Terminal-assisted selection of intermediary network for a roaming mobile terminal

• US 20060077924A1
• Filed: 10/08/2004
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Rune, Johan
• Granted Patent: US 7,551,926 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/34 Source routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0884 by delegation of authentication, e.g. a proxy authenticates an entity to be authenticated on behalf of this entity vis-à-vis an authentication entity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/162 at the data link layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/00 Communication routing or communication path finding

Abstract

Terminal-assisted selection of intermediary network for a roaming mobile terminal is disclosed. The mobile terminal determines if a local access network is associated with the mobile'"'"'s home service network. If not, or if the mobile terminal cannot determine whether the local access network is associated with its home service network, the mobile terminal sends a list of intermediary service networks to the local access network. The local access network can select one of the intermediary service networks to be used in an authentication procedure between the mobile terminal the home service network.

Claims

1. A method implemented in a mobile terminal comprising:

sending a message to a local access network, and

including in the message a list of intermediary service networks to the local access network so that the local access network can select one of the intermediary service networks to be used in an authentication procedure between the mobile terminal and a home service network of the mobile terminal.

2. The method in claim 1, further comprising:

determining if the local access network is associated with the mobile terminal'"'"'s home service network,

if not, or if the mobile terminal cannot determine whether the local access network is associated with its home service network, sending the list of intermediary service networks to the local access network.

3. The method in claim 1, wherein the intermediary service networks are listed by priority to permit selection of a highest priority intermediary service network, and wherein the list is included in a network access message sent by the mobile terminal.

4. The method in claim 3, wherein the list is created using one or more of the following:

a user-defined, visited service networks priority list, a network operator-defined, visited service networks list, a list of forbidden visited service networks, or manual user input.

5. The method in claim 3, wherein the network access message is sent as part of a mobile terminal authentication procedure.

6. The method in claim 5, wherein the network access message is an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) identity response message sent in response to an EAP identity request message received by the mobile terminal, and wherein the list is included in a network access identifier (NAI) carried in the EAP identity response message.

7. The method in claim 6, wherein the list is sent using multiple EAP messages.

8. The method in claim 4, wherein the network access message includes an identity comprising a name part and a realm part, and wherein the list is included in the name part or in the realm part.

9. The method in claim 8, wherein the realm part includes a mobile country code and mobile network code associated with each intermediary service network included in the list, and wherein the realm part ends with a home service network realm identifier.

10. The method in claim 4, wherein each intermediary service network is identified in the list using a domain name or a fully-qualified domain name of an authentication server of the intermediary visited service network.

11. The method in claim 1 used in combination with another scheme for selecting an intermediary cellular communication network based on input from an entity other than the mobile terminal.

12. A method implemented in a local access network for use in providing a roaming mobile terminal access to communications services, comprising:

receiving an access request associated with the mobile terminal requiring authentication with a home service network and a list of intermediary service networks,

selecting from the list received from the mobile terminal an intermediary service network to be used in authenticating the mobile terminal with the home service network.

13. The method in claim 12, wherein the listed intermediary service networks are listed by priority, the method further comprising:

selecting a highest priority intermediary service network in the list for which the local access network has a known route.

14. The method in claim 12, wherein the list is included in a network access message received from the mobile terminal.

15. The method in claim 14, wherein the network access message is received as part of a mobile terminal authentication procedure.

16. The method in claim 15, wherein the network access message is an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) identity response message sent in response to an EAP identity request message received by the mobile terminal, and wherein the list is included in a network access identifier (NAI) carried in the EAP identity response message.

17. The method in claim 16, wherein the list is received in multiple EAP messages.

18. The method in claim 14, wherein the network access message includes an identity comprising a name part and a realm part, and wherein the list is included in the name part or in the realm part.

19. The method in claim 18, wherein the realm part includes a mobile country code and mobile network code associated with each intermediary service network included in the list, and wherein the realm part ends with a home service network realm identifier.

20. The method in claim 14, wherein each intermediary service network is identified in the list using a domain name or a fully-qualified domain name of an authentication server of the intermediary service network.

21. The method in claim 12 used in combination with another scheme for selecting an intermediary cellular communication network based on input from an entity other than the mobile terminal.

22. A mobile terminal comprising:

radio transceiving circuitry for transceiving information over a radio interface, and

data processing circuitry configured to generate a list of intermediary service networks to be transmitted to the local access network,

wherein the radio transceiving circuitry is configured to transmit the list to the local access network thereby permitting the local access network to select one of the intermediary service networks to be used in an authentication procedure between the mobile terminal and the home service network.

23. The mobile terminal in claim 22, wherein the data processing circuitry is configured to determine if the local access network is associated with the mobile terminal'"'"'s home service network, if not, or if the mobile terminal cannot determine whether the local access network is associated with its home service network, to send the list of intermediary service networks to the local access network.

24. The mobile terminal in claim 22, wherein the listed intermediary service networks are prioritized to permit selection of the intermediary service networks with a highest priority, and wherein the data processing circuitry is configured to include the list in a network access message to be sent by the transceiving circuitry over the radio interface.

25. The mobile terminal in claim 24, wherein the list is created from one or more of the following:

a user-defined, visited service networks priority list, a network operator-defined, visited service networks list, a list of forbidden visited service networks, or manual user input.

26. The mobile terminal in claim 24, wherein the network access message is transmitted as part of a mobile terminal authentication procedure.

27. The mobile terminal in claim 26, wherein the network access message is an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) identity response message transmitted in response to an EAP identity request message received by the mobile terminal, and wherein the list is included in a network access identifier (NAI) that is included in the EAP identity response message.

28. The mobile terminal in claim 27, wherein data processing circuitry is configured to transmit the list using multiple EAP messages.

29. The mobile terminal in claim 25, wherein the network access message includes an identity comprising a name part and a realm part, and wherein the list is included in the name part or in the realm part.

30. The mobile terminal in claim 29, wherein the realm part includes a mobile country code and mobile network code associated with each intermediary visited service network included in the list, and wherein the realm part ends with a home service network realm identifier.

31. The mobile terminal in claim 25, wherein each intermediary service network is identified in the list with a domain name or a fully-qualified domain name of an authentication server of the intermediary service network.

32. A node in a local access network for use in providing a roaming mobile terminal access to communications services, comprising:

means for receiving a request for service associated with the mobile terminal requiring authentication with a home service network of the mobile terminal and a list of intermediary service networks, and

means for selecting from the list received from the mobile terminal an intermediary service network to be used in authenticating the mobile terminal with the home service network.

33. The local access network node in claim 32, wherein the listed intermediary service networks are listed by priority, the means for selecting being configured to select a highest priority intermediary service network in the list for which the node knows a route.

34. The local access network node in claim 32, wherein the list is included in a network access message received from the mobile terminal.

35. The local access network node in claim 34, wherein the network access message is received as part of a mobile terminal authentication procedure.

36. The local access network node in claim 34, wherein the network access message is an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) identity response message sent in response to an EAP identity request message received by the mobile terminal, and wherein the list is included in a network access identifier (NAI) carried in the EAP identity response message.

37. The local access network node in claim 36, wherein the means for receiving is configured to receive the list in multiple EAP messages.

38. The local access network node in claim 34, wherein the network access message includes an identity comprising a name part and a realm part, and wherein the list is included in the name part or in the realm part.

39. The local access network node in claim 38, wherein the realm part includes a mobile country code and mobile network code associated with each intermediary service network included in the list, and wherein the realm part ends with a home service network realm identifier.

40. The local access network node in claim 34, wherein each intermediary service network is identified in the list using a domain name or a fully-qualified domain name of an authentication server of the intermediary visited service network.

41. The local access network node in claim 32, wherein local access network is a wireless local access network (WLAN), the WLAN node is an AAA server, and the home service network and the intermediary service network are public land mobile radio network (PLMNs) that may be a universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) network or a general packet radio services (GPRS) network.