System and method for managing access of a communication network to a mobile terminal

• US 20060013157A1
• Filed: 10/24/2003
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3G Licensing S.A. (Fineur International S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Orange France (Orange S.A.)
• Inventors: Annic, Etienne
• Granted Patent: US 7,558,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/503 using an authentication, authorisation and accounting [AAA] protocol, e.g. remote authentication dial-in user service [RADIUS] or Diameter
• 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 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A system for managing access from a plurality of communications networks (20, 21, 22) to a mobile terminal (10) connected to a mobile telecommunications network. The system is adapted to set up a connection from at least one of the communications networks (20, 21, 22) to the mobile terminal (10). Application to mobile telecommunications networks enabling access from a mobile terminal (10) to a plurality of independent communications networks (20, 21, 22) each offering a set of services.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. A system for managing access from a plurality of communications networks (20, 21, 22) to a mobile terminal (10) connected to a mobile telecommunications network, wherein said system is adapted to set up at least one connection from at least one of said communications networks (20, 21, 22) to said mobile terminal (10) after said mobile terminal (10) has been identified in at least one address assignment server (33) (or Radius) to which said communications network (20, 21, 22) is going to establish said connection, after checking the existence of a user address of said mobile terminal (10), after verifying the accessibility to said mobile communications network, and after verifying the authorization for receiving incoming calls given by the user of said mobile terminal (10) identified for accessing said communications network (20, 21, 22)

26. An access management system according to claim 25, comprising at least one user address search interface (32) situated in said communications network (20, 21, 22) and adapted to assign said user address to said mobile terminal (10), after said check on the existence of a user address, on the basis of data from a first command message received from at least one domain name server (31) situated in said communications network (20, 21, 22)

27. An access management system according to claim 25, wherein said system comprises at least one incoming call management interface (34) connected to said address assignment server (33) situated in said communications network (20, 21, 22) and adapted to assign at least one network address to said mobile terminal (10) after processing of said user address on the basis of data from a second command message received from said user address search interface (32)

28. An access management system according to claim 25, comprising at least one access control interface (35) connected to said network address assignment server (33) of said communications network (20, 21, 22) and adapted to verify said user address of said mobile terminal (10) on the basis of data from a third command message received from said incoming call request management interface (34)

29. An access management system according to claim 25, wherein said system comprises at least one access authorization interface (14) connected to at least one home location register (13) of said mobile telecommunications network and adapted to verify said network address after processing of said user address of said mobile terminal (10) on the basis of data from a fourth command message received from said access control interface (35).

30. A user search address interface (32) situated in one of said communications networks (20, 21, 22) associated with said access management system according to claim 25, wherein said interface comprises means for sending to a domain name server (31) means for sending to said incoming call request management interface (34), means for assigning a user address, means for formatting a command message, and means for generating a failure message.

31. An incoming call request management interface (34) situated in one of said communications networks (20, 21, 22) associated with said access management system according to claim 25, wherein said interface comprises means for sending to said network address allocation server (33), means for sending to said user address search interface (32), means for

assigning a network address, means for formatting a command message, means for checking the existence of a user address, means for processing the result of verifying the accessibility and the rights of said user of said mobile terminal (10), and means for generating a failure message.

32. An access control interface (35) situated in one of said communications networks (20, 21, 22) associated with said access management system according to claim 25, wherein said interface comprises means for sending to said network address assignment server (33), means for sending to said access authorization interface (14), means for verifying said user address of said mobile terminal (10), means for formatting a command message and means for processing said user address.

33. An access authorization interface (14) situated in said mobile communications network associated with said access management system according to claim 25, wherein said interface comprises means for sending to said home location register (13) means for sending to said access control interface (35), means for processing said user address, means for verifying said network address, and means for formatting a command message.

34. A method of managing access from a plurality of communications networks (20, 21, 22) to a mobile terminal (10) connected to a mobile telecommunications network, comprising the steps of:

storing at least one identifier corresponding to a mobile terminal (10) in at least one application server (30) of one of said communications networks (20, 21, 22),

sending a first command message to request identification of said mobile terminal (10) from said application server (30) to at least one domain name server (31) of said communications network (20, 21, 22),

sending said first command message from said domain name server (31) to at least one user address search interface (32) of said communications network (20, 21, 22) to assign at least one user address to said mobile terminal (10),

sending a second command message for assigning a network address with said user address of said mobile terminal (10) from said user address search interface to at least one incoming call request management interface (34) of said communications network (20, 21, 22),

checking the existence of the received user 15 address in said call request management interface (34) connected to at least one network address assignment server (33),

when said user address exists, said incoming call request management interface (34) sends a message to advise the existence of said address to said user address search interface (32),

sending a fourth command message to process said user address from said access control interface (35) to at least one access authorization interface (14) situated in said mobile telecommunications network,

verifying said accessibility to said mobile telecommunications network and said authorization for receiving incoming calls given by said user of said mobile terminal (10) in at least one home location register (13) of said mobile telecommunications network connected to said access authorization interface (14),

sending said accessibility and said authorization of said user of said mobile terminal (10) from said access authorization interface (14) situated in said telecommunications network to said access control interface (35) situated in said communications network (20, 21, 22), for formatting said data, sending said accessibility and said authorization of said user of said mobile terminal (10) from said access control interface (35) to said incoming call request management interface (34) via said network address assignment server (33) of said communications network (20, 21, 22) for analysis,

setting up a connection from said communications network (20, 21, 22) to said mobile terminal (10) to send at least one data item with said user address.

35. An access management method according to claim 34, wherein when said user address does not exist, said incoming call request management interface (34) sends a third command message to at least one access control interface (35) via said network address assignment server (33) of said communications network (20, 21, 22).

36. An access management method according to claim 34 wherein, in the event of non-accessibility or of absence of rights for said user of said mobile terminal (10), said incoming call request management interface (34) sends a first failure message to said user address search interface (32), after which said user address search interface (32) forwards said first failure message to said domain name server (31) and to said application server (30) for processing, so as not to set up the connection between said communications network (20, 21, 22) and said mobile terminal (10).

37. An access management method according to claim 34, wherein, in the event of accessibility or of existence of rights for said user of said mobile terminal (10), said incoming call request management interface (34) sends a user address from said incoming call request management interface (34) to said user address search interface (32)

38. An access management method according to claim 34, wherein said method includes the following steps:

sending said user address from said user address search interface (32) to said domain name server (31) and thence to said application server (30),

sending data with said user address from said application server (30) to at least one access management 10 equipment (12) of said mobile telecommunications network.

39. An access management method according to claim 38 wherein, if said user address is not recognized, said access management equipment (12) sends a 15 fifth command message to said network address assignment server (33) for verification, after which said network address assignment server (33) sends said address to said incoming call request management interface (34)

40. An access management method according to claim 38, wherein said method includes the following steps:

sending a second failure message from said incoming call request management interface (34) to said network address assignment server (33) and thence to said access management equipment (12) if said network address has not been assigned,

processing said second failure message in said access management equipment (12) as not to set up a connection between said communications network (20, 21, 22) and said mobile terminal (10).

41. An access management method according to claim 38 wherein, in the event of recognition of said user address, said access management equipment (12) sends said data to at least one service support equipment (11) and thence to said mobile terminal (10) after the connection is set up between said communications network (20, 21, 22) and said mobile terminal (10).