Method and apparatus for converging local area and wide area wireless data networks

• US 20080031211A1
• Filed: 07/02/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc. (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tatara Systems Incorporated (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jiang, Hong, Kalavade, Asawaree, Chen, Penny
• Granted Patent: US 7,782,848 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• 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: H04W 12/062 Pre-authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/04 Large scale networks; Deep hierarchical networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 Inter-networking arrangements

Abstract

A converged network accessible by wireless client devices includes a wide area wireless network, a local area wireless network, and a gateway linked to the wide area and local area wireless networks for integrating access to the networks by the wireless client devices

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in a wide area wireless network operated by a service provider and comprising at least one node of a first type that routes traffic to and from the wide area wireless network into the public Internet, and one or more nodes of a second type each of which manage mobility of a wireless client device in the wide area wireless network, and wherein a given node of the second type authenticates a wireless client device by accessing a database associated with the wide area network, wherein the apparatus comprises:

a gateway to which an access device of a wireless local area network is connectable, the gateway being associated with the wide area wireless network and being either (a) connectable to a node of the first type to enable the wireless local area network access device to appear to the node of the first type as a node of the second type, or (b) connectable to a node of the second type to enable the wireless local area network access device to appear to the node of the second type as a base station/packet control unit of the wide area wireless network; and

a client software program having computer executable instructions in a given wireless client device to enable the given wireless client device, while operating within the wireless local area network, to use the gateway to access the database and thereby provide seamless session integration as the given wireless client device moves between respective coverage areas of the wide area wireless network and the wireless local area network, wherein the gateway provides the seamless session integration, by (a) emulating the node of the second type when the gateway is connected to the node of the first type, or (b) emulating the base station/packet control unit when the gateway is connected to the node of the second type;

wherein the gateway generates billing data identifying a charge for use, by the given wireless client device, of the wide area wireless network.

2. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the gateway is an IP-accessible device, the node of the first type is a Gateway GPRS Service Node (GGSN) and the node of the second type is a Serving GPRS Service Node (SGSN).

3. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein, following an authentication by the gateway, a user of the given wireless client device obtains access to a service available in the wide area wireless network.

4. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the wide area wireless network is a GPRS or lx Radio Transmission Technology (1XRTT) network.

5. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the database is a Home Location Register (HLR).

6. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the gateway is deployed at an ISP Point of Presence (POP) or data center.

7. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the gateway is hosted on the public Internet.

8. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the wireless local area network is an 802.11 network.