Authentication mechanism for unlicensed mobile access

• US 20070191014A1
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Zheng, Haihong, Faccin, Stefano
• Application Number:
  US11/393,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20070191014A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/438
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/162 at the data link layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0038 of security context information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) authentication techniques are provided. These techniques may use existing authentication mechanisms, such as a Cellular Authentication and Voice Encryption (CAVE) algorithm-based or Message Digest 5 (MD5) algorithm-based authentication mechanism.

Claims

1. A method of providing an authentication mechanism for an unlicensed mobile access network, said method comprising:

receiving a registration request from a mobile station, said request comprising a cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station and an unlicensed mobile access network identification associated with the mobile station;

mapping the cellular access network identification to the unlicensed mobile access network identification; and

using the mapping to handoff between a cellular access network and the unlicensed mobile access network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellular access network identification is used to contact the mobile station and to authenticate the mobile station to the cellular access network, and wherein the unlicensed mobile access network identification is used to authenticate the mobile station to the unlicensed mobile access network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein respective cellular access network and unlicensed mobile access network identifications comprise at least one of an electronic serial number or an international mobile subscriber identity associated with the mobile station.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request to handoff the mobile station from the cellular access network to the unlicensed mobile access network, said handoff request comprising the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

receiving a first handoff complete message comprising the unlicensed mobile access network identification associated with the mobile station.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

determining the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station based at least in part on the unlicensed mobile access network identification included in the first handoff complete message; and

transmitting a second handoff complete message comprising the cellular access network identification.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station based at least in part on the mapping; and

generating a request to handoff the mobile station from the unlicensed mobile access network to the cellular access network, said handoff request comprising the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving a first handoff command comprising the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station;

determining the unlicensed mobile access network identification associated with the mobile station based at least in part on the cellular access network identification included in the first handoff command; and

transmitting a second handoff command comprising the unlicensed mobile access network identification.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

releasing a connection between the unlicensed mobile access network connection and the mobile station identified by the unlicensed mobile access network identification;

determining the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station based at least in part on the unlicensed mobile access network identification; and

transmitting a clear complete message comprising the cellular access network identification.

10. A network controller capable of providing an authentication mechanism for an unlicensed mobile access network, said controller comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor, said memory storing an application executable by the processor, wherein the application is configured, upon execution, to;

receive a registration request from a mobile station, the request comprising a cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station and an unlicensed mobile access network identification associated with the mobile station;

map the cellular access network identification to the unlicensed mobile access network identification; and

use the mapping to handoff between a cellular access network and the unlicensed mobile access network.

11. The network controller of claim 10, wherein the cellular access network identification is used to contact the mobile station and to authenticate the mobile station to the cellular access network, and wherein the unlicensed mobile access network identification is used to authenticate the mobile station to the unlicensed mobile access network.

12. The network controller of claim 10, wherein respective cellular access network and unlicensed mobile access network identifications comprise at least one of an electronic serial number or an international mobile subscriber identity associated with the mobile station.

13. The network controller of claim 10, wherein the application is further configured, upon execution, to:

receive a request to handoff the mobile station from the cellular access network to the unlicensed mobile access network, said handoff request comprising the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station.

14. The network controller of claim 13, wherein the application is further configured, upon execution, to:

receive a first handoff complete message comprising the unlicensed mobile access network identification associated with the mobile station.

15. The network controller of claim 14, wherein the application is further configured, upon execution, to:

determine the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station based at least in part on the unlicensed mobile access network identification included in the first handoff complete message; and

transmit a second handoff complete message comprising the cellular access network identification.

16. The network controller of claim 10, wherein the application is further configured, upon execution, to:

determine the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station based at least in part on the mapping; and

generate a request to handoff the mobile station from the unlicensed mobile access network to the cellular access network, said handoff request comprising the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station.

17. The network controller of claim 16, wherein the application is further configured, upon execution, to:

receive a first handoff command comprising the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station;

determine the unlicensed mobile access network identification associated with the mobile station based at least in part on the cellular access network identification included in the first handoff command; and

transmit a second handoff command comprising the unlicensed mobile access network identification.

18. The network controller of claim 17, wherein the application is further configured, upon execution, to:

release a connection between the unlicensed mobile access network connection and the mobile station identified by the unlicensed mobile access network identification;

determine the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station based at least in part on the unlicensed mobile access network identification; and

transmit a clear complete message comprising the cellular access network identification.

19. The network controller of claim 10, wherein the network controller comprises an unlicensed mobile access network controller.

20. A system for providing an authentication mechanism for an unlicensed mobile access network, said system comprising:

a mobile station configured to generate and transmit a registration request, said registration request comprising at least two identifications associated with the mobile station; and

a network controller configured to receive the registration request from the mobile station, the network controller further configured to correlate the at least two identifications with one another and to handoff between at least two access networks, based at least in part on the correlation, wherein at least one of the access networks comprises the unlicensed mobile access network.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the at least two identifications comprise a cellular access network identification and an unlicensed mobile access network identification.

22. The system of claim 21 further comprising:

a mobile switching center configured to generate and transmit a handoff request for handoff of the mobile station from a cellular access network to the unlicensed mobile access network, the handoff request comprising the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station, wherein the network controller is further configured to receive the handoff request.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the mobile station is further configured to transmit a first handoff complete message comprising the unlicensed mobile access network identification, and wherein the network controller is further configured to receive the first handoff complete message.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the network controller is further configured to determine the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station based at least in part on the unlicensed mobile access network identification included in the first handoff complete message, and to transmit a second handoff complete message comprising the cellular access network identification.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the network controller is further configured to generate and transmit a request for handoff of the mobile station from the unlicensed mobile access network to a cellular access network, the handoff request comprising the cellular access network identification.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the mobile switching center is further configured to receive the handoff request from the network controller and to transmit a first handoff command to the network controller, said handoff command comprising the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the network controller is further configured to receive the first handoff command, to determine the unlicensed mobile access network identification based at least in part on the cellular access network identification included in the first handoff command, and to transmit a second handoff command to the mobile station, said second handoff command comprising the unlicensed mobile access network identification.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the mobile station is further configured to receive the second handoff command, to determine the cellular access network identification based at least in part on the unlicensed mobile access network identification included in the second handoff command, and to transmit a handoff complete message comprising the cellular access network identification.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the network controller is further configured to release a connection between the unlicensed mobile access network connection and the mobile station identified by the unlicensed mobile access network identification, to determine the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station based at least in part on the unlicensed mobile access network identification, and to transmit a clear complete message to the mobile switching center, said clear complete message comprising the cellular access network identification.

30. A mobile station comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing an application executable by the processor, wherein the application is configured, upon execution, to;

generate a registration request comprising a cellular access network identification and an unlicensed mobile access network identification associated with the mobile station; and

transmit the registration request to a network controller configured to receive the request, to map the cellular access network identification to the unlicensed mobile access network identification and to use the mapping to handoff the mobile station between a cellular access network and an unlicensed mobile access network.

31. The mobile station of claim 30, wherein the cellular access network identification is used to contact the mobile station and to authenticate the mobile station to the cellular access network, and wherein the unlicensed mobile access network identification is used to authenticate the mobile station to the unlicensed mobile access network.

32. The mobile station of claim 30, wherein respective cellular access network and unlicensed mobile access network identifications comprise at least one of an electronic serial number or an international mobile subscriber identity associated with the mobile station.

33. The mobile station of claim 30, wherein the application is further configured, upon execution, to:

receive a handoff command comprising the unlicensed mobile access network identification associated with the mobile station;

determine the cellular access network identification based at least in part on the unlicensed mobile access network identification included in the handoff command; and

transmit a handoff complete message comprising the cellular access network identification.

34. A computer program product for providing an authentication mechanism for an unlicensed mobile access network, wherein the computer program product comprises at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for receiving a registration request from a mobile station, the request comprising a cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station and an unlicensed mobile access network identification associated with the mobile station;

a second executable portion for mapping the cellular access network identification to the unlicensed mobile access network identification; and

a third executable portion for using the mapping to handoff between a cellular access network and the unlicensed mobile access network.

35. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein the cellular access network identification is used to contact the mobile station and to authenticate the mobile station to the cellular access network, and wherein the unlicensed mobile access network identification is used to authenticate the mobile station to the unlicensed mobile access network.

36. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein respective cellular access network and unlicensed mobile access network identifications comprise at least one of an electronic serial number or an international mobile subscriber identity associated with the mobile station.

37. The computer program product of claim 34 further comprising:

a fourth executable portion for receiving a request to handoff the mobile station from the cellular access network to the unlicensed mobile access network, said handoff request comprising the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station.

38. The computer program product of claim 37 further comprising:

a fifth executable portion for receiving a first handoff complete message comprising the unlicensed mobile access identification associated with the mobile station.

39. The computer program product of claim 38 further comprising:

a sixth executable portion for determining the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station based at least in part on the unlicensed mobile access network identification included in the first handoff complete message; and

a seventh executable portion for transmitting a second handoff complete message comprising the cellular access network identification.

40. The computer program product of claim 34 further comprising:

a fourth executable portion for determining the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station based at least in part on the mapping; and

a fifth executable portion for generating a request to handoff the mobile station from the unlicensed mobile access network to the cellular access network, said handoff request comprising the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station.

41. The computer program product of claim 40 further comprising:

a sixth executable portion for receiving a first handoff command comprising the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station;

a seventh executable portion for determining the unlicensed mobile access network identification associated with the mobile station based at least in part on the cellular access network identification included in the first handoff command; and

an eighth executable portion for transmitting a second handoff command comprising the unlicensed mobile access network identification.

42. The computer program product of claim 41 further comprising:

a ninth executable portion for releasing a connection between the unlicensed mobile access network connection and the mobile station identified by the unlicensed mobile access network identification;

a tenth executable portion for determining the cellular access network identification associated with the mobile station based at least in part on the unlicensed mobile access network identification; and

an eleventh executable portion for transmitting a clear complete message comprising the cellular access network identification.

43. A system for providing an authentication mechanism for an unlicensed mobile access network, said system comprising:

a mobile station; and

a network entity in communication with the mobile station and configured to store a registration associated with the mobile station, said registration comprising at least two points of attachment for a serving network, a first point of attachment corresponding with a cellular access network, and a second point of attachment corresponding with the unlicensed mobile access network.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the network entity comprises a home location register associated with the cellular access network.

45. The system of claim 44 further comprising:

a mobile switching center associated with the cellular access network and in communication with the home location register; and

an authentication, authorization and accounting server associated with the unlicensed mobile access network and in communication with the home location register, wherein the first point of attachment corresponds with the mobile switching center, and the second point of attachment corresponds with the authentication, authorization and accounting server.

46. The system of claim 43 wherein the network entity comprises an authentication, authorization and accounting server associated with the cellular access network.

47. The system of claim 46 further comprising:

a packet data serving node associated with the cellular access network and in communication with the authentication, authorization and accounting server; and

a unlicensed mobile access network controller associated with the unlicensed mobile access network and in communication with the authentication, authorization and accounting server, wherein the first point of attachment corresponds with the packet data serving node and the second point of attachment corresponds with the unlicensed mobile access network controller.

48. The system of claim 43 wherein the network entity comprises a database associated with the cellular access network, and wherein the system further comprises:

a first authentication, authorization and accounting server associated with the cellular access network and in communication with the database; and

a second authentication, authorization and accounting server associated with the unlicensed mobile access network and in communication with the database, and wherein the first point of attachment corresponds with the first authentication, authorization and accounting server and the second point of attachment corresponds with the second authentication, authorization and accounting server.

49. The system of claim 43 further comprising:

an unlicensed mobile access network controller configured to authenticate the mobile station to the unlicensed mobile access network and to enable the mobile station to communicate with the cellular access network via the unlicensed mobile access network.