System and method for roaming connectivity

• US 20060114897A1
• Filed: 11/07/2005
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Wireless Corporation (Kyocera Corporation)
• Inventors: Suri, Atul
• Granted Patent: US 7,567,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/389
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2856 Access arrangements, e.g. Internet access asynchronous transfer mode networks H04L12/5601; broadband local area networks H04L12/2801; optical access or distribution networks H04Q11/0067; access to open networks H04L12/5691; digital subscriber line end-user equipment and bit-level processing of data on a PSTN-based network H04M11/00; home network gateways H04L12/2834; wireless access networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2872 Termination of subscriber connections
• 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: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity

Abstract

A communication system allows multiple, simultaneous access by a multiplicity of users to a plurality of area networks. Users are granted access to the plurality of area networks by an authentication server coupled to the plurality of area networks. The authentication server retrieves a subscriber'"'"'s profile information from a database coupled to the authentication server to verify that a user has a subscription to at least one of the area networks, thus allowing the user to “roam”.

Claims

1-25. -25. (canceled)

26. A communication system for providing network connectivity to multiple access locations, the system comprising:

a plurality of area networks, each area network of the plurality of area networks comprising;

a plurality of user systems, each user system of the plurality of the user systems having a unique subscriber information profile for a subscriber of the each user system;

a communication interface coupled to a least one user system of the plurality of user systems, the communication interface coupled to a network operations center;

the network operations center for providing connectivity between the plurality of area networks;

at least one authentication server for authenticating the unique subscriber information profile of the subscriber of the each user system of the plurality of user systems of the plurality of area networks; and

at least one data depository coupled to the at least one authentication server for storing the unique subscriber information profile.

27. The communication system of claim 26, wherein a first area network of the plurality of area networks is a wide area network (WAN).

28. The communication system of claim 26, wherein a first area network of the plurality of area networks is digital subscriber line (DSL) technology.

29. The communication system of claim 26, wherein the at least one authentication server is a plurality of authentication servers, and wherein each authentication server of the plurality of authentication servers is associated with a geographic region of the country, the each authentication server for authenticating the unique subscriber information profile for subscribers within the geographic region of the country.

30. The communication system of claim 26, wherein each area network of the plurality of area networks is associated with a service provider.

31. The communication system of claim 26, wherein the subscriber of the each user system is associated with a home authentication server of the at least one authentication server, and wherein the unique subscriber information profile includes a unique subscriber identification indicia having an address identifier portion indicating a subscriber'"'"'s home authentication server.

32. The communication system of claim 26, wherein the at least one authentication server grants the subscriber access to the plurality of area networks in accordance with the unique subscriber information profile.

33. A method for providing network connectivity to multiple access locations, the method comprising the steps of:

coupling at least one authentication server to a plurality of area networks, each area network of the plurality of area networks comprising;

a plurality of user systems, each user system of the plurality of the user systems having a unique subscriber information profile for a subscriber of the each user system;

a communication interface coupled to a least one user system of the plurality of user systems, the communication interface coupled to a network operations center;

the authentication server receiving an authentication request from the subscriber of the each user system of the plurality of user systems of the plurality of area networks;

authenticating the subscriber by determining whether the unique subscriber information profile of the subscriber matches subscriber information stored in at least one data depository coupled to the authentication server; and

granting the subscriber access to the plurality of area networks upon a match.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the subscriber information stored in the at least one data depository comprises access information for the subscriber for granting access to a subset of area networks of the plurality of area networks;

wherein the step of granting comprises the step of granting the subscriber access to the subset of area networks.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein a first area network of the plurality of area networks is a wide area network (WAN).

36. The method of claim 33, wherein a first area network of the plurality of area networks is digital subscriber line (DSL) technology.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the authentication server is a plurality of authentication servers, and wherein each authentication server of the plurality of authentication servers is associated with a geographic region of the country, the each authentication server for authenticating the unique subscriber information profile for subscribers within the geographic region of the country.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein each area network of the plurality of area networks is associated with a service provider.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein the authentication server is a plurality of authentication servers, and wherein the subscriber of the each user system is associated with a home authentication server of the plurality of authentication servers, and wherein the unique subscriber information profile includes a unique subscriber identification indicia having an address identifier portion indicating a subscriber'"'"'s home authentication server.

40. A method for authenticating simultaneous connectivity requests by a plurality of subscribing users coupled to multiple access locations of a plurality of area networks, the method comprising the steps of:

assigning each subscribing user of the plurality of subscribing users a unique identification indicia;

associating the unique identification indicia with subscription profile information for the each subscribing user;

storing the subscription profile information for the each subscribing user in a database coupled to an authentication server;

the authentication server receiving a service request from a subscribing user of the plurality of subscribing users;

interrogating the subscribing user for the unique identification indicia upon receipt of the service request;

retrieving the user'"'"'s subscription profile information from the database; and

granting access to an area network of the plurality of area networks in accordance with the user'"'"'s subscription profile information.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the authentication server is a plurality of authentication servers, wherein the unique identification indicia includes an address identifier portion indicating a subscriber'"'"'s home authentication server of the plurality of authentication servers.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein a first area network of the plurality of area networks is a wide area network (WAN).

43. The method of claim 40, wherein a first area network of the plurality of area networks is digital subscriber line (DSL) technology.

44. The method of claim 40, wherein each area network of the plurality of area networks is associated with a service provider.