so to confirm function negotiation of each other.

8. The inter-working method of wireless Internet (gateways) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the function negotiation messages in step (c-1-2) comprise at least one selected from the group of authentication protocol and application protocol versions, supportable terminal browser types, push function supportability, authentication algorithm, security message supportability, and transmission protocol type.

9. The inter-working method of wireless Internet (gateways) as claimed in claim 8, wherein authentication algorithm comprises at least one selected from the group of key encryption algorithm, signature algorithm, message digest algorithm, encryption/decryption algorithm.

10. A recording medium storing a program composed of instructions to be executed and read by a digital processing unit so as to perform an inter-working method of wireless Internet (gateways), the recording medium containing a plurality of computer instructions to cause on or more computers to:

request wireless channel for a wireless network and set packet network so that data service is provided with;

when a subscriber connects to wireless network, authenticate the wireless Internet, connect to WAP gateway, receive a connection menu, and request connection to a WAP gateway of external wireless Internet by means of Internet from its WAP gateway to an AAA authentication server of a home network;

perform a registration authentication including negotiation process and a subscriber'"'"' registration authentication at the AAA authentication server of the home network;

if authentication is completed, request a service to a WAP gateway of an external network through an AAA authentication server of the external network at the AAA authentication server of the home network;

perform authentication process at a authentication client of an authentication server of the home network which is requested the service by the WAP gateway of the external network; and

if the authentication process is completed, negotiate a way of accounting between the home network and the external network, grant access to the network to receive a service portal menu and to provide service.