System and method for transferring wireless network access passwords

• US 20040233893A1
• Filed: 05/09/2003
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Transat Technologies
• Inventors: Baker, John, Zhou, Yong, Hui, David Ka-Wai, Goss, James, Alperovich, Vladimir, Satarasinghe, Prasanna J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,489,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0838 using one-time-passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an access node for transferring and/or assigning network passwords. The access node includes a first interface for sending and receiving communication of a first type to and from a first node operating in a wireless local area network (WLAN). The access node also includes a second interface for sending and receiving communication of a second type to and from a second node in a mobile network, such as a GSM/GPRS network. The access node further includes a short messaging service (SMS) module for sending and receiving SMS messages to the second node carrying an OTP allocated. The access node also includes a mechanism to verify a precondition before the OTP is sent to the second node.

Claims

1. An access node comprising:

a first interface for sending and receiving communication of a first type to and from a first node operating in a wireless local area network (WLAN);

a second interface for sending and receiving communication of a second type to and from a second node in a wireless network;

a short messaging service (SMS) module for sending and receiving SMS messages to the second node.

2. The access node of claim 1 further comprising:

a third interface for receiving a subscriber module including software and/or hardware needed for registering with the wireless network.

3. The access node of claim 2 wherein the subscriber module includes a SIM card and the wireless network includes a GPRS network

4. The access node of claim 1 further comprising:

a locator module connected to the second interface for communicating with the wireless network to determine whether a predetermined mobile unit identified by a MSISND number is attached to the wireless network.

5. The access node of claim 1 further comprising:

a third interface for sending and receiving communication to and from an authentication server; and

a one-time password module connected to the third interface for communicating with the authentication server and providing a one-time password to one or both of the first and second interfaces.

6. The access node of claim 1 wherein the first node is a wireless computer, the second node is a mobile station and the wireless network is a GSM/GPRS network.

7. A method for providing a one-time password (OTP) for accessing a wireless local area network (WLAN), the method comprising:

sending a first SMS message to a mobile station operating in a mobile network, the first SMS message including an identifier for an access node serving the WLAN;

receiving a second SMS message from the mobile station into the access node;

checking for a predetermined condition associated with either the mobile station or the mobile network;

if the predetermined condition is met, providing the OTP to the mobile station; and

providing a WLAN service to the WLAN client upon receipt of the OTP.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

periodically checking for the predetermined condition while providing the WLAN service to the mobile unit.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the OTP is provided to the mobile station by a third SMS message.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the mobile network is a GPRS network and the first, second, and third SMS messages are in a conventional GPRS format.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the predetermined condition is that the mobile station be attached to the mobile network while the WLAN service is provided to the WLAN client.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the access node is a subscriber of the mobile network and the identifier is an MSISDN number for the access node.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the WLAN service is a wireless connection to an internet node.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

converting messages back and forth between a format used by the WLAN and a format used by the internet node.

15. A method for providing access to a WLAN, the method comprising:

sending a first message to a mobile station operating in a mobile network, the first message including an identifier for an access node serving the WLAN;

receiving a second message from the mobile station so that the access node can provide an access code for use with the second network;

receiving the access code from the access node in a third message;

whereby the WLAN can be accessed using the access code.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

providing information to determine whether a predetermined condition associated with the mobile station is met before the OTP is sent in the third message.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

providing information for a predetermined condition associated with the mobile station before the third message is sent so that if the predetermined condition is not met, further access of the WLAN can be modified.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

billing the mobile station for use of the access code to access the WLAN.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the mobile network is a GPRS network, and the first, second, and third SMS messages are in a conventional GPRS format.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the predetermined condition is that the mobile station be attached to the wireless network.

21. A method for providing a password to a WLAN client for using a wireless local area network (WLAN), the method comprising:

receiving an SMS message from a mobile station operating in a wireless network into an access controller serving the WLAN;

checking for a predetermined condition associated with the mobile station;

if the predetermined condition is met, providing the password to the mobile station;

receiving an access request from the WLAN client, the access request including the password, and

allowing the WLAN client to connect to an internet node.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the mobile station and WLAN client are part of a single unit.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

periodically checking for the predetermined condition.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the password is provided to the mobile station by another SMS message.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of checking for a predetermined condition includes querying a home location register of the mobile network.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of checking for a predetermined condition includes connecting to the wireless network by the access controller as a subscriber of the wireless network.

27. A wireless server comprising:

a first module for performing SGSN functionality and including a Gd interface connected to a SMS node in a GSM/GPRS network;

a second module for performing WLAN authentication and access control functions;

a third module for providing Internet access to a WLAN client connected to the WLAN;

means for transferring, through the Gd interface, a One-Time Password (OTP) to a mobile unit connected to a wireless network;

means for receiving the OTP from the WLAN client; and

means for connecting the WLAN client to the Internet upon receipt of the OTP from the WLAN client.

28. The wireless server of claim 27 further comprising:

a fourth module to appear as an SMS mobile to the SMS node, the fourth module including a SIM card associated with a GSM/GPRS network subscription.

29. The wireless server of claim 27 further comprising:

means for allocating the OTP to the WLAN client for WLAN access.

30. The wireless server of claim 27 further comprising:

means for receiving an MSISDN number from the mobile unit;

means for interrogating an HLR with the MSISDN number for a registration status to determine if an entity associated with the mobile unit is to be offered WLAN services;

means for sending an SMS message including the OTP to the mobile unit.

31. The wireless server of claim 30 wherein the GSM network is GPRS enabled, and the means for sending an SMS message is via a Gd interface of the GSM network.

32. The wireless server of claim 30 wherein the GSM network is not GPRS enabled, and the means for sending an SMS message is via an E interface.

33. The wireless server of claim 27 further comprising:

means for allowing the wireless network to use a SIM authentication procedure to authenticate the wireless server.

34. The wireless server of claim 28 wherein the fourth module further includes a second SIM card associated with a different wireless network.

35. A method for providing a one-time password (OTP) to allow access to a WLAN is provided, comprising:

sending a first SMS message to a mobile unit operating in a mobile network, the first SMS message including an identifier for an access node serving the WLAN;

receiving a second SMS message from the mobile unit into the access node, the second SMS message indicating a desire to access the WLAN; and

sending a third SMS message to the mobile unit including the OTP;

whereby the WLAN can be accessed using the allocated OTP.