Management of user data

• US 20070050365A1
• Filed: 10/13/2005
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Laitinen, Pekka, Holtmanns, Silke
• Granted Patent: US 8,626,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0431 Key distribution or pre-distribution; Key agreement
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A method and arrangements for managing user data stored in a database of a communications system where the database is managed by a main controller is disclosed. In the method a user is first authenticated, where after an application entity can manage user data in the database that associates with the user and an application by communicating data between the application entity and a second entity connected to the communications system.

Claims

1. A method for managing user data stored in a database of a communications system where the database is managed by a main controller, comprising:

authenticating a user; and

managing by an application entity user data in the database that associates with the user and an application by communicating data between the application entity and a second entity connected to the communications system.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of managing user data comprises:

modifying user data in a second database;

communicating data from the second database to the database managed by the main controller; and

modifying user data in the database managed by the main controller based on said data from the second database.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the step of communicating data occurs in response to a predefined event.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the predefined event comprises an end of session between the application entity and the user.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein the step of communicating data comprises communicating data between the application entity and a security management function.

6. A method according to claim 5, comprising modifying user data by the security management function.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the security management function comprises a bootstrapping function.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of authenticating comprises authenticating the user in a bootstrapping function based on security keys.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of communicating data comprises communicating data on an interface directly connecting the application entity and the user database.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the main controller comprises a network operator.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the database controlled by the main controller is provided in a home subscriber server.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of managing is performed when the user starts using a new service application.

13. A method according to claim 1, comprising authentication of the user in a generic authentication architecture in accordance with specifications of the third generation partnership project.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the user data comprises user security data.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the user data comprises user security settings.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the user data comprises service specific user security settings of a generic bootstrapping architecture user security settings.

17. A method according to claim 1, comprising fetching information regarding a user database to be managed in a communications system comprising a plurality of user databases.

18. A method according to claim 17, comprising fetching said information from a subscriber locator function to a security management function.

19. A method according to claim 1, comprising managing by the application entity user data associated with an application provided by the application entity.

20. A method according to claim 1, comprising managing by the application entity user data associated with an application provided by another application entity.

21. A computer program embodied on computer-readable medium comprising program code means adapted to perform the steps of claim 1 when the program is run on a computer.

22. A node for a communications system where user data is stored in a database managed by a main controller, the node being configured to provide an application to an authenticated user, and to manage user data associated with the authenticated user and the application in the database by communicating data to a second entity connected to the communications system.

23. A node according to claim 22, configured to modify user data in a second database for later communication from the second database to the database managed by the main controller.

24. A node according to claim 22, wherein the second entity comprises a security management function.

25. A node according to claim 24, wherein the security management function comprises a bootstrapping function.

26. A node according to claim 22, wherein the second entity comprises the user database, and the node is provided with an interface directly connecting the node and the user database.

27. A node according to claim 22, wherein the node is configured to manage user data when the user starts using a new application.

28. A node according to claim 22, wherein the node is configured to manage user data associated with an application provided by another node.

29. A node according to claim 22, wherein the node is configured to authenticate the user based on a generic authentication architecture in accordance with specifications of the third generation partnership project.

30. A node according to claim 22, wherein the user data comprises user security settings.

31. A node according to claim 30, wherein the user data comprises service specific user security settings of a generic bootstrapping architecture user security settings.

32. A node according to claim 22, comprising a network application function.

33. A security management entity for a communications system where user data is stored in a database managed by a main controller, the security management entity being configured for generating at least one authentication parameter for authentication of a user for enabling the user to use an application, and for managing, based on data received from the application entity, user data associated with the user and the application in the database by communicating data to the database.

34. A security management entity according to claim 33, comprising a second database for storing user data, wherein the security management entity is configured to modify user data in the database managed by the main controller by communicating data from the second database to the database managed by the main controller.

35. A security management entity according to claim 34, wherein the security management entity is configured to communicate data from the second database in response to a predefined event.

36. A security management entity according to claim 35, wherein the predefined event comprises the end of a session between the application entity and the user.

37. A security management entity according to claim 33, being configured for generation of security keys.

38. A security management entity according to claims 33, comprising a bootstrapping function.

39. A security management entity according to claim 33, configured to manage user data in response to detection that the user wants to use a new application.

40. A security management entity according to claim 33, being configured for authentication of the user in a generic authentication architecture in accordance with specifications of the third generation partnership project.

41. A security management entity according to claim 33, wherein the user data comprises user security settings.

42. A security management entity according to claim 41, wherein the user data comprises service specific user security settings of a generic bootstrapping architecture user security settings.

43. A security management entity according to claim 33, being configured to retrieve information regarding a user database to be managed.

44. A security management entity according to claim 43, being configured to retrieve said information from a subscriber locator function.

45. A user database for a communications system, the database being configured for management by a main controller, wherein the user database is enabled to allow management of user data associated with an authenticated user and an application provided by an application entity based on data communicated from at least one of the application entity and a security management function.

46. A user database as claimed in claim 45, adapted to be utilized in one of a home subscriber server and a home location register.

47. A system for managing data in a user database of a communications system where the database is managed by a main controller, the system being configured for authenticating a user for enabling the user to use an application provided by an application entity, and for managing user data associated with the user and the application in a database of a communications system by communicating data to a second entity connected to the communications system.